Edemy
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Ethiopian Technology Academy

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Why Many Upwork Proposals Get Rejected and What You Should Do Instead

1. A Weak and Generic Opening
A lot of proposals start with: “Hello, I’m happy to apply…” or a long introduction about the freelancer. Clients skip this immediately.

What to do instead: Start by mentioning something specific from the job post. Make the first two sentences show that you understand their problem and you are the right freelancer.

2. Over-Using AI Without Editing
Some proposals sound fully generated, same structure, same tone, same filler lines. Clients feel it instantly when the freelancer just pastes the job post into ChatGPT and says “write proposal”.

What to do instead: Use AI properly: don’t copy the entire job post and expect magic. Instead, give AI the right context, write your own points first (your experience, what you understood from the job, any similar work, your approach), then ask AI to organize and polish your message based on your own input. This keeps your voice natural and makes the proposal feel real, not robotic.

3. Talking Too Much About Yourself
Clients don’t want paragraphs about your background, courses, or long lists of experience.

What to do instead: Mention only the parts of your experience that directly help with this specific job. Keep it short and relevant. Explain how you will solve their problem or deliver a quality result. You can also add a short testimonial or example from a previous client to validate your point.

4.Not sharing related proof of work
Many freelancers attach random links or mention projects that don’t match what the client needs or they don’t share any proof of work at all. This weakens your proposal immediately.

What to do instead: Share only proof that is directly related to the client’s project. Keep it simple and focused. Add a Loom recording, demo, or screenshot showing how you solved something similar, and point out a specific feature that matches their requirement. Real proof builds instant trust.

Clients don’t choose the freelancer who writes the longest message, they choose the one who shows understanding, proof, and a simple plan.

@edemy251
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Just because it’s hard doesn’t mean it’s impossible.


Enjoy your weekend! :)

@edemy251
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If someone asked me for advice, here are the 3 things that helped me in my journey:

In life, what has helped me the most is this mindset: “I have a lot to learn, and I don’t know enough yet.” It keeps you curious and motivated. Even when you come across something you don’t fully understand, focus on taking small steps, learning as you go, and doing your best to get the work done. Growth, in tech or any field, comes from being persistent and willing to learn along the way.

Another lesson is this, don’t compare your beginning to someone else’s middle. It’s easy to look at people who are ahead and feel behind, but everyone has their own pace. Progress comes from consistent effort. Look at others’ success for inspiration, not comparison.

And finally, don’t limit yourself. If you love something, if you’re passionate about it, don’t tell yourself, “I can’t do this.” Don’t let fear of the unknown hold you back. Passion, curiosity, and willingness to try will carry you further than talent alone. The limits are often just in our minds.

The journey isn’t always easy, and the feeling of “not enough” never fully disappears. But the more you embrace it, the more it pushes you forward. One day, when you look back, you’ll realize everything you once thought was impossible was just waiting for you to try.

@edemy251
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We all wait for the “right moment” to start something a project, a skill, a change in life.

We tell ourselves: “I’ll begin when things are easier,” or “I’ll start when I feel ready.”

But waiting for the perfect moment only keeps you stuck.

Progress doesn’t wait for readiness it comes from taking the first step, even if it’s small and imperfect.

Momentum comes from action. You can figure things out along the way.

Every skill, every achievement, every opportunity comes from movement not perfect preparation.

Your journey will never feel perfectly organized.
Your schedule will never be completely free.
Your doubts will never fully disappear.

But if you start now, you evolve.
You learn.
You adjust.
You get better step by step.

So here’s the message for today:

Start while you’re uncertain.
Start while you’re busy.
Start while things feel messy.
Start with the small step you can take today.

Because the “perfect time” you’re waiting for?
It’s not coming.

But progress will as soon as you begin.

Have a productive week!

@edemy251
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🙈😁 No sleep for today😭

@edemy251
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Lately, most of the client project I work on includes some form of LLM or AI integration.

And the more real projects you build, the more things starts to make sense, the workflow, the patterns, the tools, and how it all fits together.

If you’re a developer today, here’s my honest recommendation:

Learn the basics of LLMs and AI integration.

You don’t have to be a researcher, just understand how these tools support the kind of projects we work on every day.

A little hands-on experience makes a big difference.

So invest a bit of time in understanding AI integration.
It’s one of those quiet skills that makes your work smoother and adds real value to every project you deliver.

@edemy251
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How to Handle Clients and Reviews as a Freelancer

Freelancing is more than delivering tasks. It’s managing expectations, understanding people, and building a reputation that supports a long-term career.

