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jyoder7
Community Member

Just give it to me straight

Veteran freelancers,

 

I joined late last year, and after many proposals, landed and completed 2 jobs by the end of January. Small jobs, so small pay, but I was content, building up my portfolio. Then life hit hard and I had to step back for a few months. During that time, I made a few proposals with some possible client interchanges, but nothing cemented. (At times because I admitted I'd be a bad fit.)

 

I recently returned "for good" a couple of weeks ago, only to find Upwork now charges for connects, and each proposal costs 4-6 connects. Wowza. Big change from the few free ones I had each month, which I wasn't even fully using.

 

So a few questions, and like I said, please just give it to me straight...

 

1) I understand Upwork only wants to keep "serious" freelancers... which I am. However, is part of Upwork's mentality also to squeeze out newcomers to somehow make them look more prestigious? If so, it'll work, as after my last free 60 connects are eaten up, I'll withdraw my meager earnings and move on. If I were established it'd be different, but paying them to simply try and get my foot in the door with no guarantee is not worth my time, as skimming my earnings is enough. Otherwise, fewer free connects each month would make more sense.

 

2) Most of my proposals don't even get a response. While I'm open to accepting that it's a failure on my part to engage the client, is that actually normal? I wonder because it appears many jobs simply seem to vanish and/or the client never looks back at their own job.

 

3) My "gig" is fiction writing. Ideally, it'd be to ghostwrite and/or edit/revise existing manuscripts. (Though I'm open to editing non-fiction if I don't have to fact-check.) However, I won't bother with romance/smut (which is, sadly, highly sought) and I won't write new content for peanuts, such as 0.01 per word, or worse. Given that, am I ultimately barking up the wrong tree? Meaning, is there simply not much work for "non-romance fiction writers asking for semi-decent pay" without lots of Upwork experience, thereby making newcomers like me "a dime a dozen?"

 

Thanks, and your candor is appreciated as I evaluate stepping off this hamster wheel before it starts demanding quarters.

 

- Jeremy

27 REPLIES 27
feed_my_eyes
Community Member


Jeremy Y wrote:

 

1) I understand Upwork only wants to keep "serious" freelancers... which I am. However, is part of Upwork's mentality also to squeeze out newcomers to somehow make them look more prestigious? If so, it'll work, as after my last free 60 connects are eaten up, I'll withdraw my meager earnings and move on. If I were established it'd be different, but paying them to simply try and get my foot in the door with no guarantee is not worth my time, as skimming my earnings is enough. Otherwise, fewer free connects each month would make more sense.

 

2) Most of my proposals don't even get a response. While I'm open to accepting that it's a failure on my part to engage the client, is that actually normal? I wonder because it appears many jobs simply seem to vanish and/or the client never looks back at their own job.

 


I can't address your specific questions about writing (I'm sure that one of the freelance writers will respond to that), but I can give you some insights on your first two questions. 

 

1) No, I don't see Upwork making any attempts to "squeeze out" newcomers. (On the contrary, many of us wish that they WOULD make some slight attempt to vet new freelancers.) The new connects policy, as I understand it, was in response to clients saying that they were getting spammed by too many unsuitable candidates. So, in theory, if you're a serious freelancer who only bids on projects that you're well-qualified for, the new policy "should" work in your favour (provided that you're willing to invest a small amount of money in your business). I can't say whether it's working for the majority or not, but it hasn't had any effect on my own business. If I see a job that I want to apply to, I'll pay the 90 cents.

 

2) This question comes up over and over again in the forum, and from my point of view, people are failing to see the bigger picture. When I started working as a freelancer, I knew that I would have to invest time and money in marketing my business; I've always regarded Upwork to be one of my marketing methods, and have never expected nor assumed that they would provide me with a steady monthly income. (If I hadn't been able to accept that, then I would have gotten a "proper" job.) I've tried many different marketing methods over the years - paying for ads (print, Google, Facebook etc.), attending networking events, cold calling and cold emailing, bidding on different platforms - you name it. With all of these methods - some of them quite costly - I only ever got one or two new clients, and sometimes I received no response whatsoever. So yes, it IS normal for your marketing efforts and expenses to only pay off a small percentage of the time, and Upwork is no different. However, I find that I only NEED my marketing efforts to pay off a small percentage of the time. For example: One of the first projects that I ever got (via Elance) was a simple design job for $150 or so. But the client and I hit it off well and he hired me again and again over the years, for bigger and better projects. I also worked with some of his colleagues, and when some of them left the company or started their own businesses, their new businesses hired me as well. They also referred me to several other clients. So I would estimate that from my initial service charge payment 19 years ago, I ended up making close to half a million dollars just from that ONE initial proposal. Obviously, not every project that I've done has had such good results, but my goal is always to seek out clients who have ongoing needs and form great relationships with them, then get their repeat business and referrals. And it's worked out quite well. Therefore, I simply DO NOT CARE if I make 30-40 bids and I "only" get one client out of it; as long as it's a GOOD client, then it's worth staying on Upwork. 

