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]

I had to buy connect recently and was amazed by the number of connects
increased by double, from 8 to 16. However, this allowed me to craft my
proposal very carefully and I was interviewed by 4 out of 4 clients and got
hired by 3 of them.
Long story short, reduced number of unprofessional proposals simultaneously
boosted my chanced to get hired significantly.

[#3]

Are you saying you have a 100% interview ratio and got hired at 3 of them? Does this happen in your, or other account?

I do see the jobs has a little reduction in the submitted proposals, but not significant enough, and doesn't increase even my proposal view (not interview) ratio yet.

[#4]

Very rude behaviour. Upwork is the family and we are family members. upwork should care.

[#5]

Upwork is a publicly traded corporation with an obligation to its shareholders and none (save to follow the law and its contracts) to anyone else.

[#6]

I'm curious about when it was that Upwork "cared" about you. I thought I joined pretty soon after Elance and ODesk became Upwork, but I must have missed that moment.

[#7]

Well i just joined in 2-3 days on this platform as freelancer, so i dont know exactly how does the project owner works on this platform does the project owner when posting a job he will need to pay some amount or not (let say as deposit if this person only post scam project). I bought my first connect yesterday and yeah for me i do feel the same thing, connect token for bidding not make sense. I dont know how does upwork do the math for connect bidding amount for each project. And i dont know too does the connect token will return to our account if freelancer not being choosen by the project owner??

[#8]

Please read this post and follow every link. You must learn about how to use the platform before you consider applying for jobs. Your profile is an invitation to the scammers because they can tell you aren't following the rules.

You are responsible for everything here, from ensuring the Terms of Service are followed to paying for job access. It is your responsibility to not be scammed. The vast majority of scams are preventable, if the freelancer followed the rules.

Read the post because it contains all the Upwork information you need. You have to protect yourself, because no one, including Upwork, will do it for you. Be safe.

[#9]

The process of comparing skills to bid connects on freelancing platforms can be rather perplexing. As a top-rated plus freelancer boasting over three years of experience, it's disconcerting to witness newcomers securing projects with higher prices, only to witness these same clients returning to experienced professionals like us for revisions and guidance in just a matter of weeks. This certainly appears to be a flawed system, and there's a compelling argument for reverting to an approach that prioritizes skill and quality over initial cost.

My own client have tried to hire someone to split the job for few weeks and came back to me complaining about the skill level of other freelancer. Not only that he increased my hourly rate without even asking understanding skill matter more than top bidder in the list.

[#10]

Fortunately, every client who is competent enough in business for a freelancer to want to work with them will understand that they must vet freelancers for skills and experience.

[#11]

Yes, I am also unhappy for taking a high amount of connect. 

[#12]

16 connects to apply/bid, and by December(?), we will be charged 10% instead of 5%.

[#13]

Some freelancers, primarily residing in Western countries, have taken a defensive stance regarding the issue of connects, which many users are seriously complaining about. It's understandable that they don't comprehend our situation because paying $3 for a job doesn't mean much to them. However, the exchange rate of the dollar is very high in Eastern countries, and every increase in the cost of connects severely affects us. For instance, in the country I am currently in, one needs to pay the equivalent of 8 loaves of bread for an average job application. I'm sure there will be suggestions that I can buy a lot of bread with that when I get a job. I embrace them with love in advance and genuinely wish they could empathize.

[#14]

I see lots of Westerners complain hard as well.

Based on the Big Macs, you value the dollars less than I do. But, some people might see me taking a 'defensive' stance on these connect matters as well. My reasons are not because I don't value the dollars, of course.

And finally, the 'farmers' (maybe I can say, the 'scourge' of Upwork) are not necessarily (or even definitely not) based in the West. Farmers simply need to calculate, and they will have no problem spending the highly-valued $$$ when they can get more $$$ in return.

[#15]

It's not that we don't comprehend your situation. It's simply that we understand that Upwork is a for-profit business that has only generated a profit one quarter in it's multi-year history. 

