Upwork Is Officially Dead / It's Become a Cheap Casino Where They Let Anyone In

[1cac6772]

I've been saying this now since mid 2023, but I fully believe Upwork is officially dead. Up until 2023, I was doing over 100k each year on Upwork. I was Top Rated Plus and very close to Expert Vetted. I never really had to apply to jobs and just received invitations. Around the middle of last year whenever they implemented the boost system is when everything changed. My profile views dropped to ZERO and I couldn't get ANY jobs. I haven't landed a client via Upwork since mid 2023. 

* For the love of God, moderators PLEASE do not send me a link on how to improve my profile *

Up until January 2024 I had not been playing the bidding/boosting game. I just thought it would be a waste of money. So around January 1st 2024 I decided to give Upwork one last chance and try it. I bought $500 worth of connects to spend for the whole month of January. What I did was a combination of a few different things. I boosted my profile with 75 connects per day. Meaning whenever someone clicked on my profile, I was charged 75 connects. The other thing I did which was less common was boost some direct jobs that I applied to. If I saw a job that really fit, I would boost it and this was usually anywhere from 50 - 100 connects per job. I stopped all boosting February 1st 2024 and here are my results. The vast majority of days Upwork would take out my 75 connects, but I never received a job invite or anything. So I supposed this means somebody clicked on my profile and then left. There were 2 occassions where I received a job invite. The first one was for a $25 job and the other one was for $5 per hour. I did not get or take either one of those jobs. When it came to boosting my propsoal to the #1 spot for anywhere between 50 - 100 connects, I never received a single reply to any of those jobs. So what was the outcome of my $500 test for January 2024................. well basically that I just wasted $500. The point of this test was to see if paying for connects and boosting was the way to get jobs in this new Upwork system. And it clearly is not.

But I went several years without having to apply to jobs and making well over 100k to now not being able to land a single job in a year. And now I've played the boost/bidding game and it CLEARLY doesn't work. It's crazy how many freelancers have complained about this system, yet Upwork does not give a crap. Upwork is clearly a drain of money and time at this point. On top of that it seems that so many quality clients have left the platform, which I don't blame them at all. If I posted a job and then my inbox was flooded with hundreds of unqualified people, I would also stop using it. They used to filter results by the most qualified and relevant freelancers. Now they just display whoever pays the most connects. Upwork has now just become this cheap casino full of unqualified freelancers who are willing to buy unlimited connects. At this point, all I can hope for is that someone will start building a new freelancer platform that is good. It's unfortunate that Upwork decided to go this route. But I think it's safe to say that "Upwork Is Now Officially Dead".

At this point it's gotten so out of control, it's almost comical. The other day I was playing around with my project catalog, and guess what they had an option for? You guessed it.......the option to boost. Before long every single aspect of the platform will require some sort of paying for connects. Want to log in to your account.....that will be 16 connects. Want to contact support......that will be 16 connects. Want to have the privledge of having an Upwork account.......that will be 16 connects per day. At what point does the corporate GREED stop? But to them it's justified because they had record profits in 2023. Forget that quality people are leaving the platform and it's become worse than Fiverr. But hey as long as the board members and shareholders are happy, everything is all good. 

PS

Every time I turn on the TV now I see a cheesy Upwork commercial. There is no telling how many millions of dollars they are spending on these lame zombie commercials. Just think if they invested that money back into the platform to make it better. 

But no, their marketing plan is to spend millions of dollars on tv commercials to drive new unqualified signups. Then their goal is to milk those people into having to buy connects. Sure, a lot will leave very soon after they realize they can't land a job. But that's ok because their awesome zombie commercials will continue to drive new sign ups. I'm not 100% certain, but I think they might have hired the marketing team from Bud Light for their recent marketing efforts. Now that Upwork has driven away a lot of good clients over the last few years as well as brought it's integrity into question by most freelancers, they've got some serious issues to address moving forward if they ever want to regain the trust of both clients and freelancers. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tR3SRJ0UQ8w

[khushbu_gohil]

They have 500 staff right 🤔?

[the-right-writer]

If they hired quality freelancers to run every aspect of the business, they wouldn't have had to fire 15% of their staff to squeeze out some black ink.

