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plantostart
Community Member

Annoyed with recent quality of Upwork

I've had mostly long-term clients here on Upwork; 100% job success score, top rated, etc....all viable clients that immediately went from invite to proposal to interview to hire within a week.  I've paid Upwork at least $20K in income fees the past year alone, possibly more.  All my clients are 5 stars.  

 

Within the past 6 months, I don't what the issue is- but the number of invites and quality of clients have signficantly decreased.  I'm to the point where I'm easily having to send 50 proposals and do 15 interviews with no results.  Or "limited results" where the client wants to hire, but can't actually afford rates.  Additionally, I've seen far too many new "knowledge suckers"- ie: startups under the impression they can solicit random strategies and ideas from multiple people for free in a one-hour "interview" call.  As though that actually works for a real company?  Laughable.  I don't see any eventual hires on these contract postings either.

 

Another issue- prospective clients are allowed to privately DM me; without posting a job, and without me being able to view/vet their company.  Previously this worked in my favor as they hadn't yet solicited others, so I've continued to respond; but with the new lack of quality clients, it is resulting in pure ludacris. 

 

After recently ending a large contract, I turned on my "availability badge" (which costs money); yet can't control what clients this is advertised to.  Odd considering I work in B2B digital marketing, and targeting is always our number one concern in producing viable pipeline.

 

Considering the connect & new bidding fees, percentage of my income being taken, and recent decrease in quality; honestly I can't see what the value proposition here is anymore.  This is business- the only value prop is when a platform is saving you money or time (because time equals money regardless), when x-y=z.  I could prospect on my own with less time then what I spend here....with much better targeting then these new algorithims and/or lack of client vetting. 

 

Side note: this is a rant.  There is no technical solution or problem solving to be had from my side.  What I am basically annoyed about, is I invested those fees in order to build a steady, viable dealflow of clients.  And yet that is essentially worthless now because of Upwork's own poor strategies.

115 REPLIES 115
money5510
Community Member

I feel the same way. This site has made so many changes. They don't ask for our input or seem to care. All I have been getting are clients to get free consults and they will not pay once they get this advice and somehow no longer need the work completed. Last client hired and after I gave him the plan to remedy his application, he said I will close the job and started sending me all kinds of screenshots as if I didn't know what I said to him, cancelled job and then now my score went from 100 to 80%. We also have to keep buying connects to try to get a job and get messages now from so many clients just to ask questions. It's to the point I no longer want to work on here. Very frustrated.

That may be an answer, but it is not the answer.

Even more frustrating is when they ask for our input, we offer it, and it's completely ignored.

williamtcooper
Community Member

Amanda,

 

To increase conversion rates, I stopped giving free interviews in November 2022 and now charge $200 for a one hour Marketing Strategy Consult. 30 clients have signed up since and many have converted into clients ($4,000 to $10,000 each). When I charged for a Marketing Strategy Consult versus a chat / interview, the clients came to the call prepared to do business.

This is good advice, thanks

elisa_b
Community Member

What is the purpose of sharing the same link 4 times in the same thread?

74b661f4
Community Member

Hi gyz am new on upwork and UU/UX DESIGNER WHO WANT A JOB TELL WHAT REAL TIPS TO USE TO GET HIRED AT UPWOTK 

Read this post. Go through and follow every single link. Being new, you are a target for scammers. You need to learn about freelancing. There is enough information to take you from the Terms of Service through advancing your career.

allpurposewriter
Community Member

I could prospect on my own with less time then what I spend here....with much better targeting then these new algorithims and/or lack of client vetting. 

 

Amanda,

So the question is ... why don't you do that?

 

Freelancing is all about runnng a business and one should never put all your eggs in one basket. If you don't have three or four or more methods of finding clients, then you're just asking for trouble.

I don't mean to disparage your complaints. I got totally burned out on writing querry lettters to publishers and reliled up Upwork exclusively for a long time. I'm not anyone to emulate.

