Foreign-based writers

e_kociela · ‎06-07-2019

As a writer based on The Baja I find it disappointing that most of these gigs are offered only to writers located in the U.S. Overlooking a lot of good talent. We still have full access to people in the U.S., have the internet for research. Just because we are retired or semi-retired in Mexico or wherever else we choose to live should not exclude us from doing business.

mtngigi · ‎06-07-2019

Ed K wrote:
As a writer based on The Baja I find it disappointing that most of these gigs are offered only to writers located in the U.S. Overlooking a lot of good talent. We still have full access to people in the U.S., have the internet for research. Just because we are retired or semi-retired in Mexico or wherever else we choose to live should not exclude us from doing business.

You're profile states you're in Utah ...

e_kociela · ‎06-07-2019

My profile states that I am based on The Baja. It also states my experience in Southern California and Utah.

petra_r · ‎06-07-2019

Ed K wrote:
My profile states that I am based on The Baja. It also states my experience in Southern California and Utah.

Your profile, inaccurately, claims that you are in the USA.

If you are not in the US, your profile must not pretend that you are.

filip_knezevic · ‎06-08-2019

Why does it even matter if you live in USA or not, if you are a native speaker?

prestonhunter · ‎06-08-2019

re: "Why does it even matter if you live in USA or not, if you are a native speaker?"

Filip:

Nobody is saying that it matters.

Petra was pointing out to Ed that Upwork requires freelancers to indicate the place they actually live as their place of residence on their profile page. So if a person lives in Mexico, but has an affinity for or fondness for a city in some other country, then their profile page would indicate they live in Mexico.

Those aren't Petra's rules. Those are Upwork's rules, and when Upwork does identity verification, it may well suspend or terminate a freelancer whose profile page doesn't match up with where they actually live.

If you're asking why it matters if you live in the USA or not for the purpose of getting a job:

Maybe it DOES NOT MATTER.

That would be up to the client to decide.

Many clients don't care at all about this.

If you are a U.S. resident, when you post a job, you have the opportunity to indicate if that job is for people who live in the U.S., or for anybody.

filip_knezevic · ‎06-08-2019

I agree, Preston.

I was just implying it should be relatively irrelevant for a descent client if a native writer currently resides in USA or China.

e_kociela · ‎06-08-2019

Exactly!

e_kociela · ‎06-08-2019

Fixed

kbadeau · ‎06-09-2019

The Baja might as well be China for folks in New York, unless you are a serious night owl or you like to start working at 4 am. Clients in the US often like to work with other clients who are available during "normal" US working hours. I'm usually at my desk by 7 but I'm still "late" for the folks in NYC who may have been at their desks since 8 EST.

amurigi · ‎06-08-2019

Hi Ed K,

I resonate with your sentiments that a lot of the writing gigs are being offered to only US writers. It's a pity that I have been on this platform for ten years, and even with a good JSS score and work history, I'm struggling to land a job. As far as I'm concerned, Upwork is a global platform where anyone, regardless of where they are located, can join and connect with clients from across the world. I feel sad because I have really worked hard over the years to build a good profile. But if most of the writing gigs are going to US freelancers, which seems to be the case, it does not matter how good I am at what I do, my chances of landing a writing gig may likely continue to dwindle. I'm having a hard time accepting it. It's unfair, but we can't beat the system.

kfarnell · ‎06-08-2019

It's true that the number of available writing projects has plummetted for non-US people. It's even worse for editing projects. Obviously, there are times when having a US-based writer or editor matters, but I find it difficult to believe it matters that often and don't think the default to US is fair. If I hadn't been already established when this was introduced, I wouldn't have stood a chance.

abinadab-agbo · ‎06-08-2019

It is very likely that non-US freelancers who've exprienced a decline in gigs because of Upwork's heavy-handed filtering, will not stay on Upwork and continue whining about this. Many of them will leave and it will affect Upwork as a whole, even the US-based freelancers and clients. Too bad for Upwork.

Anonymous-User · ‎06-08-2019

Nonsense. If the majority of clients are seeking only US freelancers, that's their preogative.

FLs also have the choice to search jobs from other countries.

Freelancing is a business decision you made. If your business is failing, then it's not because of a mere filter and it's not someone else to blame. Time to get a new plan.

UW will continue along and all the crying will just move to another website.