 

So, I guess it comes down to asking yourself what marketing methods you'll use if you leave Upwork, and then proceed accordingly to do what's best for your business.

 


Thanks, Christine, I really appreciate your response.

While 90 cents per proposal may not sound like much to you, it assumes you'll get work to compensate because of your track record. (And I'm glad for you.) But for me, if it takes 50 proposals to get one job that pays $50, after skimming 20%, I'm in the hole for all my dozens of hours of work. I know the idea is to build up your portfolio to get better paying jobs, but for a newcomer, it may not happen.

Not only that, but as a paying newcomer, I'll be far more selective with proposals. And while that sounds good, the two jobs I landed are ones I wouldn't normally have applied for, thereby creating missed opportunities that weren't ideal, but viable.

In the end, seems like a win for Upwork's pocketbook... assuming lots of people play their game... but I can't as it would quickly drain my meager earnings, with no promise of return.

Thanks again, Christine. Looks like a good community, but seems (to me) that Upwork wants to weed out small client jobs and new freelancers, while nickel and diming everyone. (And business-wise, it'll probably work.)

However, much of this ties into my 3rd question, as possibly my angle isn't very sought after and/or pays well. (Or again, maybe my proposals are lacking.)

If I get no response with the 3rd question, I'll re-ask it in a more focused forum. Thanks again.
tlbp
Community Member


Jeremy Y wrote:

Thanks, Christine, I really appreciate your response.

While 90 cents per proposal may not sound like much to you, it assumes you'll get work to compensate because of your track record. (And I'm glad for you.) But for me, if it takes 50 proposals to get one job that pays $50, after skimming 20%, I'm in the hole for all my dozens of hours of work. I know the idea is to build up your portfolio to get better paying jobs, but for a newcomer, it may not happen.

Not only that, but as a paying newcomer, I'll be far more selective with proposals. And while that sounds good, the two jobs I landed are ones I wouldn't normally have applied for, thereby creating missed opportunities that weren't ideal, but viable.

In the end, seems like a win for Upwork's pocketbook... assuming lots of people play their game... but I can't as it would quickly drain my meager earnings, with no promise of return.

Thanks again, Christine. Looks like a good community, but seems (to me) that Upwork wants to weed out small client jobs and new freelancers, while nickel and diming everyone. (And business-wise, it'll probably work.)

However, much of this ties into my 3rd question, as possibly my angle isn't very sought after and/or pays well. (Or again, maybe my proposals are lacking.)

If I get no response with the 3rd question, I'll re-ask it in a more focused forum. Thanks again.

The $50 bid pool, IMO, is a losing proposition unless you can differentiate yourself. If you have no outstanding qualification for a particular role then it is best not to spend money to send a proposal.


Jeremy Y wrote:

Thanks, Christine, I really appreciate your response.

While 90 cents per proposal may not sound like much to you, it assumes you'll get work to compensate because of your track record. (And I'm glad for you.) But for me, if it takes 50 proposals to get one job that pays $50, after skimming 20%, I'm in the hole for all my dozens of hours of work. I know the idea is to build up your portfolio to get better paying jobs, but for a newcomer, it may not happen.

One thing Upwork DOES seem to be trying to squeeze out is $50 jobs. And $100 jobs. And $250 jobs. At least, if those jobs are one-offs. If your business model revolves around taking on a lot of low dollar jobs with different clients (and that's just the nature of some businesses), then Upwork probably isn't a good place for you. 
For better or worse, the freelancers who are going to be most successful here would never consider bidding on a $50 job unless it looked like a good gateway to a long-term relationship. Upwork doesn't really want you to bid on them, and if paid connects discourage freelancers from pursuing those jobs, that will help clean up the platform. 

