Test Paid vs Initiation Fee

[#1]

[ONLY CLIENT ALLOWED TO ANSWER]

Test paid milestone has always been a very good idea for this platform at least for me. where I can find the best of the best Freelancer after testing them with small jobs, but now the issue with the inflated initiation fee. Where some freelancers are misbehaving to the initial agreement of the contract. First of all, the test paid milestone was advised and an idea from upwork's side to ensure that I get the right Freelancer for long-term contract. 

Recently, sometimes I hired a freelancers, but then they cancel the contract which deviated from the initial agreement. Usually, they agree with the work scope, budget, or simply do not have the skill to do the job by that means it's possibly that they have lied in their profile but it turned out the opposite after the initial discussion and contract was agreed, accepted, by the freelancers.

In some case, it has always has been purposely for a long-term contract and they know it was also. Eventually, in the middle of the contract whether sometimes the milestone has been released or in many case it has not yet been released. Then I have to contact the support team to ask the initiation fee refund.

Some freelancers are misbehaving like this, so what am I supposed to do?

Because it is very unfair for me if I just fund a very small milestone as a test paid, whether it is released or not, but eventually, I have to pay the initiation fee. This never happened in any other platform because, because in another platform the Freelancers has to Pay partially the initiation fee as well (divided by two between clients and Freelancers). So not just the client that has to pay the initiation fee, eventually I do not ever face any such an issue in any other freelancing platform.

This is very bad idea for the platform, if the freelancers themselves do not have to pay the initiation fee, if that we continuously find such a freelancer, which sometimes we do. We need the solution for this.

Thank you

[#2]

Dont worry, freelancers have to pay the initiation fee as well (if accepted job). And have to waste connects to answer your invite. Upwork charging both sides. To start little (test) task freelancer pay about $10.

[#3]

Nope, freelancers do not have to pay initiation fee. 

most of the freelancers that are hired are usually from invited not wearing connects

[#4]

You have outdated info. It is paid now. Thats why many FLs will never reply your invite. Especialy if saw that 30 invites sent.

[#5]

It sounds like you're experiencing some significant issues with the test paid milestone process on Upwork. Here are a few suggestions to address these challenges:

1. Detailed Job Descriptions : Ensure that your job postings are as detailed as possible. Include all necessary skills, expected deliverables, and clear milestones to avoid any misunderstandings from the start.

2. Screen Freelancers Carefully : Before hiring, conduct thorough interviews and ask for specific examples of past work or small tests to verify their skills. This can help filter out those who may not have the required capabilities.

3. Set Clear Agreements : Make sure that the scope, budget, and terms are clearly documented in the contract. If a freelancer deviates from this agreement, you can refer back to the original terms.

4. Report Misconduct : If a freelancer consistently misbehaves or does not adhere to the agreement, report them to Upwork. This helps maintain the integrity of the platform.

5. Request Refunds : If a freelancer cancels a contract or fails to deliver, contact Upwork support for a refund of the initiation fee. Provide all relevant communication and contract details to support your case.

6. Seek Platform Improvements : Voice your concerns directly to Upwork about the initiation fee structure. Suggest implementing a shared fee system, where both clients and freelancers share the initiation cost, as seen on other platforms.

7. Consider Alternatives : If Upwork's structure continues to pose problems, explore other freelancing platforms with more favorable terms for your hiring process.

By taking these steps, you can better protect yourself from unreliable freelancers and ensure a smoother hiring experience.

[#6]

You basically have the best answer and had the most professional atitude so far but the fact you got 0 kudo it just shows how rigged the community here is, because many freelancers acting scammy and unprofessional, since they are giving kudo to non effective and toxic answers here instead of to people like you, it happend many time here... So I give you the first kudo my self !. Since, This is the kind of personality that I'd love to work with, usually this kind of freelancers that get a long to work with me for so many years... LOL Well done,

Thank You !

Wish you have good life!

===

1 to 5 basically I have already done, the most effective and efficient is test paid strategy. I usually hired 5 freelancers and have them the test paid, most will failed but just 1, so they will take the money and I loose the initiation fee. So multiply that $10-$20 budget x 5 is ridiculous for just one job. Because each job, usually has budget over at least $1000, so it was a good strategy to loose just $50 for the platform for one job, but now we may loose much more than >$150/job for the platform.

