This is truly sad...

[Virginia F]

---

Preston H wrote:

A $5.00 minimum is fine.

There are jobs I'll do for $5.00.

If Upwork allows this freedom to freelancers, it doesn't mean you need to do jobs for that amount. You can establish any mininum you want for yourself.

---

No ... it's not fine.  You make enough $ that you can afford to work for free once in awhile (because when all is said and done, it is essentially working for free). And you know as well as I do that most people who take those jobs are being taken advantage of - they end up being way more than a $5 job. But more than anything, I do not understand how UW is not embarrassed to allow such jobs.

[Jennifer R]

---

Virginia F wrote:

---

Preston H wrote:

A $5.00 minimum is fine.

There are jobs I'll do for $5.00.

If Upwork allows this freedom to freelancers, it doesn't mean you need to do jobs for that amount. You can establish any mininum you want for yourself.

---

No ... it's not fine.  You make enough $ that you can afford to work for free once in awhile (because when all is said and done, it is essentially working for free). And you know as well as I do that most people who take those jobs are being taken advantage of - they end up being way more than a $5 job. But more than anything, I do not understand how UW is not embarrassed to allow such jobs.

---

It depends on the amount of work. I have a regular client that need translation with max 80 words every now and then. It takes less then 5 minutes but it is a new contract everytime and I just crossed the $100 line. I always celebrate a completed job and sometimes these translations cheer me up when I really need it.

[Virginia F]

---

Jennifer R wrote:

---

Virginia F wrote:

---

Preston H wrote:

A $5.00 minimum is fine.

There are jobs I'll do for $5.00.

If Upwork allows this freedom to freelancers, it doesn't mean you need to do jobs for that amount. You can establish any mininum you want for yourself.

---

No ... it's not fine.  You make enough $ that you can afford to work for free once in awhile (because when all is said and done, it is essentially working for free). And you know as well as I do that most people who take those jobs are being taken advantage of - they end up being way more than a $5 job. But more than anything, I do not understand how UW is not embarrassed to allow such jobs.

---

It depends on the amount of work. I have a regular client that need translation with max 80 words every now and then. It takes less then 5 minutes but it is a new contract everytime and I just crossed the $100 line. I always celebrate a completed job and sometimes these translations cheer me up when I really need it.

---

You and Preston both are missing my point, so I'll give up. Yes, $5 is fine, and what's also fine is how much is left after Upwork's fees and self-employment taxes. Yeah, that's just fine.

[Kim F]

Apart from anything else, a more sensible minimum (though I would prefer $50) would immediately raise the perceived standard of Upwork as higher than those other places that instantly spring to mind.  My mind boggles at the thought that Upwork prefers not to try to attract people who are prepared to spend more money...

[Wendy C]

I agree with Kim.  Settting a $50 minimum on jobs reflects a more professional aspect that I would think U wanrts and needs to develop.

This is even more true in light of the announcement of Upwork Plus for Clients  (see here:  

https://community.upwork.com/t5/Announcements/Introducing-Upwork-Plus-for-Clients/td-p/567998)

It is tantamount to impossible to create the image of competency that large corporations demand while allowing $1 or $5 jobs. It is equally impossible to retain top tier freelancers when stabbing them in the back as per full details in the link above.

[Virginia F]

---

@wendy_writes wrote:

I agree with Kim.  Settting a $50 minimum on jobs reflects a more professional aspect that I would think U wanrts and needs to develop.

This is even more true in light of the announcement of Upwork Plus for Clients  (see here:  

https://community.upwork.com/t5/Announcements/Introducing-Upwork-Plus-for-Clients/td-p/567998)

It is tantamount to impossible to create the image of competency that large corporations demand while allowing $1 or $5 jobs. It is equally impossible to retain top tier freelancers when stabbing them in the back as per full details in the link above.

Thank you for stating things much better than I did, Wendy. Glad someone understands where I'm coming from.

---

[Jennifer R]

---

Kim F wrote:

Apart from anything else, a more sensible minimum (though I would prefer $50) would immediately raise the perceived standard of Upwork as higher than those other places that instantly spring to mind.  My mind boggles at the thought that Upwork prefers not to try to attract people who are prepared to spend more money...

