Lack of Jobs - What is Going On?
I know this has been posted before but what the hell is happening with the number of projects that are being posted? As it stands, in the writing category, there are 150 jobs. Just a few months ago, this was sitting at 200, then 180 and now it is down to 150.
Is there any admin around to provide any guidance or assistance on this? The thing is, the majority of the jobs being posted are now way below the rate that anyone would charge. One job as an example is a full website rewrite. The site has more than 1,00,000 words and for that I would charge £40,000 at my usual rate but the pay being offered is £500.....what kind of payment is that?
I have been looking at the traffic on the site and it is sitting higher during August than it was during July and June yet this is not translating into queries, jobs and orders. What is going on?
I think us long-standing members do have some kind of right when it comes to knowing what is happening, bearing in mind that some of us have earned a living from here for many, many years.
So, does anyone have any insight into what is happening and why?
Thanks
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Yes, I wondered why - and what other people's views would be. To be honest, there's better ways to spend the budget. Not sure I like it, but will get used to it, I suppose. Hopefully, PPH are taking more of an interest in our comments and are trying to resurrect things in their own sweet way.
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@Craig LOL! what the new design would do to the website? Those idiots need to stop accepting more applications to the website and need to handle the scam posts better.
@Adam Don't even think that they will promote your services for free. And Emily is not a new member!
@Nancy I wish they fire the current product manager and hire you instead! Between, they will never ever read these posts.
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@nancy, this is what I was hoping. If they have money to change the design when the site is struggling, let's hope that this is a start of significant changes. Otherwise, what is the point of making changes if there is no audience to appeal to?
@neil - to be honest, the design of the website has not changed for some time so a change is good and could indicate that the company is thinking about its image.
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It is promising to see some kind of input from the company, although what they have done is probably the least useful thing possible. Personally, I don't like it, but that's just me because I like my user interfaces to stay the same forever, because I get used to them. It is a nicer layout but it is now more difficult to quickly glance down the page to see if there is anything relevant.
The fundamental problem remains the same. Not enough projects and too many freelancers. -
I'm quite surprised it's even hit over a million mark, to be honest.
Another slow month though... I've written this year off, and will be seeking other avenues next year. Hoping I can earn enough here to pay my gas and electric bills through winter - when once upon a time PPH income would have been my sole income.
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@nancy - I have been quite fortunate at the moment, over the last few months that big jobs have come in and bumped up my earnings. I have also just landed a decent client that has £10k of work over the next few months, so that, along with other things should see me through to the end of the year. Having said that, it has been slow on PPH again and my overall monthly jobs have declined again.
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2 orders in two weeks is nothing. To be honest, I've worked with four new clients this month. Inl think in months gone by I would have been touching 20. Just like you, I would have been getting orders and repeat orders daily. Those orders would have been a lot bigger as well. It looks like the decline is industry wide though. This tells me that clients are either experiencing a financial pinch or they are simply turning to AI.
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Just another message to see how people are getting on. Things have been extremely strange for me as I am not getting a lot of jobs through PPH but things are ticking over. I am still wondering what is going on at the top of the leaderboard. The top three have earned between 8K and 10K and I just find that absolutely staggering.
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My revenue is down significantly and I am now on the 14-day clearing which makes it not really viable to offer some services, especially when clients take weeks (even over a month) to come back.
Worrying I am in the writing category with just £600 in revenue and I am 13th on the leaderboard this month and just over £200 from being in the Top10. My revenue from last year would be 1K at this stage.
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I have largely given up on looking for new jobs on PPH. The last public project I went after was a familiar story of no reply, no views on the profile, and the job cancelled later that day. I have a little bit of repeat work from existing clients and a surprise private invitation for 2 hours work that I'm just about to start.
October was so bad for me as a freelance programmer that I decided to have another try at what I started 2 years ago, which is online maths tuition. I managed to get in with a new agency that is a bit better paid and a bit more relaxed than what I did last time, but it is slow building up a round of regulars. I still only have 3 lessons per week. If I could get that up towards 10 and get the odd bit of freelance programming, I will be fine. -
All the freelance sites are struggling, so I'm guessing it's an economic / industry / AI thing.
Just not worth bothering anymore. I've submitted a claim for Job Seekers Allowance so I have money for fares to interviews. I'm trying to get an external job as I can't carry on like this - living off other people and worrying about next week's income. We're already at foodbanks. Never ever been in such a dire situation as this.
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It is rather baffling, Craig, I admit. I've had my doubts about one of the ladies in the top 3 as you know. The one I gave a writing job too and was not impressed with the outcome. She reported me and told PPH 'she had put me in my place.' Odd - this is the lady that states on her profile "I am a writer that thrives...." Grammatically that should be 'who' not 'that'... She did win a major contract shared with another top 3 writer, which does not appear to have ended yet.
Maybe 2024 will turn a corner. I do hope so, because my chances of employment are nil after 23 years spent freelancing. However, there just isn't the amount of jobs coming through these platforms anymore.
Externally it's the same. I had regular work with the Police and Social Services, clients who have a constant stream of recordings for transcription for court. I wonder where that's gone because AI would not be up to standard. Very mystifying.
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Hello all, thought I would check in again. It has been a few months since we last spoke. I was wondering how everyone is getting on? I have noticed a big uptick in the number of jobs and people asking about work. I have had more in the last two weeks than I have had on a monthly basis over the last three months.
I mean don't get me wrong, it still isn't what it was but it has picked up a little.
Hope things are similar for you?
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I am in the writing section and I have been in the top 10 for the past 2 months and I have just made 1k on here each month. Considerable down from 12 and 24 months ago but I have noticed more requests and people wanting custom orders. Job board is still littered with fake jobs and t is a shame however they are still allowing an influx of poor and plagarised AI offers to flood the site.
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Yeah, I finished number one in December and then fifth last month I think but I am currently third. However, the scores that those at the top are getting are absolutely insane. Nothing was seen like that when things were going well a few years ago.
I have noticed that jobs have increased on the boards and I have won a few myself. Fingers crossed things are on the up.
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I'm trying to be positive. I know AI has taken the transcription jobs, but I have won three new customers for other skills here this month.
In addition, I found a customer on Bark and one from a Facebook local page - both have paid me with no issue at all.
My clients outside of this platform send over work in dribs and drabs - I'm totalling about £3k for Jan and Feb thus far, but PPH accounts for the least and is the most hard work.
Yes, Craig, fingers crossed things are on the up.
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