This Is the Exact Proposal I Used to Win a $158,500 Upwork Gig

Freelancer Files News: Marketplace Fees Increases, Freelancer Plus Changes, and Ignoring Red Flags on Big Jobs

It’s been another busy week in the world of Upwork. While I eventually want the Freelancer Files brand to be more than just a source of Upwork news, the recent announcements of Client Marketplace Fee increase and changes to the Freelancer Plus Program have kept the platform on my mind.

And so, today, I’d like to share a personal story. This is about the time I ignored all the red flags and landed a $158,500 contract — my largest to date …

The red flags were everywhere:

• The client’s job post was a one-liner.
• The client had no history on the platform.
• The client asked for free work.

The actual job post on Upwork.

Most “Upwork Influencers” would tell you to avoid this client and move on. But I decided to test the waters — and it paid off in a big way.

After all, everyone has different red flags. Sometimes, ignoring the “popular” ones can help you…