If you’re looking to get more jobs on Upwork, you’ve come to the right place. Are you currently on Upwork and wondering whether or not you should stick around? Does it seem hopeless because you never seem to land your dream contracts on there? Upwork can be tricky, and it’s one of those slow-burning job platforms that will take time and energy for you to build a career. But, it’s totally possible.

After working on Upwork for over three years (and having way too many jobs to accept now), I’ve found out exactly what works to land your dream contracts in the comfort of your living room.

What is Upwork?

If you’re here for the first time and don’t know what Upwork is, it’s a freelancer platform that connects clients and freelancers. It’s great because there are hundreds of thousands of jobs to choose from, but there are also many freelancers. Upwork protects clients and freelancers by ensuring there is a verified payment method and that the project is pre-funded, which means as the freelancer, you’ll always get your money if you do the job correctly.

How To Get More Jobs On Upwork

Starting a profile on Upwork can be difficult. However, if you’ve been approved, that means there is a good chance that you can be successful on the platform! All you need to do is keep at it and do these five things:

1. Become Top Rated

On Upwork, becoming Top Rated should be your number one goal. Top Rated means that for the past 13 out of 16 weeks, you’ve maintained a 90% or higher job success score, have earned at least $1,000 in the past 12 months, your first hire was over 90 days ago, and you have a 100% complete profile.

When you’re Top Rated, you get a badge on your profile, and you usually show up higher in search results as well. That means more clients are going to find you and invite you to their jobs. More invites, more interviews, and more hires.

2. Submit Short and Sweet Proposals

After hiring on Upwork, I’ve realized one of the biggest mistakes that freelancers make is they send in long proposals. Your whole profile is sent with your proposal, and as an employer, there’s a lot of information to view. When the proposal is multiple paragraphs long, they skim! Let your profile do the talking.

In my proposals, I keep it short and simple. Here’s my formula for submitting a proposal that isn’t too overwhelming:

• Say hello
• Introduce yourself
• Acknowledge the job position they’re hiring for
• Tell them you’d love to talk more about it
• Finish off with one sentence about your experience
• Close with your name

3. Get More Reviews

When it comes down to it, your rating and reviews are what really sell you on Upwork. Think of yourself like a restaurant. How appealing is it to look and see a no-name restaurant with zero reviews? Unfortunately, not so appealing. You need to get more reviews that will boost your profile.

When you’re just starting off on Upwork, that may mean you need to take some odd jobs for lower pay. Though it may not be the best work that you can get, all you need are reviews and a star rating to encourage more clients to hire you. Don’t be afraid to branch out and find odd jobs for your first few contracts!

4. Ask For Repeat Work

Once you’ve secured a client that you love, ask them for repeat work. There are often times where the clients will have more work for you, and all you have to do is ask. Even if they don’t have more work, they can recommend you to other people.

I’ve had multiple clients that have given me jobs from others because they were impressed with my work. Building strong relationships with your clients is extremely important. It can really make or break your business.

5. Be Consistent in Applying

You have to remember, Upwork is filled with freelancers. There is bound to be a lot of competition, but the more jobs you apply for, the better your chances of landing an interview. My biggest piece of advice is to keep on applying with Upwork. For the first month or two, it may seem discouraging to only get a few jobs. However, the longer you are on Upwork, the more appealing your profile becomes.

Pretty soon, you’ve blinked and a year has gone by. You’ve had tons of jobs and you’re working from home in your pajamas. I remember those first few months, and they were bleak! Now, I couldn’t imagine having any other job in the world. I love being a freelancer.

Good luck and Happy Upwork-ing!