[khushbu_gohil]

They are merging topic

[fred-derf]

If upwork just stop spending millions on Ads and just push this money to the platform itself, we would see something different.

In one of its commercials Upwork tells us we cannot find talent locally. So, by that logic a customer in Milwaukee might hire someone in Sacramento while a customer in Sacramento might get talent in Milwaukee.

Makes perfect sense???

Of course, the video ads do tell the audience Upwork is an "agency that supplies the freelancer talent." Very misleading when we see the reality. The fact is, the freelancers foot the bill, provide the service and skills along with having to weed through oceans of repeat proposals, scams, lowball and nonsensical offers. Oh yes, those purported Fortune 500 companines and their hourly offers of $10/hr.

Another deception: "Boosting" - Their claim that it increases responses has been refuted so many times. In my experience "boosting" the responses were actually a few percent LOWER. Certainly a waste when in nearly all cases, only one of the four "boosters" might get hired.

Attached is an example of the waste of "connects."

The boosters dumped 197 "connects" into the cesspool. There were between 20-50 proposals sent. Just adding 20 additional at 16 totals 517 squandered allowing the Upwork CEO  to rake in another $77.55. Multiply that by the oodles of other similar occurances. Not bad for a few hours of no work. [No work for freelancers, no work or effort for the mentioned earlier.]

[fred-derf]

Might I add, so many of the proposal get the mega-boost totals while so many of them go into Nowhereland. Not cancelled, just sitting, collecting dust [and big rewards for those already puffed up pockets amongst the Upwork execs!

Would it not be a good idea to place a time limit on job proposal, let's say after two or three weeks it is canceled?

Yuuup...and get back the connects?

Anyone think this will ever happen??

[ce12c9e2]

The situation got even worse after the latest update, as a matter of fact now it does feel like gambling. Might as well go stock trading, since at least the R/R is better. In all seriousness, the issue is the wild cost to connect with the project.

I used to be active on UpWork pre 2021 and came back to it after a two year break, I'm spending my petty earnings just to connect on it so far.

As of now it takes hours to find a suitable job on which you're willing to spend $3 (that's too expensive) to have a 5% to 10% chance of being selected, these odds are generous. You basically have to camp for new fitting jobs as well, to have that 5% chance, by constantly refreshing the feed, that takes hours of inefficient, and unproductive activity where you lose time (money) and actual connect money. A net negative outcome. Not to mention how many of those job posts are silly demanding when it comes to the extent of the information they want to see, and yet you craft unique applications for each of them, because you respect your craft and service, only to see your time wasted.

To address this issue UpWork has to cap the connect costs to 16 for the best projects, after the most recent update, it's increased even more and it's impossible to apply to anything suitable because even after 10 minutes since the job was created there's already 20-50 applications, an hour later it's 50+. Do you want to spend $3 to $4 for those odds, then bid more to slightly increse them? No, you camp inefficiently to be the first to apply to these rare contracts, only to realise that the client picked the freelancer who took the race to the bottom (price wise) or it was a spam/scam job post. Also it has to boost a few freelancers with the best score then showing rising talent below, without any paid boosts. Cash in on connects and our earnings, not on every possible interaction! There are exceptions and I'm sure you can have an established client base but the issue is, serious people, who respect their craft and want to start from scratch are demotivated, if anything the future potential of this platform is Fiverr. Race to the bottom prices, cheap workforce, low quality work with few algorithm favored old freelancers, who get all of the other traffic for high paying contracts. I'm not complaining here because I'm not getting any clients, it's because it's awful customer experience which is reminiscent of a casino as the OP put it. UpWork is creating an window of opportunity for another startup to address this issue and take most of their market share.