 

And, you should check out Jeanne H,'s rant "To all freelancers looking for help."  An eye-opener for me. In her view, echoed by many, Upwork is virtually flooded with maginally talented or even untalented freelancers who are, essentially, using all kinds of cheap tricks and scams to sell themselves as experts. I won't look at my profile reviewing the same way again -- I'll tell you that. 

Quite obviously as stated, I'm now proceeding in this manner. Previously I didn't need to do so, as I only have so much time available and Upwork clients sustained that.  The platform saved me time in sourcing my own deal flow, I'm simply stating this is no longer the case, and as a high paying client of Upwork, I invested those fees to pay for the continuum of such.

Good morning Amanda,

I have been here 24 h. and I have a good idea of what needs to be achieved in regards to my profile, make a video, find some testimonials, connect my skills with a strong personal link to my work experience. You have reached a certain pinnacle and accolades in this opportunity of yours. You charge a multiple of 6.5 x my hourly rate. Your success is undeniable, which makes you in high demand.

As a fluid, happy & generous member of Upwork, could I, might I consider the privilege of your consultation, your expertise with my resume, profile outlay & my gaps to have the image of proficiency, and to be contracted with respect.

Thank you again for your review and attention to this matter

God bless,

 

Francois 

nmbarnett
Community Member

Yes, totally experiencing the same thing.  It’s like Top-Rated Plus and 100% Success mean nothing anymore. 

I’m not saying getting jobs should be a piece of cake, but like Amanda mentions, after paying Upwork tens of thousands of dollars in fees, and earning goodwill with clients, it feels like that should mean something – and used to – but doesn’t seem to now.

In my mind, the two major items causing the downfall – the pandemic (where everyone and their Mother decided to stay home and become a freelancer), and the boosting system, which frankly is difficult to understand, monitor, and take advantage of.

Hearing this now quite often from veteran freelancers I don’t think bodes well for Upwork.  Their future seems to be getting a bunch of low-quality jobs, with low-paying clients, and marginal freelancers.

It would be nice if Upwork would reach out to those of us who have had a number of successful years under our belts and have been responsible for a large chunk of their revenues.  I think many folks could offer suggestions that would help both Upwork and Freelancers alike.

I doubt if Upwork will ever listen to freelancers. They had the chance and opportunity to do so during their test (trial) version of proposal boosting. Most freelancers complained about the boosting stuff here and there but they went ahead to implement it.

 

35dd3b62
Community Member

Agree 100%. I went from rceiving 4-5 (often more) job offers per day to applying to 30+ jobs for one hire. Many of my clients say the hiring process is in shambles too. One client recently told me several of the "US based" freelancers were CLEARLY not in the USA. I could go on for days on the rapid decline of Upwork. 

6bfcdaf8
Community Member

Do you all have a suggestion for upwork to bring in more clients and budget into the platform? Probably drop the interest rates and print more money... oops they can't do that. For all the ones that think "good clients are leaving the platform". Where do you think they are going to ?

There are other freelancing platforms out there. Or they are using typical job sites and hiring in house. 

 

Not letting so much crap filter through might help. I reckon I've reported more scam posts and freelancers looking for jobs posts (which funnily enough all happen to be coming from the same area of the world) than found decent job postings in the last month or so. 

 

As a freelancer who has used Upwork since it was ODesk or whatever it used to be, the quality has dropped significantly in the last few months. I've gone from easily getting jobs/turning jobs down from being busy to applying for job after job after job and getting nothing. 

I few ideas, nothing new. 

Make the clients fully verify with ID and photo. I'm suprised is that not the case now?

Increase lowest payment, to stop junk postings. UW could regionalize the lowest payment, so in the USA, or Europe it is a bit higher, but in developing regions it's lower.  A powerful, USA, or EU company should be encouraged (by brut force) to spend in their own economy.

Could the clients have a photo, just like the freelancers? It's a small thing , but I can often tell if a person in the picture is fake. 

