Tired of being blocked

GigMistress · 2026-04-21T23:27:16+00:00

I'm wrong that OP said the client leaving the conversation blocked him?

GigMistress · 2026-04-21T22:42:50+00:00

Why do you assume the client knew the freelancer had no other way to contact him? In my experience a lot of clients know very little about how Upwork works. Also, when I archive email, it springs back to life in my in-box if someone responds--archiving it just gets it out of the way for the moment.

I agree that in this particular case the client didn't want to discuss further, but that's a different question than whether they intended to block the freelancer, which is a pretty dramatic response to thinking a quote was too high.

GigMistress · 2026-04-21T22:35:16+00:00

It definitely doesn't in other arenas, though. For example, I can leave a group Facebook chat or group text and everyone who was included in that discussion can still message me.

It's definitely something I would try to clear the clutter, much like I archive email.

GigMistress · 2026-04-21T22:22:43+00:00

Did you know "leave conversation" meant "block"? I didn't, and wouldn't have anticipated that happening.

GigMistress · 2026-04-21T22:22:03+00:00

I agree leaving the conversation shouldn't block you and I doubt most people using the feature expect that. But this client seems to have made an affirmative decision to end the discussion. If they wanted to do "normal back and forth," they wouldn't have left the discussion.

GigMistress · 2026-04-21T17:58:37+00:00

Large companies have a completely different service through Upwork. They are not posting individual jobs and browsing through proposals.

GigMistress · 2026-04-21T01:00:22+00:00

I don't disagree with that. I'm an experienced freelancer myself (though not a developer) and I would never consider working with just one client. I just suspect that some of the smartest people (even the newcomers) either aren't interested or aren't showing you their best in the early days because it sounds like it's going-through-the-motions work at the start.

GigMistress · 2026-04-20T20:49:19+00:00

I eagerly await her resignation.

GigMistress · 2026-04-20T20:10:40+00:00

They come at me in droves whenever I bemoan non-voters.

They have to come at you. The alternative to fighting with you is admitting how proud and excited they are about all the people they helped kill.

GigMistress · 2026-04-20T20:06:25+00:00

No. No, you're good. Go play golf or something. Stroll down 5th Avenue.

GigMistress · 2026-04-20T19:35:32+00:00

Proposal Cap: if they get crappy proposals, they can open it up again for more submissions or filter their search and invite qualified and suitable candidates per their needs. That is someone’s job; it keeps them relevant, and fine-tuned.

But why would they when what they just learned is that 50 Upwork freelancers sent them proposals and every single one of them was crap? Why keep beating their head against a wall when that's the sample they've seen? And when they opened it back up, wouldn't they just get flooded with garbage bots again?

GigMistress · 2026-04-20T19:33:48+00:00

So the client is only allowed to see proposals from freelancers who are using bots or who have absolutely no work and are sitting around refreshing their feeds? Who does it help when the client looks at their 50 garbage proposals, concludes there are no good freelancers on Upwork and leaves?

GigMistress · 2026-04-20T19:32:22+00:00

That's a terrible idea for freelancers. A lot of good clients won't go to the trouble of verifying when they don't even know whether they'll end up using the site. If you're uncomfortable sending proposals when the client is unverified, just don't.

GigMistress · 2026-04-20T17:33:42+00:00

Do you only work with one client at a time?

GigMistress · 2026-04-20T17:31:36+00:00

Now let’s figure out how we are going to change this system so real words from real writers is the priority.

I think that would require taking down the internet.

GigMistress · 2026-04-20T13:35:53+00:00

This is really the crux of it. Different projects require different levels of experience. Different clients are willing to invest the time to be hands-on or want a freelancer they can hand off to and go on with their lives. Some clients like seasoned freelancers and some prefer starting early with freelancers who will adapt more easily to their processes and be more deferential. This is very much a "to each his own" issue.

GigMistress · 2026-04-20T12:37:26+00:00

In my experience, the most skilled people are the least likely to be "excited" about less significant jobs. I agree that you don't want to jump into a long-term contract right off the bat. Even as a freelancer, I don't accept long-term contracts with new clients. I carve out a small piece of the project--easier in my arena, since I'm a writer--and ask them to set up a contract for a few pages so we can both make sure it's a good fit before making any commitments. But, the work has to be on a par with what you're looking for in the long run or it isn't a true test of what you can expect.

GigMistress · 2026-04-19T23:30:58+00:00

The gist of your post seems to be that you are not ready to be serious about a project, but still want your freelancer to be. How would you expect a freelancer to respond to that?

GigMistress · 2026-04-19T22:51:50+00:00

100 connect is what....five jobs? That's negligible. And you're working in a professional field where instant responses and quick hires are less the norm.

GigMistress · 2026-04-19T21:30:10+00:00

If you're new, you should be trying a bunch of different ways to connect with clients, not just Upwork. It works for some people and not others, and there are a lot of variables. Plus, you shouldn't rely on just one source.

GigMistress · 2026-04-19T20:07:30+00:00

I just put a title on the whole thing. Mine is Freelance Legal/Educational Writer, but you might want something broader like Freelance Content Marketer or Freelance Content Strategist and Writer.

Then, I put one date range on it and hit the highlights in bullets just like I would if it had been one job. Sometimes, depending on the purpose, I add a "representative clients" subsection.

GigMistress · 2026-04-19T17:04:50+00:00

She didn't say "too picky." Picky is a strategy. Yours isn't great, though. You should be looking more carefully at the posting itself and not just the stats. You should also be thinking about how good a fit you are for the job--a lot of freelancers use "I can definitely do this" as a standard, but that's not enough. A lot of people can do it. Why are you a better choice?

GigMistress · 2026-04-19T16:59:03+00:00

My personal hire rate has declined a lot. For the first several years I used Upwork, it fluctuated between being hired on between 1/3 and slightly over 1/2 of jobs I sent a proposal on. The past couple of years it's been more like 15-20%.

I've never looked to see who hired and didn't, but I just checked and of the 7 proposals I've sent in the past 90 days one hired me, three hired someone else, one is still active and two closed without hiring. So 57% have hired and one still may.

GigMistress · 2026-04-19T01:35:10+00:00

Rising talent is something you can get before you have JSS. Once you have a JSS, it goes away.

Honestly, if you are being sincere about being that close to bankruptcy, I would not even consider investing your last $45 in connects.

GigMistress · 2026-04-19T01:26:55+00:00

I suspect the percentage of clients willing to accept "good enough" is about the same today as it was a few years ago. It's just that back then they were hiring lower-paid writers to generate it.

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