oDesk hiding job applicants - A PUNCH IN THE FACE TO ESTABLISHED CONTRACTORS!

[jbampton]

I am both a client and a contractor. Plus I worked as a hiring manager on one team. I have earned over $50,000 on this platform, that is a nice little sum of money that oDesk has got from me. Plus my clients and myself have spent money through this platform. So it would be closer to 60 grand if not more! I used to get plenty of interviews when I applied for jobs. Now I get no interviews. I know for sure that my application is being hidden. This feature is a blatant PUNCH IN THE FACE to established oDesk contractors. This feature does not work as I have posted a few jobs recently and the best, most experienced contractors are hidden. These are the ones who previously were earning the most money for oDesk. They charge decent hourly rates and have done a lot of hours. Now they are hidden just like I am. There are so many things wrong with this platform and most of them have been introduced in the last twelve months. For example how can a contractor who has done one job with one feedback be ranked ahead of me (I have done 261 jobs) in the contractor search results? It's just not logical. I have given up applying on oDesk because its a waste of time now with this hidden feature. Conversely I am having much greater success on Elance where the contractor search results are relevant, where you get rewarded for earning more, and I get a lot of interviews on Elance. Also oDesk pays next to nothing to the majority of its workforce and they hide the payment amount or hourly rate on their contractors profiles because they are EMBARRASSED to show the slave wages that they pay. It's obvious why oDesk has gone downhill recently because they hire inexperienced people for just a few dollars per hour in the majority of cases. GARY SWART TAKE NOTICE - your best and brightest contractors are now leaving the platform!

[msayno]

Odesk wants to give newbies and the likes an opportunity to earn (more) and hopefully become established as well? That's the only reason I can think of.. other than something's broken hehe 😉

[corati]

Well, two days ago I applied for a job and (this time) I was not hidden, so I got an interview, than I got the job, (I did it, then I got 5 stars and then I got a bonus !). The thing is, I think I was not hidden this time because there were only 6 applicants and may be the algorithm doesn't work when there are so few applicants. Or may be because the job's name was neither translation nor proofreading, because it seems I'm getting hidden each time I apply for translation English to French or proofreading French ! Well, it's true that it would be better if we knew when applying that we're going to be hidden : last time I wrote a nice cover letter and answered 5 or 6 questions where I had to explain all my Professional experience etc... if I had known I would be hidden, I would simply not have applied !

[margaretphillips]

I posted a private job and invited 4 people and they were all automatically hidden so your theory that if there are only 6 applicants, none are hidden is faulty. I have earned well over $200,000 on this platform and have not gotten any responses from applications I have sent out in the last month. This is definitely extremely unusual for me. Agree with John B. 100%, this site is totally broken. I keep getting emails from oDesk telling me they value me only this is not exactly the way to show it.

[gmang]

I haven't make any bid in a month at oDesk, but I used to get one invitation per day and I haven't got a single one since this change was implemented. oDesk used to be my primary target, but I do much better at Elance now.

[78f01e7b]

I also posted a job a couple of weeks ago and pain-stakingly went through like 50 CVs and finally invited 16 or so applicants that seemed to match the style I was looking for, but only 4 actually accepted my invitation. I found that really strange. The one out of the 4 that I chose wasn't that experienced and he didn't really produce what I wanted at all...so I paid for the first draft of the work that was done and decided that I might as well just do it myself...which would have been my first choice, but I simply don't have time, which is why I'm on oDesk in the first place.

[islam_odesk]

oDesk was a very good platform I ever known. But now a days, it is marked as a very BAD platform on my opinion. I am working here since 3+ years. But the recent time, oDesk changed MANY terms which has created big problems for the old and experienced contractor. odesk has bound contractors to bid a minimum rate (for me, it is USD 3), but Maximum Buyer (almost 95%, i seen) wants contractors at a lower rate. So the experienced contrctors not getting any job. I am also without work since 5 months, though I am very experienced. I think, the rules were the best which was 1 years later. Shame to oDesk to not valuing old contractors whoes took odesk current situation.

[neemashrikant]

.

[lorrainelim]

This is very disappointing to hear. Maybe that is why I didn't get a single interview from my job applications in the last 2 weeks even though I have completed more than 200+ projects here. There must be a better way to sort contractors than by hiding applicants. This is very unfair because some of us spend hours applying to these jobs.

