How I Landed My First Job on Upwork (And What Actually Works)

At a Glance

• You can stand out fast. Most freelancers on Upwork send copy-and-paste, AI-generated proposals within minutes of a job posting. If you take the time to write a thoughtful proposal, tailor it to the client, and polish your profile, you’ll rise above 80% of applicants.
• Start small to build trust. Take on short, one-time projects from clients with a solid history of leaving five-star reviews. Once you’ve earned a few strong ratings of your own, higher-paying, long-term clients will follow naturally.
• Think like a marketer. Your profile and proposals are your ad copy. Use clear language, show examples of your work (even if it’s just samples), and make it easy for clients to see the value of hiring you.

---

Upwork has become one of the most reliable ways to start freelancing online.

It connects millions of clients and freelancers, offering steady work across almost every field.

Before launching The Ways To Wealth, I built my own freelance business on Upwork.

I began with small projects, focused on building trust, and over time reached a point where clients were seeking me out and paying more than $150 an hour for my work.

If you’re new to the platform, your biggest challenge is landing that first client. This guide breaks down how Upwork works and the exact steps to win your first contract, even with no prior experience.

How Upwork Works for Freelancers

Upwork is a marketplace that connects freelancers with clients who need work done.

After signing up, you’ll create a profile that includes a photo, a list of skills, and a few work samples.

Once your profile is live, you can browse thousands of new jobs posted every day across nearly every field imaginable.

Each listing includes details about the project, budget, and experience level required.

When you find a job that matches your skills, you’ll submit a proposal that includes your rate, a brief cover letter, and responses to a few client questions. We’ll go over how to craft an effective proposal in more detail below.

Clients can also invite freelancers directly.

If your profile is well optimized with clear skills, relevant keywords, and a focused overview, you can start receiving invitations even before you’ve built much experience on the platform.

All communication happens inside Upwork’s built-in messaging system, which supports chat, voice, and video.

Payments are handled through Upwork as well. Clients fund projects in escrow before work begins, giving both sides an added layer of protection.

Upwork charges freelancers a service fee on their earnings, which ranges from 0% to 15% depending on the type of contract.

Jobs on Upwork can be either hourly or fixed-price. You’ll usually have a chance to negotiate both the rate and the scope before starting, and you can request a pay increase later on for long-term projects.

How to Get Your First Job on Upwork

Upwork offers legitimate clients, solid pay rates, flexible work-from-anywhere opportunities, and built-in payment protection.

That combination sounds great, but landing your first job can still be difficult.

Many new freelancers sign up full of motivation, only to get discouraged when proposals go unanswered. The truth is that getting your first contract is often the biggest hurdle to success on Upwork.

The main reason is simple. You don’t have feedback yet.

Upwork runs on a five-star rating and review system. These ratings appear prominently on your profile and play a major role in whether clients decide to hire you.

When a project is completed, freelancers and clients grade each other and have the opportunity to leave a publicly-displayed comment.

These ratings serve as a form of social proof: they show that you’ve successfully completed projects and that you’re not going to waste a client’s time and money.

They also contribute to your “Job Success Score” (JSS), which is a publicly-displayed metric that Upwork uses to determine how satisfied your clients are with your work.

When clients are searching for freelancers to invite to projects, they have the ability to filter potential applicants by JSS (often opting to only consider people with a score of 100%). Also, your JSS is prominently displayed when you submit a proposal (as you can see in the image below).

As a new freelancer, you have no feedback and no Job Success Score. So, you see the problem: clients have no way of knowing whether you’re a reliable person who can actually deliver the skills you say you can deliver. This makes them much less likely to hire you.

Fortunately, there are some steps you can take to counteract this.

Upwork Profile Example and Step-by-Step Guide

Step #1: Craft a Knockout Profile

When you have no feedback and no JSS, your profile comes under extra scrutiny.

As an Upwork beginner, it’s your primary means of selling yourself to potential clients. But many newcomers make the mistake of rushing through the profile creation process, which makes them much less competitive.

Here are the keys to creating a great Upwork profile that will make clients want to learn more about you.

1. Use a business-friendly photo

First impressions matter, and an appropriate photo is an important part of your Upwork profile.

Because the photos on the site are small, you want a close-cropped image showing your head and neck (and possibly the tops of your shoulders).

Freelancing is very different from a traditional job, so while a suit is appropriate for a traditional job interview, it’s a little too formal for your Upwork profile. If any portion of your clothing will be shown in your photo, stick with business casual.

You also want your photo to be friendly. You’re not posing for your passport — you’re trying to draw in prospective clients.

Research into what makes an effective profile photo has shown that smiling and a confident posture can significantly influence clients’ perception of you.

Here’s an article from Upwork that outlines some of the recommended best practices.

