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vardareli
Community Member

Connects to be wasted

Hi,

 

I am a member of Upwork for sometime and in the past i had a chance to have free connects, thanks. In the light of above alterations there is no free connects if you achieve something (like being promoted as a rising star, etc). With those free connects that Upwork provided, i couldnt get a job because many job posters asked of working with 90% success score or freelancers with rising star badge.

I couldnt get a job, so i dont have a success score nor a badge. Then, i paid to be a freelancer pro, i wrote beautiful cover letters with some reports and/or screenshots of my previous work. Nothing happened. I focused on easy jobs with requirements of nothing, result is the same. Nothing happened. Plus, some of jobs has expired or were closed because of inactivity.

 

Connects that i have used for applying are gone wasted.

I have spent all connects and gain nothing. Then Upwork changed my status to invisible and my removed from search results as a freelancer.

- No free connects
- Not displaying profile on search results
- Connects used for applying are wasted

- No chance to apply if i dont buy new connects

- When i buy connects, i can't make myself visible in the crowd because i have no badge or success score.

- There is no start point for me here.

 

Well, minimum wage here is 363 USD.
14 USD for having pro freelancer is getting expensive day by day.
Of course, if i can earn some money, i can spend more. 


But dont you think Upwork should cover for freelancer more?

 

**Edited for community guidelines**

25 REPLIES 25
feed_my_eyes
Community Member


Volkan V wrote:


But dont you think Upwork should cover for freelancer more?

 

**Edited for community guidelines**


No, I don't. Upwork can only connect you with potential clients, they cannot force anyone to hire you. The fact is, there simply aren't enough projects available for everyone who wants to be a freelancer. 

 

It's easy to set your profile back to public: https://support.upwork.com/hc/en-us/articles/211060298-Set-Your-Profile-Visibility

 

And just as a word of advice, focussing on "easy jobs with no requirements" is a very bad strategy. If a job is easy, it means that anyone can do it, so it'll just go to the lowest bidder. If you don't want to waste your connects, only bid on projects if you can demonstrate that you're the best person for the job.

I didn't tell that Upwork should force someone to hire me.

 

I am complaining about;
1) I have spent connects for jobs that has been closed or expired. Does that mean somebody hired? If not, where are all the connects?
1b) There are some jobs without an interview for more than 15 days. Ok, i know Upwork is testing refund those credits. Thanks. That is a good thinking.

 

2a) Applying jobs with no requirements is a bad strategy? Well, i dont see that anyone contacted with me that i have applied for a job with 90% success score requirement.
2b) Noone either contacted with me for the jobs with rising star badge. I understand your point but you may understand me as well. I think there is something wrong.

 

3) Invisible profile. When i clicked url in which the email Upwork sent me, walkthrough led me to a page saying i need to earn money / apply for a job. So, i needed to buy connects. 

 

4) I asked for Upwork for more cover. In this situation, i needed to pay without being sure that i can have a job. It is ok up to a point, i am voluntarily can pay for being pro freelancer. My question if it is sustainable. I mean, i have spent 140ish connects and nothing happened. Shall i pay again? Why? For how long? I know there is no guarantee, it is ok, but i am asking to be protected somehow. In my current situation, i have no badge, no success score, no connects; so shall i leave Upwork?

 

5) "No, I don't. Upwork can only connect you with potential clients, they cannot force anyone to hire you. The fact is, there simply aren't enough projects available for everyone who wants to be a freelancer.". Can only connect. There are multiple ways of connection and promoting freelancers. Upword do not "only" connect, they also have some appealing ways while they are connecting. With some badges and etc. While i was mentioning about cover, i was pointing those kind of functions and more. There can be some other promotion ways, delivering some free connects and/or something else.

Thanks,

If you feel you are wasting connects, then Upwork is probably not right for you.

This is not a real answer Jennifer.


Volkan V wrote:

This is not a real answer Jennifer.


Yes it is, because you asked if you should quit, and only you can make that decision.

 

Everyone starts out with no JSS and no badges, and everyone has to buy connects; some people end up getting clients and making money, and others do not. Again, the biggest problem here is that there are too many freelancers and not enough projects. Giving people more connects will not solve this problem.

 

If you want specific advice on your profile and approach, then ask. There's help here if you want it.

No, it is not Christine, because i have asked many questions and selecting one of them is not making the case.

 

Questions:
1) I have spent connects for jobs that has been closed or expired. Does that mean somebody hired? If not, where are all the connects?

2a) Applying jobs with no requirements is a bad strategy? Please tell me a good strategy when JSS/badges needed.

4) I asked for Upwork for more cover. In this situation, i needed to pay without being sure that i can have a job. It is ok up to a point, i am voluntarily can pay for being pro freelancer. My question if it is sustainable. I mean, i have spent 140ish connects and nothing happened. Shall i pay again? Why? For how long? I know there is no guarantee, it is ok, but i am asking to be protected somehow. In my current situation, i have no badge, no success score, no connects; so shall i leave Upwork?

 

And if you have specific advice, please shoot already! That's what this post is all about.
Thanks,


Volkan V wrote:

No, it is not Christine, because i have asked many questions and selecting one of them is not making the case.

