Tips for Getting Started on Upwork

[MichaelJ]

Getting started on Upwork can be challenging. Here are some top tips that can help you succeed.

Complete Your Profile

First, it can be very helpful to complete your profile 100%. It’s important to understand that there are certain sections that must be completed in order to reach 100%. You can even technically exceed 100% completion. The more fields you complete on your profile, the better your chances of winning work. Also, your profile must be 100% complete in order to qualify for badges such as Rising Talent and Top Rated. Check out this help article for more information on the numerous ways you can reach 100% or more completion. I also recommend this article about why a great title and overview can make a difference.

Set Your Profile Visibility

Second, we recommend updating your profile visibility. Once you’ve crafted the perfect profile, you’ll want clients to be able to see it. When setting your profile visibility, you have three options: Public, Only Upwork Users, or Private.  If you set your profile to private, it will be excluded from the Upwork marketplace and search engines. This means clients won’t see you when they search for freelancers. Therefore, it’s in your best interest to set your profile visibility to Public or Only Upwork Users.

Submit Proposals

Third, submit proposals! This may seem like an obvious step, but it’s one that often doesn’t receive enough attention from new freelancers. By regularly submitting proposals for projects that fit your skills, you not only increase your chances of winning work, but you also prevent your profile from being automatically set to private, which can happen if you are inactive from the platform. As you submit more proposals, you will also learn what does and doesn’t get the attention of clients. Also, remember, that you may have to submit more than 5 proposals before you win your first project. Persistence is key. To help improve the quality of your proposals, I invite you to read about how to create a proposal that wins jobs and take in this proven advice from freelancers on Upwork. Also, check out this great article about How To Get More Jobs on Upwork in 2022!

[mineligagliano]

Thanks Mike. May I ask why my profile will not complete? It is telling me my phone number is not recognized or that it cannot read it to send a code.

Mineli

[MichaelJ]

Hi Mineli,

I'm sorry to hear you faced that issue. A fix has been released for this issue now. Have you been able to complete your profile now?

[artchiemararac]

Hi Mike!

I just started my freelancing career and my profile got accepted last week. I will be very grateful if someone like you who has an adept background in Upwork can suggest improving my profile. 

Thank you for reading my message. 

Sincerely yours,

Artchie M.

[MichaelJ]

Hi Artchie,

Welcome to Upwork! I reviewed your profile and have some suggestions:

• Just like Google search results, the title and “snippets” of information that appear in Upwork’s talent search results can be key factors when potential clients are looking for expert talent to reach out to. I recommend avoiding generic descriptions, such as “hard-working” or “reliable”. You can touch on these points in your Overview. Consider updating your title to be descriptive about the services you offer.
• The beginning of your profile overview displays in prospective client search results and it’s your first 200-character pitch. So, your first sentence should include clear, relevant information about your primary skill sets and expertise.

• Your profile overview is difficult to quickly scan and understand what your primary services and experiences are. It might help to use bullets and other delineators to break up your profile.

To give a clear impression you’re the person the client wants to talk to, here are some additional tips for writing a great Overview.

I hope this helps!

[clippingfiximage]

Hi Mike, Sorry for that! Can you check my profile? As I am new to this platform so I am confused about my profile. I want to know what is the fault of my profile. I am confused. Thanks for your kindness. Please Please help me.

Regards,
Pronob Kumer

[MichaelJ]

Hi Pronob,

Thanks for your message. I reviewed your profile and want to remind you that the beginning of your profile overview displays in prospective client search results and it’s your first 200-character pitch. So, your first sentence should include clear, relevant information about your primary skill sets and expertise. To give a clear impression you’re the person the client wants to talk to, here are some additional tips for writing a great Overview.

You might also find these article helpful:

• 9 Tips to Help You Create a Freelancer Profile That Stands Out
• Tips from Freelancers: Best Practices for Success
• How to Write Proposals: Proven Advice From Freelancers on Upwork

[nduhaylungsod]

Hi Mike,

It has been years since I was able to land and offer. I'm sending multiple proposals but none of them are having responses from clients. Could you please help me identify what I can improve on?

[MichaelJ]

Hi Nikko,

Thank you for your message. I reviewed your profile and have some suggestions:

• The beginning of your profile overview displays in prospective client search results and it’s your first 200-character pitch. So, your first sentence should include clear, relevant information about your primary skill sets and expertise.

