How many of your proposals actually get viewed?

[motoyen]

Right now when I look at my proposal list, only 2 out of 24 proposals have been viewed. When looking at the jobs it seems that a lot of clients haven't come back to the site since they posted, although I know that metric is not reliable. 

I could accept being turned down because someone else had a better proposal but rather annoying that over 90% of my proposals are not even being seen. That's a lot of wasted connects. 

[hsfateh]

I agree , Same happen to me .   Jobs are not comming properly (job flow on upwork is reduced ).  I spend 300 USD worth connects in last 3 months and did not get much response . I am a top rated freelancer ... 

[spectralua]

1 from 100 viewed.

I think most of jobs is fake. Generated by spammers or Upwork, have no idea.

[motoyen]

Upwork knows. They just don't care as fake jobs leads to freelancers buying connects to bid. 

[tlsanders]

On average, about 35%. My boosted proposals are more than twice as likely to be opened. 

Don't worry at all about clients going back to the job posting. Opening Upwork's emails telling you this person and that has sent a propsal is a full time jobs, and there's a good amount of information in those emails, so a client can generally track proposals pretty well without visiting the post.

[yofazza]

Opening Upwork's emails telling you

That's what I used to believe at the release of the "viewed proposal" feature, which happened around the same time as the 'changes'.

I never hire, so I don't know for sure, but mod said the clients are encouraged to click.

And, the "less interviews" are my actual experience. I used to send proposals and wake up with messages. I used to never need to spend all of the free monthly connects, etc.

client can generally track proposals pretty well without visiting the post.

For various reasons I have a feeling that my proposals are "untrackable". The proposal snippet on the web, or the email notification, are out of the client's view.

1 from 100 viewed.

2 out of 24

They are below the observable average, unless if it changed again recently. The average I can say is 20% which is already low. Do a search for 'proposal view' to see how I got the number.

[tlsanders]

What does "encouraged to click" mean? I agree that every damned email I get shouting about a new proposal invites me to click through to read it. But, since I am seeing everything in the email that I would see when looking at the listing of proposals, there is no reason to click through unless the information provided suggests the freelancer would be a good fit. 

[yofazza]

So I believe the emails are basically "equal", with the "proposal snippets" on the web.

"Encouraged" might simply mean "clients needs to click when they're interested" which is also the same with the proposal snippet on the web.

People are different. On some ocassions you demonstrate that you're not doing what most other clients do.

I did tests with my 'properties' that 'appear' on the snippet, and the viewed ratio doesn't change. Or it changed for a moment and then returned. I've also heard that the properties shown (such as JSS and total earnings) are now hidden to make it more 'ambiguous' for the client which, from UW's point of view, might be advantageous to support their current "move" of circulating the "perception of opportunity" to their 18 million freelancers.

Edit: JSS and Total earnings are currently not hidden, looks like the snippets changes often lately.

[dsmgdesign]

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Tiffany S wrote:

Opening Upwork's emails telling you this person and that has sent a propsal is a full time jobs, and there's a good amount of information in those emails, so a client can generally track proposals pretty well without visiting the post.

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Not true. As someone who hires all the time on UW, I find these emails to be sent few and far between, and grossly inadequate in terms of the amount of information provided in the email. I have to click through if I want to learn anything substantive about the freelancer. I see a lot of posts that indicate the client never returned to the job posting. I seriously doubt that the majority of them are tracking candidates via email. 

[fd1a3637]

somewhere between 1/3 and 1/2 of mine get viewed. A lot of the ones that don't get viewed, the client never interviews anyone.

[kk-freelancer]

Yes, or they interview but don't hire and leave the job open for however long. Should be closed after 30 days.

Have you notice though, that a lot of jobs are open, but the client has invited X amount of people and only seems to interview those - like 10 invited, 7 unanswered, interviewing 3. Meanwhile, the job has 20-50 or 50+ proposals that probably will not be viewed.

Shouldn't those jobs be set to invite-only? We need guidelines for employers. And those freelancers shoudld have their connects refunded.

[fd1a3637]

I know some people don't agree, but I think connects should be returned for abandoned posts. 

Clients should be allowed to invite people, but still allow proposals. If you see a post with 10 invites, you don't have to make a proposal.

[tlsanders]

So...if enough unqualified freelancers bombard a job posting to drive the client off the platform, they should be rewarded? 

[yofazza]

When you look from Upwork's POV:

• Tried to become a high quality marketplace with vetted suppliers (freelancers) for years, but...
• Net income graph always go to the wrong direction, ...
• ... while they have the biggest member base where most of them are just putting burden. The members doesn't generate any fees but forces Upwork to invest on powerful servers instead.

