Direct offer while listed as unavailable for new jobs

[cecilialat]

Hello,

I have just received a direct offer from a client I had never spoken to before while I'm currently listed as not available for new jobs. How was it possible for the client to find my name and reach to me?
I had to decline the offer because I cannot take more work at the moment, but I also feel sorry for the client who randomly picked a freelancer without knowing (or realizing) they were unavailable. Doesn't the client see I have switched to "not available"?

(I am also perplexed by clients who send direct offers without any prior conversations with the freelancer, but that is another topic).

[petra_r]

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Cecilia L wrote:

I have just received a direct offer from a client I had never spoken to before while I'm currently listed as not available for new jobs. How was it possible for the client to find my name and reach to me?

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The client could have found you earlier and had you saved. You don't appear in searches.

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Cecilia L wrote:

I had to decline the offer because I cannot take more work at the moment, but I also feel sorry for the client who randomly picked a freelancer without knowing (or realizing) they were unavailable. Doesn't the client see I have switched to "not available"?

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It isn't that obvious anymore. It doesn't say "Available" or "Not available" anymore, it says "Hours per week" - and that's some way down the opposite direction of the "Invite" and "Hire" buttons. Very easy to miss.