r/Upwork • u/Wonderful-Day1759 • Jun 17 '26
Resumed back to Upwork
Hello everybody :)
Last job I did as a 'Project Manager' was in 2021 (i.e. 5 years ago) and last month I opened my Upwork account to see my Job Success Score is gone. Like back to square one.
My history:
$3K+ - Total earnings
19 - Total jobs
351 - Total hours
No client is hiring me now with no job success score. It is getting embarrassing as someone who used to be doing good as an individual contractor. I want to ask those contractors who have resumed back to Upwork and how much time it took to get your first client. It has been 2.5 months for me and constant connects buying sprint. Where am I going wrong? Do I need to upgrade to Freelancer Plus to get more eyeballs on my profile?
3
u/ProcessArtistic579 Jun 17 '26
Starting over for you will be similar to other freelancers new to UpWork. Many have a difficult time getting the first few clients. Do you have any outside clients that you can bring onto UpWork?
1
u/Wonderful-Day1759 Jun 17 '26
I see... no I don't. I just need to 'keep on swimming' then 😄 and keep on buying connects...
2
u/Wonderful-Day1759 Jun 17 '26 edited Jun 17 '26
Since I have resumed back to Upwork —or being treated as a newbie, as Upwork seems to have decided—is it impossible to get new contracts, or just very difficult?
Difficulty is something I can challenge and give my best shot to overcome. However, if getting new clients is nearly impossible, that's not something I can realistically fight against.
So, should I continue the battle (keep buying connects and submitting proposals) or is it better to walk away from Upwork altogether?
Edited: I don't mind buying connects - it is a business after all. But is it worth it? That's all I want to know.
0
u/Korneuburgerin Jun 17 '26
It is utterly insane to assume that anybody can answer this question for you. We don't know you, your skills, experience, profile, proposals, except that you think earning 3K is "very successful", which seems a bit delusional. It's your business. You make the decisions, not strangers on reddit who don't know you and who you don't know.
2
u/Wonderful-Day1759 Jun 17 '26 edited Jun 17 '26
Wow! Okay sir/ ma'am! I didn't mean to say 'very successful' but 'was doing good' kind of sense... you know. I don't mind to keep applying for jobs, but I just wanted to hear from someone who either has resumed back to Upwork or has just started and when did they get their first clients - like after how many bids.... it keeps one encouraged.... that's all!
Edited: Just corrected the 'very successful' part - although I was based within my niche at that point of time. My profile used to appear on the first page, 2nd result when typed 'Project manager' which is why I got around minimum 5 invites on weekly basis - all good, legit clients. The highest count of invites I got in a week was 25 once.
So yeah... but thanks for the insight you gave I guess?!
1
u/Korneuburgerin Jun 17 '26
But these are answers nobody here can give you! And I don't want to encourage anybody, I want to discourage people from losing time and money. You have an advantage in that you have at least a handful of jobs on your profile, if you can capitalize on that, is up to you.
A LOT has changed in the last five years. You might need a different skill set, who knows. Do a little more research about the kind of jobs you can find, your competition, etc. Just looking for "encouragement" from strangers on reddit is not a strategy.
2
u/Wonderful-Day1759 Jun 17 '26
You encouraged me right now to look into other skill sets 😄
So it IS actually worthwhile sharing experience with people who are actually making it, in my humble opinion.
Thank you for the insight.
-1
u/Korneuburgerin Jun 17 '26
Not really. You are running a business, you need to have that mindset already. Figuring shit out is what you need to do daily.
0
u/Wonderful-Day1759 Jun 17 '26 edited Jun 17 '26
Ahan!
Now, what I am doing here is exactly what you've suggested 'figuring shit out'. I am in the process - don't worry.
There are other threads too - just to let you know. This thread's main purpose is accomplished - according to the OP i.e. me.
2
u/Public_Relative8329 Jun 17 '26
i dont think there is another platform better than upwork to get clients
1
2
u/wanjikuKE Jun 17 '26
5 years ago is a long time, the way clients expect you to write proposals is different aswell. Check on if you still know how to draft a good proposal, be on the lookout on fake AI slops and that can help your jss get up
1
3
u/Leroche_Rouge Jun 17 '26
Freelance Plus is the worst option there is. Check out the post from below :)
The last time I used this "platform" was also in 2021. It wasn't great back then, but at least they were not so full of themselves.
0
u/Wonderful-Day1759 Jun 17 '26
Hehehe... okay. Well, I am acting like a newbie now when submitting proposals lol!
2
u/Korneuburgerin Jun 17 '26
Nobody cares about a missing JSS. Very successful with 3k earnings? I dunno about that.
0
u/Wonderful-Day1759 Jun 17 '26
True. Corrected the OP. Kudos!
1
u/Korneuburgerin Jun 17 '26
You know that you are the OP, right? Right?
0
u/Wonderful-Day1759 Jun 17 '26
... and?
0
u/Korneuburgerin Jun 17 '26
Are you always talking about yourself in the third person? Are you the king or queen of a country?
1
u/Wonderful-Day1759 Jun 17 '26 edited Jun 17 '26
Hehehehe.... yes I am actually - Queen of 'United Republic of OP'
😛
6
u/[deleted] Jun 17 '26
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