Then, monetizing those member base is a good move, anything contradictory (such as refunding connects) must be thinked carefully and thoroughly.

[tlsanders]

Jobs can be set to invitation only if that's what the client wants. Usually, I invite a few freelancers, but obviously know that I am only seeing a tiny fraction of available freelancers in search. So, of course, I am open to other proposals, as I'm sure most clients are. I rarely end up hiring someone I have invited. 

[jasminevclark]

Oh wow, that's interesting. 😮 Thanks for sharing that perspective. Because when I look for jobs, I'm less likely to apply to jobs in which the client has invited multiple people (more than 3... I hesitate sometimes even with 3). I figure that the client already has multiple people they're paying attention to and I'm coming in cold, so why would I apply and waste my connects when the client is already interested in other specific people AND I also have to compete with all other uninvited people who are applying?

That's why seeing that a client invited other people makes me not want to apply for a job. I wonder how many other freelancers feel the same way? But now, thanks to your comment, I'm starting to think differently.

[deborah-ponzio]

In 2023, I had 11 proposals viewed on 13 so far. All unboosted. 

[yofazza]

13 sent proposals and 11 viewed? A huge "glitch" if it is, the highest ratio I've seen so far.

But then again it's also possible that most people wandering in this forum are the ones with problems. The others are probably not 'affected' or can work around the changes.

[59ac1ec0]

Oh wow! Does someone knows if we should report this "glitch" or what can we do? I have submitted over 55+ proposals in the last month and only 5 have been seen, 3 interviews and I haven't been able to get any projects yet. I am wasting money on connections!! Also, have you guys realized that proposals are getting "more expensive"? I used to submit proposals for 6-8 connects and for the past week, it has increased to 12-16. It is getting crazier.

[feed_my_eyes]

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Itzel V wrote:

Oh wow! Does someone knows if we should report this "glitch" or what can we do? I have submitted over 55+ proposals in the last month and only 5 have been seen, 3 interviews and I haven't been able to get any projects yet. I am wasting money on connections!! Also, have you guys realized that proposals are getting "more expensive"? I used to submit proposals for 6-8 connects and for the past week, it has increased to 12-16. It is getting crazier.

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Why do you think it's a glitch? Some people write better proposals, have better stats, or have better niches (or all three) than other people do, so they get more views. The "view" statistic isn't reliable anyway, since clients can view proposals via email and don't have to visit their job post on Upwork at all.

[deborah-ponzio]

Exactly 😉

[deborah-ponzio]

You wish to report me for performing well? Please, go on. 😉

[debi-f]

Don't waste your money buying connects, and don't waste your connects boosting your proposals. If you do it, you are paying to Upwork for finding a job, and not receiving money from a client. Serious clients will evaluate your skills and not the number of connects you use. I suggest even not paying for a membership.

Use the 10 free connects and only buy 10 connects more ($1.5) if you find a job that is real (not a scam) and it really fits your skills without boosting!

[fd1a3637]

She is top rated plus. I would hope shes getting lots of views.

[deborah-ponzio]

I got 56 profile views during the last week. I am not sure if they are many or not. I am only interested in the "right" views as I have been targeted by spammers as many of us. 

[tlsanders]

13 proposals in 2023 is less than 2 per month. That suggests that she's hyper-targeting, which will always result in a higher open rate.

[yofazza]

The niche might play a part.

I think I am a hyper-targeter as well. I spent less than $10 this year for connects, no boosts, and I happened to (almost) always get the bonus connects so I can send 58 proposals to date (Deborah should have some good amount of connects available now).

But my view to sent ratio still "adhere" to the observable average, only 12 viewed.

Edit: to clarify/emphasize, yes 58 proposals are hyper-targeted for me / my niche, and they are even more targeted or more carefully sent when compared with 2+ years ago.

[tlsanders]

For me, hyper-targeting means that I send a proposal only if I am confident that I am objectively one of the top three candidates for the job, and the client is very likely to choose me unless they can't afford me. 

I've been unusually active lately because I recently took on a new $2,500/month expense for the next couple of years, and my higher-than-usual average for 2023 is 5 proposals/month.

[yofazza]

I put the 'affordable' factor into account as well.

When a project has a low budget below my already-low-price-when-compared-with-countries-with-different-cost-of-living, I don't send the proposal.

Also, unlike you, I don't send a proposal with a higher-than-the-budget bid, unless I'm 100% sure that the client is really having no clue about the cost. Projects with ubelievably low budget in my niche, when we check the client's history, it's not uncommon to see that all of the client's projects are done with the same unbelievably low budget. Submitting a higher-than-the-budget bid to these projects would be a waste.

