Upwork should refund connects if the client doesn't hire anyone within a specific time duration.

[majidali99]

I have saved almost 50 jobs in the last two weeks and what I see is that the majority of the jobs are still open and no hires by the client. Shouldn't UP refund the freelancers their connects? I also have applied to almost 10 jobs in the last 2 weeks and 2 or three clients has hired someone/me but the rest of them are still open with no activity. 

[wlyonsatl]

Majid,

It is my understanding Upwork has said it wants to reduce the number of proposals freelancers submit on job postings across the board.

That will likely happen if Upwork makes it more expensive for freelancers to submit proposals. (Losing freelancers at the low end of the average project cost spectrum is also likely, which may be a plus for Upwork's profitability.)

Not returning "spent" connects to freelancers is one way for Upwork to make submitting proposals more expensive, so it is unlikely Upwork will change its policies in this respect. 

[majidali99]

Yes, I understand the policy of UP and I admire that. UP wants to reduce the no. of proposals on posts but a client doesn't hire anyone then its not a freelance's mistake. Its client mistake. And there are many clients who never wants to hire anyone, they just post a job.

[versailles]

---

Majid A wrote:
Yes, I understand the policy of UP and I admire that. UP wants to reduce the no. of proposals on posts but a client doesn't hire anyone then its not a freelance's mistake. Its client mistake. And there are many clients who never wants to hire anyone, they just post a job.

---

It's possible. But forget about returning connects, it won't happen. They just made freelancers pay for connects, they will not give them back. As soon as you make peace with the idea that connects won't be returned, the better you will feel about this.

[florydev]

 Its client mistake. And there are many clients who never wants to hire anyone, they just post a job.

---

How do you know this?  

Personally I think it is unknowable why a client doesn't hire on a job but it seems illogical to go through the fun of posting on Upwork (and it isn't) just for the thrill of wasting people's connects (which I am not sure most clients are even aware exist).

You are easily the 100th person to post this on the forum and every time I think the same thing.  You can't believe they didn't find ANYONE they liked because you were in that pool.  

The key, I believe, is to fire and forget and move on.  If you are proposing on 100 jobs a month, which seems really high to me, how many of those are you getting, how much will you need to modify your rate and project costs to cover for your expenses?  If your win rate is low is it because clients are posting fake jobs, something beyond your control, or is there something you can control.