Too many connects required to bid a job

[#1]

The amount of connects required to bid on a project has significantly increased. Me and my other colleagues are very much unhappy with this as it almost takes 12-16 connects to bid for a job. That's 1.5$ (for 15 connects )if you buy connects and bid. I m sure other freelancers across the world might be unhappy too. Previously it used to take around 2-6 connects which was bearable, but now this is insane. This won't affect freelancers with very high rates but for small to medium-level freelancers like me, this is too much. I know that spending connects is kind of an investment in order to obtain business but it should be a feasible number. 12-16 connects is way too much in my opinion.

Edit : Now it goes up to 23 connects

[#2]

Yes, as when we spend 12 or 16 connects still it is not fixed to get the contract. So overall it takes a lot of amount just to get a contract. Initially the connect amount was small and so overall investment required was less. 

I support the Idea that connect requirements should be somewhat less.

[#3]

Yes, I have observed this recently. Almost all the jobs require 12-16 connects. Due to this I cannot bid for more jobs resulting into fewer job opportunities. It is expensive to spend 16 connects for one job. 
I agree this issue should be considered at priority.

[#4]

I'm also aware of this when a job requires a minimum connects 12 or higher, and also note that the job poster isn't verified. That could be annoying. I hope so Upwork can fix this connects issue else there are no chance for the new profiles.

[#5]

I completely agree with you! The sudden increase in the number of connects required to bid on a project is definitely concerning. As a fellow freelancer, I understand the importance of investing connects to secure business opportunities, but the current amount is simply excessive. It puts a burden on small to medium-level freelancers like us, who may not have the financial flexibility to constantly purchase more connects. This change may end up driving away talented freelancers from the platform and reducing the overall quality of services provided. I hope the platform administrators take note of our concerns and reconsider their approach to connect allocation.

[#6]

I don't understand how Upwork calculates the number of connects required for the job. For example this job with a Fixed price of $20 needs 4 connects while this job with a Fixed price of $5 needs 8 connects. 

Added with huge number of proposals and bids it is not fair for upwork to do this.

With 2-6 connects per proposal my hiring rate was 1:10 which means I already pay for approximately 40-60 connects per winning. Now I have to pay 100-160 connects to win a contract.

Despite the positive changes implemented by Upwork's CEO in recent times, this particular alteration seems to be one of the worst, benefiting Upwork immensely while causing significant harm to freelancers.

[#7]

I agree with you that this thing is unbearable.

I see $5 jobs that require 8 connects!!!!!

How's that possible?? I hope Upwork reconsider this

[#8]

I'm very unhappy with this as well! Bids used to be 1-4 connects - 16 is outrageous. I pay for the premium subscription each month that comes with 80 connects. That only gives me 5 jobs to bid on!! And most of those 5, if not all, never reply back. And on top of that there is a new "boost your bid" for even more connects. This is not how Upwork used to be, it's really sad & upsetting!

[#9]

16 connects is simply outrageous when we do not get a reply. It means simply investing and investing to fish a client by luck! I agree with Kimbely H that when I had started working on Upwork in 2016 it used to be 1 to 2 connect per proposal with 60 free connects every month. And now Upwork is just pushing freelancer against the wall.

[#10]

Hello Devang,

Thanks for your question! 

We’ve increased the amount of Connects needed to apply to certain jobs to better match the value of a job with the cost to submit a proposal. 

Raising the number of Connects needed for certain jobs has several benefits, including giving us more resources to put toward reducing spam job posts and proposals, and keeping unwanted, fraudulent users off Upwork. We’re making this change to better match the value of a job with the cost to submit a proposal. Many jobs have a large number of applicants, and we frequently receive feedback about reducing the number of proposals per job.

We appreciate your feedback.  Connects are still $0.15 USD, and you can purchase and roll over unlimited Connects each month.

[#11]

But increasing connects is not the perfect solution. Also, most of the time, clients do not hire any freelancers and do not even close the job post (resulting in a waste of 16 connects).

Why have you not added an expiration time? For instance, if someone does not hire any freelancers within a specified time limit, such as a few days, then all the connects should automatically be returned to the freelancers who applied to the job post.

[#12]

This solution only benefits clients and not freelancers. Upwork profits both from clients paying a higher premium to post ads that require a higher number of connects and from freelancers who have to now buy more connects. This is a lazy and limited solution at best.