Not only that, but as a paying newcomer, I'll be far more selective with proposals. And while that sounds good, the two jobs I landed are ones I wouldn't normally have applied for, thereby creating missed opportunities that weren't ideal, but viable.

Again, what they want. And, while you bidding more broadly may have benefitted YOU in this particular situation, it likely didn't benefit Upwork. Upwork wants (with good reason) fewer bids on jobs. 
In the end, seems like a win for Upwork's pocketbook... assuming lots of people play their game... but I can't as it would quickly drain my meager earnings, with no promise of return.

The win for Upwork's pocketbook is when freelancers are successful. If you were in their shoes, would you be more interested in getting $30 in connect fees from a freelancer each month or hundreds of dollars in fees from a working freelancer?

Thanks again, Christine. Looks like a good community, but seems (to me) that Upwork wants to weed out small client jobs and new freelancers, while nickel and diming everyone. (And business-wise, it'll probably work.)

Small jobs, yes. The freelancers who focus on them, yes. It's not clear why you think they care if a freelancer is new or old. 


 

gstaines
Community Member

AGREE!!!!! One solution: get rid of the connects and go back to just having Upwork getting a % of a contract. Another solution: give us X amount of free connects (we originally received 60) per month. As it is now -- with Upwork taking 20% plus $$ from connects or monthly fees -- it is not worth paying for jobs you may or may not get.

robin_hyman
Community Member


3) My "gig" is fiction writing. Ideally, it'd be to ghostwrite and/or edit/revise existing manuscripts. (Though I'm open to editing non-fiction if I don't have to fact-check.) However, I won't bother with romance/smut (which is, sadly, highly sought) and I won't write new content for peanuts, such as 0.01 per word, or worse. Given that, am I ultimately barking up the wrong tree? Meaning, is there simply not much work for "non-romance fiction writers asking for semi-decent pay" without lots of Upwork experience, thereby making newcomers like me "a dime a dozen?"

 


Christine did a fabulous job answering your first 2 questions so I will attempt to tackle the third one.  I am a marketing copywriter which is quite competitive here on Upwork.  I'm losing out to people who are willing to earn about half as much as I do.  But, I come with experience and glowing reviews.  So I try to play them up in my response and customize each proposal.  

 

I've seen a few ghostwriting jobs.  Not too many fiction writing requests.  Definitely have this as your main saved search and blow each proposal out of the park.  I didn't have a chance to look at your profile, but make sure you have a portfolio and attach examples to each submission.  Most clients download and review them.  

 

Be persistent!  Rome wasn't built in a day and neither will be your freelancing business.  Good luck!

I’ll have a go with 3.

 

There is some fiction ghostwriting that doesn’t pay pennies, but it isn’t highly paid and you really, really have to keep your eyes open for it. I realise ‘not well paid’ doesn’t say much, but between .07 and .10 per word is achievable. With a novel ghostwriting project the clients here often have an attack of the vapours once you go over $5,000. It’s possible to do better, but rare. Easiest tactic is to talk them into a shorter novel. Standard genre word lengths don’t apply here.

 

> I won't bother with romance/smut (which is, sadly, highly sought)

 

A lot of the romance here (I’m ignoring the really low end) is old fashioned romance and not at all smutty. In fact, some of what people call romance isn’t that romantic at all once you get the details. Therefore, you might not want to completely dismiss this.

 

Editing is more financially lucrative when it comes to fiction. And although hordes of people claim to be editors, there’s a much lower number that can do a good job of heavy editing. This can pay well. There’s also a demand for people who can take a rough draft of a novel and kick it into shape – halfway between writing and editing. It takes some practice reading between the lines to find these projects as they’re often called ‘editing’ projects. This can sometimes pay very well. One variety of these projects is from clients who declare themselves dyslexic or have written a novel in English when it’s their second language. Those projects can be lucrative.

 

It helps to promote a few specialised skills. For example, I edit children’s books sometimes because I can write in rhyme in my sleep – it took a long time for me to realise many people can’t. And on the editing front, I’m great at spotting anachronisms. I’m obviously not going to shout all my specials here, but you’ll have your own. Don’t keep them secret when bidding.

