Dear potential Client...

[mathgirl]

I am taking the liberty to contact you in this forum. Why? Well, despite my being an experienced "Upworker" (even "Odesker") and having paid in fees about 10,000 USD over the years, Upwork's system tends to act maximizing revenue. I will try to be more clear: in order to apply to your post on the site I will have to "use" 2,6 or 8 connects. If I would like to boost my application, so that you get to see my experience (I am top rated here on Upwork) I will have to use tens, or, at times, hundreds of connects. At the moment, I have applied to 11 jobs. None of the applications was viewed by the client. This means that I have wasted hundreds of connects on nothing. To apply to the job you might have posted today, I would have to "buy" more connects. 

A few thoughts:

1) How do I know for sure that those clients are real ones and not Upwork's attempt to make a quick buck out of freelancers applying to jobs?

2) Dear Upwork: your platform is full of translators and freelancers that are being contacted by clients on your platform and then "proceed" following other paths. Too expensive and clients' oriented, maybe?

A final note: the last time I have posted in these forums, I have received comments from very rude and judgmental "peers". I hope the communication improved here, please note that I will ignore any ill-mannered comment this time.

Cheers,

Milena

[8467c28e]

Milena,

I understand your concerns and frustrations regarding the application process on Upwork, and I appreciate you sharing your thoughts here in the forum. However, I would like to clarify a few misconceptions you may have about the platform.

Upwork is committed to providing a transparent and trustworthy environment for both freelancers and clients. The platform has implemented various verification processes to ensure that clients posting jobs are legitimate. Although no system is perfect, the intention behind the connects system is to encourage freelancers to apply for jobs that are most relevant to their skills and experiences, rather than applying to a large number of unrelated jobs. This helps improve the overall quality of applications and helps clients find the right freelancers for their projects.

While it's true that some clients and freelancers might choose to communicate and work outside of Upwork, this is against the platform's terms of service. Upwork provides a secure platform that offers a range of benefits for both parties, such as payment protection, contract management, and dispute resolution. By working outside of Upwork, freelancers and clients risk losing these protections.

It's important to remember that Upwork is continuously working to improve its platform and create a more freelancer-friendly environment. As with any platform, there will always be some challenges and areas that need improvement. However, many freelancers, including top-rated ones, have built successful careers using Upwork, and the platform has a strong track record of connecting freelancers with quality clients and projects. Regarding the communication within the forum, it's crucial for all members to maintain a respectful and constructive dialogue. Wishing you the best in your future endeavors on Upwork.

[mathgirl]

Hello Uktu,

Thank you for your answer.

If the reason behind the connects is ensuring that a client is not "flooded" with applications (again, clients are a priority) then I would like to indicate that forcing experienced, top rated and long standing freelancers to use connects is making sure your clients will not find the best on your platform; on top of that, at this point, many top rated freelancers will be browsing other platforms or job search engines, finding remote work at a better rate. The "connects" system should be applied only to newbies, before they "prove" their professionalism.

I do not doubt that Upwork's initial goal is to ensure clarity and transparency but, allow me, I am exposed everyday to the same translation related jobs that are scams. On top of that, you will surely have your checks but, obviously, freelancers cannot appreciate your efforts and a system of connects (in which after paying thousand of fees I have to pay to apply to a job that might not even be looked at) is inevitably going to raise some doubts. 

With regards to protection: very true. At the moment the only reason I am still writing here is the "payment protection", which, obviously, is not appreciated by the many among us who are now directly working with the customer (in my experience in some projects I was the only one who stuck on Upwork...I think you can do the math). 

My top rated career, my husband's top rated career costed us around 200.000 USD which we have been paying Upwork over the years. The benefits we got from it were very limited, no action was ever implemented to reward our efforts in staying in this very expensive tool and acting ethically. And, by the time we try to investigate new work opportunities, we are treated as rookies who cannot understand which job they can apply to...not very motivating.

I hope that the implementation of optimizations and changes will be based on the feedback of people who are dear customers of yours, because, just like in any other business, at this point, if we were to find any other platform which works and it is cheaper, we would leave in a heartbeat...

Cheers,

Milena

[NikolaS]

Hi Milena,

Thank you for sharing your feedback and concerns. I encourage you to check this product update page to learn more about recent changes.

Boosted proposals were designed to help you make the most out of your Connects. We also refund Connects used for boosting if your proposal was outbid and didn't receive any eligible interactions from the client. If a job was found to be in violation of Upwork TOS, we issue a full refund of Connects.

So to reiterate, refunds are issued if:

• You didn’t bid enough to make the top four spots at all. You’ll be refunded the amount of Connects you boosted, but not the amount of Connects it cost to submit a proposal.
• You earned a boosted spot temporarily, but the client never interacted with your proposal and you were bumped out of the boosted spot before the auction closed. You’ll be refunded the amount of Connects you boosted, but not the amount of Connects it cost to submit a proposal.
• Your bid was above the fourth highest bidder. We’ll only charge you the lowest of the top four bidders and refund the rest. For example, you bid 10 Connects and the next highest bids are 8, 7 and 6. All four of you will only pay 6 Connects to have your proposal promoted. Your Connects refund will display as a refund of the full amount you bid to boost (10) and then a charge of what you owe in the end (6).
• You bid for a job that we end up removing due to a Terms of Service violation. You’ll be refunded both the boosted Connects and the cost of submitting the proposal.

You can find more information in this help article.

[mathgirl]

Hello Nikola,

Thank you for the clarification. I understand the system, but I do not agree with the total lack of differentiating a newbie (who might be applying for anything) and a professional top rated freelancer (thanks to whom this platform is still working). The connect system should be lifted for proven professionals, in any situation. 
Another thought: I pay connects to apply for a job. All the customers I have at the moment have not even checked my profile. I would like to get all my connects back.

Cheers,

Milena

[tlsanders]

The thieves who "proceed" following other paths keep costs high.

[mathgirl]

Hello Tiffany,

I am sorry, I don't completely understand what you mean. The costs are lower for the freelancers (no fees); the costs are the same (maybe 3/5% less) for the client.

Only Upwork might be losing fees but what are the expenses Upwork has for a client's post? Not sure.

In my experience, and in many top rated freelancers' experience, this is the Vuitton of job platforms. Very expensive and not at all rewarding those who are paying every week.

 It would not be difficult to find who is likely to be working outside the app...it is a matter of implementing proper checks. Almost every time I look for jobs I report the same posts (over and over again) asking to connect through Telegram. It is really simple to figure out which posts those are...

Cheers,

Milena