Comments About Unresponsive Contractors

[c0e2bce8]

Don't know if I can post contractor agency names and their staff names, but clients like myself should note that a particular contractor I spent a great deal of time trying to get onboard, with what turned out to be pointless civllity, and squandered job description minutiae, just jumped ship before the job even got started -- after they accepted the job and I agreed to their request for a last minute phone call.  

The quality of contractors on Upwork has gotten much worse or perhaps the Great Resignation Malicious Backdoor has wormed its way in. 

If small businesses can find reasonably priced, highly qualified support we're extremely fortunate. When I do I always give 5-star ratings and great comments. Unfortunately this is very seldom.

[fe9b8d82]

Don't know if I can post client names, but freelancers like myself should note that a particular client I spent a great deal of time trying to get to accept my proposal, with what turned out to be pointless civility, and squandered proposal description minutiae, just jumped ship before accepting my proposal - after they said they would accept my proposal and I agreed to their request for a last minute phone call.

The quality of clients on Upwork has gotten much worse, or perhaps the Great Resignation Malicious Backdoor has wormed its way in.

If freelancers can find reasonably paying, serious clients we're extremely fortunate.  When I do, I always give 5-star ratings and great comments.  Unfortunately this is very seldom.

Your comments cut both ways, so neither side is guilt free.

[c0e2bce8]

Next time sharpie, try writing writing it **Edited for Community Guidelines**

[prestonhunter]

I'm sorry if you had a disappointing experience.

Obviously your focus should be on your project, and not on any individual freelancer.

Successful, effective clients manage their projects with modularity and plan things so that the project does not rely on any individual freelancer.

Any member of the team may, at any moment, drop dead or win the lottery or become a monk or adopt puppies and for any of those or other reasons never show up again. Cllients need to plan for that.

Are all files continuously stored in a central location and backup reporitory?

Is there sufficient cross training?  Do we have more than one team member available who can jump in and work on key tasks?

[itrhythmindia]

Absolutely correct Preston. We need to be prepare for all good and bad. 

[c0e2bce8]

**Edited for Community Guidelines** I've been managing contractors for 25 years + and they're all essentially the same. The good ones are rare. 

[spectralua]

Why don't you keep working with good contractors? They finished job and don't want to deal with you anymore?

[paywell]

I have gathered from the Freelancer threads, posted on this forum (as well as from my own experience), that the problem goes both ways:
There are less profile views, proposals are not being reacted to (nor viewed) and the “job posts” turn out to be mere “posts”, with no job being handed out in the end.
 
But I digress. It would be fair to address the roots of the issue you are portraying:
 
 
Let's go back to 2020. 
There has been a flood of Freelancers as well as Clients, without a corresponding flood-gate being raised, letting only qualified workers and committed employers to trickle in.
 
As a result, far more people have started working and contracting remotely, than have learned how to do it.
 

Today, in 2022:
We see, that this was the soil in which pseudo-freelancers and faux-clients planted their roots and started flourishing. 
 
Even the platform we are on puts far less stress on education, than is due: the "Freelance Readiness Test" has been abolished, deleted, when simply making it optional would have sufficed.
 
And, although many have watched a video, or skimmed through written material on what “makes your profile/offer” stand out, very few have gained the skills and soaked in the knowledge and experience, required to say what they mean, promise only what they are able, and put in all the hard work that they can.  
 
 
As a result, Clients are more than ever prone to stumble on “Freelancers”, who run away, when facing real work. Especially, when meeting an experienced employer.

And I believe - this is exactly what happened in your case:  
You knew what you wanted, you were able to get those guys to work, and they simply felt that you would call their bluff too soon for them to make a profit.
What they know, is that there is a less experienced Client, oblivious to the criteria for good Freelance work, waiting just around the corner.