6. Seek Platform Improvements : Voice your concerns directly to Upwork about the initiation fee structure. Suggest implementing a shared fee system, where both clients and freelancers share the initiation cost, as seen on other platforms.

=> good idea, but other platforms may have less amount of active freelancers, but seems recently they are increasing because the freelancers seems to be moving there. So would the clients maybe.

7. Consider Alternatives : If Upwork's structure continues to pose problems, explore other freelancing platforms with more favorable terms for your hiring process.

=> I did this, they said they will speak to the product’s team

[#7]

The fact that you like AI generated answer and find it most professional is so poetic and speaks 1000 languages. You absolutely deserve this answer, so I'm gonna give it a kudo too. 
And people actually think that AI can't do anything for anyone. Pfff... nonsense. It finally got its purpose.

[#8]

Bingo.

Sorry, he doesn't want answers. He doesn't know and doesn't want to know how much it costs. You're wasting your time. Although your answers makes sense to others.

[#9]

Bingo, lier; manipulator; deceiver. Go find someone else to talk with to waste your time, I don't want to waste your time with someone like you.

[#10]

😂😂😂

@Ely, I don't completely disagree with you. I've often written about clients in the US who specialize in outsourcing through sites like this (and pay peanuts). I think it's okay. it's business.

And, I once asked you how you manage to outsource work from our country. Who are the buyers? Are they from other countries? Or all the jobs coming from your own business? 😁

Anyways, I see you're lacking the ability to sense, if a post came from some AI **Edited for Community Guidelines ** or not. Train more, you must 😂

[#11]

I am not going to answer your question because it’s confidential information. I do not have a problem with AI, like so what?

I am here to find a solution, even if you are using AI to try to solve my problem, how is that going to make my life worse?
But I am not saying that person who used AI actually had solved my problem either, at least he tried.
I am not going to talk to a person who does not even know what is the value of AI and ChatGPT to solve life problems. I found that kind of person are not intelligent. I do not want to waste my time to speak to such a person either.
So you can consider this is my last reply to you also.

The fact is that, you are just one other freelancer who forces to waste my time answering your question which you should have ethically and professionally direct personal message to me, but instead of asking something like that in public.

—-
Now, I hope the forum moderator can see what I am talking about, I made a post to find a solution to a problem, but instead what I’m getting here is someone who is trying to deceive the readers, a bunch of rude insulting freelancers, and here’s another one who speaking something which are totally irrelevant to my initial question. So statistically pretty much accurate experience in making a job post also, I am getting four incompetence freelancers for just one individual who at least try to answer my question.

I hope Upwork can become a better place by continuously improving the product of the platform after reading my posting and the ridiculous irrelevant and useless answers that I’m getting in this community specifically this posting. Because that’s pretty much how I experience after making a job post and hired bunch of freelancers.

Thank you

[#12]

At least AI is not rude and insulting like you. If you want to keep insulting and the respondant feels comfortable talking with you, then you should be on a dating platform not on a freelancer's site. I am here to hire for work purpose only.

Best of luck.

[#13]

Hi All,

A few posts and replies to them have been removed from this thread as they violated our Community Guidelines. Please, be mindful of the Community Guidelines and be respectful toward other users when posting.

[#14]

Whaaat am I missing??? 🤣

[#15]

So if I said, 1 one of them is a lier deceiver manipulator, 2 of them is insultive and rude unprofessionally, and just one of them speaks professionally, is that a violation to the community ?.

What about lying and deceiving?

Please specifically tell us which one was a violation.

Thank you

P.S,

Because that's how I am getting from a job post usually. It will be nice if for me able to block those liers, rudeless, disrespectful answers. Thanks

[#16 · Accepted solution]

Hi all,

Several comments in this thread have been removed because they violated the Community Guidelines. While we'll continue to allow criticism, posts that come without constructive feedback or are disparaging of other members won't be allowed. Forums, like the Community, are at their best when participants treat each other with respect and courtesy.

Since the arguments have been exhausted and the conversation is moving in an unproductive direction, we will be closing the thread from further replies.