 

Eta: Being able to demonstrate past work for fiction writing and editing makes a HUGE difference. More so than for other writing. Links to books you've written (even if self-pubbed) and edited on Amazon are worth their weight in gold.

tlsanders
Community Member


Jeremy Y wrote:

 

3) My "gig" is fiction writing. Ideally, it'd be to ghostwrite and/or edit/revise existing manuscripts. (Though I'm open to editing non-fiction if I don't have to fact-check.) However, I won't bother with romance/smut (which is, sadly, highly sought) and I won't write new content for peanuts, such as 0.01 per word, or worse. Given that, am I ultimately barking up the wrong tree? Meaning, is there simply not much work for "non-romance fiction writers asking for semi-decent pay" without lots of Upwork experience, thereby making newcomers like me "a dime a dozen?"

Answering this one separately as I noticed that you mentioned not getting satisfactory answers to # 3. 

 

I don't do your type of writing, but I am a writer and see fiction jobs in my feed frequently. My impression has been that they are mostly low-paid and mostly romance, paranormal and sci-fi.

 

There was a Reddit thread a few months back in which a long-time Upwork fiction writer was looking for new places to find work because he said (and this is just one stranger's view, so take it for what it's worth) that it had been possible to make decent money as a fiction writer through Upwork at one time, but was no more. 

 

I don't think being new to Upwork is the obstacle that you think it is, if you have off-platform experience and can demonstrate your skills. But, my far from expert impression is that most of those who post on Upwork looking for fiction ghostwriters fall into one of two categories: super-low-end "publishers" who are cranking out tons of content and making a small return on each (mandating low rates) or individuals who "have a great idea for a novel that will likely be made into a movie because everyone I know says it's great."

Great thoughts from everyone who has also helped answered the 3rd question. Many thanks.

To Tiffany: Why I think it squeezes out new freelancers is I can't imagine anyone hiring me for a $500+ job until I've got several small projects under my belt. So I feel confined to those for now.

I didn't WANT to do 2 little jobs for ~$100 each, but until I do (and do several more) I don't see why any client would select me over someone else. I've tried larger ones, but haven't even gotten responses... and why should they, until I've been proven? Likewise, if smaller jobs are squeezed out, then that also leaves fewer places for me to initially prove myself.

Am I wrong?


Jeremy Y wrote:
Great thoughts from everyone who has also helped answered the 3rd question. Many thanks.

To Tiffany: Why I think it squeezes out new freelancers is I can't imagine anyone hiring me for a $500+ job until I've got several small projects under my belt. So I feel confined to those for now.

I didn't WANT to do 2 little jobs for ~$100 each, but until I do (and do several more) I don't see why any client would select me over someone else. I've tried larger ones, but haven't even gotten responses... and why should they, until I've been proven? Likewise, if smaller jobs are squeezed out, then that also leaves fewer places for me to initially prove myself.

Am I wrong?

What's your experience outside the platform? It's true that a client might be reluctant to take on someone with no experience for a larger job, especially when there's so much competition. But, are you actually inexperienced, or are you just lacking in Upwork stars? If you have past samples, client reviews, etc. that are strong, I think it matters less than you (and many other Upwork newcomers) think where they came from.

I'm experienced in what I'm offering, but lacking in both Upwork stars and "formal" freelancing elsewhere -- Upwork is my first "formal" attempt, other than my various publications. When appropriate, I've sent attachments of my work (which have gotten great feedback) but none have landed a larger job... and I can't blame them without more Upwork clout.

In that regard, are you (and others) saying that newcomers to Upwork should come with external clout, and not expect to earn it here? I feel that's what I'm doing to an extent, but still assume clients want to see some smaller Upwork experience before offering larger projects.

In fact, one client flat out told me that, saying unless I start taking jobs like he was offering (a mere 0.002 cents per word) then I'd not get any jobs later as I've not been proven within Upwork. (I still didn't take his job as not worth my time.)


Jeremy Y wrote:

In that regard, are you (and others) saying that newcomers to Upwork should come with external clout, and not expect to earn it here? I feel that's what I'm doing to an extent, but still assume clients want to see some smaller Upwork experience before offering larger projects.

I'll say that. Maybe it wasn't always true, but at this point, Upwork has many thousands of available freelancers in every category. There is no good reason for a client to take on someone who may or may not be able to do the job when there are so many options. In fact, I'd go a step further and say this is true for freelancing generally. Two key reasons companies hire freelancers are that they don't have time to do the work themselves or don't have the necessary expertise in-house. In neither case are they well positioned to do any kind of training or hand-holding, so they need to know going in that you can do the job (and often that you have the skills to fill their own gaps)

In fact, one client flat out told me that, saying unless I start taking jobs like he was offering (a mere 0.002 cents per word) then I'd not get any jobs later as I've not been proven within Upwork. (I still didn't take his job as not worth my time.)

