Why is getting a job on Upwork so difficult? (2024)

FAQs

Why is getting a job on Upwork so difficult? ›

Lack of reputation: As a new freelancer on Upwork, you likely don't have a track record or client reviews to showcase your skills and reliability. Clients often prefer freelancers with established reputations and positive feedback. Competition: Upwork has a large pool of freelancers competing for jobs.

These are some of the top reasons why, as a new freelancer, you may not be getting any jobs on Upwork: Having an incomplete or low-quality Upwork profile. Failing to showcase relevant skills and experience. Submitting generic proposals.

If you mean skills that Upwork highly favors (and could get you accepted almost instantly), then yes. Upwork is a skills marketplace. It wants the best talents to be on the platform. Highly technical skills can get you approved almost instantly.

If this is your first time giving freelancing a shot, keep in mind that it will be very difficult to gain traction on Upwork (even with all the free connects you can get). Professionals with plenty of experience who are looking for high paying jobs may have more luck but the Upwork fee structure may get in their way.

UpWork requires that you complete all the fields in your profile before it will be approved. This includes things like your work history, education, and skills. If any of these fields are left blank, your profile will likely be rejected.

Your Job Success Score can change for a number of reasons, even without recent activity. Your best JSS score will be displayed based on the rolling windows when it is calculated. Sometimes, new contracts are added that impact your JSS. Other times, old activity is aged out.

Getting your first job on Upwork can be challenging, but it is definitely possible. The difficulty level will vary depending on a number of factors, including your skills and experience, the competitiveness of your field, and the quality of your profile and proposals.

Unfortunately, we do not offer universal service to all international locations, and you must be 18 years old (or the age of majority in your country, whichever is older).

Learn everything about Upwork, the Terms, and how to stay safe. As others have stated, it will likely take a while to land your first job. It's difficult to speak in terms of days, weeks, or months because it varies. As a new freelancer though, it will likely take severals weeks to months.

Upwork is generally the go-to for larger projects with long-term relationships, while Fiverr is better for smaller tasks that don't require a lot of back and forth between you and the freelancer.

What is the most wanted job on Upwork? ›

Upwork is flooded with too many freelancers, which makes it difficult for many, new and experienced, to find genuine jobs. While there are steps you can take to change the way you write your profile and proposals, it's still an uphill battle, especially when you are starting out.

We want to be sure people are compensated fairly for work. Upwork does not support contract rates under $3.00 USD per hour for hourly contracts. For fixed-price contracts, the minimum pay for a project is $5.00 USD, unless the client requires the freelancer to work a certain number of hours on the project.

An incomplete or poorly crafted profile may discourage clients. Fill out all sections, showcase relevant skills, and add a professional portfolio. Make sure your profile is tailored to the specific services you offer. There are also a number of reasons of no winning the bid.