Imagine that you run a hamburger stand. It costs you $3 to make the burger, then rent on the stand and utilities and paying employees and such. You sell the burger for $6 and after your costs you make $1/burger.

Now, hundreds of thousands of people come to your burger stand and say "$6 is too much. We're hungry, and we can only pay $2." So, you start selling them burgers for $2, after spending $5 to make each one. Every time you "sell" a burger, you make no profit and have to spend $3 of your own. At the end of the first day, after you "sell" 50 $5 burgers for $2 each, you have lost $150 of your own money. And, as long as you keep selling those burgers at $2, you keep generating zero profits and having to kick in your own money. 

You try to do it, maybe, because it's awful that those people are hungry and can't afford your burgers. But, before long, you're bankrupt and not serving burgers to anyone. 

[#16]

I am not defending Upwork. I point out the facts.

I wish I could change the world, but the socio-economic reality means some people have a higher cost of living than others. Even in your part of the world, businesses must make money to survive.

Upwork is U.S. based, using U.S. currency. In order to survive, it has to appease shareholders, who want to see a profit. It makes no sense to try and get a business to not charge for job access. Everywhere you go, you have to pay your way, and freelancing is no different. Yes, even if you are quite poor. There is no way to level the field.

I tell all freelancers, if you have the skills, charge for them. It doesn't matter where you are from.

I know it may seem hard to believe, but if I charged $3.00 an hour, I would be homeless and on the street. It's all relative.

All freelancers have to pay for every aspect of their business, including things like connects for job access. There are no guarantees.

Is there any sort of job platform in your area? That might relieve you of some of the costs.

[#17]

COMBO BREAKER

Upwork needs to make it *more* expensive to bid, stop giving free connects, and even charge a monthly flee flat to all freelancers who want to sell on the platform.

inb4 meltdowns but I regret nothing and mean it.

[#18]

Absolutely!

Cue the whiners, screamers, and the you work for Upwork criers.

I would love to see some of these folks who protest any effort on their part try to work in the real world.

[#19]

---

Jeanne H wrote:

Absolutely!

Cue the whiners, screamers, and the you work for Upwork criers.

I would love to see some of these folks who protest any effort on their part try to work in the real world.

---

My personal guess is that they will raise their cut in 2024 and I wish they would just charge a flat fee from everyone (like $15 a month) instead of doing that. It's gonna hit me hard, but I'm guessing we will see a rate hike right after we get the hike to 10% commission fees.

I will join in on the meltdown with that one even though it won't do me any good.

[#20]

I didn't phase Upwork out on purpose, but I'm glad it's worked out that way. I'm at the point of billing no more than $1,000-1,500/month through Upwork, so I'm poised to walk away at any moment. 

[#21]

Upwork will still think about a big part of their member base.

Charging $50 per proposal will scare off even the farmers or agency part of that member base.

Why should they give this big part of a cake to their competitors? Unless they no longer aiming for worldwide where it will make more sense, cheaper simpler etc.,  if they simply set-up a US-only client & freelancer meeting place.

[#22]

$50 is a bit hyperbolic don't you think?

[#23]

I think Jennifer said it like that earlier, IIRC 😁

[#24]

Not to mention the insane amount of scams are on upwork now too, for every 5 jobs one is a scam, that is insane!
You apply for a job that costs you 16 connects, and it turns out to be a scam, you don't get the connects back and risk having your computer hacked and your personal info stolen, so what was supposed to be a beneficial job application turns into a freaking nightmare, I don't see upwork doing too much about this either, this company seems to be running itself to the ground if they continue like this, been on this platform since they merged with the other company and never had issues like these, made over 100k on here but it seems I will be moving away soon if they continue with this trajectory.

[#25]

This is why I have found other work elsewhere. They are constantly changing and raising fees. When it was Odesk it was the best. I'm not very motivated to keep paying to apply for jobs. Very disappointing.

[#26]

Finding work got very hard, 16 connect for almost all. No other freelancing platform charging too much. They should revise their decision