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grace-artsmith
Community Member

Upwork, Please ask clients to have more specificity in ads; such as quantity

Upwork, Please require clients to be more specific in writing ads. For example, I want to apply for this ad I just came across with set budget $100.

 

I am looking for a Fashion Illustrator who can sketch designs for a fashion brand.

 

But HOW MANY sketches? And front & back views? A few pieces or an entire collection? In different colorways/prints? These are all huge factors. I want to apply but I don't know the scope of work. I've come across several ads like this.

18 REPLIES 18
m_sharman
Community Member

I am very hopeful this new approach to connects, which will make Freelancers more cautious in bidding, will help clients realize they need to be more specific in their jobs in order to attract quality freelancers.

 

I sympathize, I do. 

I sympathise as well - it's very frustrating. I'm not sure if clients are aware that freelancers are now paying to bid on projects and/or if there are any plans to encourage them to write more detailed RFPs as a result (perhaps a mod could clarify?). The type of clients who don't know how to write a proper RFP are usually also the type who will arbitrarily select "3 months" as their project duration, triggering higher connect charges. (Just to clarify, I personally don't mind paying for connects - not yet, anyway - but I don't want to be unfairly charged for a project that'll take 2 hours, either.) Upwork will probably end up losing clients under the new system; contrary to what we've been told, I highly doubt that all of them will be overjoyed when their vaguely worded, 6-connect projects attract less than 10 bids.

I agree. Client's fill the project length field merely as a place holder. they are not sure how long this task or job will go. Almost of them put more than 6 months so that they can attract expert freelancers under the impression of a long lasting business relationship.

AveryO
Community Manager
Community Manager

Hi everyone, 

 

We know clients at times do not provide all the information a freelancer needs to evaluate a project. In cases where you feel not enough info is provided or you have concerns about the client, you may want to skip the post and not submit a proposal. On our end, we do try to help clients create great job posts by offering helpful tools and resources and we also reach out to offer assistance.  Going forward, we will continue to look for ways to help clients post more complete, clearer job descriptions.


~ Avery
Upwork
bhavyaseo
Community Member

Hello techies,

I realized that Upwork rolled out an update that connects required for a job depends upon the Project length. As I started submitting a proposal today I saw I need 6 connects for a task which is just 1-2 hours of work (see attached image), but Client put up project length for more than 6 months (image attached). I completely agree 6 connects pricing is not a bad deal if a project goes long for 6 months, But who gurantees? 

 

What happens client close the contract after getting first issue resolved?

 

Every other client promises to go for a long relationship but very few ones does.

 

connects issue 1.PNGconnects issue.PNG

 

 

Yes, this issue has been debated in the forums since it began rolling out and there is a clear issue with the pricing - or Upwork just intends to charge 6 connects for all jobs??

 

I'm hoping once the program is fully implemented there will be clarity in  how connects are assigned to jobs - or at least something we can see as consistent. 


Miriam H wrote:

Yes, this issue has been debated in the forums since it began rolling out and there is a clear issue with the pricing - or Upwork just intends to charge 6 connects for all jobs??

 

I'm hoping once the program is fully implemented there will be clarity in  how connects are assigned to jobs - or at least something we can see as consistent. 


I'm not nearly as hopeful as you are; the connects pricing is determined by the client's own description of their needs, and we all know how reliable that is. A mod did say on another thread that they'll make adjustments to the connects required if a project receives too many or too few bids, but I don't think that this will address the problem; once a project has been posted for a few days, most people stop bidding on it (or the client stops checking for new bids), so it'll be too late to make adjustments.


Christine A wrote:


I'm not nearly as hopeful as you are; the connects pricing is determined by the client's own description of their needs, and we all know how reliable that is. A mod did say on another thread that they'll make adjustments to the connects required if a project receives too many or too few bids, but I don't think that this will address the problem; once a project has been posted for a few days, most people stop bidding on it (or the client stops checking for new bids), so it'll be too late to make adjustments.


Yes, my point is, I'm hoping Upwork creates a simpler approach to assigning connects that "levels the playing field" so speak to address the difficulty clients have in accurately estimating the cost/time of their jobs.  Or, as I mentioned, just make everything one flat  price.  

AveryO
Community Manager
Community Manager

Hi Miss, 


Thanks for reaching out. At times, jobs might require fewer Connects because the client listed a smaller budget by mistake or because they were unsure of the budget. We are looking at ways to more accurately set the Connects needed to submit a proposal to job posts like these (where the client might indicate an incorrect budget or project length). We also recommend carefully reading the entire project description to see if the client shared more information there, rather than determining the value of a job based on the Connects needed. 