• Your profile overview is short compared to the average. Upwork’s research shows clients see it as a positive signal if the profile is well written and comprehensive. Therefore, consider crafting your overview as a pitch to prospective clients. 

  • Help clients understand your abilities better by listing information about your skills and experience in an original and creative way. 
  • Focus on how you can help clients achieve their goals. For example, expand on who you are, the services you offer, and what you’re most passionate about. 
  • Be clear on your expertise and mention specialized software or tools. 
  • If appropriate, let your personality shine through (include some excitement), and show your qualities and praise the work you do, instead of focusing on yourself.
  • Other examples of information you can include are past accomplishments and projects, preferred working style, and your business’ values (e.g. I believe in strong communications or thorough upfront planning), industries or lines of businesses you have worked in before, and the types of clients you have worked with before (start-ups, solo entrepreneurs, large businesses, etc.). 

To give a clear impression you’re the person the client wants to talk to, here are some additional tips for writing a great Overview.

[virginiyaz]

Hi Mike,
I am a newcomer and have recently got profile' approval. Could you be so kind to look through and give an advice what should be improved.
I would like to gain an experience in QBO but I am a fresh person in it.

TIA

Virginiya

[MichaelJ]

Hi Virginiya,

Thank you for your message and welcome to Upwork! I reviewed your profile and have some suggestions:

• Create a 100% complete profile. Right now your profile is only 85% complete. 100% completion is required to qualify for the Rising Talent or Top Rated badges. This article will give you multiple options for completing your profile. There is more than one way to reach 100%.
• The beginning of your profile overview displays in prospective client search results and it’s your first 200-character pitch. So, your first sentence should include clear, relevant information about your primary skill sets and expertise.
• Consider crafting your profile overview as a pitch to clients, rather than a list of skills. It might help to organize it with paragraphs: for example, have your introduction paragraph, a separate paragraph for skills, and one for experience. In this way, you might emphasize certain areas, but use caution with adding lists of skills with few to no related work examples because clients may question the sincerity of your skills list. Another idea is to use bullets and other delineators to break up your profile.

To give a clear impression you’re the person the client wants to talk to, here are some additional tips for writing a great Overview.

[perceptionstudio]

Hi Mike

Please advise, I am feeling rather frustrated.

I'm new to Upwork but not freelancing and I am an expert in my field. I can't seem to land my first project despite sending out many proposals. I get that I am competeing against others in a big pool but begining to feel like I'm wasting my time.

Is there any way of knowing why my proposals are not being accepted? So I can either adjust my strategy, profile or price. I see the same company/person looking for retouchers everyday "We are looking for Hi-Experienced editors/retouchers for regular projects (3-4 projects per week)" and I have applied to just about every post of theirs but not getting anywhere even thouh I am a perfectly suitable candidate. Are they hiring the same retoucher everytime they hire? Please review my profile and let me know if something is prehaps off there. Many thanks, Adrian

[MichaelJ]

Hi Adrian,

Thank you for your message. Winning your first few projects on Upwork can be tough, but persistence is key. If you are seeing the same job post and not receiving replies, I would advise against continuing to apply to that role as the client may be looking for something different than what you are offering or your rate may be out of their range. Clients aren't required to indicate why they are not moving forward with a proposal. You may find the Freelancer Plus membership helpful as this gives you insights into the bid ranges of competitors on a specific job post.

I also suggest these articles:

• 9 Tips to Help You Create a Freelancer Profile That Stands Out
• How to Create a Proposal That Wins Jobs
• How to Write Proposals: Proven Advice From Freelancers on Upwork

I hope this helps!

[bijoyasarkar]

Dear Mike,

I know you're fine Please check my profile and tell me if my profile has been completed correctly. I look forward to hearing from you. Please let me know. I have a request for you. Thank you.

Regards,

Bijoya Sarkar

[maddge]

Hello Mike,
A very enlightening post you have here, especially to new users like myself. Thank you for this.
I would like to request that you kindly go through my profile, and give me feedback on what I need to do to improve it.
I would really appreciate this.

Thank you.
Margaret.

[MichaelJ]

HI Margaret,

Thank you for your message. I reviewed your profile and have some suggestions:

• Your profile is only 90% complete. Review this article for guidance on how to create a 100% complete profile. Your profile must be 100% complete in order to qualify for programs such as Rising Talent and Top Rated.