2. Write a compelling, keyword-rich job title and overview

Whether you’re trying to land your first job on Upwork or your 100th, you want to make it easy for potential clients to find you. This means crafting a detailed description of your skillset that’s filled with keywords relevant to the kind of jobs you want to be hired for, as well as an overview of your experience.  

You also want to focus on highlighting benefits in these sections.

What do I mean by “benefits?”

Here’s a screenshot of my own Upwork title and overview:

In the title, I didn’t simply describe what I do. That would have looked something like:

Copywriting and Landing Page Design Services.

Instead, I added two important pieces of information to help potential clients understand what I was all about: a niche (Unbounce, which is a specific type of landing page software) and a benefit (increased ROI).

Then, I reinforced the benefit I provide by talking about it in the overview.

When you’re just starting out, you may not have a freelancing niche yet. However, you can absolutely underscore the benefits clients would gain by hiring you. Don’t just say what you’re good at; think about how your skills translate into specific, tangible returns.

3. Consider adding an introductory video

Most of the jobs on Upwork are remote work. It’s unlikely that you’ll ever meet a client in person, and you may not even speak to them on the phone.

Most of the time, it’s pretty impersonal and transactional: you get an assignment, complete it and submit the deliverables.

That’s part of the reason why feedback is so important: to a client, you’re one anonymous face out of thousands.

But if you’re able to shift that dynamic (even slightly) you can gain an edge on your competition.

One way to help yourself stand out and be less anonymous is by adding an introductory video to your Upwork profile. It’s an infrequently-utilized option, but it can have a big impact on the success of your proposals.

In your video, tell potential clients who you are, a little bit about the services you offer, and how long you’ve been involved in your profession. Note the kinds of projects you want to take on, and the kind of clients you like to work with.

You don’t need to cover much ground here — 30 to 60 seconds is ideal. The goal is to simply show your face in a way that demonstrates you’re a real, reasonable person.

4. Match your “skills” to the type of work you’re seeking

Your Upwork profile allows you to add up to 10 “skills” from a predefined database of options. Here are the skills listed on the profile of a freelance SEO editor I work with here at The Ways To Wealth:

As you can see, his skills are directly related to the work of an SEO editor.

But here’s the thing: prior to becoming a freelancer, he spent over a decade working as a journalist and music critic. If you ask him, he’ll tell you that some of his primary expertise is interviewing sources, researching stories and drafting creative first-person content.

But none of that is relevant to working as an SEO editor, so he didn’t include it.

The skills you choose help potential clients find you on the site, and also affect the placement of your proposals when applying for jobs.

Freelancers whose skills better match the “desired” skills (set by the client when they created the job post) will appear higher up in the client’s list of applicants.

Many new Upwork freelancers make the mistake of listing their 10 top skills, regardless of what those are. But since you’re limited to adding only 10, you need to think carefully about which of your skills specifically match the type of work you’re looking for.

For example, let’s say you spent five years working as a virtual assistant but are looking to get started as a freelance video editor. The skills you developed as a VA are very likely among your top skills in terms of expertise level. But those skills are probably not relevant to a client looking for a video editor, so you shouldn’t include them.  

Your goal here is to think about the attributes potential clients will value and choose your skills based on that. If you’re unsure, browse a few listings within your target category and see what’s in demand; chances are you’re at least proficient in some of those areas.

Update: Upwork recently introduced the ability to create specialized profiles, allowing you to highlight specific skills and experience depending on the job category. In other words, you can have one profile for video editing jobs and one profile for text editing jobs (with different skills showing for each). Here’s a guide to how it works.

5. Upload relevant work samples

Your portfolio is without question the most important part of your Upwork profile, as it provides an opportunity to show clients what you’re capable of through work samples. There’s no need to include dozens of items in your portfolio — four to six is just right.

What if you don’t have a portfolio? Create one!

There’s no rule stating that only paid work can be part of a portfolio. If you’re hoping to score writing jobs but don’t have any published work, write some articles on the niche subject you know the most about.

Of course, published work is always better. In the example above, consider writing a couple of articles and pitching them to blogs as guest posts. They’ll get free content and you’ll get a valuable byline that will help you land clients.

I would even go so far as to say that you should mention the fact that you created samples specifically for your portfolio. This shows initiative on your end, and as someone who has hired their share of freelancers on Upwork, initiative is something that’s too rarely seen in a job proposal!

6. Add your work experience and education

Much like a standard job application, clients want to see your work experience. So, it’s a good idea for all Upwork freelancers to include this information.

But it’s crucial to include it when you’re starting out on the platform, because it helps legitimize your profile.

If you’ve been working for many years, you don’t need to include every job you’ve ever had within your profession. Listing the last three or four jobs is sufficient.

If you don’t have much work experience, you might want to include all of your past jobs (even if they aren’t relevant to the freelance career you’re building).

