How To Get Jobs on Upwork: Top 9 Tips

Upwork’s Talent Marketplace™ is where freelancers can find clients looking to hire independent professionals for their projects right now. You can check the marketplace for recently posted jobs, submit proposals, interview, submit work, and get paid without ever leaving Upwork. There are thousands of opportunities every day. Freelancing is reputation-based; as you earn positive reviews and build your portfolio, landing jobs and new clients often gets easier. 

If you’re looking to build a freelancing career on Upwork, these tips can help you win more work. 

1. Be active on Upwork

While the goal may be to have clients coming to you with job invites and repeat projects, in the beginning, you have to be active on the platform. Dedicate time each day to checking the Talent Marketplace and see what newly posted jobs match your skill set. Being one of the first freelancers to submit a proposal can increase your chances of getting noticed by a client.

When you find a posting that fits your skill set, use your Connects to submit a proposal. Regularly submitting proposals and being active on the platform can increase your visibility in Upwork search results.

Freelancers can use Connects like a virtual token to submit proposals and run ads to win more work on Upwork. Freelancers with basic accounts may receive 10 free Connects each month, which roll over and are usable for up to a year.

You can buy Connects in bundles or choose a custom amount. Each Connect costs US$0.15. You can get free bonus Connects by:

• Purchasing your first Connects or subscribing to the Freelancer Plus plan (50 Connects)
• Earning Talent Badges: Rising Talent, Top Rated, Top Rated Plus (30 Connects per badge)
• Winning interviews from established clients (amount varies from project to project)
• Completing onboarding tasks
• Completing educational content about trust and safety on Upwork

Upgrading to a Freelancer Plus annual plan gets you 100 Connects each month, along with other perks to help you be more active on Upwork, like:

• Job alerts. Get instant notifications when clients post freelance jobs that match your skills and interests. 
• Proposal insights. View competitor bids, stats, and client engagement to strategize your proposals and see how you stack up against the competition. 
• Uma, Upwork’s Mindful AI. Unlock unlimited access to Uma and send as many messages you want (basic memberships can send around 10 messages per week). 
• Direct Contracts. Receive 0% service fee on earnings for clients that you bring to Upwork (basic memberships pay 5%). 

2. Optimize your profile

Improving your profile is one of the best things you can do to get more Upwork jobs. Your profile is your opportunity to promote your freelance business to potential clients by emphasizing your skills and expertise. Successful profiles are 100% complete, detailed, and describe your services and accomplishments in a compelling way.

You’ll need to have a fully complete profile to be eligible for Talent Badges like Top Rated or Rising Talent. 

Let clients know that you're looking for work right now by turning on your Availability Badge. Decide the maximum number of Connects you're willing to spend each week on the badge. The Availability Badge will stay on until you hit your max or turn it off.

When your badge is on, "Available now" will appear on your profile and next to your name in search results and recommendations. Freelancers who turn on the Availability Badge receive up to 70% more job invites.

You can stand out even more to clients looking to send job invites by boosting your profile to the top four slots of the client page. After clients post a job, they can invite individual freelancers to interview for their projects. As a freelancer, submitting proposals to these job invites doesn’t cost you any Connects.

When clients search for independent professionals, Boosted Profiles show up first, increasing your visibility by putting you at the top of the list. You get to choose the category that you want your profile to show up in. Decide how many Connects you’re willing to spend on your bid and set your budget. Boosted Profiles are pay-per-click ads, and you only pay the first time that a client clicks on your profile for each job.

3. Find your niche

Working as a specialist with a niche can make it easier to market your freelance business and attract clients. Many independent professionals find success on Upwork by positioning themselves as experts in their niche. Once you have identified your niche, you can tailor your profile and portfolio to suit the type of work you want to do.

“Being a freelancer allows you to really create your own style, and clients will find you based on that style versus the other way around. You can choose a particular style that you know that you're good at or enjoy working on. I think it's important to stick with that, and clients will seek you out for that specific style." — Suzanna Ctvrlik, Expert-Vetted Designer 

When a client reviews your profile, they should be able to quickly identify your top skills and understand exactly what kind of work to hire you for. Having a profile that highlights your niche helps connect you with clients who need exactly what you offer.