 

ETA: Clients like that are not a good source of information. First, they're likely to lie to get what they want. But, even assuming their intentions are good, they have no idea how good-paying clients who respect your expertise think and behave. 

 

I hope you're exaggerating about the rate, though, because unless my math is off that's 2 cents per thousand words.


 

kfarnell
Community Member


Jeremy Y wrote:
Am I wrong?

If you seriously want to write/edit fiction here and can demonstrate ability and experience, you're as wrong as Mr Wrong on a day trip to Wrongtown on the wrong day. 

 

Small fiction project clients are amongst the worst for leaving unreasonable feedback because they're so emotionally invested in their project and don't understand why you can't read their mind. ETA: And because no-one's paying them, they're baffled as to why it should cost them more than a feather and a couple of buttons. Yes, there are some smaller projects that could turn out fine, but it's a genuine and serious risk. (Been there, got the t-shirt.) 

 

Projects I've bid on have been awarded to a newbie (as in no feedback whatsoever) because the newbie has knowledge of XX.  And being in the US, you have a much larger pool of projects to draw on than I do.

jyoder7
Community Member

Good to know, Kim. Thanks. And thanks to everyone else too for all the great input.

I want to be accurate, so I re-checked the one time I was contacted by a possible client. The job is still out there, offering $25 for 15k word short stories. So I was wrong... it wasn't 0.002 per word, but 0.001666. Guess I rounded up. 😛

ETA: Understand the confusion of what you were asking now from my earlier post -- I should have simply said 0.002 or 0.2 cents. My bad.

Jeremy,

 

May I suggest one thing?  In your profile, you list that you have written "novels and numerous short stories," and have edited "100's" of projects - that may not be an exact quote, but it's close enough.  I would suggest listing your actual publications: 

 

-Which novels have been published?  What are their titles?  Are they on Amazon?  What are their sales ranks?

-Where are your short stories published?  Periodicals?  Anthologies?  

 

While you obviously cannot list every project, it might benefit you to list a few of them.  This gives clients an idea of what you have actually accomplished, rather than what you claim to have accomplished.

 

Just my two cents, for what they're worth.

 

Charles, I took your advice. Please let me know if my profile looks better. Others are welcome to chime in as well... or maybe this is worth a separate forum thread to discuss what works (or doesn't) in one's profile? *shrug*

Perhaps another thread would be good, but since the subject is "Give it to Me Straight," I suppose we're still okay.  The references are a nice touch. However, you wrote, "I've completed novels and am penning more, which I'm considering sending to publishers."  That screams, "I've never had my novels published!"  If that's the case, take any references to being a novelist off your profile.  You don't want people saying, "Well, he calls himself a novelist, but he clearly isn't, so I don't think I can trust him." 

 

 Again, just my two cents, for what they're worth.    


Charles M wrote:

Perhaps another thread would be good, but since the subject is "Give it to Me Straight," I suppose we're still okay.  The references are a nice touch. However, you wrote, "I've completed novels and am penning more, which I'm considering sending to publishers."  That screams, "I've never had my novels published!"  If that's the case, take any references to being a novelist off your profile.  You don't want people saying, "Well, he calls himself a novelist, but he clearly isn't, so I don't think I can trust him." 

 

 Again, just my two cents, for what they're worth.    


Good point. Clients are looking for someone to solve a problem. Their only interest is "What can this freelancer do for me?" If something doesn't demonstrate that you can deliver results, it isn't worth mentioning. 

Since anyone can self-publish garage these days, I take issue with calling such a person a "novelist" if they can't write. Whereas someone who can write (and has written novels) yet hasn't gone the self-publish route is NOT called a novelist? That seems very wrong to me.

Still, I get what you're saying. Hmm. I'm torn.
tlbp
Community Member


Jeremy Y wrote:
Since anyone can self-publish garage these days, I take issue with calling such a person a "novelist" if they can't write. Whereas someone who can write (and has written novels) yet hasn't gone the self-publish route is NOT called a novelist? That seems very wrong to me.

Still, I get what you're saying. Hmm. I'm torn.

