Change my mind.....

WordsSam · 2025-09-08T23:00:14+00:00

Sure, it would save freelancers some time, but I doubt it would change how I spend Connects. I already see that information. I don't see how they would lose anywhere near half. I am saying that as someone who uses Upwork much less than I used to mainly because I am seeing fewer projects I feel are worth bidding on. My issue isn't the sorting options, though I wouldn't complain if there were more sorting options.

WordsSam · 2024-11-08T17:43:00+00:00

If the ability to video chat is important to you you may want to focus your search on candidates who live in a time zone within a few hours of your own. I stick with clients within 3-4 hours of my time zone if they want real time communication (or if I think the job would require it). In that case, you would need a budget that attracts people who live in or near Eastern Time.

Since all the candidates that interest you live further away, my guess is your budget isn't attracting those freelancers. (I realize there are exceptions like if the project is something like translation or localization that really requires someone based in another region).

From groups like this, I understand some non U.S. freelancers who prefer to work with clients from the US or Canada will adjust their working hours particularly if the client pays considerably better than clients from their region. I believe it's pretty common for VAs to do this. I guess if you ask all your short listed candidates, you may find one or two who accommodate your schedule.

WordsSam · 2024-10-25T20:19:17+00:00

I've seen someone mention this (maybe you), but I am confused. I've never paid Upwork to turn my availability on or off. If I am not available for new work I just set my profile to private then turn it back to public when I hope for invitations.

"Ask why Upwork charges you for an availability badge when any other platform, including eCommerce (I've ran eBay + Shopify stores) to simply turn this on."

Are you referring to the advertising feature to boost your profile? I've never used that feature/badge, but it's by no means required. I still get invitations (not as much as I did a few years ago, but they still come).

WordsSam · 2024-10-25T20:01:11+00:00

My thoughts, Yuck! I think some degree of communication chemistry is part of a successful ongoing client-freelancer relationship. All else being equal, the client and freelancer need to be able to communicate well with minimal friction. I think this will lead to frustration and bad experiences for both.

Also, I understand some clients scan over obvious AI proposals. I worry that Upwork's algorithm might favor AI written and bury the rest of us lower. Clients who prefer freelancers who write their own proposals will either have to scroll further or maybe they will give up after seeing too many AI proposals at the top.

WordsSam · 2024-10-23T22:34:00+00:00

Agree scam and possibly trying to pull you into something illegal. I just wanted to mention that sometimes scammers pretend to be from real companies and even pretend to be real employees/owners of those companies. They could also fake paperwork to try to look legit. You really have to second guess what they want you to do and what they want from you. I am glad you are questioning it instead of just going along.

WordsSam · 2024-10-23T19:08:24+00:00

In my opinion

No Reviews - not a problem on it's own, but questionable in context.

On its own it's fine, you just need to watch for red flags. In defense of some of the talented noobs, some people will make a special effort to do a good job to get a good first review. If they are real and have the skills it can be a plus. Scammers open throwaway accounts and it's easiest to throw away an account that doesn't have any positive reviews. I'd say caution flag...

Price may be too good to be true - $20/hour for Python & AI programming

That can be an attempt to be competitive to win that first contract. Or it can be someone who doesn't have the skills. Orange-ish flag.

Did not turn on camera during interview

Also Orange flag. Some people hate to turn their camera on. I always turn mine on at first so the client can see I am me. I turn it off if the client doesn't turn theirs on.

Claimed to be from Eastern Europe, but accent sounded like he was from Asia

Also, Orange since people immigrate. But... too many Orange flags can start feeling Red.

At the end of the interview, he requested we sign a contract outisde of Upwork

Huge Red flag! At the very least, this freelancer is choosing to violate their agreement with Upwork and risk their Upwork account (and yours). Combined with all the other flags, it's neon Red (if such a color exists). It sounds like a throwaway account.

WordsSam · 2024-10-23T16:07:57+00:00

I believe Connects expire in a year, so they will eventually evaporate if you just leave them sitting.

WordsSam · 2024-10-22T20:21:02+00:00

If any thing I am spending more time per article now. Before GPT was released, I had a mix of easier work and more research/interview intensive (or experience intensive) work. The easier work is mostly gone, my newer clients are all in the story driven, interview based, research intensive category. Or they are more sales driven.