 

Have more staff employed to vet the postings. UW is a multi million pound company, it must employ people to look at post quality. Also look at freelancer quality to. 

 

Also pause new freelancer entries until UW stabilzes. To stop 'freelancer inflation'. 

f8d6df3a
Community Member

Totally Agree with you! It's so tough to get an invitation from proposals. So much saturated.

collins-errole
Community Member

Upwork has become absolutely useless and expensive for freelancers. It's no longer adding value to freelance work seekers.

calado-marco
Community Member

Hi Amanda.

 

Completly understand your "rant" and up to some point i mirror myself on it.

The thing is; i work with 3 different online platforms, i bet you also work with others beyond UW.

If you do, then you'll notice that this isn't just an UW problem. All platforms are going through the same issue.

The same way that over and over there are grifter clients popping around trying to get the most from freelancers, there are also freelancers out there without any kind of quality work and even coping portofolios and presenting them as originals, just trying (like does proverbial "Nigerian princess" scamers that won the lotery), to get a buck out of the clients. Sad but true...

All of this, in a global appreciation, has continuously let down perspective clients...

This is an online platform and like all online subscritions it's unfortunately exposed to this kinds of scams...

 

There are a few excellent platforms. They have overall and category limits and entry tests. There are rotating, complex tests for all skills, that are difficult to cheat. There are no obvious scams, and I have never been approached by a scammer at any of them. In the physical world, I do not encounter scams.

Jeanne you said: "There are no obvious scams, and I have never been approached by a scammer at any of them. In the physical world, I do not encounter scams.".

How many replies do you have already posted here in this forum regarding scam job offers or grifters?

I don't need to copy your own answers to remember you of that...

"There are no obvious scams": only for noobs.

Not only you know this, you with your answers have helped new freelancers to identify the scammers.

If on the other hand you were refering to freelance scammers, then please take a look at this profile and

reevaluate the "complex tests for all skills, that are difficult to cheat".
And the most laughable part (besides presenting himself as a Content Writer that doesn't even proof reads his own profile and under the skill set has Graphics Animation) is claiming to be a sheikh!!

Listen, for me there's no difference between this sheikh and a nigerian prince.

Please explain how this profile was accepted by UW.
 

You misunderstood my post. I was speaking of OTHER platforms, not here.

 

Upwork stopped looking at freelancers a long time ago. How do people steal profiles and portfolio?

Why does Upwork do nothing? Well, you can read my other posts, posts from other people and look at Upwork's quarterlies and other financial information, including their share value compared to past years.

 

In my opinion, they allow anyone to be a freelancer because they love the connect money. Upwork has stated that the majority of freelancers will never get a single job. However, their ads tell people with no skills they can come here and make money. If Upwork spent some of the money they use on ads for freelancers for the clients, there wouldn't be so few legitimate clients.

 

Upwork broke out of the red for one quarter, but they also "let go" 15% of their staff and cut services. The shares have dropped significantly. I understand they need money, but it should be across the board - i.e. $10.00 per proposal for everyone, no exceptions, no connects, no boosting. This won't happen, especially since they want us all to be employees without benefits.

Ok, thanks for the clarification. And you are right; a flat rate for all the bids would work... If UW wants to provide the best options for the clients and allow the freelancers to get the same chances, that's the way to go!

I would like to know such platforms. Genuinely curious and willing to explore but I guess I'm not able to find them on my own 😕

cf66b40e
Community Member

1. Yes, valuable knowledge suckers. I lost one, no payment.

2. Freelancers need to share only general / non confidential answer to client challenges, they should hire freelancer to get full solution while payment should be dropped on upwork to keep both sides on purpose.

joansands
Community Member

I am so tired of seeing job posts like the one I just saw where the client is looking for someone who can proofread 125,000 words for $20.

