The job post indicated that it was an hourly job. However, when the contract was created it was a fixed-price job. Why?
Thanks for your question. Often after reviewing their project or interviewing freelancers, clients may change the scope of their project or adjust other details. Ideally, you have already discussed the terms of the contract and come to an agreement before a client sends you an offer. However, it is always smart to carefully review the contract offer before accepting it and reach out to the client if it isn’t what you expected.
Before submitting a proposal, how can I check that the client is an Enterprise client?
Thanks for your question. You can identify whether a client has an Upwork Enterprise (or Business) plan by looking for the following icon (a light blue building) on the right column of the job post or in the search tile:
Why can’t freelancers contact clients via Upwork Messages before submitting a proposal to ask for more information about the job?
Thanks for reaching out. To prevent clients from potentially receiving an overwhelming number of messages from interested freelancers, we have blocked the ability for freelancers to “cold” contact clients. However, if a client contacts you on Upwork Messages, you will be able to chat with them.
What does "Payment Not Verified" mean on the Job Post?
Thanks for your question. This typically means one of the following:
- The client hasn’t added a billing method yet (they might be new to Upwork)
- The client’s billing method was not verified (or is in review)
- There’s an issue with the client’s existing billing method (for example, it has expired)
Important: You cannot get paid until the client successfully verifies their billing method. It is up to you to decide if beginning work before then is worth the risk. Please note that if you have an hourly contract, you are not covered under Upwork Hourly Protection if the client doesn’t have a verified billing method. Learn more here.
If I have a specialized profile, which of my profiles do clients see when I submit a proposal?
Thanks for reaching out. When you submit a proposal you can choose which profile the client sees. Please note that the client will still be able to view your other profiles.
Can I edit my proposal's cover letter?
Thanks for your question. You can change the payment terms, but cannot edit a proposal (or its cover letter) after it’s already been submitted. If you'd like to change the proposal, you can withdraw it and submit a new one by selecting "Withdraw Proposal." Please note, however, that Connects are not refunded when you withdraw a proposal. If you'd like to change the payment amount, choose "Change Terms."
What is the difference between a closed and an expired job post?
Thanks for reaching out. A closed job post refers to a job post that was canceled or closed by the client, or by us due to a Terms of Service violation. An expired job post is a post that expires after 30 days due to a lack of activity. “Activity” includes editing the job post, hiring a freelancer, sending messages, and receiving new proposals.
Why do some job posts stay open even when the "Activity on this Job" shows "Hires: 1"?
Thanks for asking! When a client hires a freelancer they have the option to close the job post (if they have no intention of hiring another freelancer) or leave the post open (if they intend to hire additional freelancers for the same role).
What is the “Interesting Job” badge about?
Thanks for your question. The “Interesting Job” badge is there to highlight and give extra exposure to valuable jobs that have received few proposals.
INTERNAL ONLY: Can we share a client’s history to a freelancer if the freelancer received a direct job offer (and there’s no public job post)?
If a freelancer receives a direct job offer with no associated job posting and the FL asks to view the CL history like they can in a job post, it is OK to view a past job posting from the CL (regardless if private or public) and take a SS of the CL History and give it to the FL. Note: we should only take a SS of the CL History portion as it would be viewed to FLs.
IF SOMEONE REACHES OUT TO SAY A JOB POST IS RACIST OR DISCRIMINATORY:
Thanks for reaching out about this, we appreciate you raising your concerns. We do have a dedicated team that screens job posts to look for a variety of issues that are against our Terms of Service and we do not permit job posts that we consider to be unlawfully discriminatory or hateful. We understand that clients may prefer freelancers from a certain region or with knowledge of certain cultures and in those cases we ask that they use location settings on their job post to describe any specific needs. However, clients may not specifically exclude or limit posts to certain groups based on nationality, race, ethnicity, sex, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability status, veteran status, marital status, or other similarly protected characteristics.
How do I report a job post that I think violates Upwork Terms of Service?