---

If Upwork would be interested to raise the standard, they would:

• use better test,
• take a closer look at the freelancers self-attested qualification,
• get rid of all these freelancers looking for some easy money.

Once you improve the quality provided by the freelancers you can aim for higher rates as well.

[Jennifer R]

---

Virginia F wrote:

---

Jennifer R wrote:

---

Virginia F wrote:

---

Preston H wrote:

A $5.00 minimum is fine.

There are jobs I'll do for $5.00.

If Upwork allows this freedom to freelancers, it doesn't mean you need to do jobs for that amount. You can establish any mininum you want for yourself.

---

No ... it's not fine.  You make enough $ that you can afford to work for free once in awhile (because when all is said and done, it is essentially working for free). And you know as well as I do that most people who take those jobs are being taken advantage of - they end up being way more than a $5 job. But more than anything, I do not understand how UW is not embarrassed to allow such jobs.

---

It depends on the amount of work. I have a regular client that need translation with max 80 words every now and then. It takes less then 5 minutes but it is a new contract everytime and I just crossed the $100 line. I always celebrate a completed job and sometimes these translations cheer me up when I really need it.

---

You and Preston both are missing my point, so I'll give up. Yes, $5 is fine, and what's also fine is how much is left after Upwork's fees and self-employment taxes. Yeah, that's just fine.

---

I am not missing your point. It is a difference if a client offers 1ct or 7 ct per word. 1ct is not ok but happens all the time. As long as freelancers agree to these low rates and clients do not care about the consequences of a poor translation you can discuss as much as you like without reaching a conclusion. You do not have to agree to take on small jobs but you cannot exclude serious clients only because they have small jobs as well.

[Kim F]

There is a difference between adding a nominal amount for a milestone and pricing a project at the same amount. You already have an established relationship with an ongoing project and much less time and effort are expended for the money. Even if a 'new' contract occurs each time, that is still not the same as starting a contract with a new client. I still think $5 is too low, but it's clearly worth more in those circumstances.

And small jobs do not have to equate to peanuts jobs. 

(Edited to add): 'Once you improve the quality provided by the freelancers you can aim for higher rates as well.'

Chicken and egg situation. You could equally say 'once you raise the rates you can aim for higher quality freelancers'.  

[Brandon H]

Alas, I feel I have so much to like about UpWork, and so much to rage toward at the same time.   When I first started out, (only half a year ago), I was taking any small job I could get, because, while I had the education, I didn't have a portfolio.  Once I got a few articles under my belt - which, yes, were worth way more in time and content than what I was paid for them - I was able to start successfully bidding for jobs with higher rates.  (Not that I've had that many, but...)  I think that's okay if UpWork wants to be open to newbie freelancers developing their skills here.  Now I try to avoid those low paying clients, and I'm finding plenty of other postings out there with reasonable rates.  Now if I could just get those junk contracts off my record so my JSS would go back up... but that was another rant.

Anyway, I would probably like to see a higher minimum, but I liked what you originally said, Kim: "Apart from anything else, a more sensible minimum (though I would prefer $50) would immediately raise the perceived standard of Upwork as higher than those other places that instantly spring to mind.  My mind boggles at the thought that Upwork prefers not to try to attract people who are prepared to spend more money..."

I really want this platform to work, but between all that I'm reading lately - FLs being suspended for too proposal/hire ratio, this client plus nonsense, and the fee system (not that I have to pay fees, just that they act like they're not making most of their money from us), and my latest experience with JSS - I'm really starting to question it.

BTW, since my invitations have all but dried up (I'm guessing due to the JSS), I've bid for nearly 40 jobs in the past week or so (all of which match my skills and qualifications).  I really hope I get a couple of them so I don't get kicked off.

Edit/Update: Got four great (IMO) jobs (one with a previous client) just this morning.  I love UpWork again.  Until I hate them again...

Ps.  I actually took my concern to CS regarding the "sending too many proposals" issue, and they told me I was safe because I still had two open contracts... if I hadn't had any open, however, it may have been an issue - that was the implication.  So, beware on that one, everyone.  Make sure that if you're doing what I just did and spend three solid days just spendin' up those connects, that you still have some work open, or, if you don't, that you only send out proposals you're pretty sure you're gonna land.  Also, thanks for the kudos.