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4. Customize your proposals

When applying for jobs on Upwork, think of your profile as your resume and your proposal as the cover letter. Writing proposals for jobs you find on Upwork is a skill that takes practice. While you can use a template as a starting point, avoid copying and pasting the same proposal for every project you’re interested in. Clients often see generic information as a red flag; they want to know that you read their job posting and spent time on your proposal.

“I actually don’t use a single fixed proposal anymore. After the feedback I got, I started writing each proposal specifically for the job I’m applying to. That means I look at the client’s requirements, highlight their main pain points, and explain how I’d approach their exact problem. The structure stays similar, but the content is always tailored to the project.” 

— Upwork user on Reddit

When writing a proposal, focus on the client and the problem they need help solving. Demonstrate the value you add and how you've successfully helped clients with similar problems in the past. Try to keep your pitch short and direct; 100-300 words will typically convey everything the client needs to know.

The most effective Upwork proposals clearly show how you can help the client. Explain why they should choose you by highlighting how your experience aligns with their specific project goals and pain points.

Leverage Uma

Uma can help you draft stronger cover letters. After writing your cover letter, you can choose “Share tips” to get customized tips from Uma, which will compare your cover letter to the client’s job description and offer personalized recommendations. Think of Uma as your work companion — a second set of eyes to review and edit your cover letters, saving you time.

You can use Uma to create first drafts by answering questions in the chat box. Uma is powered by Upwork’s unique data from millions of successful interactions and customized to reflect your experience on the platform. By considering your goals, work history, and current activity, Uma delivers personalized, relevant support when you need it.

Be responsive

Do your best to respond to clients quickly. Replying within 24 hours can make a big difference. Download the Upwork app on both mobile and desktop so you never miss a message from a potential client. Quick replies help build trust and increase your chances of getting hired.

5. Boost your proposal for jobs to stand out

If you find a job that you really like and think you’d be a good fit for, you can boost your proposal. When a client posts a job as a freelancer, you can submit an auction bid to be one of the first four proposals they’ll see. Proposals marked “Boosted” show that you’ve used additional Connects to increase visibility, signaling both your interest in the project and your confidence in your fit.

The auction runs for seven days or until the client hires a freelancer, whichever comes first. Set your max bid and keep an eye out to see if you win. You can be bumped out of the top four if another freelancer outbids you. If this happens, your proposal will be moved lower in the list with the other unboosted proposals. You're only charged your boost bid if you're still in the top four at the end, or the client interacts with your proposal while it's boosted.

6. Deliver your best work every time

When you’re working on a project for a client, always try to make it your best work. Consistently delivering high-quality work can help you get more jobs in the future as you earn a Job Success Score (JSS) and Upwork talent badges. When you submit a proposal, clients can see your JSS and any talent badges that you have, which can help your proposals get more views.

Clients may even start coming to you and sending job invites as you build your reputation. Once the demand for your services increases and you have less availability in your workweek, consider raising your rates.

You can also include automatic scheduled rate increases in your proposals for certain hourly contracts. This helps you maintain competitive rates while focusing on long-term client engagements.

7. Create a portfolio

You can showcase your skills and expertise in your Upwork portfolio. Pick your best work samples that fit your niche. You can upload images, videos, audio, and documents, or embed a live link to provide visuals.

If you already have a portfolio on your personal website, you can use the link to autofill the title, description, and skills.

Use the portfolio descriptions and text boxes to provide background context and tell a story about how each piece in your portfolio helped solve a client’s problem. When clients look at your portfolio, they’ll see how you can help them with their problem because you’ve already done it many times for other clients.

“I started out with infographics. I went on Upwork and saw a lot of projects looking for infographic design. So I just built three pieces for my portfolio. I created three infographics, and started applying with these pieces and I started getting infographic design work. And soon that helped me build a portfolio of infographics…once I started niching and just focusing on infographics, a lot of projects started rolling in. My business grew quickly and I learned a lot through each project.”

