Invitations dried up

069cc2a0 · ‎10-18-2023

I don't understand. I'm a top rated plus, with 100% jss and over 20k earned.

Up to 3 months ago, I was receiving over 30 invites per week.

Now, I'm lucky to get the odd invite offering me half the price I usually charge.

When I searched for 'Contemporary Romance Ghostwriters, a few days ago I was on page 25 out of 115.

Today I searched and got to page 80, I still couldn't find my profile and gave up.

What has happened to Upwork?

williamtcooper · ‎10-18-2023

Steven,

Generative AI is the competition for writers. There are more writers seeing fewer lower paying jobs.

Highlight your prompt engineering skills in the cover letter, and if you don't have any, learn.

lizablau · ‎10-18-2023

Huh? Steven is a ghostwriter so why are you advising him to highlight "engineering skills"?

yofazza · ‎10-18-2023

It's "prompt engineer".

AFAIK it started to become a thing on TikTok. NY Times said it's "a skill that those who play around with ChatGPT long enough can add to their résumés".

Another prompt engineer just posted a lot on this thread this morning.

lizablau · ‎10-19-2023

Not helpful to Steven's question.

williamtcooper · ‎10-19-2023

Lisa,

Prompt engineering is a new term for properly prompting generative AI. The word has nothing to do with an engineer.

6952637e · ‎10-19-2023

Prompt engineer is a poor word for the evolving skill. It's not really an engineering skill. But at the moment it is the one people are using for people who can get better outcomes from generative AI, because of what you ask it.

I found the conversation around generative AI changed this year. From people talking about it replacing people to how can we make use of it better. Especially in the marketing, sales and service area of content creation. Learning how to do that is becoming a valuable skill.

But, to your point in this thread...

This is a tanget to Stephen's question about why his profile isn't showing up in a search for Ghost Writers. Do the 80 pages of Ghost Writers before him have a higher rating, earning, jobs? Do they respond to invitations more often?

It does sound strange, and is likely a question for Upwork on how thier Search Engine ranks the people.

I'd be interested in hearing why he isn't ranking higher on the search result. And what can he do to rank higher?

williamtcooper · ‎10-19-2023

Lori,

Rankings on Upwork are constantly changing and it's part of Upwork's secret sauce algo.

However, having a complete and active Profile helps in these rankings.

crart · ‎10-25-2023

William T C wrote:
However, having a complete and active Profile helps in these rankings.

Not anymore. Currently it is not experience, skill and proficiency in given category but rather how wide you open your wallet to feed Upwork.

williamtcooper · ‎10-25-2023

It's an updated Profile with expert in-demand Skills, otherwise it is mostly connects.

crart · ‎10-27-2023

I keep my profile up to date and I am an expert in my field. In-demand skills you mention are those connected with feeding AI bots. I will never go down so low.

069cc2a0 · ‎10-25-2023

Hi William, thank you for your reply.

It goes without saying that I do have a complete and active profile.

It just seems to me that, matching the best freelancer with any given client, doesn't seem to feature in Upwork's approach anymore.

This is bad for Upwork because so many clients complain that they can't find good freelancer's, and so my question is still the same:

Why are a heap of freelancers with bad JSS's much easier for clients to find than freelancer's with good strong proven track records?

williamtcooper · ‎10-25-2023

Steven,

Please use two Skills in the Title and write four compelling paragraphs for the Summary with a focus on the first sentence because it appears in client search.

Agreed that it makes no sense to show non-experienced freelancers as the first choice in client search, however it has been that way forever.

There are only 2 MAJOR ways to make this system work in one's favor:

Update our Profiles to the most current algos and upskill to in-demand expert Skills that clients can't easily obtain anywhere else. This is the formula that I have followed to receive 100+ Invitations every month this year.

069cc2a0 · ‎10-25-2023

Luckily have have clients I am working for, but I do wonder, in a few months once their contracts end, what will happen then.

crart · ‎10-19-2023

William T C wrote:
Steven,

Generative AI is the competition for writers.

Not only for writers. In my field (art and illustration) I see many asking for "talented artist needed to work fully with AI on our children book" etc. Aside from the fact that AI is not art, it has a lot legal issues still not resolved.

crart · ‎10-19-2023

Steven G wrote:
What has happened to Upwork?

Poor platform management, poor communication, many changes that negatively impact both clients and freelancers and most of all, UW embracing AI like it's a next savior of humankind.

069cc2a0 · ‎10-24-2023

Hi, thank you all for your comments.

I do use AI as tool when I write and I do have prompt engineering skills which is stated in my profile.

My question was: If I am 'Top Rated Plus,' with 100% jss, and over $20,000 earned on Upwork, then why am I on page 82, when someone with 65% jss $700 earned be on page one?

It's not just me. So many other Top Rated Plus 'Contemporary Romance Ghostwriters are also past page 50.

Does Top Rated Plus 100% jss mean nothing?

And on top of that, why when I do get the very rare invite these days do they all say, clients budget $800?

Not $850 or $927, but every single one says $800 and this is for three books which should and has for the last 3 years been $1600?

This does not make any kind of business sense.

beliu-zhaklin · ‎10-29-2023

I do have the same issue, even by searching with my name, my friends cannot find me. Giving more details, of what I have in my profile, does not help. I wonder what is the Boost Profile used for if not for showing up. The profile is kept hidden.