 

Questions:
1) I have spent connects for jobs that has been closed or expired. Does that mean somebody hired? If not, where are all the connects?

2a) Applying jobs with no requirements is a bad strategy? Please tell me a good strategy when JSS/badges needed.

4) I asked for Upwork for more cover. In this situation, i needed to pay without being sure that i can have a job. It is ok up to a point, i am voluntarily can pay for being pro freelancer. My question if it is sustainable. I mean, i have spent 140ish connects and nothing happened. Shall i pay again? Why? For how long? I know there is no guarantee, it is ok, but i am asking to be protected somehow. In my current situation, i have no badge, no success score, no connects; so shall i leave Upwork?

 

And if you have specific advice, please shoot already! That's what this post is all about.
Thanks,


1) You only get your connects back if the client actively closes the job, or it was removed for a ToS violations, or if it had the flashing blue dot when you applied (indicating that connects would be returned if nobody is hired). Otherwise, your connects are gone. Think of them as a business expense. In order to work as a freelancer, you need to pay for Internet access, you need to buy a computer and software to do your job, and you need to pay for your marketing expenses. None of these are free no matter how much you complain, and neither are connects.

 

2) Clients can indicate a PREFERENCE for badges or a minimum JSS. It is NOT a requirement. If you think that you're the perfect person for the job, then go ahead and apply. You misunderstood my advice about not applying for "easy" jobs - you may want to re-read that.

 

3) Again, this is your decision. But if you're asking what I would do, then okay: If I had done my best and tried my hardest to win clients for two months and I hadn't gotten a single project, and I thought that I could use some other website or find an easier way to make money, then yes, I would quit.

 

4) If you want advice about your profile, you need to make it public by following the link that I gave you earlier. But I'm confused - you said that you were paying for the plus membership, so you should have connects and your profile should remain public? You may need to wait for a moderator to help, if that's the case.

 

2) Easy jobs. No, i didnt misunderstood. You are saying that in those type of jobs, cheapest one gets the job. 

3) I see. I should quit. 

 

4) I didnt renew freelance pro account recently depreciated. So, i am invisible now. Contacted to support. If you have advice about my profile, approaching to a client, getting jobs, saving connects, trying for some time here, etc., i would like to hear. 

 

I have told many things, all was about trying to find a way to stay here. Maybe i couldnt make myself clear, i dont know. But from 2 Gurus, i got response to quit. Nice to hear.

 

 

So, still expecting your reply.

Hello, Every community member.

I want to say that my JSS didn't get updated after 2 weeks.

Today 2 weeks are completed but my JSS didn't get updated.

 

Please somebody check my profile and tell me if there is something wrong with it.

 

Thanks

Regards

Satyam

You can say that coz you are in a good position. I can remember those days I have 2 clients in Elance and 2 also in Odesk but now ZERO. The "connects" that time are free but now it's being monopolized. Poor freelancers can't afford to lose their "connects" coz it too expensive. Imagine some job post needs 6 connects?

I'm just saying... 

kochubei_valeria
Community Member

Hi Volkan,

 

I went ahead and reset your profile visibility so it shouldn't be locked private anymore.

 

As Christine already explained on this thread, connects are only refunded when the job is closed with no hire either by the client or by Upwork or if there is a notification on the job about connects being refunded. 

 

I'd like to share some resources you could use to improve your profile and proposals. While submitting proposals doesn't always guarantee that you will get hired, great profiles and proposals definitely help freelancers stand out. 

- How to Make Your Freelancer Profile More Visible & Appealing to Big Clients on Upwork

- Enhan
ce Your Upwork Freelancer Profile for Greater Success


- How to Create a Proposal That Wins Jobs

~ Valeria
Upwork

Thanks Valeria. I will read those to see if i am missing something.

I want to tell that -to make my case clear- even making my profile more visible in search results can be a solution. Maybe there is a way for that. What i mean is, actually it is evolving while i am in this conservation, being more visible can even be a solution. My real problem here is spending  connects and getting no results. As i said, i know there is no quarantee for that but there should be some ways to get connectted in better ways. When i mention about the "cover", maybe that is the way. 

Ok, got it, connects refunded in certain circumstances. I have a question. What is the situation for this job? This job has been closed and i dont see if there is a hire or something. If there is no hire, what happened to connects? Ah, there is a second question, if there is not a notification on the job about connects being refunded, all connects of freelancers will be spent for nothing? 

What i need here is to use these connects in a better way and/or find a way to get more invites. I have no idea about Upworkd algorithm in search results, how invites work or how i can be respresented more frequently even if i dont have JSS or a badge. I didnt mean that Upwork should give me free connects but maybe explain to get higher on results or something. 

 

Thanks,

 

 

Volkan,

 

Please, note that by design jobs expire if there is no activity on them for more than 30 days. If a job expires, connects are not returned, unless there is a notification on the job that states otherwise. The job you're referring to expired. 

~ Valeria
Upwork

"Please, note that by design jobs expire if there is no activity on them for more than 30 days."

- Why there is no refund for design jobs? 

