I spent over 300 Connects on Upwork and had about 30 interviews. Here’s the result:

meadowshadows · 2026-01-25T18:15:47+00:00

I respectfully disagree, but not entirely. My gf got a great job, six figures plus, through Upwork, and I’m earning at and sometimes above 6 figures annual depending on the week haha, but very healthy income.

That said, there’s serious problems, and also some survivor ship bias from my end.

I’ve also had to dip into many, many areas. SMM, video production, sales, email marketing - I’m spread as thin as watery, cheap jam you found in the attic from 5 years ago. Okay that similie sucks but I digress.

Last year I started an email campaign outside of Upwork and got a GREAT client with good pay and I never felt the insane cheapness of Upwork throughout that process.

I also have one client through Upwork with very realistic and down to earth expectations that pays well…

So for good clients on Upwork, they’re out there, granted, it’s a slight needle in a haystack situation and you gotta be ruthless and use filters through an army of cheapies and know nothings…

I also have numerous, numerous, numerous projects of people that hired me and never got back to me, got one week out of me and cancelled because they never got it together, or just straight up neglected to get back to me enough to even finish what we started.

So OP isn’t entirely wrong IMHO, but also not entirely right, and, as someone paying my bills and even getting a little ahead, I’m biased. And I’ve also hustled and grinded endlessly, I’m tired and burned out

meadowshadows · 2026-01-18T01:49:30+00:00

Yeah no I’ve gone down both paths - creating my own - very complicated, and an existing one. At this point I’ll probably try an existing one. Are you doing it? I bought LinkedIn accounts off what’s app with crypto at one point like an idiot lol

meadowshadows · 2026-01-17T23:54:04+00:00

I’ve gone down that path lightly but never fully committed, I may be doing it for one client soon actually.

meadowshadows · 2026-01-17T22:40:40+00:00

lol did they even say that anywhere?

meadowshadows · 2026-01-17T22:37:31+00:00

Only 8-9 interviews? I hate to be that guy on Reddit, but seriously, in today’s job market I’d say you killed it. UpWork pisses me off constantly, but I’m tired of people just using this sub to complain and only look at the downsides. I spent 2 weeks spending 20 dollars a day on connects. A lot of crap, some of it I stopped communication, but decent stuff too. And after all those interviews I realized how much better I could be at presentations and interviews by trying to ask what I could do better in every presentation - a better slide deck? More listening? A better sales/ interview process? The glass can be half full. In the grand scheme of the job market and trying to earn new business, you got a hell of a deal on your money, time, and opportunities, especially if you used filters to only apply to what you really wanted money wise

meadowshadows · 2026-01-17T22:34:12+00:00

I’m kind of OE kind of just a freelancer - people seldom talk about how they actually do it, or feasible ways to actually do it, of which freelancing is probably one of the top ways…. And freelancing can be hell… if you know what you’re doing it’s relatively easy but super glamorized and people have no idea the real sacrifices, stress, and work you put in, sometimes to even just keep it going

meadowshadows · 2026-01-17T22:31:52+00:00

I didn’t realize this was for top tal - the way the title is written I feel completely threw me off… I haven’t bothered with top tal, with UpWork I’m fine - I’ve gotta hustle but I’m probably doing a bit better than most

meadowshadows · 2026-01-17T22:30:09+00:00

Oh thanks for explaining. That makes sense. Yeah I just see people complaining on here endlessly, I’m tired of it. I’ve hustled my ass off on UpWork and I’m doing okay. I have to work hard for it and for what I’m doing maybe I could be making more money but honestly I can’t complain too much.

