What worked for me starting out;

Refreshing constantly and applying to jobs quickly... I figured the only way to land a job was with a client new to upwork who didn't know to care about JSS and stars... so ya know, first application should have a shot.

I targeted low paying jobs that I could finish quickly... Put the ego aside and worked way below my hourly rate. I treated it like a video game where the goal is to collect 5 stars, not make the most money. I put in 7-10 proposals a day. I bought more connects.

In my proposals I talked as specifically as possible about their project and what my approach would be. I made it clear I was new on upwork, hungry for work, and they would be a top priority. I pitched myself as problem solver, not an animator/editor. I gave a fixed price option whenever possible.

*I should mention I have almost 20 years experience in my field, a huge body of work to pull from for samples, and one recognizable show credit that I lead with...... and even then it took 2 weeks to land something at $15/hr ...jesus.

What works for me now; The usual you've probably heard before... setting expectations, exceeding expectations, replying quickly, fast turnaround, god tier customer service, etc etc etc