When attempting to market your services, it doesn't matter what you believe; it matters what your prospective clients perceive. Someone who has not published a novel can call themselves a novelist, but that doesn't mean anyone is going to pay them to write. 

Tonya's point is spot-on.  I can fix my leaking sink, replace my toilet, etc., but I've never done plumbing professionally.  So can I call myself a professional plumber?  No, I can't.  Doing something and getting paid to do something are two completely different things, and when someone is looking to hire you to do a professional service, they want to make sure you have professional experience. Writing novels that haven't been published isn't professional experience. 

 

Out of curiosity, do you have a literary agent, or are you seeking out publishing houses that don't require an agent?


Jeremy Y wrote:
Since anyone can self-publish garage these days, I take issue with calling such a person a "novelist" if they can't write. Whereas someone who can write (and has written novels) yet hasn't gone the self-publish route is NOT called a novelist? That seems very wrong to me.

Still, I get what you're saying. Hmm. I'm torn.

To be fair, plenty of actually traditionally-published stuff is hot garbage. A publishing house isn't publishing for quality, they're publishing for sales and mass appeal, and the public really isn't that discerning. 

charlesmartinjr
Community Member

Jeremy,

 

Having just viewed your profile again after a couple of weeks, I noticed you took our advice.  That was a wise move, and I can't speak for everyone, but I appreciate you listening.  My next suggestion would be to trim your introduction.  You list some of your publications, talk about your skills, and then start in on whether or not you will use Track Changes with a client.  Cut that.  Decisions like that are internal decisions made between a client and a freelancer, and only serve to muddle your profile. 

 

Like it or not, people don't want to spend a great deal of time reading profiles.  For the most part, potential clients want quick snapshots, and adding in unnecessary information will only turn them away.

 

 

I echo Charles' response.

 

Also, intro your list of published pieces (ex: "Published examples") and include 3-4 in a bulleted list.  It makes it easier on the eyes for clients to review.  

 

 

Thanks for the additional feedback; I've further edited my profile.

 

I also appreciate knowing (especially with the recent Upwork changes) that one should be more established outside of Upwork first, as I erroneously intended for Upwork to be a launching spot. As suspected, there's little reason for anyone to hire me with bigger jobs, and with fewer smaller jobs here to earn clout (and spending money to simply apply for them) I'll continue to dwindle my few remaining connects as best I can and move on.

 

Though that's probably for the best, as I should re-focus on my own fiction anyway. Again, thanks to everyone -- you gave it to me straight, which is exactly what I wanted.

Jeremy,

 

On the contrary, you are rather established, at least in terms of experience.  You've been published in Cricket Magazine!  That's a very flooded market, and difficult to get into. 

 

Now, without reading your proposals I can't say for sure, but it's possible you need to work on those.  Talk up the two jobs you've done.  Were they happy?  Were they really happy?  If so, say it!   Mention your publishing credits:  the titles and dates of the anthologies, the issue of Cricket, etc.  You may not have "a lot" of experience, but talk  up what you have (without being pretentious, of course.  No one likes pretentious people - most people just want to punch them in the face.  I would know . . . I get punched in the face a lot.  :-)).    

 

Lastly, you may want to consider going for some of the more menial jobs at first.  Give yourself more experience here on Upwork, which will, in turn, attract better and larger jobs and clients.  Apply for the menial job, give an outstanding performance, and you are more likely to get a glowing review, which will only improve your profile.  I'm aware that there are some here who disagree with this - that's fine.  They have to do what works for them.  I just know that if you're having trouble getting jobs, lowering your own bar a little bit just to build experience might help.

 

Anyway, that's all I've got.  I really do hope you succeed!

Thanks for the further advice, Charles. However, while I had fully expected to take on "menial jobs" (such as the two I did) my understanding is Upwork wants to get rid of those. So with those dwindling, my chances as a newcomer lessen... and I'm to pay Upwork to simply apply for them? And if I finally get one, I still pay 20%? Sorry, but as a newcomer, I don't see the appeal. I much preferred the prior method with free monthly connects -- that way I could selectively apply without loss, yet not flood everyone with proposals. (I understand they have reasons for the change, but because of it, I no longer believe one should expect to "start" with Upwork as I originally intended.)

 

On a side note, I got an email on Tues when someone posted on this thread, saying they agreed with me, and thought connects should go back to how they were... but that post is no longer here. Please don't tell me Upwork censors people who disagree with their policies. 😞

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