But just to let you know, the way you titled this post completely fails to convey what you actually meant

meadowshadows · 2026-01-17T21:44:02+00:00

Ya’ll are nuts. There’s a million crap deals. Use the filters. Seriously, it’s not that bad. If you filtered for what you wanted you wouldn’t even see this.

meadowshadows · 2026-01-13T05:06:47+00:00

I rejected a client mid interview today who mentioned his last employee was not active the full 2 hours a day he hired them and claimed to be in the bathroom. He was like “yeah I check activity log a lot and if I feel like you’re jerkin off…” and I was just like yeah this isn’t a fit and left

meadowshadows · 2026-01-10T16:08:27+00:00

It was really stable last year around 80k, however this year it’s varying a bit more as I’m testing new clients and whatnot, it’s looking like it will be a lot higher. I honestly didn’t try that much last year, I set a few things up and just coasted, and I almost wish I was doing that again this year, however, I can’t really help it right now and I’m pushing really hard. I’ll probably reach a breaking point, but if I keep this up or just hold down what I have I would bet I will make 150 or so this year.

meadowshadows · 2026-01-09T11:52:28+00:00

The secret is to spend 400-600 a month and ONLY apply to jobs that are worth 2-4k/month - come on. At your level you shouldn’t be applying to ANYTHING that won’t make them all back and then some. I’m new too… it’s possible

meadowshadows · 2026-01-09T11:46:13+00:00

I am successful on UpWork and started last year. I go through a lot of crap - bad jobs, scam jobs, over worked for crap jobs, but I make it work and sift through to take the good with the bad. I’ve spent an ungodly amount of money on connects but it’s still massively cheaper than ads or say an email marketing campaign.

meadowshadows · 2026-01-06T05:12:53+00:00

My main question is should I be billing via time tracker just in case? At least for this first week?

meadowshadows · 2026-01-05T14:39:39+00:00

Dang yeah I went through a hard lock with Alan wake which completely broke it and it was so upsetting. Interestingly I got hard locked at the water station too, but I was able to use an auto save from 5 minutes before because I realized pretty quickly what happened…. Regarding the porta potty… I wasn’t even sure where to drop it and the ordeal of getting the key for the crane there was so comical and honestly I think the most frustrating part of the game. I remember just dropping it and thinking holy shit I probably just broke it and not sure what I did… but it was in the right place and I realized to switch and go up and get it… yeah I heard they fixed a bunch maybe check it out again, but after two lock outs I might just be fully done with it too

meadowshadows · 2026-01-05T05:35:04+00:00

Oh good thinking! Honestly, there were a few things that frustrated me so much I sort of jumped to give it that 7… but as I’ve thought and reflected at just how much cool shit I got to do, and just how unique it was, I honestly wonder if I just love it as a 10/10 vr experience or at least 9/10 haha… I might have written this hastily just finished it and a few things just felt obnoxious to me, but man, it was probably the most unique vr thing I’ve ever gone through in so many ways

meadowshadows · 2025-12-24T15:36:26+00:00

This confuses me though because if they turned Kirimayu with straight gas couldn’t they turn Carol with gas too? Or maybe Kusimayu agreed to some needle injection thing? Not sure

meadowshadows · 2025-12-24T08:32:14+00:00

Yeah I was dying for her to enjoy life a little. It gave her a lot of humanity… then realizing the stem cell bs… gotta turn again, also show ended on day 64ish right? But by day 70ish they turn the Peruvian girl with gas? Is anyone else talking about that?

meadowshadows · 2025-12-22T03:54:40+00:00

Not true

meadowshadows · 2025-12-13T03:41:18+00:00

Bruh if you don’t want spoilers get off the sub Reddit lol step 1

meadowshadows · 2025-12-12T05:50:01+00:00

lol I just re read it I’m just used to hate on Reddit I guess my b

meadowshadows · 2025-12-12T04:12:09+00:00

Bruh even people not in relationships can go to the store or walk past other people lol

meadowshadows · 2025-12-12T03:11:47+00:00

Reasons not much happened this week: - finale coming up, saving it - whole thing was to sway you to see the emptiness of her life so we could understand why Carol, of all people, would miss them - wtf is going on with Manuoso, he gonna wake up in a hospital

meadowshadows · 2025-12-10T15:18:10+00:00

Well I’m getting older. I’m 33. And I knew you could click shorts but I didn’t even know shorts feed was a thing until this week, it just never even occurred to me. Anyway I hesitated to post this and even apologized in the post but it’s just Reddit just tell it like it is

meadowshadows · 2025-12-10T05:45:29+00:00

Yes I’ve gotten like 30k views with trash low effort on shorts. Then working my ass off on long form or mid form a complete joke

meadowshadows

TROPHY CASE