[ccc7b8bd]

It's like that - last 90 days - 25 proposals, 7 viewed (wow...), 4 interviews, 2 hires - Only difference I see is clients do not even see proposals now (because a), b), c)) and do not send invites anylonger (upwork rather prefer we spend connectors nowdays and do not propose good freelancers to clients - do not force them to invite as it was before + search results are broken - almost 0 organic reach):
a) organic searches are broken by upwork as they want us to buy connectors 
b) which would be managable if they would not change job prices from 2-6 connectors to 12-30 connectors (just saw job for 27 - lol - more like 100 if I have maybe 25% chance somebody will see my proposal if I won't spend another 80 so more like 180 :):):) )
c) boosting - well - boosting broke the upwork completely together with a) and b) made it into passive channel for me - I'm currently giving it one last chance this month (had one bad client that gave bad review so have to bring score to 100%) and then will treat it as passive channel. :):):)
F. managment so to speak (Fallout fan). If they want to make portal **bleep**ty (for freelancers with 14+ years of experiance and clients who will be faced with bad agencies underpaying employes and medium level work) it's their choice. I'm sure it won't be long and alternative will arise - alternative where we will have prescreening of candidates (just like on Upwork long time ago) and normal model. I even miss old provision system - it was rational - 20% on short contracts and 5% on long.... 

[khushbu_gohil]

When I search for job some are irrelevant after applying filter now this same scenario may be on client side as well when they search by keywords they get irrelevant profile and right talent can't get invite because it not visible in list

[tjmisny]

Well said, Marek.  It is becoming extremely unappealing to stick around a place that thinks so little of me!  

[ccc7b8bd]

"UpWork is creating an window of opportunity for another startup to address this issue and take most of their market share." jep and I'm looking for it already. We are living in gen Z time - I'm sure somebody is working on it. And we will have it by the end of the year. Both clients and freelancers NEED platform where they can meet - and cooperate - on higher level without spam and **bleep**ty workers. 😞

[khushbu_gohil]

Another startup 🤔?

[crart]

Aye, we need new platform but for the love of whatever god, not run by the same suits that ruin run this deserted casino 😂

[7ba56d1a]

It would be interesting to see if these platforms share the same large investors. 

[jarankowsky]

A key matter that Upwork is now profitable after personnel cuts and the migration to a pay-to-play model. This will please shareholders, and is typical of a late stage startup that is ready to milk its market share until the end.   The model of good freelance work at fair rates + low rates jobs was too erratic in volume and too high in administrative cost to sustain the platform.  

I agree that they are squeezing a year or two until they sell the platform or merge with a competitor.  Given the severe recesson on the tech and finance industries, I doubt fiverr and the rest are any better.

Any competitor looking to do what Elance did quite well (to a lesser degree, Odesk) will need to wait for a proper economic outlook for the digital, tech and remote work industries.

Meanwhile, brick and mortar are in full operation: mining, contract work, logistics, light and heavy industry, healthcare and energy are in no recession at all, though of course not in bonanza.

[7ba56d1a]

Fiverr reported loss of 200K active buyers in 2023 and from freelancer feedback I've seen recently it seems like that trend is continuing. 

[khushbu_gohil]

Why that situation happen? Algorithms or something is change right

[diego-ponciano]

The level of greed here is ridiculous. I have been on upwork for years and this is just unbearable, will be looking for alternatives.

[cc2206fe]

this is exactly how I feel as well. 

[lucioric]

Better I will get back to buildiong my sample web site to include it in my, Fiverr, profile!.

[srmajors]

I just saw a job that I would like to apply to and they are asking for 21 connects to submit a proposal! WTF? Upwork has become a joke for those looking for work. Even though I have had success finding help for my business but that's it.

[the-right-writer]

How much is the job paying? 21 connects might not be a bad ROI depending on the job.

[tjmisny]

Considering that (according to my personal data), less than 19% of jobs hire... it's extremely long odds that this job will not only hire (1/5 odds) but hire Shelly (could be 1/50 odds ontop of the 1/5 depending on the number of applicants).  Depressing stuff.  

[fred-derf]

Considering that (according to my personal data), less than 19% of jobs hire...

Yeh, my hire rate is far lower. One job from over 120 proposals.

That solo hire was an eight-connect bid. 

Is rather convoluted to see how the "connect" are all over the place. A quick, short, lowball video edit job might cost 16 connects while an ongoing, long-term offer has a 7 connect spend.

I tend to think the "connects" are determined by some "wheel of fortune" with the majority of its wedges having 16-plus.

