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Getting your first few jobs on Upwork can feel frustrating. You submit proposals but rarely hear back, and you might wonder what you’re doing wrong. The truth is, many new freelancers make the same Upwork mistakes that hurt their chances. The good news is, these mistakes are easy to fix with the right approach.
Watch the full breakdown
Mistake #1: Using a Broad Job Search Without Filters
The Mistake: New freelancers often browse jobs without using filters. That means thousands of irrelevant posts and heavy competition.
Why It’s a Problem: You’ll waste time and apply where your proposal will be buried under dozens of others.
How to Fix It: Use Advanced Search and filters like:
- Experience Level: entry-level can be crowded and cheap; intermediate may fit better if you have real skill.
- Job Type: hourly vs fixed—choose what fits (or view both).
- Budget/Rate: filter out low-paying jobs.
- Number of Proposals: target jobs with fewer than 10–15 proposals.
- Payment Verified: prefer verified clients.
- Client Hire History: don’t fear “0 hires” if payment is verified—often less competition.
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Mistake #2: Not Saving Your Search
The Mistake: Using filters once—then starting from scratch every time.
Why It Matters: Upwork lets you save up to 30 searches and build a personalized feed. Saved searches can also power alerts.
How to Fix It: Click Save Search after filtering and create multiple saved searches for the services you offer.
Mistake #3: Ignoring Best Matches and Recent Jobs Sections
The Mistake: Not using Best Matches, Most Recent, and Saved Jobs tabs properly.
How to Fix It: Check Best Matches first, then Most Recent to apply early, and use Saved Jobs as your shortlist — but apply quickly.
Mistake #4: Not Setting Up Job Alerts
The Mistake: Relying only on manual checking.
Why It Matters: Speed is a competitive advantage — alerts can help you apply early.
How to Fix It:
- Enable alerts from Find Work / your feed.
- Set alert preferences (email / mobile push / frequency).
- Understand plan limits: some alert options may depend on plan availability.
- Keep alerts updated as you refine your targeting.
Conclusion
Is Upwork saturated? Yes. There are many freelancers, but most of them are not using these tactics. Upwork in 2025 is full of opportunities, but you need the right strategy to capitalize on them.
To recap: use advanced filters, save searches, target serious clients, and set notifications so you don’t miss opportunities. Freelancing on Upwork can be rewarding if you approach it professionally and strategically.
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