 — Adriana Danalia, Top Rated Plus Illustrator 

If you’re new to freelancing and don't have any work samples that you can use from previous Upwork clients, you can add past projects. You can also create mockups for your dream clients or make up your own. Just make sure that you note that these are mockups and not paying clients. This can be helpful if you need specific portfolio examples for your niche and skill.

Creating your portfolio is quick and easy. Start adding the work samples that you’re most proud of and if you need more time, save your portfolio as a draft and finish up later.

8. Ask clients for feedback

After you complete your first few projects with two or more clients, you'll earn your JSS. Your JSS is how Upwork measures your success on the platform. You'll need to maintain a JSS of at least 90% to be eligible for the Top Rated badge.

Along with a high JSS, you'll want to earn positive reviews from your clients. After completing a contract, clients can rate you and leave both public feedback. The feedback shows up on your profile for potential clients to see and can help give them a vote of confidence in your skills.

“Most of the time, clients really understand their business and they understand their audience better than I do. So their feedback is really relevant and it helps me to create better work to serve the final purpose.”

 — Adriana Danalia

Client feedback is optional. If you end a contract and feel that your client was happy with the deliverables, you can ask for feedback. Try not to be too pushy, but explain why the feedback is helpful. You can even request that the client include details that might help other prospects understand how you added value.

You can also request mid-contract feedback for long-term projects and contracts that don't have a set end date. This is especially helpful if one of your first few clients is a long-term engagement.

In the beginning, you won't have any client reviews on your Upwork profile. You'll need to complete a project before you can earn feedback and build your Job Success Score. Landing that first job can often be the hardest. Having testimonials from past employers or clients that you worked with before joining Upwork can help build trust and take the place of reviews.

"Bring as many testimonials as you possibly can. For example, if you already have a few going on your LinkedIn profile, I would reach out to them and say, look can I just use the very same one here on Upwork? You're gonna get an email; just copy and paste it from what you previously wrote on LinkedIn.”

— Corinna Zennig, Top Rated Plus Data Analyst 

9. Build long-term relationships with clients

When you start a project with a client, think beyond just one job. Building long-term relationships with current and past clients can lead to repeat work and ongoing opportunities. You could do more of the same work for the client or recommend an additional service that provides value to the client.

Don’t be afraid to ask at the end of the contract if the client has any other projects you could help with.

Example message:

I really enjoyed working on this project with you. I have some availability in my schedule if you have any other projects coming up that fit my skill set.

Think about what other services the client may need that you can offer. They may not be aware of the other skills that you have. Upskilling and offering other in-demand services within your niche are great ways to grow your freelance business.

For example, if you’re a freelance writer and win a proposal to write a blog post for a client, you can let them know that you can also write newsletters and social media posts to help promote the blog. A seemingly one-off job can turn into a long-lasting relationship.

More tips for being successful on Upwork

• Be patient. Your first client was likely the hardest to get; it’s just a matter of replicating that success to get more jobs. It takes time to grow a successful freelance business. Be patient, stay optimistic, and put in the work to get more clients.
• Update your profile regularly. As you gain experience and complete projects, make sure your profile reflects your most recent work, skills, and accomplishments. 
• Find the right fit. When checking the Talent Marketplace, only submit proposals that closely fit your skills and experience. Instead of applying to anything and everything, spend more time creating great proposals for jobs that fall within your niche.
• Evaluate potential clients. Before accepting an offer, review the client’s profile and be on the lookout for any potential red flags.
• Set a competitive rate. Make sure that your rate is fair compared to other freelancers with similar skills and experience. You can research hourly rates on Upwork for different skills to stay competitive. 
• Follow up. Sending a short and polite message the day after your interview shows professionalism and can help keep the conversation moving forward.
• Get AI savvy. Use Uma and other AI tools to your advantage as you create quality proposals and other assets needed to win work and be more productive as a freelancer. 

Start your freelancer journey on Upwork

Upwork is a human and AI-powered work marketplace connecting freelancers to clients ranging from solo-preneurs to very large businesses from all around the world. There are thousands of opportunities every day. From the Talent Marketplace to Uma, Upwork gives you the tools you need to build and grow your freelance business without ever having to leave the platform. Whether you're just starting out or looking to scale, Upwork makes it easier to find work, manage projects, and take control of your career — all in one place.

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