I’ve sent around 147 job requests on Upwork, but I still haven’t gotten a single project. Can someone please give me some advice?

[Jazzmed]

Hi everyone,


I wanted to ask for some honest help from other freelancers.


I’ve been using Upwork for quite a while, and I’ve really been trying hard to get a job on there — but it still hasn’t worked out. Well, kind of. I do have one review, but it’s from someone I worked with in real life for many years, and they just hired me on Upwork so they could leave a comment. I haven’t gotten any brand-new clients on Upwork yet.


Here’s what I’ve done so far:

I’ve written tons of different job messages in all kinds of styles.
I’ve changed the look of them too — the layout, the font, and how everything is organized.
I’ve fixed up my profile a bunch of times, like the title, the info about me, my skills, and the keywords.
I even got the Rising Talent badge.
I’ve switched my prices and even tried changing what type of work I say I do.
I also looked at how top freelancers set up their profiles, but I wrote my own words.


Pretty much… I’ve tried almost everything except “buying reviews,” and I’m not even sure that’s a smart idea.


A little about me:


I have a bit over 8 years of real-world experience in my field. My work is good, and my regular clients are happy with what I do. But on Upwork, it feels like I keep running into a big wall.

Here’s what I really want to know:


For people who’ve recently been able to get jobs on Upwork (not a long time ago when things were easier), what actually helped you?
Are there any tricks that helped you get started when you had almost no Upwork history at all?
How can I set myself up so people will actually notice me in today’s super crowded marketplace?


I’m ready to learn and try new ideas — even if I have to change my whole plan and begin again.


Thanks a lot for any tips or stories you can share!


I really need to figure this out.

 

[Stringer]

Not many people here really use Upwork, so you might not hear from folks who just won fresh jobs.
But here are some things you can try:

1. Instead of trying to “get” extra reviews in risky ways, focus on earning around 2–3 real ones by doing small, simple tasks first.
2. Don’t send a giant pile of bids all at once — Upwork might think you’re spamming.
3. Look for tougher jobs that only have about 4 to 9 bids. Just make sure you can truly finish the work.
4. Make a tiny sample or demo of what you can do, and share it when you apply.
5. If writing bids is hard, you can get help from someone who teaches proposal writing.

 

[Fallsen]

Upwork is really crowded, so it’s hard to get noticed there.


Check out this list of other freelancing websites instead: MMO

You might try spreading your focus across different platforms so you don’t rely only on Upwork.