Here at Upwork Casino dump your tokens into the slots.

[tjmisny]

James - it's 19% of jobs hired SOMEBODY.  I got less than 1% of the sample size of 306.  

[fred-derf]

21 connects might not be a bad ROI depending on the job.

Perhaps, if the job is ongoing with a high rate. 

[the-right-writer]

Investing $3.15 cents is very little, even combined with most freelancers costs. It costs me far more than that to present a nice cover letter and credentials to a potential client in the physical world.

[spectralua]

I posted example where you can earn $0.28. You need work 12 hours just to cover $3.15 spent. 😸

[fred-derf]

Apply now, but if hired hold out for $0.38!!! 😂🤣

[fred-derf]

 It costs me far more than that to present a nice cover letter and credentials to a potential client in the physical world.

Sure. I have done that too. 

BIG DIFFERENCE ALERT:

In those "real world" cases once you get the job you are not going to continue paying...someone, not yourself 10% of the earnings.

Investing $3.15 cents is very little, even combined with most freelancers costs.

So yes, the few bucks is very little but with the plethora of scammers, lowball rates, etc. that $3.15 inflates to hundreds of dollars. I have spent that on connects in the past eight.months with just a $150 job [$135]

We have seen the comments on this board - over and over - about many who cannot get a piddly job, even though the "success" score is tops.

My specialty is in creative. There are so many hobbyists out there with their laptops and some free software. Suddenly they are another George Lucas because their friends gush over their "amazing' boucing, seasick-motion TikTok videos - "awesome" vertical videos of the Grand Canyon 😂. 

Not unlike the 1970s when photography became the rage - "I've got a Nikon camera, I love to take photographs..." Paul Simon's Kodachrome.  Everyone with a 35mm camera, two lenses and a flash were now going to be top wedding/newspaper/portrait, etc. photogs...the next Ansel Adams.

Commonplace are the $25 per edited 8-minute video "offers" many with "promises" of bonuses for quality work.

My time is money and that should be a consideration, not just the cost of "connects."

[alex-nemchyn]

Right. I even have their cardiogram.

[femmanuel1]

You weren't sending proposals when you had plenty of work? If you haven't found anything since 2023, it's on you, not Upwork. You have to continue sending proposals to land work.

[lizablau]

"it's on you, not Upwork. You have to continue sending proposals to land work."

Says a freelancer who hasn't landed work since July, 2023. 

[christieinitaly]

completely agree. I went from expert-vetted over 100k yearly via INVITES to DEAD SILENCE. Suddenly there were more spam accounts and quality jobs and rates went down across the board. I thought it may have had to do with inflation and AI - marketing budgets are often cut first. But Upwork's business decisions and algorithm changes have also iced out many of its best assets. What a pity. 

[2297e2bc]

Advertisng and martketing is the life blood of any business. Do you have the same argument that your insurance should come down because Progressive, Geico, Allstate and Liberty are on every comm break cycle. (I do) Do you have the same argument that Toyota, Jeep and GM run to many vehicle commercials? (I do). But corps have pre-allocated a percentage of income, or profit to marketing - and they have to spend it or lose it to taxes each year.

As far as my UW concern - the stock YTD is -22.32%  ALMOST 1/4 it's value.

So our choice is to pay the higher fees, connects, whatever name you want to assign and blab about it in community and do nothing to fix it. Or, watch the company fold and hope we can drag our customers to a personal communicator before the padlock goes on.

SERVICE websites are notorious for near and fatal failure - every one. So why don't you spend your energy on social media and tell the WORLD to come here for their intelectual job  and project fulfillment? Look at Truth, X,  et al.

[2297e2bc]

And the Zombie commercial is actually quite good!

You are still talking about it 1 year later

[tjmisny]

No, it's terrible.  I've only heard discussion of it in the context of - why is it so bad, why did Upwork waste money on it, who is it supposed to appeal to and most importantly...

Why did they hire an overpriced outside ad agency to produce it, when they could have hired some of the excellent Freelancers/agencies on Upwork?  

[7ba56d1a]

If I'm on social media, I'm driving traffic to my site.