Connects application rates -- Thoughts

[#1]

My Upwork acct has just rolled over into the new "pay to play" connects system. While I am unconvinced of Upwork's statements on why these will be "improvements", I am trying to give things a chance. While I complete some jobs, I am looking through my job stream and seeing what kind of rates (of the connects) are being applied to what kinds of jobs. 

As suspected, Im definitely seeing some ads that still are getting bombarded with 20-50 applications within a short time.  These same jobs, before the new connect system, definitely gave advantage to the freelancers in countries with a lower cost of living.  Definitely goes against the result that Upwork staff purported during its town hall and explanation of the new system.  While I am taking a more conservative stance on what jobs I apply for, I have felt more liberal in marking more ads as "Budget Too Low" when compared to how often I would do that in the old connects system.  Unfortunatley, between the available flags the "Budget Too Low" designation is the closest choice to apply to this situation.  Really, I figure that for a while, there are going to be mistakes in the connect rate that Upwork staff assesses for jobs.  It would be nice to have a more direct flag to just say "hey, this advert might be requiring an incorrect number of connects for the circumstances and description of this ad" . Again, trying to be patient here and see how things look a month from now.

Update: Here is a rundown of the types of sectors my job search and skill set fall into

• 3D Modeling (and some crossover into CAD)
• Web Design (and specifics to E-commerce websites)
• Content Management (and related, Data Entry)
•  *** Between those types of searches and concentration, I also get a bit of product copy writing, and customer service falling into my feed (even If I dont take too many of these jobs on)

One respondant to this thread was correct in that "what I am seeing" may highly depend on what Upwork job categories Im working in.

Simply put, I dont think that the analysis of "how many connects to charge" is effective.  Still seeing the same amount of low ball jobs, and the same amount of jobs submitted by those who havent verified payment. I already was disinclined to apply for those before this new system, but Ill tell you... how can they charge 4 connects for such low pay jobs, or for the jobs that have no guarantee of follow through (because payment is not verified).  If there was a "Charging Too Many Connects" flag for ads, I would use that instead.

[#2]

Touching story.

[#3]

I would have to respond to your interpretation with a "yes and no" response.  Honestly, the point of my oriignal post was* to see what kind of experiences people were having outside of mine.  I myself felt like the changes made were exactly as you say "... just seasoned freelancers recognizing that this impact is not accidental.".  Feeling that way, I took to the forums to find out OTHER people's experience so that I can approach this with more than just my input.  Looking around some of the other respondants here, I am reminded what kind of take-away I could have had by not getting other people's experiences.  Speaking very generally about online discussions and how things can get heated or the conversation could degrade..... the whole "It worked for me and so you guys need to suck it up" or "Yeah, life isnt fair, they are in it to make money" is pretty much the kinds of unhelpful feedback that only alienates other people in the conversation.

I wont speak for others but, I dont need to be told "life is not fair". That pretty much states the obvious and is not useful (generally speaking) for the conversation.  At this point, I have gotten the feedback I needed from some of you (thank you) to confirm some of the initial observations I had.  Again, my original post was to seek perspective and to step outside my own experience. However, given the overall backbiting I see thorughout this thread, it also confirms a more general viewpoint: Upwork will keep making that money and, just like other corporations, they dont need to do any work to keep us where we are. We are too caught up in our own stories and, for some of us, we are doing the work for them by putting energy into infighting and trying to look like we are "in the right". 

(*and again, I do apologize if it comes off as redundant or repeating myself, but I just clearly see that there is a mix of comphrension here, including some assumptions made no matter how clear some of us tried to be on what we wanted to address)

[#4]

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Taha A wrote:

Then the freelancers (or should I say victims) who have been enrolled to the new Connects system are in disadvantage compared to the rest of freelancers as they have to spend more Connects to apply for the exact same jobs. I believe Upwork should compensate them by adding free Connects to their accounts.

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By giving them free connects, it would become even harder to get a job, because not only you but everyone ells would get XX free connects.

[#5]

So you are saying that let the first freelancers who were enrolled in the new Connects system suffer the most by being at disadvantage? How fair is that?!

[#6]

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Taha A wrote:

So you are saying that let the first freelancers who were enrolled in the new Connects system suffer the most by being at disadvantage? How fair is that?!

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New freelancers I believe get 20 connects to start with, which is obviously really low. Giving the new freelancers extra connects to compensate would completely eradicate the intention. 

But what is fair? The top rated people or others who still have lots of connects will run out of them eventually, so then everybody is created equal. 