The same is true for your education. Not all jobs on Upwork require a college degree, but having a degree can help you stand out over competing freelancers who don’t.

7. Add a Project to Your Profile

Upwork’s Project Catalog lets you package your services as ready-to-purchase projects that clients can browse and buy instantly. Each project acts as a mini storefront where you set the price, scope, and deliverables, and showcase your work with text, images, videos, and PDF samples.

Clients can find you by searching for the skills you offer. Once they purchase a project, you manage it through Upwork’s secure contract and payment system. You can also add optional service tiers and add-ons to increase your earnings.

All projects go through a short review process before being published and appear directly on your profile once approved. You can also share your project link on social media or in your bio to attract more clients.

This is a simple way to let new clients come to you, especially if you offer clearly defined services like logo design, video editing, or landing page creation.

Step #2: Search For the Right Kinds of Jobs

Many new freelancers struggle on Upwork because they apply to the wrong types of jobs.

If you’re unsure what skills to offer, start simple.

Many successful freelancers begin with straightforward services like data entry, product testing, transcription, or customer support. These roles often require little to no prior experience and can help you build confidence and earn your first reviews.

Here are a few ways to stay focused and avoid common mistakes when getting started.

1. Be patient and selective

There are a lot of jobs on Upwork, and new ones are posted literally by the minute. The first time you search the site for jobs in your niche, you’ll probably be floored by the number of opportunities.

But when it comes to landing your first job, you need to be a little bit strategic and avoid the urge to submit a proposal for the first gig you find that fits your skills.

Yes, there are an abundance of opportunities on the site. But there are also an abundance of freelancers — the majority of whom have feedback and plenty of hours billed, leading to solid Job Success Scores.

Those freelancers have a built-in advantage. So you need to be realistic when deciding which jobs to compete for.

Why not apply to everything?

As a freelancer, your time is your money. You could spend hours applying to jobs that are out of your reach, but that’s a poor use of your time (and a good way to get burned out).

Upwork uses Connects—virtual tokens—to submit job proposals, boost visibility, and show your availability to clients.

Each job requires a set number of Connects, which varies based on project size, scope, and demand. You’ll see the exact number needed before submitting a proposal, but it can change while the job is live.

You’ll get 10 free Connects each month, and new freelancers may receive a one-time bonus of 50 Connects after buying their first bundle or subscribing to the Freelancer Plus plan. You can also earn Connects by:

• Completing onboarding tasks (such as setting up your profile or verifying your identity).
• Earning talent badges (Rising Talent, Top Rated, or Top Rated Plus).
• Getting interviews with established clients.

Connects cost $0.15 each and are sold in bundles. Unused Connects roll over monthly and expire after one year.

Since every proposal costs Connects, take time to review each job before applying. Focus on listings that closely match your skills, come from clients with solid hiring histories, and show clear scope and payment details.

So, which jobs should you target?

See below…

2. Focus on small, one-off projects

Your objective is to get a few quick wins under your belt to build up a feedback profile. In order to do that, you’re probably going to have to bid on projects for less than your time is worth.

Making your services less expensive relative to other freelancers is a good strategy for getting clients to give you a chance. Yes, you might be a risky hire, but their potential savings might be worth taking that risk.

But like I said: your time is your money. You don’t want to take on a 30-hour job at a rate that’s half of what you’re worth. Instead, look for small, one-time projects that you can knock out relatively quickly.

There are a couple of advantages to this approach:

1. It limits your exposure to exploitative rates. It stinks to work for less than you’re worth, but doing so can help you establish a foothold on these platforms relatively quickly.
2. It’s better to work on multiple small projects than one big project, because a five-star review carries the same weight whether the job took 30 minutes or three days. A profile with great reviews from five clients is more competitive than a profile with one great review from one client.

Keep in mind, you only need to employ this strategy a handful of times. Once you have even two or three successful projects under your belt, you’ll be able to raise your rate and compete for better gigs.

3. Look for clients who can give you your second Upwork job

It’s much easier to keep a good client than to find a new one.

And the same is true from the client’s perspective: they would rather work with the same search engine optimization expert, copywriter or editor on each project. It’s time-consuming to post a job ad, sift through applications and bring somebody new on board.  

What’s great about Upwork is that when you view a job listing, you can see the other (past) jobs that particular client has hired for.

So when you’re starting out, a good strategy is to target clients who consistently hire on the platform. For example, if you’re a graphic designer, try to find a client who has a record of hiring people for graphic design projects.

If a client has never hired on Upwork — or usually hires outside of your field or niche — the chances for developing an ongoing relationship are much lower.

Step #3: Submit a Can’t-Miss Proposal

Your proposal is your opportunity to “wow” the client. Take advantage of the opportunity to show off your talent and tell them exactly why you’re the best person to hire.