[shahzadfarukh]

That is too Bad and now I am also thinking to Leave the Odesk and go some other freelancer sites

[fagun33]

Hi jon, I completely agree with your last sentence "GARY SWART TAKE NOTICE - your best and brightest contractors are now leaving the platform!" I used to get 1 interview from 4 applications.And from last month I dont get a single interview from hundreds of applications. I am also thinking hard where to go.

[t-hall]

Let's see.. the top earners have been complaining about changes and talking about leaving for other platforms - mainly eLance - for a long time now. oDesk introduces new functions that have been bolstering the activity of the low to mid range earners and push the rest away. eLance announces the buyout of oDesk aster a period of deliberation and testing... Coincidence, or hmmmmmm.... Let the conspiracy theories begin 🙂

[msayno]

is coming...

[gmang]

Well, in my case I'm not leaving nor staying. I have always been at all websites and bid on whatever projects I find good enough. I'm getting very little from oDesk lately and a lot from Elance, but I didn't make anything different than in the previous months.

[junelle]

i think that while a lot of us surely saw the buyout coming, we weren't exactly expecting it to be eLance. in this case i guess it's safe to say it's a "proven" conspiracy theory.

[marciamalory]

Or a large number of oDesk staff believe, or know, that they will lose their jobs (often happens with a merger) and therefore don't care as much and want to do as little work as possible so they can focus on job hunting? I've flagged some very questionable job posts - hiring someone to write and submit bids for them on Elance, a job that pays only when (if) the business ever makes any money - and been told that there was nothing wrong with them and oDesk wasn't going to take any action.

[kugrin]

Pretty obvious that oDesk is out of funds which explains why they've been notoriously understaffed for a year now. Mismanagement at its finest. This is what happens when companies chase unprofitable growth at the expense of their long-term customers. oDesk is a sinking ship that can't even afford to keep up appearances anymore.

[natacharodriguez]

Why the merger happened While the two companies have mouthed the usual reasons why mergers happen – “We think we can do a better job this way,” the press release says, for both freelancers and the companies that hire them. In reality, there are several big reasons why mergers usually happen: One of the companies is or will soon be out of money One or both of the companies is losing the competitive/branding war One of the companies covets the technology, executive brainpower and/or client list of the other One of the founding teams wants to cash out The market opportunity is shrinking and combining forces increases odds of surviving a shakeout Any of 1-4 might be in play here — the companies are privately held, so their financial details aren’t public knowledge. oDesk’s CEO is the one stepping down, so that tells you who the weak sister is in this deal. The one new fact they released: The two companies have $750 million in combined annual billings. That’s not what they make, but the total freelancers billed on Elance and oDesk combined in 2013. I’m sure you can do that math: With 8 million freelancers, that means the average freelancer on Elance/oDesk makes under $100 a year. Before the platforms take their cut. Hopefully, if you ever thought these platforms were a place to make a living, you’re now cured. But I digress. Let me draw your attention to #5 there. Because that’s the one that is a sure thing here. ............................. There must be changes because the point of any merger is to create a larger, more efficient company with higher profits, so that the owners get even richer If the two companies were to go on as before, there would be no efficiencies realized and no additional profit. So steps will be taken to streamline the company. Usually, one company’s technology and systems will be chosen and their team will run both brands, while the other team is laid off to save money. That will leave freelancers at one of the sites to learn new systems. Sooner or later, there will only be one headquarters. Cuts or changes in editorial staff are likely as well. Often, in the end, they will loot one brand for its technology or client list, gut it, and then close it down to give the winning brand more combined power. Could happen eventually with oDesk. Read full article here

[sivavranagaro]

This make me so sad now. oDesk is my main income to pay bills, a rent, everything. 😞

[mafocsa]

Very well written, thank you for sharing!

[neemashrikant]

I think thats true!!!!!

[japan2usa]

The big difference is eLance CHARGES FEES for the stuff oDesk gives us for "free" (out of our earned fees), so if oDesk stays broken I am NOT going to eLance.

[jchrishume]

Sorry, hidden? I know I live in a bubble but I have no idea what this is all about. Do you mean that even if a client invites me to interview that my reply is hidden from them? Why? Makes no sense to me whatsoever. Why let them invite their choice of contractors in the first place then?

