What after 1024 job applications on Upwork?
The truth is everyone will reject you, you just need to choose the ones worth the rejection.
Okay maybe this was too dramatic and the original is a bit different
However, in the world of job hunting, everyone will reject you if you don’t bring something special to the table.
Let’s start with a few statistics.
From June 2015 I have applied to 1024 job posts on Upwork from which
These are the proposals on which I never received an answer
and
These are the interviews I was invited to but declined or was rejected
and
This is the total of jobs I landed and the hours I worked.
(the hours are only for 5 jobs, others were projects or per month payment)
Now when we have the numbers out of the way I will focus on the most important question I get almost every day
How to land a good job on Upwork?
The truth is that I don’t know. In fact, nobody knows. Even the best from the best gurus and specialists on Upwork don’t know.
But here is what I know.
- You have to invest time.
People often hate it when I say “invest” because investments are linked to money and everyone thinks that after 2–3 failed attempts there will be more luck somewhere else. The truth is that no matter what place you apply you have to invest time.
2. People who give up fail.
This is also harsh but so many people get disappointed after 20–30 rejections and simply decide to move on with something else. I always say change the strategy, make a new CV, polish your cover letter, learn a new skill, make a list of all the apps, programs you know to use and benefit from and try again. The thing is that the freelancing world is oversaturated and standing out is not easy.
3. Know your worth.
When I started freelancing I told myself “I don’t do it for the money, I do it for the experience so one day I can build my own thing” and I never gave up on this thought. However, there are people who can’t work if they aren’t paid the exact sum they have in their minds. Therefore, set your price right and never give up on that.
