barraged with job offers...then none.

[Steve T]

Has anyone else experienced this phenomenon?  Every once in a while, I get barraged with job offers, often times over 15 a day, for 2-3 days.  Then, suddenly, it all goes blank and I go weeks without receiving a single offer.  Is there any explanation for this? 

[Ramon B]

Yes, currently, a dry spell always follows success with such regularity that I'm almost convinced it's not a coincidence.

[Steve T]

As am i!  I cannot believe that my profile would appear at or near the top of client's searches for a few days and then suddenly disappear.  Is this a "ghost in the machine" or something more? 

[Ramon B]

It's impossible to tell, I've never had a successful period where I'm rushed off my feet without a period, like now, where I struggle to get more than 5-10 hours equivalent a week. It happens so frequently, you start to think dark thoughts as to whether there's some sort of wider design to all this.

[Gyan D]

Similar experience here. A stream of invites, and then nothing.

I feel fairly certain that oDesk is trying to spread the love around. By shuffling the list of recommended freelancers, it tries to keep everyone coming back to the site. If you have a few freelancers monopolizing the job awards persistently , then that will gradually thin the ranks of active freelancers.

[Steve T]

Gyan,

I too have suspected that oDesk does shuffle the deck, as you say, every so often.  That theory offers the most reasonable explanation.  The question is, would the powers that be ever admit to that practice, if, in fact, it is a practice?

[Ramon B]

Bit like Candy Crush really, just as you're on the verge of giving up, it throws you a bone.

[Crispiniano C]

Hello Steve.  You're not alone in that kind of drought actually. Count me in!

[Steve T]

Update: So I was told by oDesk support, that the freelancers that are "suggested" to clients through their search parameters are "...likely rotated, which is why there is probably a lull between these periods."  Not sure how I feel about that...