Thanks for your question. To report a job post, choose the flag button on the post:
My job post was removed because I asked specifically for a (Black/Asian/specific race) freelancer. Why does this matter to Upwork?
Thanks for reaching out. This is because the job post, [Job Post URL], used language that we consider unlawfully discriminatory, or hateful, which is against our Terms of Service (TOS).
We understand you may prefer freelancers from a certain region or with knowledge of certain cultures, so we ask that you use location settings or your job post to describe any specific needs. However, you may not not specifically exclude or limit your posts to certain groups in the posting itself.
INTERNAL NOTE: JOB POSTS ARE REVIEWED FOR THESE ISSUES. In general, preference may be allowed but not “exclusivity.”
Freelancer A (the one who can refer another FL):
- The Find Work page has a pop-up notification (for those in this treatment) that states they can refer other FLs when they decline invites, see here
- FL receives an invite and receives an email, but this version will have a “Know someone for the job?” banner under the Accept/Decline buttons, see here
- When they open the invite, they can either accept, decline, OR refer another freelancer, see here
- When declining an invite, they’ll also be prompted to refer a FL, see here
- They have the option to refer a FL they already know or search for a FL on Upwork, see here
- Starting on August 26, 2021, FLs will have the option to refer a suggested FL instead of searching. On the Decline & Refer page, we will display a carousel of freelancers that should match the job requirements, skills, etc. The user will be able to view profiles in a new tab, and then select someone to refer from the carousel. See here
Freelancer B (the one who received the FL referral):
- The FL they referred will receive an email invitation, see here
- The invitation page for the referred FL will show who invited them, see here
- The referred FL can see this invitation under their My Proposals, see here
Client (what the CL sees after their invited FL refers another FL):
- The CL receives an email informing them of the referral, see here
- The CL can see under their Invited Freelancers which ones were referred by other FLs, see here
FAQs
How do I refer another freelancer?
Thanks for reaching out. When you decline a job invite, you will have the option to refer another freelancer on Upwork. To refer a freelancer, simply paste their profile URL or the email address that is associated with their account. If the email is not associated with an Upwork account, they will not receive the referral.
Do I have to know the freelancer I refer?
Thanks for your question. No, you don’t have to personally know the freelancer you refer. If you know someone, that's great! Otherwise, you will have the option to search for a freelancer if you’d like to do so — or you can choose not to refer anyone. Tip: You can only refer one person per job, so make sure they're a good fit. You can also leave a message for the client to explain why you're recommending a freelancer.
Do I earn any perks by inviting a freelancer?
Thanks for your question. Referring a freelancer does not include a monetary reward, but referrals can be helpful to both freelancers and clients:
- It helps a fellow freelancer find work.
- It helps a client find the right fit for their job.
These both make Upwork a better place for all!
Can I invite someone who isn’t on Upwork?
Thanks for reaching out. For now, you can only refer freelancers on Upwork to a job invite.
What if the client is unhappy with the freelancer I refer? Does that impact me?
Thanks for reaching out. If the client is unhappy with the work performed by the freelancer you refer, this will not impact you or your Upwork profile.
FOR CLIENTS:
A freelancer was referred to me by another freelancer. Why did this happen?
Thanks for your question. Sometimes, freelancers get more invitations than they can handle. If a freelancer was referred to you by another freelancer, this means that they couldn’t accept your invitation but wanted to suggest a freelancer who may be a good fit for the role.
How do I know the referred freelancer is a good fit for my project?
Thanks for reaching out. Although the freelancer making the referral may believe the person is a good fit for your project, you will need to vet them like any other candidate. Be sure to review their profile, their experience, and conduct an interview to confirm that they fit your needs.
What happens if I end up having an issue with the referred freelancer?
Thanks for your question. Sometimes, no matter how well you vet talent, a project doesn’t go as planned. If you’re unhappy with a freelancer’s work, your project may qualify for Upwork Payment Protection.