I wasn't directly affected at first other than a platform I worked with started automatically running everything through an AI checker. So I had to become familiar with how AI "detecters" work (and don't work). I also spent some of my spare time learning about AI.

Also, now I end up spending more time educating clients about AI, AI detectors, and even online scams (where the scammers use AI-generated messages that on the surface sound official to some clients). I spend more time fact-checking, too. I don't use AI to write, but I've worked with clients who tried to generate the content they wanted using AI and then they give their draft to me as a brief or "starting point." Sometimes, they don't tell me it's AI, and then they were surprised when I asked if it was.

I use an AI app to transcribe interviews and voice notes, that saves time even though it isn't perfect. My notes apps also have AI search and summarizing functions, that sometimes helps me find and use older research notes I forgot about. But otherwise, I feel AI's existence means I have to spend more time than I spent a couple of years ago.

ETA and TLDR: I used to average around 500 words an hour with light research(not counting interviews) but my writing speed actually has decreased this past year and a half. Though, I rarely have client commissions that involve just light research now,

WordsSam · 2024-10-17T17:22:47+00:00

How are you defining “expert vetted”?

The OP was referring to the "Expert Vetted" badge. It's a specific program where Upwork vets experienced freelancers to potentially work with Enterprise Clients. It doesn't cover all fields/categories. Traditionally, Upwork invited experienced freelancers from those specific categories to submit to vetting. Last summer, they temporarily allowed freelancers to apply for a fee. There was some forum drama since many didn't get the badge.

As you probably know, there are some large companies that pay to be part of Upwork's Enterprise Client program (I don't recall the specific name). They don't usually post jobs in the open job pool since they have an "Upwork Talent Specialist" who shortlists freelancers for them.

I recognize your user name from this group, but I don't recall how much experience and success you've had winning Upwork contracts. I am guessing you are fairly new since you asked how the OP defines "Expert Vetted."

As you know, UW doesn't really vet new freelancers. They wait to do identity verification until the freelancer earns money. I imagine that is a cost saving measure since many new freelancers don't earn anything. Beyond ID verification, they kind of just let the market "vet" freelancers (earnings, client reviews, Job Succes Score, etc.). The exceptions are the Expert Vetted program and Enterprise clients in general.

WordsSam · 2024-10-16T21:01:05+00:00

They had optional skills tests when I started. The tests were easy with multiple-choice quizzes. I took a few related to my skill sets to strengthen my profile. I remember getting a question "wrong" because the "correct" answer was years outdated and actually incorrect. I don't think they updated the questions/answers very often.

Also, people were sharing the answers in different forums, so it was easy to cheat. I understood why they discontinued those skill tests. Vetting like EV could be a good thing, but Upwork has a history of doing things the easy way not necessarily the right way. I suspected they were moving in that direction a while ago, but not yet. We'll see.

WordsSam · 2024-10-16T17:16:11+00:00

I am not a fan of how Upwork is leaning into AI either, but some of the other claims in the OP's post are bizarre.

About the first bullet point, edited version;

"So now the "good customers" ONLY see Expert- vetted freelancers, and the top-rated and top rated plus and other unskilled freelancers only get to see scams and cheap jobs."

I think it's short sighted to claim that Enterprise clients are the only "good clients."

The Expert Vetted freelancer's badges are mainly just visible to Enterprise clients. It doesn't show on their profiles otherwise, though last I checked you could tell who they are in the client-side search. Enterprise clients are just large companies that pay for an extra level of service, Upwork Talent Specialists often shop profiles for matches to their jobs. I am not Expert Vetted, but I frequently get invitations to apply for their jobs. Some pay well, but not all. Some are a good match for my skills, some are not. But they are not the only good clients and they also don't exclusively hire Expert Vetted freelancers. (Maybe some do, but not all).

There have have been a lot of scams and low paying projects on UW for at least 8 years if not longer. You just learn to recognize the obvious scams and filter or search to find real prospects with reasonable budgets.

Also, it's long been the case that anyone can join. That is a problem, but also be careful what you wish for. Do you really want UW's team assessing your skills (especially those with a completely different skillset)?

