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maxexpertns
Community Member

Number of connects increased

Number of connects for regular jobs is increased since connects are being charged, I don't think it benefits freelancers. Please comment.

35 REPLIES 35
tlsanders
Community Member

I don't think it's meant to benefit freelancers. I think it's meant to make freelancers bid on fewer jobs.

To be more precise, should I pay to have a job interview, in a real world?


Igor S wrote:
To be more precise, should I pay to have a job interview, in a real world?

I don't know. In the "real world," does an outside company do your advertising for you to connect you with your clients, then do your invoicing and payment processing for you if you get the job? If so, then probably yes.

I believe around 20.000 is enough for commercial.

Hi Tiffany,

I don't think we understood each other. I was ok with charging, but it turned out to be 10+ a month. Not 5 as it is said. 60 connects were enough for 20-30 jobs per month. That's not the case now. It is all about extra money after all. Dissapointing. Please note that I'm high earner, 10 doesn't matter, but it is a matter of principle, I don't buy the story it is for our benefit.


Igor S wrote:

Hi Tiffany,

I don't think we understood each other. I was ok with charging, but it turned out to be 10+ a month. Not 5 as it is said. 60 connects were enough for 20-30 jobs per month. That's not the case now. It is all about extra money after all. Dissapointing. Please note that I'm high earner, 10 doesn't matter, but it is a matter of principle, I don't buy the story it is for our benefit.


See, I think that's exactly the point. I think Upwork very much doesn't want you (or anyone) bidding on 20-30 jobs per month, and certainly not even more than that. The less it costs to bid on a job, the more jobs many freelancers will bid on...and that's bad for Upwork.

Ok, we agree to disagree. I haven't got more clients since all this started. So much about Top Rated freelancer for 5-6 years straight. 99 percent, 100 until couple of weeks ago. I would like to hear freeleancers thoughts if this open.


Igor S wrote:

Ok, we agree to disagree. I haven't got more clients since all this started. So much about Top Rated freelancer for 5-6 years straight. 99 percent, 100 until couple of weeks ago. I would like to hear freeleancers thoughts if this open.


I can't post my thoughts. I'm not allowed to call people stupid on here. Like when you compared it to sending an application for a job, see I can't post my thoughts about that.

Your thoughts please, we just need to use nice language 🙂

It is nice to be understood by a serious freelancer like yourself!

Igor S. wrote:

Ok, we agree to disagree. I haven't got more clients since all this started. So much about Top Rated freelancer for 5-6 years straight. 99 percent, 100 until couple of weeks ago. I would like to hear freeleancers thoughts if this open.


No, you shouldn't pay to have a job interview in a 'real world'.

Though, as Tiffany explained: is it comparable?


Why have YOU chosen this (freelancing)?
Increase in connects payment makes THAT much of a difference (for a successful freelancer like yourself) ?

There are MANY who have similar complaints here on Upwork Community. In case you are fond of finding same point of view, you'll find that easily.

I have already paid around 20.000 for my advertising **edited for Community Guidelines**

I'm new on here, but I'd like to respond to the question, "Is sending a proposal comparable to going to a job interview in real life (IRL)?".

 

For a freelancer, yes, it is very comparable. The interview begins the conversation. However, IRL, you can't go to 10 interviews per day, but you could easily apply for many more than that on Upwork. I understand the need to make a small "hurdle" for every freelancer to "jump over" in order to protect the clients from being spammed.

 

IMHO, charging for connects helps both freelancers and clients by reducing the number of proposals the client has to consider. For freelancers, it is a (very small) barrier to competition, meaning only other freelancers who are serious about the contract will submit a proposal. For clients, it reduces the amount of work they have to do in order to find the right freelancer.

Hi Toby,

I partially agree with You. Still, I was a serious before all this, rarely applied since I've had a single ongoing client for years. In rare situations, when I've had time to do some extra work I applied to jobs, but only to the ones I was 100% competent for. Maybe 10% of my applications passed, even in the beginning. My 6 years rating tells a story about that.

I don't think this will work and it is not meant to help competent people stand out.

AveryO
Community Manager
Community Manager

I have edited, and removed some posts on this thread as it violated our Community Guidelines. These guidelines are in place to foster a healthy discussion among community members, and we would like everyone to please be mindful of what they post in the community.


Thank you for your cooperation.


~ Avery
Upwork

Hi,

I never insulted anyone and just said my thoughts, if this is is the place where you can't say what You think, so be it. I'm dissapointed people can't speak here, we paid bunch of money to do so. I would like to have some of it now.

Regards,

Igor

Hi Igor. I take all communications from Upwork with a big pinch of salt, so I didn't take much notice of their estimate that freelancers would be spending $5 a month on connects, or that this change would benefit freelancers. I just see this as a change in business terms which Upwork thinks will be to its advantage. If it really is to Upwork's advantage then it's pointless to complain. Upwork is entitled to do what it needs to do (within reason) to turn a profit.

 

I have some sympathy with low paid freelancers who've built up a business on Upwork based on one business model, only to have their business model undermined by an unexpected change in Upwork's terms. New freelancers know what the terms are and can make an informed judgement about whether to play. I honestly don't know whether I would have ever started on Upwork if I'd had to pay for connects from the start.


Igor S wrote:

I'm dissapointed people can't speak here, we paid bunch of money to do so.


You haven't "paid a bunch of money" to speak here. Posting here is free and has nothing to do with how much or how little you have paid (the more you paid, the more you earned.)

 

So, moderator is working for Facebook? We have nothing further to discuss.

