Don't consider Endorsements on CERT calculation
following the debate on this topic: http://support.peopleperhour.com/entries/94353456-Allow-endorsements-only-to-whom-actually-worked-together
I've jumped to the conclusion that the only solution to the endorsements exchange madness that we are experiencing, is to stop considering endorsements on CERT calculation, or at least to consider them a very very little.
in any case, endorsements doesn't provide any reliable information about a freelance professionality, and they are largely abused.
do you want to take here your reputation getting endorsed by your previous workmates and clients? well, we actually don't care, because we can't control your previous reputation and we shouldn't offer to pph buyers information we can't confirm.
please like this post so they might consider to take action against this issue.
and also have a look to this other related request I made:
http://support.peopleperhour.com/entries/93201743-Change-icon-for-top-endorsed-
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Completely agree. What's the point of endorsements if they don't mean anything. Plus, as I mentioned on another thread, I've just been endorsed by someone I've never even heard of, and he has THREE PAGES of "endorsements" - presumably by inviting endorsements in return.
If there is one person I won't be buying any work from, it's him, because he's gained his endorsements dishonestly - that bodes ill for any honesty in the working relationship.
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Incidentally, having contacted PPH about that unwanted endorsement on my own page, they tell me they're passing the issue over to fraud so they can look into it. Looks like they'll be investigating anyone who's been receiving endorsements under false pretences and that's good news. If you can't trust sellers to be honest about their skills and experience, why would buyers stay here?
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exactly!
that's the whole point of pph success in my opinion. here it's easier than other similar websites to figure out if a freelance is trustworthy and if it works well.
so, no only the CERT is at the moment faked by those endorsements, but also, if a buyer doesn't know this kind of things, he will probably be keen on trusting someone who has 3 pages of endorsment rather than someone who (like me and all the "normal" freelancers) has just a few endorsements.
and guess what? who uses endorsements in this fraud way, it's likely to be a bad worker and will make the buyer unsatisfied by pph service.
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Yes, that's actually becomes into a problem.
More and more people endorsed me. And I even don't know who they are.
Not so long ago a person from Bangladesh endorsed me and I've decided to check his profile.
And do you know what? He have 0 (zero) awarded job, 0 (zero) rating/feedback but his CERT level is 4!
And he have a 270 endorsement at same time.
So now current system of endorsements totally compromised and using as a cheat to create rating from air.
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indeed.
and I would say that I can definitely feel the pain.
I mean that in the last few months, it's a lot more difficult to get hired. I am CERT 5 and I have 100% with about 90 reviews. in the past, buyers were definitely attracted by my rank, but now it seems they're not considering it too much as relevant. probably because they've seen many profiles with rank 4 which were looking like new-by. or maybe because my rank 5 is not looking so cool, as now there are hundreds of (scam) CERT 4.
I think that if we don't do something quickly, this could cause the decadence of pph..
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100% with 90 is a perfect result! Congratulations! :)
However pity to hear about such problems at CERT5. Before of it I've think there is better condition and many clients (thousands of them!!) :)
As I think - it's not possible if PPH-team and their ninjas ever don't know about such situation with endorsements. For sure they have a statistical data and know about that. Well, may be they're have a special super-plan or super hero to solve that situation :)
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ahah, unfortunately I would say that if they know about it, they are probably thinking that is a good thing to get more visits, as this people share their profile everywhere to get endorsements.. that's also probably the reason why they've organized it in this way at first.
I just hope they will soon realize that this is actually going to slash them in the back and would be better to stop it.
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this is a good point Jan.
not only the people is abusing of endorsements to advantage themself, and this is bad for many reasons. but also they are damaging the image of the other freelancers who don't like to have random endorsements from people who is easily seen as cheaters by who is reviewing our profile.
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yes Andrea, like you, I don't want clients to even consider that I may be involved in such behaviour as providing endorsements to people I don't know and have not worked with. It is unethical and improper to endorse people when you have no idea of their work or their work practices.
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I doubt many sellers really examine endorsements too much. They mostly look at the prominent CERT rating and take it as a rating of quality rather than one of deceit or money making ability.
So many buyers just write the most awful job descriptions. I shouldn't even call them descriptions.
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