- Do you think that is fair? a) Maybe there should be a penalty for the job poster. b) Then it becomes more complex, if there is no refund for expired job. It looks like a lottery. How will i protect myself from spending my connects for an expiring job? I was asking for cover from Upwork, i see that there are some ways to cover freelancers. I dont think that this is Upwork's monetization way, getting paid for the expired jobs.

 

I dont want to be rude. I am trying to understand and find a way to work in fair conditions. But, i couldnt understand to get charged for expired jobs.

 

 

Shall i expect a reply? Or are we done here?


Volkan wrote:

"Please, note that by design jobs expire if there is no activity on them for more than 30 days."

- Why there is no refund for design jobs? 

 


That is not what she said. She explained that it is intended (by design) that connects are not returned when a job expires without anyone having been hired, which happens after 30 days. It has nothing to do with the type of job.

 


Volkan wrote:

How will i protect myself from spending my connects for an expiring job?


You could consider only bidding on jobs with the blue dot. If such jobs expire, you will get your connects back. 

 

refunded.png

 

Connects are a business expense. 

 

Volkan wrote:

Shall i expect a reply? Or are we done here?


You had plenty of replies.

 


I dont want to be rude. 

😉


That is not what she said. She explained that it is intended (by design) that connects are not returned when a job expires without anyone having been hired, which happens after 30 days. It has nothing to do with the type of job.

 

v: Oh, i really misunderstood that.

You could consider only bidding on jobs with the blue dot. If such jobs expire, you will get your connects back. 

 

v: Yes, exactly, i will do.






Connects are a business expense. 

if job expires.

v: I dont think it is an appropriate approach if job expires with no hire. Is it a monetization strategy of  Upwork?

 

I dont want to be rude. 

😉 
v: What?


 

I feel sorry for you Volkan V. I dont uderstand how everyone here is trying to protect the client but not the freelancer who puts a lot into finding jobs. On the other hand we find clients who post jobs and then just forgets about it and chooses not to hire anyone from the job post. 
We barely get to apply with 10 or 15 jobs with the current plan so I dont understand why they think it's okay for the client to just ignore their job post whereas they should be given a penalty. But I think NOT! because yes, thats what the business is all about.
Also, I dont understand why it's just so easy for them to say "It's not the right platform for you then". Because obviously they don't care about the freelancers and more about the clients who ignore job posts and yes, we have to wait for 30 days for the jobs to expire and pray that someday our connects will be returned. GREAT policy I mean.
But in my opinion this platform isn't for new freelancers anymore I guess and they are trying to hold onto the best ones with a lot of experience to keep the system clean.


FAWAD K wrote:

 yes, we have to wait for 30 days for the jobs to expire and pray that someday our connects will be returned. 


They are not returned after 30 days either, connects for expired job posts are not returned.

Simply get used to the fact that once you've applied, your connects are gone. The end. That's the way it is for now.

 

  • don't keep checking up on jobs you've applied to. It's pointless
  • look at the hiring stats of the client and don't apply if the client has a low hire rate if that bothers you
  • If buying connects creates a situation where you get a poor return on your investment, up your rates or use a different platform. You've only done one small contract in the last 4 years here anyway.

I barely visit this platform and in hope that it would get better but I just come back to find out that it hasn't got any better.
All the points mentioned still doesn't justify the fact that employers just ignore the jobs they posted. That is one of the reason why I barely come back to this platform just to try luck, so as you mentioned that: 

'You've only done one small contract in the last 4 years here anyway.' It's because people like me who once tried upwork back in 2017 find it more difficult and not rewarding compared to what it was. 
Since you have more experience on upwork you would know that if you start off from scratch as new freelancer right now, you would feel the same. 

@Valeria K, i have asked many questions to you. Ignoring or no answer? Please tell what it is.

Volkan,

 

While we are testing refunding connect on some jobs with no hires, I'm not aware of any plans to change the current connects system. If any changes are made, we will certainly announce it in the Community. Unfortunately, I don't have more information to share at the moment.

 

Thank you. 

~ Valeria
Upwork
shah_zinat
Community Member

Hi Experts!

 

Wasted Connects

Is this correct with freelancers??

 

Many numbers of proposals expired, closed, archive, no interviewed, no hiring, and no activity on the proposal and no at least one hiring by clients, but the number of (paid) proposals submitted almost 50 plus wasted?

 

So, considering above situation there is any policy for clients? If they post a job, there should be at least one hiring?

 

If not, then (paid) proposals with wasted connects for expired, no interviewed, closed, archive, no hiring, no activity on the proposal and no at least one hiring by clients, is the correct with freelancers?

 

Thanks

ronalddosdos
Community Member

I remember those days, I worked on two platforms, Odesk and Elance. Sometimes I have 2 clients on Elance and 2 on Odesk. I work hard, sometimes in 24 hours I only rest 3 to 4 hours to get the turn-around time of the clients.

When they merged as Upwork, I felt the consequence that from two options going to no other option.

At that time the monthly 30 connects are free but as time goes by, the crocodile management realizes that they can make profits for connects. I've got my last client in 2019, from 2020 up to this year I have no luck.

Worst case the badge is eating connects too. I hope all the crocodiles will become a dolphin.

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