Re: Improved new job notifications

roverup · ‎06-30-2019

Hello! I’m not sure about the rest of you, but I can only spend so much time refreshing the job board to catch new jobs before they are inundated with proposals within the first 30 minutes. 😄

I noticed that there was an RSS option but I couldn’t figure out how to get this to work with my reader (Feedly). And the Upwork app doesn’t really have any sort of push notifications for jobs that I might be interested in. But this would be pretty cool and I’ll file a feature request for this. In the meantime does anyone care to share an easier method for staying on top of the job board? Thanks!
-T

florydev · ‎06-30-2019

If I am busy and have work then I only passively smack at a few jobs once a day that I really know I could knock out of the park.

If I am not busy, I really have to stop myself from obsessively checking my feed over and over again. It's a bit ridicluous in that it doesn't change that much for me.

pudingstudio · ‎06-30-2019

Mark F wrote:
If I am busy and have work then I only passively smack at a few jobs once a day that I really know I could knock out of the park.

If I am not busy, I really have to stop myself from obsessively checking my feed over and over again. It's a bit ridicluous in that it doesn't change that much for me.

Same here.

No new type of job notifications would help ME.

It's up to me to pay attention to new job posts.
When I don't have enough time to do so, I become aware that freelancing might not be best suitable fo me.

mwatson1982 · ‎07-01-2019

While being away from the computer can give higher chance for you to miss an opportunity (before that client is now buried under tons of applications), I can say that I have experienced the same thing even on days when I am using my job feed with constant refresh.

A big problem is having to choose between "Do I take the time to write something, with it tailored to the job post so it doesnt come off as a form letter" (giving me a higher chance of having my application buried), or "do I just snatch a form letter down from my word document and half-a$$ it?" (just so I can get my application in before the job gets fully inundated with applications). I still go with the former because I dont think the client sees all the received applications in the order in which it was received. I think they see things with a rank as to how compatible a profile's job skills are with the advert. Likely this is determined much like the "connects cost" is -- through the algorithms . So I think it doesnt matter who gets the application in first.

Heck, I could apply for a job when it already reads "20-50" applicants (and 8 hours have passed since it posted) and still be in the same situation as the other 24+ applicants that applied. So, I really think you might be fine if you cant live on the computer to catch every job opening as soon as it pops onto feed.

petra_r · ‎06-30-2019

Trevor C wrote:
Hello! I’m not sure about the rest of you, but I can only spend so much time refreshing the job board to catch new jobs before they are inundated with proposals within the first 30 minutes.

Why would that matter? You do know that clients don't see proposals in the order they were received, right?

So unless the client actually hires within the first 30 minutes, whether you apply within the first 5 minutes or after an hour, when the client comeback an hour or a day later, the order is the same whether you submitted after 2 minutes or 2 minutes before the client checks the job post again.

eyedeosol · ‎07-01-2019

By the way, Petra, in what order do the clients see the proposals?

petra_r · ‎07-01-2019

Irfan Ullah K wrote:
in what order do the clients see the proposals?

By whatever the algorithm considers to be"best match."

feed_my_eyes · ‎07-01-2019

Petra R wrote:
Trevor C wrote:
Hello! I’m not sure about the rest of you, but I can only spend so much time refreshing the job board to catch new jobs before they are inundated with proposals within the first 30 minutes.
Why would that matter? You do know that clients don't see proposals in the order they were received, right?

There's still something to be said for getting your bid in before the client is "inundated with proposals", though. I thought that Upwork's own feedback was that clients got overwhelmed from receiving too many bids; isn't that the reason we were given for the new connects policy? So I would think that it's still best to be, say, bidder #3 instead of bidder #47.

petra_r · ‎07-01-2019

Christine A wrote:
So I would think that it's still best to be, say, bidder #3 instead of bidder #47.

Why? If the client posts the job, goes for lunch, comes back to 50 proposals, the order will be by "best fit" and your position will be the exact same whether you were the first or the fiftieth to send in your proposal.

I could be an advantage if the client hovers over his job post, maybe. But most don't.

florydev · ‎07-01-2019

I have only done the hiring thing once but doesn't also show profiles you have not reviewed?

petra_r · ‎07-01-2019

Mark F wrote:
but doesn't also show profiles you have not reviewed?

doesn't it do wot?

florydev · ‎07-01-2019

Like I said, only hired once but I thought it somehow highlighted profiles you had not looked at yet.

feed_my_eyes · ‎07-01-2019

Petra R wrote:
Christine A wrote:
So I would think that it's still best to be, say, bidder #3 instead of bidder #47.
Why? If the client posts the job, goes for lunch, comes back to 50 proposals, the order will be by "best fit" and your position will be the exact same whether you were the first or the fiftieth to send in your proposal.

I could be an advantage if the client hovers over his job post, maybe. But most don't.

Obviously I can only speak from my own experience, but I do find that I have a better success rate when I get my bid in as early as possible.

joansands · ‎07-01-2019

But maybe, Christine, it is because you are a better fit.

florydev · ‎07-01-2019

I thought about this again this morning...it seems like your solution is going to make the problem worse rather than better. All those people inundating your proposals will also get notifications too right? Plus the ones that are too busy to check right now.

I think it works fine now. If I were advising Upwork I would tell them this is another feature that nobody is going to be happy with.

dsmgdesign · ‎07-01-2019

I haven't found a better way, but if you find one, I would be interested in it. Currently I apply to invites, mostly. I very rarely check the job board any more. I would not take the advice here that it doesn't matter when you apply., I found the sooner I apply to an invite, the better chance I have at getting the job. I think this has less to do with how I'm sorted as far as being a "best match", and more to do with having my profile being fresh in the client's mind so they make a stronger connection with my profile and my proposal. Applying cold (not bieng invited) might be different though. I wish you luck.