[#7]

I have seen a few decent jobs come up.  Almost all require 6 connects.  I just clicked on a 50 USD fixed price contract and it needed 4 and a load of applications (20-50).  What on earth now only needs 2?  Seems like this is going to earn Upwork more money than the commission will.  This job it almost certainly will.

Personally I am applying for absolutely nothing for a week or two.  I have a few invites and I have 3 things on the go anyway.  I suspect many are not looking properly and have not realised and applications will drop off rather rapidly when people have depleted all their connects in 3 or 4 days and realise it is nearly 1 USD per application for most jobs.  The anticipated 50 a month needed is a woeful underestimate when most things are 6 connects.  I also won't be applying pretty much ever unless it is perfect fit and low applicants unless it is a lot of money and client has a high hire rate.  New clients are going to have a bit of a problem unless people start receiving a lot more invites (which would not be a bad thing).

[#8]

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Simon T wrote:

I have seen a few decent jobs come up.  Almost all require 6 connects.  I just clicked on a 50 USD fixed price contract and it needed 4 and a load of applications (20-50).  What on earth now only needs 2?  Seems like this is going to earn Upwork more money than the commission will.  This job it almost certainly will.

Personally I am applying for absolutely nothing for a week or two.  I have a few invites and I have 3 things on the go anyway.  I suspect many are not looking properly and have not realised and applications will drop off rather rapidly when people have depleted all their connects in 3 or 4 days and realise it is nearly 1 USD per application for most jobs.  The anticipated 50 a month needed is a woeful underestimate when most things are 6 connects.  I also won't be applying pretty much ever unless it is perfect fit and low applicants unless it is a lot of money and client has a high hire rate.  New clients are going to have a bit of a problem unless people start receiving a lot more invites (which would not be a bad thing).

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I think this is the intended effect. Freelancer are going to apply to fewer gigs and be selective when choosing those gigs to which they do apply. Prospective clients who don't put effort into creating their job posts will see fewer applicants and will learn 'the hard way' that they must be clear about their deliverables and reasonable when setting their fees or they won't get many bids. 

[#9]

Which bit, doubling revenue or reducing applicants......

Anyway, I don't see effect yet but it is altering my decisions.

This could be due to people not looking at connects required or could be those not switched yet still having only pay 2.  For the moment though I will for the most part be observing from sidelines until this settles down.  Longer term, people with badly written requirements and/or terrible hire rates will not be recieving bids from me unless unusual circumstances.  I am kind of hoping people get too few bids and we start seeing clients do more searching and inviting themselves.

It would be interesting to know what others are planning re; short term approach to this, at least until equal playing field has been established and possibly longer.

Still, one point stands regardless.  I had seen it was expected 50 connects would be about number most required.  That is just not the case.  I generally used most of my 60 at 2 connects a go without quite running out and I was fairly selective already.  There is absolutely no way 50 is sufficient at 6 per go.  That is around 2 bids a week.  There is a difference between reducing people who spam the things everywhere (charging and keeping at 2 would do this when no new free ones) and the current position.  I see multiple things every day I would be a decent fit for.  I in no way apply for all of them (too many applicants, too low price etc), I will need to drop my application rate very substantially to use "target" number of connects.  If my hit rate goes up, sure can buy more but I am likely going to be extremely selective rather than just very selective from now on.  That is probably beyond what was wanted.

I'd also add.  I have, on occasion, offered people some free advice at the cost of connects before.  This is more where the potential client doesn't seem to know what they are asking or they are asking for the wrong thing and it is my expertise.  Just being nice, it is not a bid.  E.g.  "I want to import all transactions into Wave", they had a bunch of applicants who are clearly spanners as this is not possible so I just let them know what is, rate is probably too low, I am not interested in data entry but just being helpful.  Costing me around 1 USD to do that is not going to happen which is a bit sad.

[#10]

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Simon T wrote:

I had seen it was expected 50 connects would be about number most required.  That is just not the case.  I generally used most of my 60 at 2 connects a go without quite running out and I was fairly selective already.  There is absolutely no way 50 is sufficient at 6 per go. 

50 seems very high to me, seems far too low to you...that suggests that whomever estimated that it was about average if probably right.

[#11]

Okay, print this out an put it somewhere that you'll see regularly:

LIFE IS NOT FAIR

[#12]

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Tonya P wrote:

Okay, print this out an put it somewhere that you'll see regularly:

LIFE IS NOT FAIR

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True, but this is clearly something that could easily be fixed.

It cannot be intentional that for a period of 2 months different people have vastly differing pricing/conditions.