Anonymous-User · ‎06-09-2019

Not everyone is "Murica". Now who's making judgments?

joansands · ‎06-09-2019

That is your opinion, not mine.

e_kociela · ‎06-09-2019

Of course it is. And, we are both entitled to our own opinions. I resent the fact that writers are getting paid so poorly for their efforts, writers who have studied, trained, worked in the trenches instead of some hobbyists who should be writing greeting cards. This is why there is so little substance out there. I really did not mean to engage in a pissing contest here, but if this is what it's all about, I'll pack my bags and leave.

joansands · ‎06-09-2019

Ed, are you trying to imply that there are no freelancers on Upwork who are excellent writers?

e_kociela · ‎06-10-2019

Now you are being ridiculous. Of course not. But I would bet a lot of money that not many have much eperience.

joansands · ‎06-10-2019

Well, I just better go and get me some eperience!

abinadab-agbo · ‎06-08-2019

By virtue of the "default" US-only button for US clients, it is possible Upwork has officially sold out and begun to serve some protectionist investor interest.

e_kociela · ‎06-08-2019

Could very well be the case.

petra_r · ‎06-08-2019

Abinadab A wrote:
It is very likely that non-US freelancers who've exprienced a decline in gigs because of Upwork's heavy-handed filtering, will not stay on Upwork and continue whining about this. Many of them will leave and it will affect Upwork as a whole, even the US-based freelancers and clients. Too bad for Upwork.

Considering that Upwork has WAY too many freelancers and could lose half of them without any ill effect, I doubt it.

Every single day, 10.000 eager new ones are trying to get in. 98% are rejected. Upwork won't run out of freelancers any time soon.

That old chestnut with the "freelancers will leave and that'll be soooooobad" is not getting any more valid the more it is regurgitated.

The freelancers who are making decent money aren't going anywhere in a hurry, and the ones who aren't making money are no particular loss to the business as a whole.

joansands · ‎06-09-2019

How long have you been on Upwork, Ed? I have seen job posts for writers that were not US based. Are you blaming Upwork because you have not gotten a job on Upwork?

e_kociela · ‎06-09-2019

No, Joan. I have not made any proposals. Pay is very poor, especially if you have been a writer for some time. I realize the paradigm has shifted, but that doesn't mean it is right or acceptable. I worked at major metro newspapers, national magazines, community papers, and specialty mags. I worked in PR, several corporate gigs (yeah, I've been around awhile.) I'm not some newbie whose friends said, "You wrote such a beautiful note in my birthday card. You should be a writer."

petra_r · ‎06-09-2019

Ed K wrote:
No, Joan. I have not made any proposals. Pay is very poor, especially if you have been a writer for some time.
There are clients who pay well.

Obviously, without sending out proposals you won't get hired by them.

What exactly is your point if you are not even sending out proposals?

e_kociela · ‎06-09-2019

No, as long as newbies with no experience are willing to take peanuts for their efforts, it will drive away those who have been stringing together words for a long, long time.

joansands · ‎06-09-2019

Well, it is a fact that there are freelancers on Upwork who do good work and make a lot of money. It just doesn't happen overnight.

e_kociela · ‎06-09-2019

Have you met them? Heard their personal stories? Seen 1099s? Or, has Upwork written their own blogs/comments singing their praises? (In case you haven't noticed, that kind of stuff is what they are looking for -- fluffy puff pieces to sell, upsell, influence.) I have too many years as a newsman to swallow this without some real evidence. It doesn't pass the sniff test.

petra_r · ‎06-09-2019

Ed K wrote:
Have you met them?

Yes, sweetpea, I have. I work with such clients day in, day out, without being in the USA.

Clearly, when you don't apply you won't get hired. Not by the great clients and not by the poor ones.

joansands · ‎06-09-2019

Yes, I have met some people on Upwork who have made a ton of money. But, if you dislike Upwork so much, why did you join it?

kbadeau · ‎06-09-2019

Ed K wrote:
Have you met them? Heard their personal stories? Seen 1099s? Or, has Upwork written their own blogs/comments singing their praises? (In case you haven't noticed, that kind of stuff is what they are looking for -- fluffy puff pieces to sell, upsell, influence.) I have too many years as a newsman to swallow this without some real evidence. It doesn't pass the sniff test.

I do this full time and I think the first project I accepted on Upwork was for $20. I also hand wrote notes for a guy because it paid better than most of the graphic design jobs that were listed. Gradually I got better gigs, more reviews, more UW hours worked, and raised my rates. That took maybe a year. But what you discover is, you find a few good paying gigs, good paying clients, repeat clients, and most importantly... the lucrative jobs come to you; you don't even have to look for them. But you have to lay the groundwork. You don't just work for the New York Times, quit and move to Mexico, open and Upwork account and voila! - you're working full time for $75/hour.

kochubei_valeria · ‎06-10-2019

Hello All,

A few posts have been removed from this thread as they were in violation of the Community Guidelines and the read has been closed from further replies.

~ Valeria