Top Rated, 100% JSS, lots of invitations in December but zero invitations in January! What's up?

[benjamin_blue]

Hi all,

I have Top Rated badge and 100% JSS, have had them around 6 months. My profile has been updated recently (although there is still plenty for me to improve on it - this post is not asking for profile advice specifically). Last December, I experienced a crazy explosion of incoming job invitations, as well as inquiries from my one consultation option. It was crazy. I've never experienced such a surge like that in five years! I also submitted quite a few proposals over a few weeks time. I don't remember exactly how many but… a lot. I think we all know it's a good feeling to feel wanted - in life in general, but also here.

Since then I've been enjoying work I got from all of these things and about two weeks ago I had some time open up so I set my availability back on and added connects to the "available now" badge, and over two weeks time I didn't get one single invitation or inquiry. 

This brings me to my question, why in the world would I get not a single invitation when just about two months ago, I turned on my availability and had probably four weeks of continuous invitations and inquiries coming in? I was top rated then and I'm top rated now. I had 100% then and I have 100% now. When this happened in December, I was on the fence about looking for a full-time job and then this explosion happened and it completely stopped my fire, so to speak and completely gave me the confidence in myself and the platform that I hadn't felt in quite a while. I felt so good that knowing if I continue the way I have been, I would have no problem finding work which would include receiving job invitations.

So I turned my availability back on and how come it's been radio silence for two weeks? 

I would love to hear anybody's thoughts.

P.S. My profile today is not available because I just set it that way due to a pending large contract.

[williamtcooper]

Benjamin,

There are three majors reasons and many sub reasons why this has occurred on your Profile.

First, there is a mismatch of your Title, Summary and Skills. They don't line up with each other tightly. Upwork's new algo doesn't like that.

Second, too many of the Jobs received in December and January are in progress versus completed. The Jobs need to get completed, closed and reviewed.

Third you instructed Upwork to stop sending you Invites by turning the availability off and it did. Their algo thinks you are still busy because of the quanity of jobs in progress.

Fix the above and you will have a higher probablity of getting back into their algo.

How many Invites did you receive in December and how many in January?

[cath-maughan]

This is useful to know. Is there a way to close contracts for clients who are unrespnsive?

[benjamin_blue]

Thanks William!

The time i was referring to this month was up until i turned off my availability - i definitely understand i won't get invitations if the availablity is off :).

Second, too many of the Jobs received in December and January are in progress versus completed. The Jobs need to get completed, closed and reviewed.

I'll keep this in mind too.

From My Stats, I had about 40 invitations in December. Zero in January. I don't know the exact dates I had my availability on in January. While you're here, do you know if there is a way to get more detailed stats? I'd assume not since this says In Beta for me:

It'd be nice to be able to choose other date ranges in addition to those 4.

Thanks for the reply!

[williamtcooper]

Benjamin,

The Upwork Analytics are basic, but yes that is all that is available.

It takes time for the algo to pick your profile back up because it was turned off and on - sorry for not being clearer.

Upwork's algo has changed. Here is a post with the most recent information:

https://community.upwork.com/t5/Upwork-United-States/Receive-an-Upwork-Profile-Feedback-from-a-Very-...

Have a great day!

[benjamin_blue]

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[williamtcooper · Accepted solution]

Probably have to be a United States member on that part of the Community. Here is some of the information?

PROFILE: Always complete your Upwork Profile before applying for Jobs. Create a Title and Skills to apply for Jobs to match what Clients are searching for. Use one or two of the Skill keywords in the Title to emphasize what you bring to the table for the Client. Create 3 or 4 short paragraphs in the Summary. If the Summary is too long, most Clients will not read the rest of your Profile; too short then there isn't enough information for a Client to hire. Use all 15 Skills IF they apply. The Skills are used to assist a Client in locating your Profile via search. Add your Portfolio and always use a colorful image. Consider adding a Project Catalog if it applies. By the way, it goes without saying make sure that your Profile Settings are on Public not Private so others can view the Profile.

COVER LETTER: Create a flexible cover letter that is less than 100 words. Long cover letters rarely get read, but instead are ignored. Break the cover letter into four sections. Section 1 : Acknowledge the job that you are applying for such as "Looking forward to discussing your graphics design project". Section 2: Highlight your validations stamps IE skills that are brought to their project. Section 3 Explain how you will solve their problem and the final section request an Upwork Zoom call to discuss their project.

JOB SUBMISSIONS: Tips - Only apply to Jobs that you are highly qualified, don't Bid for the top 3 spots unless you are an exact match and have a high probability of getting the job, don't immediately apply for jobs, but instead wait at least a few hours so your bidding is more accurate, don't get into bidding wars because serious Clients will view most applicant's cover letters, don't apply for Jobs that have 20 - 50 applicants in less than 24 hours. If a Client gets 50 cover letters, there is only a 2% chance of being hired; bad odds. I set my freelancer sort to apply for jobs with less than 20 proposals.

OVER DELIVER: Always over-deliver based upon the Client's expectations. Do such outstanding work that the Client can't but help to give 5-Stars and a raving Review. Great Reviews have most Client's sold on hiring a Freelancer before even talking with them. I can't mention the number of Clients that started their interactions with me about how they couldn't wait to start working together on their project based upon my Reviews. After 320 Upwork Jobs, I have maintained 99% 5-Star Reviews and only 1% 4-Star Reviews which continues to draw in more clients.