The clients aren't the ones messing up Upwork, all thanks to the freelancers that would apply to that job... If people completely ignore such impossible low priced jobs.... Of course the clients will stop posting them... But for sure, they will find freelancers rushing after it and then why would they stop?

cf05215b
Community Member

It's clear that you're frustrated with the changes you've observed on Upwork and how they've affected your experience on the platform. It's not uncommon for freelancers to face challenges and changes in the platform's dynamics. While I can't directly address your concerns with Upwork's policies or business model, I can offer some insights and suggestions based on your comments:

  1. Diversify Your Marketing Efforts: If you're experiencing a decrease in the quality of client invites on Upwork, it might be time to diversify your marketing efforts. Consider building your own professional website, using social media, or exploring other freelance platforms to expand your client base.

  2. Quality Over Quantity: Instead of sending a large number of proposals to various clients, focus on crafting highly targeted proposals for fewer jobs that align with your skills and expertise. This can increase your chances of landing quality clients.

  3. Set Your Own Terms: When clients privately DM you, be upfront about your expectations, such as asking for more information about their project or requesting that they post a job. You have the right to set your terms and not engage in work for free.

  4. Review Your Profile: Periodically update your Upwork profile, showcasing your recent work and skills. This can help attract better-matched clients.

  5. Feedback to Upwork: While this is a rant, it's also valuable feedback that you can consider sharing with Upwork's customer support. They may be able to provide insights or suggestions based on your feedback.

  6. Evaluate the Value Proposition: If you find that the fees and changes on Upwork are not providing a return on investment, it's a valid reason to reassess your use of the platform. If you believe you can generate better results through other channels, then it might be worth exploring those options.

  7. Freelancer Communities: Consider joining online communities, forums, or local freelancer groups. These can be a valuable source of information, support, and alternative opportunities.

Remember that freelancing platforms evolve, and their dynamics can change over time. It's important to adapt and consider what's best for your business. Ultimately, the value of any platform should be measured against your specific needs and goals.

 

elisa_b
Community Member

Do you think you are smart? 

I have a serious question. With no experience on the platform, why do you believe you know enough about Upwork to put in prompts to your program? You need to use the Academy and learn about the platform and how to use it safely.

olga-polishchuk
Community Member

It seems to me that everything is very simple. The UW system is designed in a way to extract as much money as possible from new freelancers through the sale of Connects because experienced freelancers spend less and less money on Connects over time. Therefore, the majority of available jobs primarily go to new freelancers to intrigue them and make them believe that finding work is very easy, while old freelancers spend their Connects just to apply for work. Once new freelancers spend a certain amount on the site, they are disabled and stop appearing in searches, regardless of the number of Connects spent. The main thing is to get a certain amount of money from a single lead.
Upwork has long ceased to be a public platform for freelancers; it has become more like a snake eating its tail. Sooner or later, we'll have to pay for the time spent from login to logout.

benjamindiane
Community Member

Wow! A year ago i looked at Upwork and it seemed like a decent place for a talented worker to get some business. What i see today has radically changed. Now there are small companies bidding on projects that they cant get in the not online market. Pathetic. Good luck to you and i dont see a future for freelancers here!!

 

vitaliypos
Community Member

I've been with Upwork for 8 years or so and last year was the **bleep**test of all the time. I was a top-rated plus with a great profile, background, history, and feedback. Right now I am just top-rated. But the deal is not with it. Last year I got only 2 to 3 profile views per month, 70% of clients did even not review the proposals. I'm disappointed. I spent hundreds of euros to just submit proposals with this new unfair "connects system" and got 0 offers. The company is a monopolist, unfortunately, and can do whatever it wants. 

crart
Community Member

It's not monopolist. It just advertises in false way and people got used to seeing it as main player in the field. It may be biggest but only in numbers of registered users. There are many freelance platforms that instead of spending cash on false advertisement, spend it on crew that weeds off unqualified scrubs trying to put their foot in the door. Here, everyone is happily invited for jolly cooperation towards financial success of UW management 😂

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