Insane Bids On Projects Lately

[serafindesigns]

Yesterday I saw a number of projects where the bids were 300 to 500 where the minimum was 300 just to bid!!!!!! That's crazy. Is Upwork sure these aren't bots controlling the outcome here?

[LuiggiR]

Hi Stef,

Thank you for posting about this. Could you please click on my name and send me a PM with the URL to the job post you are referring to? We'd like to have a look at it. 

[serafindesigns]

Hi Luiggi, I don't have time to go back anf find them. However, I did see several today at 150 and higher. I'll start jotting them down to send your way as I see them though.

[serafindesigns]

And Luiggi, I went to go reply to you again and notice your account was closed 😂🤣

[motoyen]

Quality Upwork support right there! 

[serafindesigns]

😂🤣Right? So funny.

[calado-marco]

Yeah, "profile no longer available"

[spectralua]

Use forum profile but not Upwork profile.

[serafindesigns]

I did and it was gone. I know to not use the Community account. He says it in his first message. When I went the second time, becuase he never responded the first time, it said account no longer exist. Maybe you got it when it came back? No clue. Not like he's going to perform magic. UW rarely ever does.

[LuiggiR]

Hi Stef,

If you want to message anyone in the Community, you should do so like Mykola shares. If you wish to send me a message with the URLs to the jobs you've found, I'll be happy to take a look at those so we can investigate further. 

[serafindesigns]

I did go message you. Still you haven't responded my private message. 

[tjmisny]

This is what happens when quality projects are increasingly scarce...  I've seen several projects at 150-200 Connects bid but never over 300.  Wow.  

[serafindesigns]

I wish I had taken a screenshot. I thought okay maybe this is the new norm now. But wow. I just saw 140. 50 to 75 seem to be the usual. But 300 I mean, at some point UW has to change this or put a max on it. Otherwise it's only benefitting them and the rich freelancer. 

[axentrix]

[48f850a0]

This is plain stupidity. spending around 22.5$ just to be in top 4 when they have no clue who the client is, the client would likely read other proposals and find better candidates than them or even worse be looking for the cheapest. How people be this gullible amazes me. 

[tjmisny]

I wouldn't call these people stupid.  I feel bad for them because they have been misinformed.  

* Upwork inflates how many jobs result in hires.  There is no way the number is 50% as Upwork claims. 

* Upwork exaggerates how effective Boosting is.  They claim that "You have to bid to win!" and "10x more return on ad spend" for boosting... when in actuality, many Boosted posts are not even viewed.  

* Upwork provides no transparency on how the algorithm works, so people feel pressured to boost in order to avoid being in the dreaded OTHER PROPOSALS folder (aka the garbage).

With this being the information or lack of information Upwork feeds us... it's no surprise that people cling to Boosting as their one and only hope.  If people were properly informed, they would not be spending $25+ to apply to a post that has a slim chance of resulting in a hire.  For example, in the Casino Era, my hire rate has fallen to 0.3% (3/10ths of one percent) and I'm Expert Vetted, 100% JSS and one of the top Freelancers in my field.  

[48f850a0]

Dont mind the words, just shocking the money thrown away. For example even being in the top 4 and the client only needs one person, 3 people there must lose their money. Its a gamble applying to jobs, but boosting is like putting your house on the line chasing shadows

[48f850a0]

if people spend this much on boosting, I dont think we will be seeing boosting removed anytime soon. Its a very attractive business. I didnt know people spend this much

[the-right-writer]

Upwork never made a profit, ever, until they let everyone in without any rules, made everything connect-monetized and fired 15% of their staff. They have been living off of connects, and they aren't going to stop. Don't ask me why the management has been incapable of making a profit like other jobs platforms.

[48f850a0]

I am very Curious to know why honestly.
I think this boosting thing is rampant in certain fields because the jobs I see daily on Upwork in my area and get hired for arent even worth the basic connects spent, most clients are clueless to what they even want done or who would be best for their job, Is this the type of people one would be throwing money away to be placed in their face?.... if these are vetted companies with a record, then fine, I would understand, but random internet users posting jobs on Upwork and making people lose money is just sad to see tbh

[serafindesigns]

Took me I think 2 years to get on here and I gave up. That was 15 years ago before it became Up Work. I finally was able to get on almost going on 4 years now. Now it's a not so free for all.

[the-right-writer]

Stupid may not be the right word, but some people refuse to learn.

Freelancers are repeating the same mistakes, throwing connects after connects. It isn't just Upwork telling them they have to bid and boost. Maybe the "gurus" do work for Upwork. Freelancers will tell me, "but so-and-so told me I have to apply for any job to get started until I make lots of money."

Upwork inflates how many jobs result in hires. There is no way the number is 50% as Upwork claims.

If the rate was 50%, we would not have freelancers, who have been here for years, made substantial amounts of money, and not interested in leaving, having to leave because they were going into the red.

