Is there a way to hide the "Create a Specialized Profile" prompt?

[varungs]

I just deleted my specialized profile because it doesn't really help me much at the moment. I'd also prefer for my full work history to be shown to prospective clients rather than a fraction of it. That aside: now, whenever I click on my profile, this pop-up appears.

It's pretty big and it's right at the top. I have no interest in specialized profiles at the moment so I'd like for this pop-up to not appear every time I open my profile. It's already getting pretty annoying (and it's only been a few minutes). Does anyone know of a way to hide this, or does anyone know if it'll disappear by itself? (If there's no way to hide it, could someone from the Upwork staff please pass this message along to the devs: add an X button!) Thank you.

[BojanS · Accepted solution]

Hi Varun,

We currently have no plans to turn the prompt off at the moment, as having a specialized profile allows you to input more structured skill information. This, in turn, helps power more accurate searches and recommendations, and allows you to be found by clients who are looking for you based on the skills you have and the deliverables you create.

Thank you!

[varungs]

Thanks for the reply. That's bad UX design, by the way. It's okay to push a new feature in your users' face for a little while, but there really needs to be a "thanks, but no thanks" option like all good apps have.

Just because your team may believe a feature is inherently good doesn't necessarily mean that every one of Upwork's millions of freelancers will find it useful. For that sole reason, you shouldn't have a large, permanent banner blocking the top half of the profile section every time I view it. Please take my suggestion into consideration. 

[bizwriterjohn]

The chances are Upwork - being a multi-billion-dollar corporation (and the leader in virtual services provisioning) did a 5- or 6-figure study to figure out, "is this really important to do".

Most probably, this is in response to micro-systems that cater to specific job styles - there are ones for writers, one for UX designers, one for etc. etc. etc.   And a top level group of executives decided in a meeting that had a whole bunch of opinions expressed, "it is best to really put this upfront and in front of our contractors each time, every time, all the times".

From there, Upwork spent at least seven figures (millions) to do system modifications that supported profile-style work, had to test it behind the scenes, roll it out to what was surely 1000s of support calls, and know the ire of such would be expressed here.

Not that I support this particular feature: it irritates me too.  (lol...).  Even more so, as apparently I cannot add portfolio pieces (any more at least) until I create sub profiles which do not match my integrated services capability.

The point I am making is simply this.  What sits in front of you is an investment of xxx,xxxx or x,xxx,xxx of IT development time - so as to provide those who want profile-centric capabilities up and running.  And provide competitive placement against external systems that are job-category specific, and on and on.

Each time we see that bothersome screen, we are looking at millions invested to even have that capability to begin with.

That helps me deal with my frustrations.  Okay, so fine. They are proud of it and want everyone to use it and remind constantly.

That's millions in IT investment you see.

[bizwriterjohn]

Just for fun's sake, and the application of enterprise-IT system build experience.  Which I do not do anymore and do not want to do anymore, and etc.   Let me cover "please consider my suggestion".

Which is fair, fairly stated, nicely stated, kudos and warmth for that restraint.  Now, let's parse this out from Upwork IT's side.  Let's say they button "not interested" or "not now" existed.  Fine. We win. No bothersome screen.  Then comes the System Integration work.

- Change the account administration menus, meaning major sub-systems, for folks who decide later, "yes, I want to do this".

- Which is relatively small stuff, compared to changing user help documentation" and even the "questions" part of it.  "How do I add a category".

- Upwork would have to train/retrain dozens to hundreds of contractor support agents so they could fild the questions of those who remember it is possible, can't figure it out, guide them through the buttons, etc.

- Do the system mods in downtime, which are full of other things

And other stuff I cannot think of right now at 10:30pm but surely exist.

-----------
That one suggestion:  born of frustration and irritation.  That I share.  That one suggestion would involve major system revision for a new subsystem that already cost xxx,xxx or more to create.

As noted, if I thought some yelling (lol..) might change the minds of the IT powers-that-be: I'd be there with you.   Upwork made the business decision to put up what they know is both promotional constant reminders vs. 'turn-off reminder / restart entry point' because of cost-risk-reward calculations totalling six-figure decisions, impacting the work of dozens or more IT folks and lest we think that matters to them.

Has anyone noticed the Elance references in URl notes related to this system.  This entire chat system was ported over from eLance so Upwork could focus elsewhere.

Big IT.  End users don't always get what they wish for.  It works.  That 's a miracle we should perhaps be happy for.

[AveryO]

Hi John, 

Thank you for sharing your suggestion with us. I will make sure to note it and share it with the team for their consideration.