It is interesting to see the various mindsets that freelancers and clients bring to this space.
In light of the above comments and suggestions, and for the benefit of new freelancers trying to get a foothold in this workspace, I would like to elaborate a bit more on this topic.
I’ve been using Elance/Upwork for more than 20 years; I have worked with more than 200 freelancers from across the globe. On occasions, a freelancer I’ve worked with asks for advice on how best to position herself/himself in this marketplace. Aside from specific suggestions, my general advice has been: (1) Make sure your profile is complete; don’t leave pertinent information out. (2) On the technical side, highlight your background, experience, and strengths truthfully. (3) On the non-technical side, be authentic, transparent, flexible, accommodating, and nice. I cannot over-emphasize the significance of authenticity. In a highly competitive marketplace, canned letters and generic responses generally don’t give one a competitive edge.
You want to get an interview and be given serious consideration for a job that interests you. Of course, afterward, you can decline the offer and walk away if the job is not for you or if the chemistry is not right. But getting that interview and successfully executing it is more of an art than science. Undoubtedly, be yourself. But making rigid assumptions generally doesn’t work in your favor.