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This step-by-step guide will show you how to Get Your Upwork Profile Approved In Nigeria. Getting your Upwork profile approved in Nigeria can be challenging if you don’t follow the proper steps. I will share the steps you need to take to approve your Upwork account.
Nigeria has a high percentage of rejected profiles on Upwork owing to various causes, including the country’s high number of fraudsters and fraudulent activities. As a result, Upwork has stricter restrictions for accepting Nigerian profiles. But with all these restrictions, many Nigerians are getting their Upwork profile approved, and you too can if you follow the proper steps.
Note: There will be a bonus tip proven to get your Upwork account approved, so read until the end of this article and don’t skip any step.
Getting started on Upwork
Starting on Upwork was quite challenging for me because my Upwork account needed to be approved. Even with multiple applications, my account was still declined. Everything changed when I decided to take Upwork as a business and focus on applying the right strategy tips and tricks. After I got the rejection email, I immediately went to Google and typed in “how to get my Upwork account approved?” I opened all the websites on the first page of google results. After reading everything, I also went to YouTube.
I typed in the same keyword on how to get my Upwork account approved; after comprehending all this information, I understood that Upwork is like Garbage in, Garbage out; what you put in is what you get. Today I will show you what you need to garbage into Upwork to get your Upwork account approved.
I will not just show you how to get your Upwork account approved, I will also share will you the most commonly violated Upwork terms and policies you should watch out for so that you don’t get your account disabled like me, but all thanks to God, my account was restored. Firstly, I will define Upwork below and show you the steps to approve your Upwork account. Ensure you apply everything because little changes can significantly impact your Upwork profile approval chances.
What is Upwork?
Upwork is a global freelancing platform that connects businesses with experienced freelancers worldwide. Upwork is a major platform for freelancers searching for work online, with over 18 million freelancers and 5 million clients.
If you’re a Nigerian freelancer wishing to join Upwork, you must be aware of the steps you need to take to get your Upwork account approved.
If you are a freelancer based in Nigeria, getting your Upwork profile approved can be challenging. However, you can get your Upwork profile approved in Nigeria with the right approach. In this article, I’ll share tips and strategies to help you get your profile approved on Upwork.
Steps to get your Upwork Profile Approved In Nigeria
1. Use Your Work Email to Sign Up
Using a business email address while signing up for your Upwork account is one of the most critical steps in getting your Upwork profile approved. This is because business email addresses are considered more professional and credible than personal email addresses by Upwork.
Using your business email to register tells Upwork that you are a serious and professional freelancer ready to freelance by utilizing a work email address. Using a professional email address will help you create trust.
What is a business email, and how to get one
A business email is an email address specifically used for business purposes, such as communication with clients, partners, and employees. It typically uses the business’s domain name, such as “name@company.com”, instead of a personal email address like “name@gmail.com”.
Getting a business email requires you to have a domain name and hosting, and this is a paid service, but if you have an email address from your workplace, you can utilize it if you are allowed to use it for personal purposes. You can also Get a custom Email @yourcompany from Gmail this is also a paid service.
2. Provide Accurate Information
The first step to getting your Upwork profile approved is to provide accurate information. Upwork is not any other platform you can give false information. Trust me, Upwork will know if you lie. Upwork requires that all freelancers provide accurate and legit information about their skills, experience, and education. Ensure that your profile accurately reflects your skills and experience.
Upwork is so strict that if you change your profile picture to a different person, Upwork can request a video call to confirm you are who you really say you are. Video call verification is required for all freelancers, and it’s nothing to be scared about if you are legit.
It’s important to note that providing false information can lead to account suspension or termination. Upwork has a robust verification process, and any inconsistencies or incorrect information will be detected during the review process.
3. Fill your Upwork profile with enough information.
Before you click submit your profile to Upwork for review, make sure that every single section of your profile is filled with enough information, starting from your profile title, overview, skills tag, Portfolio, Testimonials from past clients, Certifications, and any other experience you have as a freelance.
Guide to the perfect Upwork profile.
Profile title:
Your Upwork profile title is one of the first things potential clients will notice on your profile. This can impart whether your clients will read more or continue evaluating you for their project. Having a profile title that is unique and specific to the job or service you render on the Upwork platform is part of the steps for optimizing your Upwork profile for success.
Things to look for when setting up your Upwork profile title:
- Keep it basic and focused.
- To pique the interest of potential clients, be clear about the services you provide.
- Create a title that is distinctive and original to your skills and expertise.
- Avoid using general terms like “hardworking” or “reliable” since they may be expressed in your overview section.
Profile Overview
The first paragraph of your Upwork overview section show in Upwork search results or any previews of your profile that may appear on the Upwork site. Use the first few lines of your profile to make it attractive to clients that you’re the right fit for their job. Maintain consistency between the expertise you highlight in your overview and across your profile, such as your job history, experience, and skills. Below are some tips to apply on your Upwork overview section.
- Begin with a powerful first line that describes your experience and skills.
- Utilize keywords related to your skills and industry.
- Emphasize your successes and achievements that perfectly demonstrate your skills
- Break up your profile overview using bullet points to make it simpler to read.
- Keep it short and to the point with a call to action.
4. Select as Many Skills and Categories as Possible
When creating your Upwork profile, you’ll be prompted to choose your skills and categories. Upwork suggests picking as many relevant skills and categories as possible. This is because Upwork algorithm matches you with potential clients looking for freelancers with your chosen skills and categories.
