In this short article, I will provide one more example why we need crypto alternative for Job/Work sites. Especially after Covid times the nunber of freelancers and remote work increased. I already wrote about many reasons why we need crypto alternative. Some of the sites existed, some of them I checked but still we have nothing big.
We don't have any big site which will have enough supply and demand for remote work. But we really need even Upwork alternative. Today I tried to access my Upwork account and I was surprised that it's suspended.
So more than 10 years of work and history gone at once. With no reason. With no e-mail informing me about it. When I searched in my mailbox I discovered that last days I stopped receiving newsletter from Upwork, but I didn't notice it as I have busy period now. Also I wasn't actively using Upwork for weeks or even months. That's why for suspension I see no reason. I submitted appeal, contacted support, we'll see how it goes.
But this personal example shows me that centralized companies like Upwork can shut down your profile, destroy your reputation and kill your income at once. Fortunately, I didn't have funds there at Upwork at this moment and I didn't have big projects ongoing now. But still I had open contracts and some freelance work - the suspension of my account for sure brought some harm for me. During more than 10 years I accumulated many contacts, some of which became my regular clients, for example on consulting about cryptocurrencies. They could contact me any time. But they can't contact now, as my account doesn't exist right now.
This is the fragility and risk which is present actually for everyone who uses Upwork and similar services. What if my agency there would be middle size business with dozens of people who rely on it, expect salaries, etc?.. Everything would die at one moment.
That's I prefer to work directly with those whom I know or those whom I will find. In case with new people it's not so easy to establish trust, but cryptocurrency world has solutions for this - reputation systems, escrows, etc. The problem is that we need more adoption.
I prefer to work with cryptocurrencies, and not to pay 10-20% Upwork fees, not to wait weeks for receiving payment. That's why if they won't restore my account - I will survive somehow.
Yes, it will be sad that more than 10 years of work history, Top rated status, hundreds of positive reviews... in a way all this is a capital which I accumulated during these times and now all gone without even notifying me?..
That's the price for learning that big tech companies can be evil. Yes Upwork acted evil towards me. And in past I even spoke at Upwork events as one of Top rated freelancers! Back then there were not so many Top rated freelancers. Many times I visited Upwork corporate events in Ukraine. And now when there are hard times in Ukraine - they are destroying profiles of Ukrainian freelancers... Ok, noted.
So what conclusion can I make: always try to avoid middleman when possible, always choose decentralized services when possible, diversify your sources of income, always prefer crypto than fiat... and some day maybe we'll come up with alternative!