Smart filtering
Upwork’s feed is built to make you bid on everything. Filter across the attributes that actually matter, then let the AI score every post against your own rules.
The default Upwork search optimizes for showing you everything that matches a keyword, not everything that’s actually worth your time. An include list narrows that down; an exclude list — for the platforms, project types, or red-flag words you already know to avoid — usually does more work with less effort.
Client quality matters as much as the job description. Payment verification, total spend, and hire rate are visible before you commit a connect, so a well-written post from a client with no payment history doesn’t get the same weight as one from a client who consistently hires and pays.
Once your filters are dialed in, the AI opportunity score reads the full post — not just the title — against your own criteria, and shows its reasoning rather than a bare number. That’s the difference between "trust the score" and "skim 40 posts yourself."