So quick story to hopefully motivate you all and some tips maybe.

I started Upwork almost two months ago. At first i did not know how it worked really well and i kept applying to jobs mindlessly. Of course i did not get anything. Each job post got almost like over 50 proposal and there was no way they would see mine, cause i don't have reviews and i guess some of the guys applying had better profiles than me.

So even though I was putting all my heart out into proposals, doing research linking some of the websites they may like nothing.

Almost 2 weeks past and i tried changing it up. I downloaded Loom, a video recording app. So it basically records your face and your screen I started introducing myself, showing some of my work, how i would help them, one or two tips and examples of websites they may want theirs to look Ike. Didn't get any bite still.

After a week of this, one guy responded to me. He appreciated the video and told me he would love to work with me but he was sick and could not continue on with the project but said he had shortlisted me and would contact me. As much as i was excited and thankful that was not enough. I bid him well and continued the work.

A week later another guy appreciated the video again but said he specifically wanted wordpress so that was a no too.

At this point i Had applied to almost 30 and i was getting disheartened. All those videos and work to not get anything.

But I learnt things while i was applying throughout, Make a feed of jobs that only have less than 5 or 5-10 proposals, if a job has more than that. You do not have enough reviews or badges to compete. Give the best of your self and hopefully use a paraphrasing tool like quillbot if your english is not that good. Make proposals to give value. You do not have enough testinomials so no one cares. The only way you can land a job is to be honest and give value where you can.

Moving on, A month since i started doing that and another guy hit me up. He wanted help with the design of his site and also had an app but he was not finished with the app. He appreciated the vid as always but he was not ready too. He said he was wanted to finish the app and would get back to me.

Tired and frustated at this point I took a break and it's been week since. I did some thinking last night and i decided i would not give upwork such effort anymore. I would start cold emailing and would apply one to two jobs here and there on upwork.

I took one last glance at upwork last night and i saw a job with less than 5 proposals and the guy was asking for a video intro and a zoom call after.

I gave it a shot and i was pretty good at the video thing by now. My first video took like a day to muster up courage. So i sent the video knowing from today onwards i would not give upwork much thought. Guess what happened. Recieved a message this morning and i got an interview.

It's been 2 months and almost 50 proposals. Don't give up, once you have some reviews on there you'll get going. You don't have to make videos but find a way.

Another thing i have to say don't waste your connects on jobs with 20 or 50 proposals wait till you have some reviews.

Hope this was some help.