Kind Regards

tlbp
Community Member


Igor S wrote:

Hi,

I never insulted anyone and just said my thoughts, if this is is the place where you can't say what You think, so be it. I'm dissapointed people can't speak here, we paid bunch of money to do so. I would like to have some of it now.

Regards,

Igor


Wow! You paid to join the forums? I think you must have been deceived by someone, the forums are free. 

rafaelart
Community Member

Prior to this innovation, 70 connections per month were enough for me. Even rolled over to the next month. Now I spent more than 70 connections in 5! days. Alas!

I hear You man!

Instead of chargin for connects you can put a limit on profiles or charge certain amount of extra money if the person is hired as you charge 20% for first 1000$ and 5% after 10k from same client. i think new freelancers come here with a hope when they see this they might leave as they may have no proper means to pay even little amount. I feel earlier upwork was open to all now its limited to few, finding the right fit has always been tough and its the job of the client if you limit the number still they have to filter the perfect one out of it. I am sure you guys can consider this for future as i too can understand bringing an immediate change after recent changes is hard. I can only suggest.


Rehan F wrote:

Instead of chargin for connects you can put a limit on profiles 


That's not a bad idea at all. I'd be for making connects free but not allowing freelancers to bid on more than 5-10 jobs per month.

 

Probably the reason they haven't done it that way, though, is that there are successful freelancers who do a lot of one-offs and bid a lot, and there are unsuccessful freelancers whose bids are never accepted and who are just cluttering things up even with a limited number of allowed proposals.


Tiffany S wrote:

Rehan F wrote:

Instead of chargin for connects you can put a limit on profiles 


That's not a bad idea at all. I'd be for making connects free but not allowing freelancers to bid on more than 5-10 jobs per month.

 

Probably the reason they haven't done it that way, though, is that there are successful freelancers who do a lot of one-offs and bid a lot, and there are unsuccessful freelancers whose bids are never accepted and who are just cluttering things up even with a limited number of allowed proposals.


I have to bid a lot, almost no one that responds.  I never get invites.  I chalk it up to a severe lack of personality.  

 

If Upwork did this, I would probably stop using it entirely.  I won't come back to complain about it though, I would just move on.

 


Mark F wrote:

I never get invites.  I chalk it up to a severe lack of personality.  

I could be wrong, but I think you may be deterring clients by talking about being expensive.


Tiffany S wrote:

Mark F wrote:

I never get invites.  I chalk it up to a severe lack of personality.  

I could be wrong, but I think you may be deterring clients by talking about being expensive.


Interesting, I should try not to say it the way I am and see if it makes a difference.


Rafael M wrote:

Prior to this innovation, 70 connections per month were enough for me. Even rolled over to the next month. Now I spent more than 70 connections in 5! days. Alas!


This math doesn't work. If you spent more than 70 connects in 5 days, then you bid on (at the very least) 12 jobs in 5 days. That's an average of more than 2 jobs per day. Under the old system, that would have required more than 120 connects, not 70.

ali-raees
Community Member

Have you noticed a drop-down in getting invites by clients?

Yes, but I haven't applied to jobs for the last couple of years since I was working with a single ongoing client. Not sure if that made me stand out less. But yes, there are fewer invitations lately, and client rarely invite me for the interviews when I apply. Maybe I should update my portfolio...:)

I don't know the exact but I think there is a drop-down in clients and number of projects on upwork. As connects are paid but still a lot of freelancers applying much than before. Like I never used 60 connects per month when it was free. and I got a lot of jobs with invitations. 

 

But now after that update. I have purchased connects for $50+ and applied on projects. But still, I did not get any projects and even in the last 2 months. I did not get any single invitations as compare to before this update I received 50+ invitations per month. 

 

Upwork should have a survey with freelancer to know that

what they feel after that update.

or to ask that they are getting more projects or no projects

to ask that now they are applying less than before or more than before. 

 

I believe upwork will be shocked after getting freelancers response. I don't have any problem with the paid connects. I know to 100+ freelancers in my country and all are facing the same issue as us. 

 

Upwork should take a serious note on it. 


Ali R wrote:

Have you noticed a drop-down in getting invites by clients?


It seems like there's been a split, maybe depending on field or experience level or some other combination of factors. I've seen a lot of people saying that they are getting far fewer invitations, and a lot of others saying they are getting more and better invitations than ever. 

and a lot of others saying they are getting more and better invitations than ever. 

 

Where are people saying that they are getting a lot of invites? Can you please share me only one post about that?

 

Thanks

 


Ali R wrote:

and a lot of others saying they are getting more and better invitations than ever. 

 

Where are people saying that they are getting a lot of invites? Can you please share me only one post about that?

 

Thanks

 

I am one of those people that have seen an increase in invites and jobs. I can no longer take on new clients, I am booked to capacity and I think the changes are the reason for it. Not everyone is upset by the changes being made by Upwork.

 


 


Ali R wrote:

and a lot of others saying they are getting more and better invitations than ever. 

 

Where are people saying that they are getting a lot of invites? Can you please share me only one post about that?

 

Thanks

 


I don't really feel like spending my time searching back through old threads to find that for you when you're just as capable of doing it yourself. Honestly, I think if you haven't seen it yourself, you must have been engaging in some very (intentionally?) selective reading. I think Catherine may have started one of those threads, but that's just a vague recollection.

 

I don't know what most of the people who post here do so I don't know whether this holds true across the board or not, but of the people I know personally, it's freelancers with decades of experience who are charging $50-100+/hour who are seeing a bump in solid invitations.

 

 

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