Can't re-submit the proposal? When did that happen?

[dara_t]

Does anyone know what's going on with not being allowed to re-submit withdrawn proposals?
I've accidently put the wrong work example link in my proposal and withdrawned it to re-submit with the correct link... only to discover I'm no longer able to do that! When did this restriction hapened? We were not able even to edit proposals before, and now we're not allowed to re-submit the correct one. I've lost an opportunity to apply to a wonderful job 100% fitting my experience... Doesn't it sound like a joke?

[NikolaS]

Hi Darina ,

Thank you for following up. Could you please clarify if you used the Boost option in the proposal you are referring to before withdrawing it? Please know that boosted and unboosted proposals that are withdrawn are removed from the client’s list so they can no longer see them. If you withdraw a boosted proposal, you can’t submit it again (with or without boosting) and you will still be charged as if you had not withdrawn. You can find more information in this help article. 

[dara_t]

Thanks for your response, Nikola.
I've checked out the FAQ section about withdrawing proposals after that. The thing is I don't get the reason behind that rule. Don't people make mistakes that need corrections, applying to proposals, with or without boosting? If I'm willing to spend extra connects (=money) applying to that job, that means I'm especially interested in it. Then why taking away the chance to get this job from the person that is especially interested in it and probably is a good fit, just for an attempt to correct the misatake in the cover letter? I'll apply again, obviously with boosted connects as well. It will actually bring Upwork extra money. Then what's the point?

[2779bde0]

You are correct in that it would be nice to be able to edit proposals, but it is for the same reason that you aren't allowed to follow up with a client after you have submitted a proposal.

It's based on the client experience, and clients would be absolutely inundated with "Did you see my proposal?" messages. You wouldn't want that from 30 or more people who initially applied.

People who rapid fire out proposals make mistakes. Clients want to see proposals where the writer has taken the time to make sure it all makes sense. and what the writer actually meant.

Good proposals mean high level of quality, the same quallity they would see in the work itself. Would you hire someone who didn't take the time to make sure what they sent was error-free?

I am a writer, and especially for me. My proposals need to be clear, concise and correct.

Errors? Are you kidding me? Sure, this is what you can expect from me, Mr. or Ms. Client.

Just my perspective.

[dara_t]

Lots of words, self-praise, loose generalization, false assumptions about the person you don't even know. While I still have no idea why Upwork has deprived freelancers from previously available absolutely harmless and necessary option, when you accidently copied the wrong example link to the cover letter. 

[25005175]

I don't think Martin referred to you specifically. His comments are about the reason for the system, in general. With which, I agree.

[dara_t]

You're forgetting the fact that this option actually existed all this years and worked perfectly fine, up until the moment when they implemented boosting system – which completely surprised me, as I remember how it used to work before. So I don't see how exactly re-submition ban connected to boosting proposals. 
People who rapid fire out proposals are usually low-qualified and low-priced, therefore interested in as larger number of proposals as possible, not spending lots of connects on one proposal, while they can bombard clients with 5-10 of them for the same number of connects. Which once again leads me to the point that it makes no sense. It's actually harmful to freelancers interested in one particular job, and doesn't improve client's overall experience.

[25005175]

Since before May 2022, when I started, submitting a previously withdrawn proposal was not allowed. Nor has editing a proposal, except for the financial element.

[dara_t]

The problem is – it'd been perfectly fine all the previous years. So I wonder how could boosting change the situation and lead to this prohibition. It makes no sense and it's harmful.

[k_froudarakis]

The difference that boosting makes is that if you were allowed to resubmit a boosted proposal you could do it for the reason of being outbid. And that would create a situation where boosting a proposal would cost hundreds or thousands of connects since it'd be a real auction.

In fact, I think this protects the general interests of Freelancers.

[dara_t]

Depends on the contract sum of course, I hardly imagine throwing hundreds of connects for a $100 job. However, they could at least allow re-submitting proposal without boosting, not cutting away the opportunity alltogether.

[k_froudarakis]

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Darina T wrote:

Depends on the contract sum of course, I hardly imagine throwing hundreds of connects for a $100 job. However, they could at least allow re-submitting proposal without boosting, not cutting away the opportunity alltogether.

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That is very true. That would be a better way to handle this.

[kfarnell]

I assumed it's because if you'd boosted and were outbid, you could withdraw your bid and replace it with a higher boost. And so could everyone else, meaning an ongoing boosting war with ever increasing bids. It's mad enough at present - that possibility makes my head hurt.

Though ideally if you'd boosted your bid and withdrew it, you should be able to replace it *without* boosting, that might be a technical challenge.

[dara_t · Accepted solution]

My thoughts exactly! Why not allow re-submitting without boosting? Or editing the cover letter? I don't think it will be much harder to develop than blocking the repeating proposal after boosted one.
Of course, I find all this boosting casino-like system horrible... Unfortunately I'm in a very crowded field and can't even get my proposals read without boosting, so that's how it goes.