[gmang]

Hola. I think upon invitation you are not hidden anymore. I happened during the past month, tho.

[stephenbrightman]

oDesk recently announced/admitted that they'd introduced a wonderful new algorithm that looks at every application and decides whether or not to hide it from the addressee, without in any way letting the applicant know whether or not their application was even delivered. It leavers freelancers like me and plenty more suddenly having no replies for weeks on end, but without even having any proof thatit's because our applications were hidden or not. It's very serious, but oDesk seem to think it's OK because they announced it in a random blog on some arcane page sometime last summer. Look around the forum a bit and you'll learn more.

[gmang]

Yes, but they fixed the "hidden even when invited" bit. The rest stays the same.

[tarikul96]

Recently I am also facing this problem with oDesk.As we know this that, oDesk provides high quality services to all of its contractors and clients. So, I hope oDesk will look forward to this problem and will try to solve ASAP.

[zcrendel]

Just have a look at the vote results it has 9.0 value, but shows only 8 stars o_O what a shame.

[mdhasan27]

I'm really unhappy. I already complete 50 project. My profile hour 2800+ and my feedback score 4.35. so why I hide any all job post. I also a Client. Many times I cheek with my client profile. always I go hide position. oDesk need to change this system very short time otherwise we are helpless.

[stephenbrightman]

What is the English like in your cover letters? I ask because strangely while it seems not perfect but fine on your profile, (and you assess yourself as 5/5) the above post is like a 2-3 /5. How good is your English really?? You say you've "complete 50 project. My profile hour 2800+ and my feedback score 4.35." yet the link to your profile on this post says you've done five jobs, 2 hours and 5.0 score. maybe you're being hidden because there's two of you, or the algorithm can't work out who you are...

[leguho]

I think he used google on the spelling test to get 1st place. And he got fast hands and good internet connection to do it.:D

[marciamalory]

At least part of your profile is plagiarised or and/or you are using multiple identities. Considering the discrepancy between your English level on the the forum and your English level on your profile, I'd say plagiarised. Don't use oDesk's whacky algorithms as an excuse for not developing your skills so you can obtain work honestly.

[saif-russel]

This is disappointing that oDesk may have start a new feature like this !! I got a minimum amount of job interview every week but last 2 month I just got 1 single job for only $25 !!!! I don't understanding whats happening here, but may be I have to leave oDesk.

[polenbee]

Yes, it has a clearly visible impact on getting jobs. I really dislike this feature. Even the clients are just fine without this. Its better to remove this.

[ahmadtanvir]

"GARY SWART TAKE NOTICE - your best and brightest contractors are now leaving the platform!" I guess he does't care about this.

[japan2usa]

The following is the (privacy edited) text of a support ticket I just turned in. I'll share the response when I get it. I and four other translators have been personally harmed (along with all the rest of you) by this so-called "software experiment": ******* Thank heaven for support agents like Ali, and best wishes to all the oDeskers AND CLIENTS being harmed by this idiocy. Don't give up!!! COMPLAIN!! ~Chika *[Removed by Admin]

[lorrainelim]

Well, there is only so much that support can do. I worked in a tech support role before and I feel that customer support is just there to allow people to vent. This department is seldom useful in resolving issues until the complaint is escalated to the engineering team. In this case I think the person you chatted with would have done nothing about this issue because the "feature" is already known.

[expuser]

***** Aleksey Bochkov *[Removed by Admin]

[vnovak]

Yes, a lot of things done at oDesk last couple years make it looks similar to Fiverr. Thousands of unexperienced members compete with each other and drop estimates to $5 range. Best match in Search Results is a kick in a face to all sides - huge amount of not relevant results in all. Everything, looks like oDesk specified some "level", some constraint - if contractor break this level of experience, of quality, of projects budget - he can leave this place, because it is turning in waste of time here.. I am also almost leaved this place, but was toppest provider with lot of "oDesk Best Of" monthly awards.

[dale315]

I'm not sure what you mean by hidden - are you saying that even though you apply for a job, the client never sees your application? Your application's been blocked somehow? (This is a problem of sharing a common language.) Also - if clients browse for freelancers with certain qualifications, are some of those freelancers who should show up in the search, not being displayed? As for the wages paid by clients, I do believe that the clients themselves have the option of displaying their budget or not. Take good care, Dale