One of the lessons I’ve learned is that clients are very different, and not every project is worth your time. If you’re a beginner, be especially careful with your first one or two jobs because early bad reviews are harder to recover from. Once you have a few strong reviews, it becomes much easier to handle the occasional negative one.

Before accepting a contract or applying for a project, always check the client’s reviews. Look at both what other freelancers say about them and how the client has rated previous work. Some clients rarely give good ratings, even if the work is solid. Others treat 5 stars as perfection and penalize minor issues.

Cheap clients aren’t always bad, sometimes they help you get started and build your first reviews (make sure to check their review). But once your profile grows, focus on long-term, high-paying clients who respect your skills. These are the clients that can truly change your career.

During interviews, present yourself professionally, but also observe the client as well. Take note of their communication, expectations, and flexibility. Remember, you’re not the only freelancer they’re interviewing. This helps you protect your time and energy from projects that could drain you.

If you ever receive negative feedback, how you handle it matters.

1. If the payment isn’t worth the trouble and you don’t want the feedback public, consider refunding the client. Protect your reputation and peace of mind.

2. If the payment matters, respond politely and professionally. Explain what happened, the steps you took to resolve it, and show your willingness to improve. Future clients will see your professionalism, and might understand your part of story.

At the end of the day, freelancing is about building trust, reputation, and relationships. Protect your energy, choose your clients wisely, and handle challenges gracefully. Your career isn’t defined by single review. It’s defined by how you approach your work.

@edemy251
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I saw this post today and now I can’t unsee it!

@edemy251
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#Today_message

The most valuable thing you can work on is yourself, not because life is easy, but because you’re the only person who lives with your choices every single day.

Your skills, your habits, your mindset… they quietly shape your future.

They grow with you, protect you, and open doors you didn’t expect.

Choose the things that build you,
learning that challenges you,
discipline that keeps you steady,
and habits that make you stronger over time.

You don’t need to rush or prove anything to anyone.
When you grow, your life speaks for you.

Have a productive weekend.

@edemy251
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Weekend Challenge (Join if you want )

I’m setting two challenges for myself this weekend and if you’ve been avoiding your own tasks like they’re invisible, feel free to join too.

1. The “Work On What You’ve Ignored” Challenge

I have side projects that have been sitting quietly… waiting… and waiting.
So this Saturday and Sunday, I’m finally getting back to them.

No excuses, no “later,” no pretending they don’t exist.
Just getting it done, even if it’s one small step.

2. The “Wake Up Like an Early Person” Challenge

Waking up early is not my natural talent.
But this weekend, I’m trying:
wake up early, get some exercise in, a quick run, and start the day with energy.

If you’ve been postponing something, a project, a habit, your morning routine take this as your reminder.

Let’s push ourselves a bit and make the weekend count.

@edemy251
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Your skills help you start, but your discipline is what keeps you moving.
And your attitude shapes how you show up when things aren’t easy.

Sometimes, growth happens quietly, in the choices you make each day, the effort you put in even when no one sees it, and the mindset you bring to your work.

Keep improving the way you think, the way you act, and the way you handle challenges.

Happy new week!

@edemy251
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Advice to My Beginner Self

Don’t accept mouth promises.

If there is no contract, there is no agreement, no matter how friendly they sound.

When you work with a company or a client, you should get one of two things:

experience or money.
If you get both, that’s perfect.
If you get neither, you’re wasting your time.

If someone can’t be clear about what they want from you and what you’ll get in return, that’s already your answer.
Unclear terms always lead to unclear outcomes.

Say yes wisely, and learn to say no.

Not every opportunity will help you grow, and it’s okay to turn down the ones that don’t add value to your skills or knowledge.

Don’t underestimate your hard work.

You may not see the results today, but consistency always pays you back, sometimes in ways you didn’t expect.
Keep growing, keep learning, and trust the effort you’re putting in.

Invest in yourself first.

Choose opportunities that truly help you build your skills, knowledge, and professional growth.
Not every offer comes with good intentions, and that’s okay, focus on the ones that serve your development.

And one more thing:

Walking away from a bad deal is also progress.

@edemy251
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Being visible opens doors even when your work isn’t perfect.

I remember how many times I hesitated to post my first app on LinkedIn.

At the beginning, it’s very normal to feel like you’re not ready yet, or that your work is still too simple.

But sharing it turned out to be the right move.
People noticed my work. Conversations started. And later, that post led to another opportunity.

That experience taught me something important.

You can show your work from the very beginning:

1. the first version
2. the broken parts
3. the lessons you learned
4. the small improvements

That is still real proof of work.