So that's my hyper-targeting. When a client "view" my proposal, I'll have a high chance of interview and hire and it's proven by the stats. But then again, even my proposal snippets doesn't seem to be seen. They are most likely always placed at the "other" folder unless "it is my turn to get another view". At least that's what I thought.

[deborah-ponzio]

On what basis do you state that it's a glitch? I am simply discerning in sending proposals and spend good time in writing them and making sure that they hit the mark. Those 13 proposals eventuated in 4 interviews however, all my latest jobs in 2023 came from invites. 

[yofazza]

13 sent proposals and having 11 of them viewed is something very unusual based on what I can observe on this forum, including from my own experience. "Glitch" is probably not the correct word, I'm ESL, sorry.

But anyways, I don't believe that 'spending a good time in writing', 'hyper-targeting', are the reasons. I think it's the niche.

[deborah-ponzio]

What "niche" do you believe that I belong to? What do you mean exactly?

I only apply when I'm 100% certain that, based on the job description, I can tick key boxes and do a good job. Then I straightforwardly explain why. It's not rocket science. 😉

[yofazza]

What niche do you think I'm in? It's good that it's so easy for you to get views just by submitting proposals to jobs that you have a 100% certainty. Tried that, but it doesn't work for me. At least lately.

The "straightforwardly explanation" doesn't count because clients will need to view the proposal first before they can read it. CMIIW please. Also AFAIK clients now no longer see your total earnings and JSS, before they view you.

The straightforwardly explanation doesn't seem to work too, because you don't get hired. In this metrics I think I'm doing a little better because I got interviewed 6 times where 5 of it turned into hires.

And just to clarify, I'm not complaining or anything. I'm just observing.

Edit: JSS and Total earnings are currently not hidden, looks like the snippets changes often lately.

[deborah-ponzio]

You did not answer my question and did not articulate the "niche" topic. Looks like you might also have missed part of my post. If you somehow feel competitive against me and feel to be doing better, that's good and should improve your confidence, I suppose. 

[yofazza]

Why should I feel competitive with you when we're both in very different "niches"? 🙂

I'm just pointing out, 11 views from 13 sent proposals is something very unusual where glitch is probably not the correct word and for that I'm sorry.

From what I can see, you have 3 jobs in 2023 while you said you got interviewed 4 times and your latest jobs came from invites. That's where I conclude your proposals, although viewed, doesn't work. If this is what you mean by I'm missing a part, and I'm wrong, I'm sorry again.

[deborah-ponzio]

Again the topic and question were missed, at least I have tried to communicate and have an exchange. What is clear is that you did not like my stats and views rate. It's pointless that I repeat my question again and I wish you the best with your endeavours.

[yofazza]

I need to clarify this. I'm in no way "don't like your stats". Even if you're in the same niche as I am, I will not become 'jealous' or anything. I'm not like that, and I have other sources of income where this site is not really one of them. My profile is 40% complete and I don't plan to improve it.

I'm just observing and telling people the fact about your incredibly high view-ratio, which I have no problem with when I said "probably most people wandering in this forum are the ones with problems"  at the first reply.

When you said getting a good ratio is not rocket science, I need to tell some facts as well.

Thank you.

What do you mean exactly?

I did not answer it as I thought it should be obvious, but here goes. Some jobs in my list gets 50+ proposals in 5 minutes, where I'm sure yours isn't like that.

And some people with great stats in my niche (or other niches), are also having problems with views.

[da5b0592]

I've been somewhat sloppy at my client selection lately so it's not as good as it used to be. For 2023, I sent 28, 15 were viewed, and 7 went on to be interviewed. Got 4 hires from those 7, and I backed out of two of the other 3 myself.

[yofazza]

You have 4 jobs total, so probably you're still in their new-user-let's give-him-lots-of-views (post by Fjord S) category 😁

Although I'm fully aware that many newcomers are having trouble finding a single job, there are also some of them with unbelievably high view ratios who eventually get hired, such as 2 hires in the first week, etc. Mods have also mentioned something about "rotation", for the search results specifically, but what prevents them from implementing it into the proposal sorting algo as well? It's for exactly the same goal.

[da5b0592]

I don't get any views or profile views, in fact I don't rank highly for anything, so the only views I get is for the actual proposals I send in. I ranked a little bit for Wordpress stuff after reaching a few k on a wordpress contract, but after I declined a few of the invites I got it stopped again.