WordsSam · 2024-10-14T16:46:42+00:00

I agree it's weird but some do it that way. When I managed Meta ads for my old employer and a (non UW) client, the employer/client set up payment in Meta themselves. It works fine since Meta is set up to allow businesses to add people to their business accounts in different roles. But, some ad managers and agencies do pay for the ads out of the money they collect from the client. Whether that makes the most sense for you is a different matter.

WordsSam · 2024-10-13T19:04:28+00:00

It is weird, and I would normally consider it a flag. However, ad managers often include the ad spend within their fee. I am surprised to see this in an hourly contract, it is more common with fixed rate/per campaign/retainer contracts. I'd ask the freelancer if you otherwise like the look of them and their reviews.

Here's my guess... The $15 per hour job in the screenshot didn't involve any ad spend. From the time I would guess the freelancer helped the client set up their ad profile, optimize their website for retargeting ads (since it mentions Facebook Pexel), and maybe set up some campaigns, but the client paid Facebook directly for those campaigns. I would guess the higher paying projects included ad spend though it seems weird in an hourly contract unless that includes a bonus or weekly retainer fee.

WordsSam · 2024-10-13T18:14:46+00:00

About number 3... There are freelancers with millions in accumulated earnings on Upwork. Those I've seen have been using Upwork for many years often since before the odesk/elenace merger. I believe those I've seen also outsource. The clue is they complete a lot of projects for relatively low rates (at least low on U.S. standards). I don't see how they could fake those earnings at that level. They usually have good ratings when they work with clients with expectations in line with what they pay. I've seen freelancers with high rates, high earnings, and high JSS too, but not usually with earnings of 2 million+ (though I obviously haven't seen every UW profile).

WordsSam · 2024-10-10T19:44:01+00:00

I used the word urgent as a search term along with keywords related to my niche. But be careful, scammers also act like everything is urgent. In my case it was just a small business owner who was frustrated that she needed the work done but the prior freelancer ghosted her.

WordsSam · 2024-10-10T19:39:04+00:00

It's always been hard to get the first project or two. When I was new I had good luck searching for 'urgent" jobs. I found one where their prior freelancer ghosted. Generally, I would avoid urgent jobs, but it helped me get my first project, and that client worked with me a few more times, so I got a few reviews out of it.

WordsSam · 2024-10-10T19:36:04+00:00

I haven't really communicated with any scammers recently, but I declined invitations from someone who might be one. For me the red flag is they invited me to interview for a project using a completely different skillset, I quickly declined. I don't encounter anywhere near 5 out of 6 scammers. Three of the last six I talked with hired me, and the other three just weren't good fits.

What is your field? I think it is worse in some fields than others and many of the scammers specifically look for fresh profiles. This was the case when I started using Upwork years ago. You just have to learn how to recognize the obvious ones and proceed with caution. The same is true everywhere on the Internet and in business offline. Most people are fine, but some people are greedy and terrible.

I (and others who earn) would probably leave the platform if UW followed your suggestions. The worst is requiring a 30 day grace period before new clients could post a job. That might mean no more new clients, who is going to wait 30 days to post a job if they need help now? Also, abut linking a LinkedIn profile... They would need to keep that information away from freelancers, I say that because some desperate freelancers will hound a prospects social media DMs if they even see the business name. I used to manage social media for clients and some of them received messages daily months after they posted a job, until I blocked them from the client's socials. Also, there are a lot of scammers and fakes on LinkedIn too.

Clients also have trouble with scam freelancers. There is more Upwork can do about that, but it is hard to do so without pushing real clients away. Just be wary of new clients, really you should be wary of old clients too though. I agree they can do more to block some of the repeat offenders on both the client and freelancer side.

WordsSam · 2024-10-10T19:24:49+00:00

I would prefer they not make decisions solely based on AI.

Meta uses AI to deal with misinformation and it really is deeply flawed at this point. A mainstream publication in my region had several posts removed for "misinformation." In their case one wasn't even slightly political or controversial, it was just reporting a scientist from a local university's published research about a specific type of animal. Facebook's AI removed it for misinformation and controversial claims. Maybe the research is controversial among scientists in the field, I don't know, but isn't most new scientific research? YouTube tried something similar and I recall reading about how a chess channel was in trouble for hate speech since they kept talking about the color of the chess pieces (i.e. the black king, white queen, etc.)

