How to Get Your Upwork Profile Approved This Week!
When I joined Upwork, my profile was approved at once! I never knew getting an Upwork profile approved was a challenge until people started asking me to help with their Upwork profiles not being approved. I looked at their profile. Then I could spot things they didn’t do or did wrong. This is exactly what I will explain to you now, and your profile will be approved.
Why does Upwork reject your profile?
There are two reasons why your profile was not approved on Upwork.
1. Caused by Upwork: platform moderation.
2. Caused by You: what you did wrong or didn’t do.
Caused by Upwork
1. Upwork is trying to balance the client-freelancer ratio.
The total number of freelancers using Upwork is not made public; according to Statista, there are now over 65 million registered freelancers and only 5 million clients in the US (not limited to Upwork). Upwork specifically has about 145,400 clients who spend at least $5,000 annually according to Luisa Zhou. These include 30% of Fortune 100 companies. However, this difference is arguably not too high since one client can use the services of multiple freelancers.
2. Less competition for existing freelancers
3. Upwork is trying to ensure an even skill distribution.
4. Upwork seems to be trying to limit freelancers based on country.
Upwork seeks to balance the demand and supply of skills. For instance, let’s say we have 50 clients on Upwork and 100 freelancers. Seven clients need a graphic designer, but 70 out of the 100 freelancers on the platform are graphic designers. Five clients need a medical writer, but there’s only one. There is a need for more medical writers. Hence, Upwork needs more medical writers and would turn down new graphic designers.
Caused by Upwork
1. Your professional title is too vague. E.g. Account Executive, Designer, Company Representative, Engineer
2. Your profile is not good enough to be marketed to clients, or you don’t present yourself as good enough to deliver.
3. Your hourly rate is too low (or extremely high)
4. Incomplete profile.
The solution to Upwork Profile Rejection
- Language trick
- Choose more than one subcategory
- Conciseness
- Put a competitive job
- Don’t undersell your skill level. Ensure your hourly rate is not too low or too high
- Detail profile. Make your profile 100% complete, and add portfolios, certifications and samples of past work.
- Have a crystal clear professional title.
- Contact Upwork support
- Patience and retry. Keep improving your profile. Upwork’s MD, Alexia Nielsen said “if we “Upwork” find opportunities for you based on your combination of skills and experience, then your profile will be approved”.
Pro Tip: While you are waiting for Upwork approval, try other freelance platforms such as SolidGigs, Fiverr, Toptal, and Freelancer dot com.
Subscribe to my YouTube channel to learn more Upwork tips and tricks.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBtepvre3ERD-hG7f-dSL0Q?sub_confirmation=1
