You’ll see it all on Upwork. But keep going - it does get easier.
In the first few weeks of looking for projects on Upwork, you’ll see it all. You’ll submit proposals for projects that look completely legitimate then end up being an attempt to scam you into handing over your personal details. Potential clients will start conversations, then ghost you (this can be for a few reasons but is sometimes because you charge a rate they’re not willing to pay. If you’ve set your rate based on how much you’ve decided your time is worth, as you should, then losing these leads isn’t a huge loss). You’ll send proposals you’re convinced will at least be viewed… which are completely ignored. But you’ll also meet genuine clients who are a pleasure to work with.
And to give Upwork credit where credit’s due, if you do everything in line with their policy, are honest about your skills and experience and apply for roles that are a good fit for you, it won’t go unnoticed. Good behaviour on Upwork earns you badges like the ‘Rising Talent’ badge, which shows everyone you are reliable, trustworthy freelancer with a strong reputation on the platform. The ‘Rising Talent’ badge also opens up opportunities for new freelancers. For example, once you have this badge, you can offer the option of booking a consultation with you and set your own rate for this. This acts as a bit of a ‘shop window’ for people to start getting to know who you are and how you can help them.
So, without a doubt, the platform is a bit of a mixed bag. It takes time, effort and perseverance to start seeing results. Remember that it is a numbers game, so you might find it hard to land your first project. But it does get easier as time goes on and you start finding it easier to spot the time wasters.
One final word of warning, though: keep track of how much you’re spending on Upwork, particularly if you’re on the free version. On the Freelancer Basic plan, you get ten connects a month - which you can easily burn through - and you need to pay for any extra connects. You use connects to ‘bid’ on projects when you submit proposals, and if you’re a top bidder you’re more likely to have your proposal viewed. You can end up quite easily spending more money than you’re making. Keeping a close eye on how many connects you’re using (and how much you’re spending on buying them each month) will mean you’re more particular about the projects you go for, making sure they’re worth your time and effort, and that any money spent by you gets good enough returns.