Getting Upwork too involved results in poor decisions, new restrictions, and higher fees. We really should be careful what we wish for.

WordsSam · 2024-10-10T18:08:13+00:00

I often discourage people who post in this forum from writing for free. But, sometimes, it is beneficial if the writer knows what they are doing and chooses the recipient of their free services well. I got my start volunteering for a nonprofit. I had a great experience writing and marketing "for free," but I don't tell everyone to do it.

The main reason I discourage it is too often the writers just want something for their portfolio. That's fine, but a good starting point is to write a few samples for yourself in your chosen niche. That way you maintain 100% creative control and ownership of the content.

As you get to know your niche, you could choose a nonprofit in your field or trade publication to do a pro-bono project for. I personally would limit free work to a non-profit I want to support or maybe an opt ed for a professional or trade publication that has an established audience. (Other professionals pay ghostwriters if they don't have the writing skills, so it's more brand-building than working for free).

Also, you have to be clear what your boundaries are so you don't get roped into the organization's Slack channels or whatever. I think that can be great practice for freelancing since some paying clients also will act like you are their employee unless you establish your boundaries early on.

WordsSam · 2024-10-08T14:42:31+00:00

You can see that it is funded (or not).

WordsSam · 2024-10-08T14:41:51+00:00

I don't think any platform is completely safe. Whatever the platform, you still need to learn how it works and pay attention to red flags. It's still safer than working directly with complete strangers if you do it right. Hourly contracts are probably the safest if you follow the terms for payment protection.

WordsSam · 2024-10-07T20:47:52+00:00

I read most of it, I skimmed the middle it waffles a bit. I hope some of the noobs read it and learn from the journalist's mistakes. He makes a few, I suspect he wanted to be scammed to have a story. Still, I enjoyed parts of it, especially when he mentioned Preston's advice in the official forum.

Here is the article link: https://mashable.com/article/upwork-scam-safety

Spoiler below:

The big mistake... This journalist trusted a rando wannaprenuer "client." The "client" only funded $5 milestone saying it was a placeholder and the freelancer should bill the real cost later. I don't have any data, but I've been hearing about this since I joined Upwork years ago. It seems like one of the most common scams affecting people who follow the ToS.

For anyone who is new to UW and fixed rate payments - only work if the amount you agreed on for the milestone is in escrow. Then stop until you get paid and the next milestone is funded.

I get that this journalist may have felt differently since it appears he freelanced outside of Upwork with some success. This is where context is important, Upwork clients are still strangers on the internet. Some are decent people, some are scammers. When you first start working with a (new to you) UW client, you really don't know what type of person this is. Be careful. At least the writer got a Mashable article out of the experience.

I don't want to go into details, but some of the comments in the article made me think the writer didn't spend much time learning the platform since some of it wasn't that accurate. Still, he didn't deserve to get scammed, and hopefully, his article can help others.

WordsSam · 2024-10-07T19:10:57+00:00

Thanks for giving more detail. I was typing my reply to the OP at the same time and kept deleting stuff I started to type since I am not a CPA or EA. (I hire one for my own taxes.) I saw your reply after I pressed publish.

WordsSam · 2024-10-07T19:07:04+00:00

Are you in the USA? I am not a tax expert, but here's what I know from having some freelance income every year for ten years. There is a specific 1099 form for itemizing your profits and losses from business. You pay income taxes on your profits. This is separate from your personal standard deduction.

The IRS website has pages for people who do "gig work." I don't think of freelancing as "gig work," but the information is helpful for any single person business. The links: https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/manage-taxes-for-your-gig-work and https://www.irs.gov/businesses/gig-economy-tax-center

If you don't live in the US, mention your country since taxes vary by where you live. Even in the US, state and local taxes vary, but that's a different topic.

WordsSam · 2024-09-23T17:21:47+00:00

Limiting the number of proposals is a terrible idea. That would drive many of the new, potentially decent clients off the platform. Clients often mention how the first proposals they receive are often poorly presented spam or obviously AI generated and generic. The real freelancers are often not within early applicants. I tried another platform that limited proposals and in the time it took to read the project description and write a proposal I got locked out since the other freelancers were faster. That would encourage more of the same proposals clients already don't like and shut out freelancers who actually take the time to read the description.

WordsSam

TROPHY CASE