• Your profile overview is short compared to the average. Upwork’s research shows clients see it as a positive signal if the profile is well written and comprehensive. Therefore, consider crafting your overview as a pitch to prospective clients.
  • Help clients understand your abilities better by listing information about your skills and experience in an original and creative way.
  • Focus on how you can help clients achieve their goals. For example, expand on who you are, the services you offer, and what you’re most passionate about.
  • Be clear on your expertise and mention specialized software or tools.
  • Other examples of information you can include are past accomplishments and projects, preferred working style, and your business’ values (e.g. I believe in strong communications or thorough upfront planning), industries or lines of businesses you have worked in before, and the types of clients you have worked with before (start-ups, solo entrepreneurs, large businesses, etc.).
• The beginning of your profile overview displays in prospective client search results and it’s your first 200-character pitch. So, your first sentence should include clear, relevant information about your primary skill sets and expertise.

To give a clear impression you’re the person the client wants to talk to, here are some additional tips for writing a great Overview.

I hope this helps!

[f3b6cb6b]

Dear peers

take my love and getting of you. I am a new freelancer on Upwork.

my profile is complete and 100% but I didn't get any job! so please help how can i get a job?

**Edited for Community Guidelines**

[bfriend916]

Thanks I submitted a proposal and got a reply and started working for them as a data entry clerk! I was just curious can I do other work for upwork too?

[MichaelJ]

Hi Brittany,

Yes, you can have multiple active contracts on the platform.

[bfc14816]

Hi Mike,

I can see the good work you are doing.
Please could you help me look through my profile, and give me feedback on how to improve it. My stats shoe that i have 0 profile views, since i joined upwork.
I'm new to upwork, i had 100% complete profile, it dropped to 95% , i don't know why.
Help me please

[MichaelJ]

Hi Ezekiel,

Thank you for your message. In order to reach 100% profile completion, which is necessary in order to earn Rising Talent or Top Rated badges, please review this article. There are many different ways to reach 100%.

As for your profile, I do not see a freelancer context on your account, only client. You may have a second account, but please note that users are only allowed 1 account. You can be both a freelancer and a client on the same account. You can find directions for creating a freelancer profile under your existing account in this article.

[iamhasnainhayat]

Hi,

I have completed my profile and also Upwork readiness test. I have applied for more than 15 jobs but not getting any response from the clients after 1st order. Can anyone please review my profile and give me suggestions about winning a job or improving the profile?

Thanks,

Hasnain Hayat

Web Developer

[MichaelJ]

Hi Hasnain,

Thank you for your message. I reviewed your profile and wanted to mentiont that the beginning of your profile overview displays in prospective client search results and it’s your first 200-character pitch. So, your first sentence should include clear, relevant information about your primary skill sets and expertise. To give a clear impression you’re the person the client wants to talk to, here are some additional tips for writing a great Overview.

I also recommend these articles:

• How to Write a Cover Letter
• How to Create a Proposal That Wins Jobs
• How to Write Proposals: Proven Advice From Freelancers on Upwork

I hope this helps!

[isamybaxy]

Yes, Brittany, you can, If you have the capacity to manage more clients successfully, go right ahead!

[cfb2601f]

Very Good direction and Suggestion.

Thanks Mike J

[4fb1be4a]

Hello Mike am new to upwork please kindly help go through my profile and tell me what I need to get done. Thanks in Advance

[MichaelJ]

Hi Jimoh,

Thank you for your message. I reviewed your profile and have some suggestions:

• Precise titles that specify the services you offer are more likely to catch the attention of clients that need your expertise.
• I would advise against having your whole overview capitalized. Correct spelling and grammar are important to clients.
• The beginning of your profile overview displays in prospective client search results and it’s your first 200-character pitch. So, your first sentence should include clear, relevant information about your primary skill sets and expertise. 
• Your profile overview is short compared to the average. Upwork’s research shows clients see it as a positive signal if the profile is well written and comprehensive. Therefore, consider crafting your overview as a pitch to prospective clients:
  • Help clients understand your abilities better by listing information about your skills and experience in an original and creative way.  Focus on how you can help clients achieve their goals. For example, expand on who you are, the services you offer, and what you’re most passionate about. 
  • Be clear on your expertise and mention specialized software or tools.  If appropriate, let your personality shine through (include some excitement), and show your qualities and praise the work you do, instead of focusing on yourself.
  • Other examples of information you can include are past accomplishments and projects, preferred working style, and your business’ values (e.g. I believe in strong communications or thorough upfront planning), industries or lines of businesses you have worked in before, and the types of clients you have worked with before (start-ups, solo entrepreneurs, large businesses, etc.).  