Upwork exaggerates how effective Boosting is. They claim that "You have to bid to win!" and "10x more return on ad spend" for boosting... when in actuality, many Boosted posts are not even viewed.

I particularly loathe "You have to bid to win!"

Boosting means you spend money on an ad, with no guarantee the client will view it.

I do understand the secret algorithm. I have seen people do anything and everything to cheat, scam steal profiles, portfolios, and anything possible to get out of having skills or doing work. Freelancers were abusing the connect return system for interviews to the extent Upwork had to stop.

It's going to take more than informing people on boosting. I can't tell you how many times I have explained to freelancers, the facts about boosting, and to never do it if you don't exceed every requirement, know you are the one of the top two, and have heavily vetted the client and the job.

It's extremely difficult to get freelancers to not apply. The constant drumbeat to boost, for everything, is intense, and apparently drums out all logic and common sense.

[tjmisny]

I have stopped Boosting, I never used the availability badge, stopped boosting my Profile and I cancelled Freelancer Plus.  None of these brought any kind of ROI.  Trying to be part of the solution, not part of the problem... 

[the-right-writer]

Now, how do we help freelancers see the truth? I have had numerous conversations with people who seem determined to be scammed or waste connects. Even after I have explained the issues, and they understand, more than a few freelancers will say, "but, maybe this time it will be OK, they really want me..." and they come back to me, and want me to fix it.

For possibly legitimate jobs, they will apply for anything, buy all the ads for connects, and all the other monetized programs, almost guaranteeing success with little effort. "Skills" is a word I rarely see.

It would be interesting to see the breakdown of agencies vs. freelancers using connects, but I can't find data. There is nothing visible on the project.

[calado-marco]

Completly agree, a large part of the fault is due to the freelancers going along with this boosting nonsence. But in this particular case, it's the fact that the minimum bid was 300 connects! Who set's the connects? UW? The Client? Do they just throw the first number that comes up in their mind, is it up to the weather, the calculus made upon the average rain during the monsoon?

[the-right-writer]

Upwork sets the connects to apply, but as far as I know, no one sets anything for boosting. I think you can boost as much as you want. Some of the "gurus" and "farmers" keep telling their followers to get any job, no matter what and no matter what it costs you, just to have a job. And we know how much Upwork has invested in heavy-handed ads for the freelancers. Some of the applicants are agencies or "farmers" and have a lot of connects to throw around.

I have never heard of, or read a complaint from any agency or freelancer complaining they can't boost enough. Some will watch the bidding, and increase the connects if they are bumped out of place. And some apparently use the rain-monsoon method.

[serafindesigns]

Right? And a lot of fake posts are on here now so we have to do are due dilegence and read over everything even more so.

[serafindesigns]

It's just nuts.

[calado-marco]

Say what??? Just out of curiosity, do you know the possible payment value?

[918c1f16]

It's crazy, right.  We're on here to do a job and be paid, not spend money like that with no guarantee of anything in return.  Then, they ask if you want to pay more to bump your proposal to the top of the list.  But, lol, what if 27 of the 50 people applying also do that?

[the-right-writer]

Everyone needs to stop following Upwork and some "gurus" insistence that you must spend more money to make money! While this is true, you also have to watch your ROI. Of course, there will be some investment in applying for projects, no matter where you go.

In freelancing, there is no guarantee, and that's not Upwork, that's everywhere.

Freelancers need to look at reality, and not the marketing. I have been telling people to not apply for jobs unless you hold every requirement, and never boost, unless you exceed the requirements, and know, that you are one of the top two people for the job. Then, and only then, do you boost and within reason. I can find no empiric data showing that boosting results match the claims.

what if 27 of the 50 people applying also do that?

Then Upwork receives even more connects/money.

[serafindesigns]

I just came across another high bid project. I mean 200 connects is what, roughly $30. These are always new users. No? Anyone else seeing that?

[the-right-writer]

I'm sure some of these are agencies or
"farmers."

[serafindesigns]

Farmers 😂🤣

[the-right-writer]

"Farmers" means freelancers who collect new and inexperienced people, to use as workers, and have them do jobs, with no credit and poor compensation. There are a lot of them on Upwork, the "gurus" who tell their followers all sorts of terrible information. Not only do the jobs not work out well, the real workers receive little compensation and have no way to build a profile.

[khushbu_gohil]

Might possible those are illusion or AI generated so freelancer think to boost but actually no one apply with that much connects and real on spend on that job

[serafindesigns]

I was thinking it might actually be upwork themselves. No idea. Just seems intense to hand to gamble $30 an hour on job postings. I know they refund now, I never feel like the money is put back though.

[spectralua]

Why not? Easy money. Just generate random digits and wait. Noone forced to pay, it is your good will. And noone able to verify is it real or not. 🙂