The truth about Upwork, it is a scam

[e2b57e8e]

Wow, just wow.

I used UW many times in the past to hire freelancers, but just yesterday made a profile to offer my services as a freelancer myself.

Spent hours creating my profile just to find out about this thnghy called "connects".

So, basically I have to pay just to apply for jobs. This is utterly ridiculous. Paying a fee for landing a job is fair, but paying just to be one of tens of people applying for the same job is a scam.

I was not aware of any of this when I was using UW to hire people. Now I feel terrible knowing that all the people that applied had to put money to do so. I even posted jobs when I was not sure I needed someone just to see if any proposal was tempting enough. As a user of the platform you are completly anaware of the connects situation.

I will delete my profile immediately, I refuse to play this game, it is an abusive policy and no one shold be put in that situation.

I will also stop using UW to hire people.

[marjan22]

All true and this is example how and why clients and freelancers are leaving from  Upwork.

[spectralua]

Formally, everything is correct. When accepting the ToS you read “I agree to give upwork all my money for nothing” and click “I accept”.

I'm glad you've already seen this but many other clients don't care about it. Sory, but as is. 

I hope you are ashamed for creating fake works (without hiring) with which upwork milks desperate people.

[a5b5515e]

Well, I am not ashamed at all.

I spent thousands of dollars hiring people in UW.

I didn't posted "fake" jobs, but I posted jobs I wasn't sure I was going to need. Some I hired, some I didn't.

Anyway that is not the point.

What I was trying to say is that as a hiring user of UW you have no idea of all the abusive policies and shady practicies UW uses to milk freelancers, I just learned about it yesterday.

It would make much more sense to charge to post  a job than to apply for the job. I wouldn't see a problem with that.

The way UW is run is borderline criminal, and freelancers playing this game are the pawns.

I would boycott this platform, well I will now.

[spectralua]

Yep, more sense to honest business. But not here. Upwork need more works "just to see if any proposal was tempting enough". Each such work collecting an $2000 more to Upworks pocket. Thats why posting will be free forever and other posters welcomed. Charge to post will drop that incomming. 🙂

Voting with money is the right decision. As soon as the business here collapses, then the management will start thinking. But for now the income is huge and they want more and more.

[ndcetera]

Hey Jonathan,

If you don't want to make job postings so no one has to spend connects there's a way. You could browse profiles and send a message directly to freelancers that you think are best suited for your project. Once you find your person you can send an offer directly to the freelancer, or create a private job posting so this freelancer is the only one able to apply. My best clients have hired me in this manner. Upwork is not perfect but it's a way we freelancers can make a living and you clients can find the right person for each of your projects.