Why not add a spam filter to clients' inboxes? Set it to recognise duplicate proposals, keywords, and phrases that are more likely to be used by spammers? If you must, charge the client extra for the spam filter option. They could even individualise their spam filters, that way Upwork has to do less work to do in terms of identifying spam keywords etc. 

Or why not cap the number of job proposals a freelancer can do in a day? Set the limit to 10 so that even spammers have to select their target jobs more carefully.

[#13]

I would love to see freelancers limited to 20-25 proposals/MONTH...but, Upwork will never limit that because they make money on every proposal.

[#14]

Where on earth did you get the idea that clients pay more to post jobs that require more connects? 

[#15]

Guess what? Upwork doesn't exist to benefit freelancers. Most people aren't understanding this.

People here think they should be entitled to jobs with a lower number of connects. Lower connect fees means more bids per jobs, and hence more competition. You can't have it both ways.

I would agree that limiting the number of proposals would curb some of this, but it would reduce Upwork's revenue, and won't happen. 

[#16]

@alyssa can you explain why you haven't taken these measures? 

[#17]

It looks like a canceled feature. There is only an explanation in the link, but it does not say how we can benefit from it. It would be nice if this opportunity was given to freelancers who have proven themselves at a reasonable price.

[#18]

Yes. At first I was out of my mind when the cost had risen but when I crafted my proposal carefully I got interviewed for 4 out 4 proposals and got hired for 3 of them. Reduced number of spam proposals significantly increased my chance to get hired. 

[#19]

Still "0.15$" is too high for freelancers from some countries. And 16 connects per job means 1.5$ for a single bid. Being a Top Rated talent with great feedbacks on my profile, I hardly get one reply after bidding 20 jobs, and that too doesn't guarantee a contract.

I suggest that if a profile is geniune with good track record(top rated, etc), you could reduce the connects required to bid for those people at least, as they wont put in spam proposals. 

Also, Upwork talks a lot about how freelancers can use AI to increase their job hunting chances. I think Upwork should start using AI first to keep spam proposals in control. Increasing connects is not a solution and will upset more people than benefitting

[#20]

16 connects is NOT $1.5 for a single bid, it is $2.4!! That is 200 INR!! It is absolutely insane to be throwing that much money away at "opportunities" that rarely materialize.

One wouldn't mind so much if there was even a semblance of assurance on jobs being awarded. Right now, most folks here are "shooting in the dark" entirely, hoping to somehow land a job or two.

Upwork is terribly mistaken if it thinks this "business model" is sustainable. Most freelancers will walk away, sooner or later...I am sure many have already. 

[#21]

Upwork could lose 90% of the freelancers and be just great. No one wants to accept this, but freelancers are cogs in the wheel, totally interchangeable. This is how Upwork will respond, and how they function. No one is going to change that.

We all have to decide if it's worth the money, time, and energy we put into efforts here, or anywhere. Looking at your return on money spent to get jobs is important for everyone.

[#22]

16 connects is NOT $1.5 for a single bid, it is $2.4!! That is 200 INR!! It is absolutely insane to be throwing that much money away at "opportunities" that rarely materialize.

While I agree that some people might highly value the 'pennies' (me included), we can't assume they won't invest the 'highly-valued-pennies' for greater return.

Farmers will combine "the essence of spam" and "gambling concepts", and probably some "tricks", to keep bidding highly and continuously.

Here's a possible trick, to create multiple accounts to spam for free.

[#23]

I haven't looked at Upwork for months. I am only here now out of desperation and I find that jobs cost 3 or 4 times more to apply for than they used to... I guess I'll be walking away again. 

[#24]

For those needing or wanting fast cash, freelancing is not the way to go. It can take years to build up your business.

People who are desperate should not waste their last bit of money desperately trying to find work as a freelancer. Freelancing means paying for everything.

[#25]

You should use a calculator. In U.S. dollars, .16 connects is $2.40.

I suggest that if a profile is geniune with good track record(top rated, etc), you could reduce the connects required to bid for those people at least, as they wont put in spam proposals.

Free connects is a terrible idea. Surely, you understand investing in your business? So, no, you don't get free connects, either. No one should be opposed to paying something for access to jobs. If you aren't finding jobs, don't bid and find work elsewhere.