All Upwork has to do is move people to the new plan, but keep all jobs at costing 2 connects until everyone has been migrated.

[#13]

Makes sense. 

[#14]

Does it really matter that much?

Soon the rest of the flook will be transferred to the same system.

I armed my self with connects and now I have around 700, including my Agency account. Spent some money on it, but I guess I'm OK for some time now. 🙂

So soon it will be:

                                     *** Survival of the Fittest AKA Upwork Royale ***

[#15]

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Filip K wrote:

Does it really matter that much?

Soon the rest of the flook will be transferred to the same system.

I armed my self with connects and now I have around 700, including my Agency account. Spent some money on it, but I guess I'm OK for some time now. 🙂

So soon it will be:

                                     *** Survival of the Fittest AKA Upwork Royale ***

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_____________________________________________

Well, bully for you! Enjoy ...

[#16]

I chose to remove a half dozen of my eggs from the Upwork basket, and you know what the grass is greener on the other side 

[#17]

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Taha A wrote:

Then the freelancers (or should I say victims) who have been enrolled to the new Connects system are in disadvantage compared to the rest of freelancers as they have to spend more Connects to apply for the exact same jobs. I believe Upwork should compensate them by adding free Connects to their accounts.

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What do you mean newbies have to spend more connects? How many connects you need for a specific job is the same for everyone.

[#18]

Is it?  I don't know.

Before I was switched jobs that now cost 6 connects cost 2.  It is possible the new pricing only kicks in when people are moved over so there could well be a 2 tier structure.

[#19]

Martina,

I think my message wast not clear. By new freelancers, I was referring to freelancers that joined around 2-3 months back when the old Connect system was in place.

Some of the existing freelancers (who joined prior to implementing the new Connects system) were enrolled to the new Connects system while other freelancers are still under the old Connects system. So these freelancers who were enrolled to the new Connect system have to spend more Connects now compared to the freelancers which are still under the old Connect system for the same job (6 Connects vs 2 Connects in some occasions).

[#20]

Upwork could (easily) fix that by making all jobs for all freelancers 2 connects until everyone has been moved to the new system, because as it is currently, it *is* unfair that some people apply with 2 connects while others apply with 6, for the same jobs

[#21]

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Taha A wrote:

Martina,

I think my message wast not clear. By new freelancers, I was referring to freelancers that joined around 2-3 months back when the old Connect system was in place.

Some of the existing freelancers (who joined prior to implementing the new Connects system) were enrolled to the new Connects system while other freelancers are still under the old Connects system. So these freelancers who were enrolled to the new Connect system have to spend more Connects now compared to the freelancers which are still under the old Connect system for the same job (6 Connects vs 2 Connects in some occasions).

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You are misinformed. The "old" freelancers are spending 6 connects on a job that requires 6 connects, just like everybody else. 

Yeah, that's unfair. 

[#22]

Not all freelancers are spending the same amount of Connects currently. Some are still spending 2 Connects per job as Upwork is gradually enrolling freelancers to the new system.

[#23]

I've been moved onto the new system and haven't seen any projects posted that cost less than 6 connects. I think I'll just hoard my 60 freebies until the dust settles.

[#24]

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Christine A wrote:

I've been moved onto the new system and haven't seen any projects posted that cost less than 6 connects. I think I'll just hoard my 60 freebies until the dust settles.

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Are you serious?  Six???  Unbelievable.  That's just ridiculous.

I suspected from the get-go that charging for connects is like putting a bandaid on a gaping wound.  The problem is the sheer number of freelancers that Upwork carries and continues to accept on a daily basis.  This whole platform is flooded with excess baggage, including tire-kicking clients, and Upwork's only solution is to mop the floor with the remaining successful freelancers.  I don't see anywhere for Upwork to go but down.

I've had a recent and significant death in my family so it's been pretty easy for me to lay low here and try the invite only method for projects.  Even that sucks because after 21 days, I got not even one invite.  On day 22, which is today, I received an invite which was one of 1,000 invites sent by the client, had absolutely nothing at all to do with my skill set, and had an average hourly USD pay of $4.23.  I kid you not.  

Clearly, I'm quite discusted.

[#25]

With the number of people not seeing an invite in months, something is way off.

No single client should be allowed to spam freelancers. That's ridiculous.

[#26]

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Christine A wrote:

I've been moved onto the new system and haven't seen any projects posted that cost less than 6 connects. I think I'll just hoard my 60 freebies until the dust settles.

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Agreed. Gonna sit back, monitor the forums and watch to see how it shakes out over the summer.