12/09/2025
📢 124 Proposals, 2500 Connects, $300 Earned, The Ugly Reality of Beginners on Upwork
A worried freelancer came to me and said:
“I sent 124 proposals on Upwork in 2025. Out of these, 27 were viewed, 13 led to interviews, and just 3 contracts were awarded. All together, I earned $300. But I also wasted 2500 worth $375+.”
⚠️ Now pause and think. For a beginner with limited savings, can you really afford to hundreds of dollars like this without a clear strategy❓
❌ Where Beginners Go Wrong:
🟢 Sending random proposals without research.
🟢 Ignoring client psychology and job history.
🟢 Applying to useless or fake projects blindly.
🟢 Believing every high-budget posting is real.
⤿ Upwork is a business. Even controversies have suggested that may exist, and who benefits? The platform earns. Meanwhile, freelancers lose time, money, and hope.
✅ What You Should Do Instead:
👉 Read every job description carefully before applying.
👉 Check the client’s hiring history, reviews, and payment verification.
👉 Stop chasing every “$1000 quick project.” Many are traps.
👉 Write customized proposals that speak to the client’s pain points.
👉 Focus on quality not quantity 50 smart proposals are better than 124 wasted ones.
👉 Once you reach the interview stage, communication skills decide whether you close the deal.
⚠️ Remember This⚠️
If you don’t learn strategy, profile optimization, and client psychology, freelancing on will fail you. But if you treat each connect as an investment, you will start to see results.
📢 Question for you:
If you send so many proposals, how many do you think should actually be viewed❓
⤿ If you are wasting your connects, DM me or comment “Upwork” below.
✅ Invest in the right strategy.
⚠️ Follow me for more freelancing truths, and share this with your friends who are struggling on Upwork.