People don’t only appreciate results.
They appreciate effort, consistency, and growth.

When you share your progress, people see:

1. how you think
2. how you solve problems
3. how serious you are about learning

Visibility builds trust.
Progress builds credibility.

You don’t need a degree post.
You don’t need a certificate post.
You just need to show what you’re doing right now.

Start where you are.
Share what you’re learning.
Let people see the journey.

Your work doesn’t have to be perfect.
It just has to be visible.

@edemy251
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Forwarded from Dark horse (𝓕𝓮𝓪𝓻𝓵𝓮𝓼𝓼 𝓢𝓸𝓾𝓵)
The hardest part of software engineering is getting your first role.

The next hardest part? Realising how little you know.

Then comes trying to write code that lasts.

After that? watching others fly while you feel stuck.

And just when you think you’ve figured it out: someone shows you how much you still don’t know.

The journey never gets easier.
You just grow stronger at facing it.

So if you’re struggling to land a role, chasing a promotion, fighting doubt, or feeling unseen — keep going.

The learning never ends.
The doubts never vanish.
But neither does the growth.

Credit
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Dark horse
The hardest part of software engineering is getting your first role. The next hardest part? Realising how little you know. Then comes trying to write code that lasts. After that? watching others fly while you feel stuck. And just when you think you’ve…
This journey isn’t about clarity, it’s about continuing despite uncertainty.

Every stage feels like the hardest one until you realize it’s simply the next step forward. You don’t outgrow the struggle, you learn how to carry it better.

The goal isn’t to feel ready or confident all the time, but to keep showing up, staying curious, and moving forward even when you’re uncomfortable. That discomfort isn’t failure, it’s proof that you’re still growing.

@edemy251
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Things Feel Hard Until You Actually Start

In tech, many things sound difficult long before we ever try them.

Before learning Docker, I already believed it would be complicated
not because I had worked with it, but because of how people talked about it.

Just hearing terms like image, container, and DevOps workflows made it feel heavy.

But once I started learning Docker and using it in a project, it was far more understandable than I expected.

Most of the confusion faded once I stopped listening and started doing.

This isn’t only about Docker.

The same thing happens for other terms.

From the outside, things look overwhelming.
Once you’re inside them, they turn into clear steps you can work through.

The real issue is that many juniors never reach that point.
They stop at the idea of difficulty.

We often hear experienced engineers talk in advanced terms,
and we forget that they also started by not understanding much.

Fear usually comes from: not starting, overthinking, and comparing yourself to people who are further along

So the solution is to start even if things are not clear yet.

If you’re a junior:

don’t let technical language scare you

don’t wait until everything feels clear

start small and learn as you go

You don’t need full clarity to begin.
You gain clarity by starting.

Most projects look difficult
until you sit down and actually work on them.

That’s where learning really happens.

@edemy251
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Hey everyone

We’ll have a live Q&A session this Saturday at 2:00 PM (local time).

Our previous live session was planned for Sunday, but I have a meeting at that time, so we moved it to Saturday.

If you have any questions, need guidance, or want to discuss a specific topic, feel free to join us.

You can also comment with topics you’d like us to cover during the session.

See you there 👋

@edemy251
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Forwarded from Birhan Nega
For 20+ years, football was part of my life.
But lately, instead of watching full matches, I enjoy listening to interviews from the players I grew up watching.

What I love most is how disciplined and hungry they were.

They didn’t become great because of one big game.
They became great because of what they did every day:

training when nobody was watching

repeating the basics until they became automatic

staying focused during pressure and criticism

taking losses as lessons, not excuses

pushing through injuries, setbacks, and hard seasons


And that connects directly to our lives — especially if you’re here trying to become a successful software engineer.

Because building a career is the same “long season”:

Training = coding daily, not only when you feel inspired

Basics = mastering fundamentals, not just chasing trendy frameworks

Match pressure = interviews, deadlines, production bugs

Losses = rejected applications, failed projects, mistakes

Winning = consistency over time, not quick hype


The people who thrive aren’t always the “most talented.”
They’re the ones who stay disciplined through the hard parts.

So if you’re young and serious about your future:
be hungry, stay consistent, and embrace the hardships — that’s how you level up.
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Live stream scheduled for
It was a tough week.

Late nights coding, solving problems, fixing issues, improving logic, and making sure things are delivered right.

A lot of the work isn’t just typing code. It’s thinking ahead, keeping things simple, and making good decisions that won’t cause problems later.

After a week like this, it’s time to slow down a bit and clear the mind.

Have a good weekend!

We’ll meet tonight at 20:00.

@edemy251
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