I applied to a few jobs today for the first time in probably 5 months or so. Upwork is the most competitive its ever been. I started applying in 2021 and it was easy and cheap to get roles.
Now there are these non-negotiables if you want good jobs:
- Boosting proposals to the top. Its expensive, but you pay to play. If you aren't willing to spend money to apply, you are going to get lost
- Exact case studies or whitepapers for what the customer is looking for
- 100% job success score, good earnings, good reviews
- Volume of distribution
- Fast time to apply