To give a clear impression you’re the person the client wants to talk to, here are some additional tips for writing a great Overview.

I hope this helps!

[johnalimedia]

Hi Mike,

Thank you for doing this!

Would be so helpful if you could go through my profile and share any suggestions that you might have to share. Thank you so much!

[MichaelJ]

Hi John,

Thank you for your message. Your profile looks great! One thing I wanted to make sure you're aware of is that the beginning of your profile overview displays in prospective client search results and it’s your first 200-character pitch. So, your first sentence should include clear, relevant information about your primary skill sets and expertise. Your first sentence is already an overview, but I wanted to make sure you know this shows in search results in case you wish to make any adjustments.

[rashidart]

Hi,

Friends i am new in free lanceing and i want some help so, who help me

[mehediahmed4161]

How can I help you?

[startupprofessor]

Hi,

Two questions for you.

1.) Could you glance at my profile and offer any tips to improve upon it?

2.) I've saved down a few different searches, but want to hone in on specific "tags" that a buyer has access to that as a freelancer we do not.  Is there specfic advice regarding this?

Thank you so much!

[johnalimedia]

Hey Mike,

Thank you for the suggestion!

I'll work on improving my profile overview.

[3d025f69]

Hello Mike,

This is Asmerom, I was wondering if you could give a quick look at my profile and give me your feedback. As I am new to this freelancing business, your help is invaluable to me.

Kind regards,

Thanks

[TiffanyF]

Hi Asmerom,

Thanks for your message. I have reviewed your profile and have few tips for you:

• Your profile overview is short compared to the average. Consider crafting it as a pitch to prospective clients. Be clear on your expertise and try to concisely explain what you can do, how you do it, and for what type of business/client. Don't just talk about yourself and your skills, but include a paragraph to explain how you can help the clients.  Also, here is a great article for additional tips for writing a great overview. 
• You only have 5 skill tags and are allowed up to 10. Having the right skill tags can help you appear in search more
• I encourage you to add portfolio items as it gives you the opportunity to impress potential clients with real-life examples of your skills and expertise. To help you look your best, consider showcasing 4+ examples of your best work. Learn more about building a great portfolio here.
• For employment, add relevant details to help clients understand your background. For employment, Some types of information you could include in your details are your duties, if you worked independently or with a team, and any major accomplishments.
• Do you have any professional certifications that would help you stand out to clients? Add them under the Certifications section of your profile. If your certification doesn’t show up in the list, you can scroll to the bottom and manually add it.

I hope this is helpful!

I recommend visiting the Upwork Events page. There are great past (recorded) and upcoming profile makeover webinars that can help you better understand how to position yourself and make your profile more marketable. 

Best,

Tiffany F. | Upwork Success Partner

[3d025f69]

Thank you so much Tifanny. Sorry for the late reply, I just saw your response today.

[3d025f69]

Hi Tiffany,
I have made few adjustments as per your suggestion. I would appreciate it if you check it out when you can and advise me whether you think it's better now or not. And thank you for taking your time for going above and beyond to help freelancers such as myself.
Best Regards.

[TiffanyF]

Hi Asmerom,

I'm glad to hear you found the information I provided to be helpful in making updates to your profile. It looks like you've added some additional information to your overview which will be very helpful for potential clients to learn about who you are and what kind of projects you're looking for. 

I also see you've added some more skill tags.  Since my post to you the limit for skill tags has been increased from 10 to 15 so you're free to add more if you want to make changes in this section. I would encourage you to keep working on your portfolio and adding additional samples of your work. If you have items that demonstrate something specific about your skills or a particular technique then those are great items to have there.  This helps clients see you are capable of doing exactly what they are looking for. 

Keep up the good work and happy bidding 🙂

Best,

Tiffany F. | Upwork Success Partner

[b6cdb5a4]

I'm fairly new to Upwork and have a pretty comprehensive profile though I've only completed 1 project.

I feel like I am doing all the things required to maximize the chances of getting my proposal considered but the process is very slow right now. 

I'm asking this question here in hopes of getting some more insight into the procedure since I'm kinda running out of my free connects. 

[042d9dd0]

Hi,

I have submitted lots of proposals or applied on multiple projects but still not getting any response from Client side. Please suggest what should I do ?

Thanks,

Neetu

[042d9dd0]

Please suggest what should I do? Can I contact or send messages directly to client?