1. Fully read the job description

Some of the job listings on Upwork are pretty straightforward and just a few lines long. Others are much more involved. Be sure to read the entire job description. You don’t want to take a job that you’re not qualified for, or which involves something you just prefer not to do.

More importantly, you want to make sure that you’re crafting a custom proposal that specifically addresses the client’s needs.

Plus, they sometimes contain code words.

Yes, that’s right — many clients put a code word somewhere in the job post and tell you to mention it in your proposal. If you don’t, you’re automatically disqualified.

This is even more common in the age of AI, so pay close attention!

2. Provide social proof

Feedback and ratings are a form of social proof. But when you’re new to Upwork, you don’t have any. So it’s important that you include some other form of social proof that shows you’re qualified for the work you’re seeking.

Ideally, you will have published samples to point to. While these may be part of your Upwork portfolio, you should also specifically call them out in your cover letter.

Also, keep in mind that clients can see your last name once you start messaging with them.

That means they’re almost certainly going to Google your name. So it’s a good idea to make sure you have an active and professional social media presence, primarily LinkedIN, that inspires confidence in your ability to do the work they’re seeking.

Note that while any work you create specifically for your portfolio can showcase your skills, it does not constitute social proof. In the client’s eyes, there’s a huge difference between a published article with your byline and the same article uploaded as a Word document.

And the same goes for sending a resume: it’s better to put that information on your LinkedIn profile rather than submitting a PDF resume, because publishing it online makes it more credible.

If you’re reading this and you’re worried that you don’t have enough social proof, that’s a sign that you should make sure you’re focused on cultivating an active and professional online presence that will support and fuel your success.

3. Include links to similar work you’ve completed

A shocking number of applicants don’t follow the advice above; they submit proposals with no links to their past work. But even those who do often make another common mistake: they send samples that are unrelated to the project.

If I’m looking for personal finance writers, I want to see samples that demonstrate the ability to write about personal finance — not history or literature.

Your samples don’t have to be a perfect match. Keeping with the example above, an article about business, economics, the stock market, global trade or anything in that vein would be completely reasonable.

But a college essay you wrote about “The American Dream” would not.

The more closely you can align your samples with the needs of the client, the more likely you are to get hired.

4. Suggest an actionable next step

By closing your proposal with an actionable next step, you’re taking some of the decision-making burden off the clients’ shoulders by making it easy for them to say “yes” to continuing the conversation.

The following is not an example of an actionable next step:

• Thanks, and please contact me with any questions!

What if the client doesn’t have any questions? Or what if they liked your proposal, but weren’t 100% sold? That closing isn’t actionable because it doesn’t clearly and directly state what you want to happen.

On the other hand, try something like this:

• Let’s schedule a call or video chat to discuss the project.

Here, you’re specifically underscoring what should happen next, and you’re giving the client a clear yes/no option. If they’re interested, why not say “yes” to a quick call?

But here’s an ever better pitch:

• Let’s schedule a call or video chat to discuss the project! I’m available between 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. EST every day this week, or I can schedule something at your convenience.

In the example above, you’re not only defining the next step, you’re also taking control of the timeframe and pacing.

That limits potential back and forth (“when works for you,” etc.). Because you provided specific time availability, the client can commit to the call in the next message — which makes it much more likely that you’ll actually get the interview.

Note: If you’re a freelance writer, we wrote a dedicated guide that explains how to apply for Upwork writing jobs.

5. Be prepared to answer additional questions

You’re not necessarily done when you write and submit your proposal.

Some companies that hire on Upwork require additional questions and answers. These can be custom questions based on the project, or Upwork has a list of suggested questions clients can be asked to answer. 

Here’s an example of how it looks from the client’s side:

On Upwork, clients typically use these to test your attention to detail. 

It’s a common practice for freelancers to apply to job after job with a very similar template (it’s a common practice, but it’s not a good one). These questions and answers help filter who actually read the job proposal and who didn’t. 

While you want the most value delivery in your actual proposal, if there are some screening questions, put some thought into them. Two to three sentences should suffice in most cases. 

Few freelancers take time to answer these additional questions. Or, in my experience, they just say “N/A” or “see job proposal” in lieu of filling them out.

Like it or not, when clients see something like that, it’s an immediate red flag. And that’s good news for you, as it’s really another place to stand out.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are a few of the most commonly asked questions about getting started on Upwork.

Getting Started on Upwork: Summary

Breaking into freelancing takes effort, but Upwork remains one of the best platforms to get started.

Once you complete your first few projects and earn strong reviews, you’ll find that opportunities compound—better clients, higher rates, and the freedom to shape your own schedule.

To explore where your abilities fit best and which skills are rising in demand, see our guide to legit online jobs for beginners. It covers real roles that can grow into lasting, well-paid careers—no four-year degree required.

Read next: Seven Expert Upwork Tips (+ 10 Mistakes to Avoid).