~ Avery
Upwork
55f1c5af
Community Member

I've seen a handful of these pop up on my job feed already, but this project probably takes the cake. A prospective client wants to hire 99 freelancers to manage their social media handles on a monthly basis for an outrageously low fixed priced. The project description was less than a complete sentence and contained a typo. I promptly reported it. Attaching 4 connects to submit a proposal for this dumpster fire is laughable at best. Of course, it's easy for a freelancer to ignore the project and move along to a more favorable prospect. I know UpWork provides the client with project posting guidelines, but is there a bot or review system being developed to scan and approve these projects before they are posted to avoid wasting ours and the client's time? 

petra_r
Community Member


Ash C wrote:

I've seen a handful of these pop up on my job feed already, but this project probably takes the cake. A prospective client wants to hire 99 freelancers to manage their social media handles on a monthly basis for an outrageously low fixed priced. The project description was less than a complete sentence and contained a typo. I promptly reported it.


It's  like a freelancer IQ test. If freelancers apply to obvious nonsense jobs (or fall for obvious scams) it sooner or later eliminates them from the marketplace.

 

Sort of Darvin's law for freelancers. It makes sense to let the dumb eliminate themselves.

I'd personally rather Upwork didn't spend the money I pay them protecting people who aren't fit to play on a global marketplace from themselves.

I think there are quite few assumptions packed in that response.


First of all, I don't think anyone doesn't realize it's a scam.  That was my point.  It should not be the case that it's worth 4 or 6 connects.  That's not something one notices becuase they are brilliant; that's obvious.  Hence my writing the email.

 

Secondly, people don't bid on these low end projects because they don't know better, lol.

 

I am new to this site.  Which means that I have no work history on this site.  So when a client sees me, unless he is willing to read, he doesn't know that I have done a lot of very good work, directly with pretty (VERY) cool clients.  Which is sad, because he may opt for a lesser talent based on the fact that I don't have the work history and reviews on this site.

 

I understand that I may have to bid for work below my experience level since I don't have a profile here.  And I'm willing to do that, because I understand that's how the world works.  Once I start getting the work on this site, I will not bid for those projects anymore.

 

But while I am willing to bid for projects below my experience, it does not mean that I accept spending 4 connects for $15 worth of work.  And I don't believe that falls in line with being a "community" with "integrity," a reputation that Upwork would want to have to attract, and keep, more freelancers, and clients.

 

I'm sorry, that's just bad logic.

 

cmw

Hello Community - 

 

I am new to using the site.  I've been a member for a while, but I started a new job.  I've just gotten to the point where I can freelance again.

 

I started right before the connects change.  I understand why they did it, and I am OK with it.  I opted to pay the $14.99 per month as it seemed like a good deal.

 

When I started, I rarely came across an opportunity that required more than 2 connects.  Today, I have seen quite a few opprotuntities that are asking for 4 and 6 connects, even thought the pay is less than $250.  Has anyone else noticed this?  Is this another part of the changes?

 

I don't mind paying for the connects.  While I never applied to anything for which I was not qualified, it definitely made me pause and look at other factors (how many had already been received, how many invites were sent, how many people are currently being interviewed.) 

However, if there is was also an increase in the average number of connects required to sumbit a proposal - that should have been announced as well.

 

Again, maybe it's just me.  But today is the first time I have seen that many opportunities requiring more than 2 connects.

 

Thank you for your time!

It's not only you. I observe that change as well, starting from yesterday.

bhavyaseo
Community Member

As I mentioned Client needed the issue to be fixed at the moment which require just one hour of efforts.. How we can determine if job really goes to 6 months longer or not?

bhavyaseo
Community Member

Sounds good!

andras-kovacs
Community Member

Totally agree with Liezel. But UpWork could help easily. A clarification board should be placed under each job postings. Then freelancers would be able to ask questions before wasting 2-6 connects.

r_satta
Community Member

Most of the comments will say "Just skip the offer if you don't feel like it" leaving it as it is, hoping that the clients someday and somehow will change their behaviour. 

Yes, obviously we are going to skip those offers, but the problem will still remain. Saying "just don't send a proposal" or "let the idiots take those jobs" means you want us to avoid one of the oldest Upwork problem (and it still persists thanks to this particular mindset).

We are not talking about 1 out of 100 offers that lack info here, we are talking about usually 4-5 offers out of ten.

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