By doing this, you are telling Upwork you are not just any new freelancer without prior experience. Selecting many skills demonstrates to Upwork that you are a versatile and experienced freelancer willing to work on various tasks. This might make you a more appealing freelancer to potential clients since they will notice that you have a broad skill set that can suit their unique demands.
It’s important to note that you should only select the skills and categories you are qualified in. Refrain from trying to cheat the system by picking every conceivable skill and category, which will reduce your chances of approval. Instead, prioritize the abilities and areas most applicable to your experience and knowledge.
5. Add all your employment and education history
Adding your employment and educational history to your Upwork profile might greatly boost your chances of approval. This is due to Upwork’s need for freelancers to supply as much information as possible to validate their identity and expertise.
When you add your employment history, provide information about your previous jobs, such as the company name, job title, dates of employment, and a brief description of your position and task. This helps in demonstrating your competence and experience to Upwork.
Similarly, when adding your educational history, list your degrees or certificates, the school you attended, and the dates you went.
Overall, adding a full career and education background to your Upwork profile will assist in boosting your reputation and reliability as a freelancer, thus increasing your chances of approval.
6. Grammatically correct profile
Having a grammatically correct profile is critical to get your Upwork account approved. New freelancers are guilty of this mistake of having grammatical errors in their profiles, and this can reduce their chances of getting their accounts approved. Grammatical mistakes give Upwork a bad impression and lead to your account being rejected. Because most of the work on Upwork is done remotely, Upwork needs its users to have excellent written communication skills.
Make sure to edit your Upwork profile several times to eradicate spelling or grammatical issues. Try utilizing a grammar checker tool to assist you in spotting any errors you may have overlooked. Grammarly would be a great tool you should watch out for.
7. Build Your Portfolio
Your portfolio is an essential part of your Upwork profile. It showcases your past work and helps Upwork assess your skills and experience. Ensure that your portfolio accurately reflects your work and that the samples are high quality.
If you don’t have any work to showcase, consider creating some samples to showcase your skills. You can also take on small projects to build your portfolio and gain experience.
8. Get Endorsements
Endorsements are another way to boost your Upwork profile. An endorsement is a recommendation from a past client, showing that you have delivered quality work. Endorsements can increase your visibility on Upwork and improve your approval chances.
Ask your past clients to write a recommendation on your profile to get endorsements. You can also offer incentives such as discounts or free work to encourage clients to leave a recommendation.
Bonus Tip: Consider Offering a Niche Skill
Upwork has a lot of freelancers covering popular skills like graphic design and web development. This means that competition can be high for those skillsets, and it may take more work for new freelancers to stand out. One of the ways to increase your chances of getting your Upwork account approved is to offer a niche skill that is less saturated.
Here are a few examples of niche skills that may be in demand on Upwork:
- Voiceover artist: If you have a clear and distinctive voice, consider offering your services as a voiceover artist for commercials, videos, or audiobooks.
- Translation services: If you’re bilingual or multilingual, consider offering translation services for clients who need content translated into different languages.
- Virtual event planner: With the rise of remote work and virtual events, there may be a growing demand for freelancers who can help plan and coordinate virtual events.
- Technical writing: If you have experience writing technical manuals, user guides, or other technical content, you can find work as a technical writer.
- Social media management: If you are good with managing social media accounts and creating content for different platforms, consider offering your services as a social media manager for small businesses or individuals.
These are a few examples of niche skills that may be in demand on Upwork. Consider your skills and experiences and how to offer a unique service that sets you apart.
Some of the most violated terms and policies on Upwork
As I mentioned earlier at the start of this article, I will share some of the most violated terms and policies on Upwork. Make sure to keep them in mind because violating them can lead to your account being suspended or permanently banned.
- Creating multiple Upwork accounts: I was guilty of this because my Upwork account was not approved the first time. I decided to create another Upwork account. The new one was approved. However, the issue was that both accounts were eventually suspended because I violated their terms and policy, so make sure you only have one Upwork account.
- Misrepresentation of Skills and Experience: Upwork has a rigorous policy against misrepresentation, which includes utilizing false names, profile images, or descriptions that do not adequately represent the freelancer’s abilities and experience. Ensure that your profiles appropriately reflect your talents and expertise and do not include deceptive material.
- Payment Violations: Upwork has a zero-tolerance policy for payment fraud, which includes using stolen credit cards, impersonating payment methods, or billing clients outside of the site. You should utilize only acceptable payment options offered by Upwork.
- Communication: Upwork has rigorous regulations regarding contact between customers and freelancers, including prohibiting harassment, hate speech, or spamming. You should always engage with clients professionally and courteously and do not contact the client outside of Upwork before the contract starts if the client sends you their email address, ask them to delete it as it violates Upwork terms and policy.
- Violations of Intellectual Property Rights: Upwork has procedures to safeguard intellectual property rights such as copyright, trademarks, and patents. Avoid using copyrighted or trademarked materials without permission, and you should avoid generating work that infringes on the intellectual property rights of others.
Conclusion
In conclusion, getting your Upwork profile approved in Nigeria requires effort and attention to detail. Following the tips and strategies in this article can increase your chances of getting approved on Upwork. Remember to provide accurate information, build your portfolio, provide quality and accurate information, and get endorsements to boost your Upwork profile.
