After 30 days, should the connections be returned?

[cc3ea104]

After 30 days, the job will close automatically. If the customer didn’t hire anyone, should the connections be returned? Just where are the guarantees that these are not fake jobs... and connections cost real money))

[the-right-writer]

After 30 days, the job will close automatically.

Why do some freelancers want to deny other freelancer's jobs? Stop

 trying to take this ability away just because you want free connects. It hurts no one to leave the jobs open. Some clients hire much later when they can't find a single qualified person.

If the customer didn’t hire anyone, should the connections be returned?

No. Connects are a business expense. If you send a portfolio to a prospective client, do you expect the postage returned if you don't get hired? Absolutely not. There are too many connects floating around as it is.

Just where are the guarantees that these are not fake jobs... and connections cost real money))

Just where are the guarantees in life? Too many people treat freelancing like employment, where the employer tells them what to do, gives them the work, and watches over them to make sure they do it right.

Freelancing means you are a self-employed business person, responsible for everything you do. That includes paying for your business expenses. If you don't have the money, find an employer. I don't control the way the world works, but I certainly acknowledge it.

[cc3ea104]

Well, that means you need to apply for a job only with a confirmed payment and a good reputation as a client who actually hires freelancers in order to save connections and expenses. But then the question arises: a new client with zero reputation has little chance of finding a good freelancer? because good beginner freelancers spend their connections selectively and choose work from clients with a great reputation. And this can negatively affect the perception of new customers.

[the-right-writer]

No, it means you learn how to be self-employed.

If you knew the rules, you would know the important thing is to have the job funded before starting the contract or work. Verified/unverified payment means absolutely nothing. As do jobs with previous hires. There are serial scammers here who have track records. Lots of clients don't have a history, and that doesn't mean they are scammers.

You have to look at the whole picture, not little things. Vetting the jobs and the clients are just as necessary as if you met these people in some random chat room. And it takes following the rules and expert advice from experienced freelancers.

But then the question arises: a new client with zero reputation has little chance of finding a good freelancer?

This has no correlation to connects or clients. There are 20? million freelancers here. The client's newness doesn't bother me or numerous freelancers who follow the rules. I have worked with new clients, and they turned into excellent repeat customers.

because good beginner freelancers spend their connections selectively and choose work from clients with a great reputation. And this can negatively affect the perception of new customers.

That makes no sense. If you are saying clients will be overlooked if they are new, wow, are you wrong. First, the unskilled freelancers throw connects wildly, and then legitimate freelancers apply, too. I will fight any burdensome fee on the clients, just as I do for returning or giving away connects. I care about the health of the platform, and I care about the ability for me, and everyone else, to use the platform.

[tlsanders]

 But then the question arises: a new client with zero reputation has little chance of finding a good freelancer? because good beginner freelancers spend their connections selectively and choose work from clients with a great reputation.

"Good beginner freelancers" (or some of them) may be too timid or too unsure of their own ability to assess a posting to send a proposal to a job posted by a new, unverified client, but established freelancers have no problem with it. I very much prefer to work with a client who has never used Upwork before, and I've made many tens of thousands of dollars from clients who were unverified when I connected with them. 

[ArjayM]

Hi Yan,

We certainly understand your concern. Please remember that we do return Connects when a client closes their job without hiring or we find a job post has violated our Terms of Service. You can find more information here.

[tlsanders]

Connects should never be returned unless the job is removed for a TOS violation. I can't understand why they return them when the client closes the job without hiring.

[cc3ea104]

I think it’s right to return connections to freelancers for their job. If, after 30 days or maybe even 90), the client still has not hired a freelancer. Because there are no obstacles for anyone to create 100 fake job advertisements, without any losses. And freelancers are starting to pour in with real connections) A freelancer must be protected, because he spends his honestly earned money on responses (+ he pays a 10% commission on all orders). Even if the site is not ready to return connections to freelancers, then there must be at least some kind of barrier for clients (freelancer protection) - if the client has not hired anyone, then let him lose, for example, $30 escrow from one posted job. This will make the client responsible to freelancers and protect the freelancer, will also attract new talent, and in general the level of services on the site will rise)))

[the-right-writer]

Freelancing means you apply and don't look back.

[tlsanders]

If you got sucked in by a scam on late-night television and overnight mailed your check to the scammer, would you expect the postal service to return your mailing fees? 

As to the rest...there aren't enough clients here to work with even 5% of the freelancers here. How do you think the platform could possibly be improved by discouraging good clients from posting jobs here? Do you expect to thrive here when there is one job for every 20,000 freelancers?

[cc3ea104]

If the client does not hire a freelancer for the job. That will lose, for example, 30 dollars. This will reduce the likelihood that the client will not start working with the freelancer outside the platform. And it will be right. For all three sides.

[tlsanders]

What it will reduce is the number of clients who post jobs on Upwork. Obviously, no rational business person would agree to be forced to either hire someone they don't want to work with or pay a penalty. Many clients who are new to Upwork post in various places (most of them free) to see where they get the best candidates. The obvious choice for many clients, if Upwork said "hire someone here even if they're not the best choice or pay a fine!" would be to simply drop Upwork from the list and post in four places instead of five.