I think I had it

[mathgirl]

After years on this platform, I am looking for a more steady workflow. I kind of "need" it, and so do my kids.

In the last few days, I went through anything: clients who try to hire me outside the platform, clients who are "ecstatic" about me and who then hire somebody else without informing me nor closing the contract, (bye bye connects) scammers who try to get me to click on "questionable" files while they claim they are about to start the contract.

I am an established professional, knowledgeable, ethical, correct. I am drained and totally pessimistic about the future. Might be a series of unfortunate occurrences, but I find that this platform which used to be a good spot to get good assignments is turning into a meeting place for crooks.

Please excuse my tone, which is rather sad for a Friday evening. First time in my professional life that I expose my feeling this way.

Maybe we should all start reporting clients and colleagues who are making the platform more expensive, less safe, and totally worthless for professionals with solid experience and ethics.

Milena

[34676406]

Milena, I hear you. Even though I haven't been on UW as long as you have, I feel the same way. I'm actually thinking of leaving this platform once I have finished my current projects.

[the-right-writer]

It is sad to see so many great freelancers leaving the platform. Unfortunately, it seems to be what Upwork wants. With the increase in fees for higher earners, and all the other changes, Upwork seems to value anyone who will throw connects over experienced, quality freelancers.

With your skills, you will do fine elsewhere, I'm sure. There are many platforms, and the physical world holds many opportunities. I'm not making light of you needing to leave the platform, just letting you know other opportunities are there. It's too bad Upwork doesn't care about quality, and that they are rapidly losing freelancers like you every day.

[yofazza]

After years on this platform, I am looking for a more steady workflow. I kind of "need" it, and so do my kids.

After 15 years on this platform, it's still hard for me to start getting serious in it.

Main reasons:

• A broker doesn't deserve long term fees.
• I don't need their invoicing, administration, and "complicated" protection service that might deserves the long term fees.
• To depend on a 3rd party is risky. As we see their policy changes like spam ignorance, the changed business model, or the war, could have a great impact on some people.

But I don't have to completely stay away from them either.

If you don't have current long-term clients outside, there's nothing wrong with sending professional-friendly and non-desperate messages to your past clients. "Just informing" them of your availability. It's a norm in marketing to maintain past clients, just make sure it's not too frequent and doesn't become spammy. I've done it a few times in the past when I "don't have enough work" and it always resulted in some work.

Other ideas about "not relying on Upwork" were shared quite often here.

Let them (Upwork) try to start their profiting months after years of losses by legally-gaming their enormous member base. Just don't be the ones who got gamed.

[aprovado]

You may have the best idea of diversifying away from the platform now, before they implement their next new revenue generation scheme - making freelancers sit through ads before they can view a project post.