Jul 24, 2018 08:01:07 AM by Harshmeen K
Jul 24, 2018 08:30:48 AM by Petra R
@Harshmeen K wrote:
I have heard a lot about freelancers that take money and waste client's time but do not bother to deliver what they promise. How do identify such scums?
As new and inexperienced client you should look at freelancers who have a long history and great feedback and a high Job Success Score, and maybe hire two or three for a short test at their hourly rate before choosing the best to continue your project with.
Jul 24, 2018 09:23:13 AM by Prashant P
Also, look at their hourly rate and the money they have earned. If there are many jobs in $5-$10-$20 range, be careful.
Also, 'TALK' to them.
Jul 24, 2018 09:34:40 AM by Will L
Upwork has guidelines and rules for clients, which you should take the time to read and understand. You should also read the guidelines and rules for freelancers, so you understand how they are supposed to use Upwork and deal with you as their client.
I only use Upwork as a freelancer, so I hope users who are regular Upwork clients will also answer your question. If I did decide to hire on Upwork for the types of projects I work on, these are some guidelines I’d use:
There are a lot of hard-working, conscientious freelancers on Upwork, but there are bound to always be a few bad apples that Upwork hasn’t discovered and had a chance to get rid of. It’s probably a lot like a game of whack-a-mole for Upwork, so you are your own best protector against these thieves.
Jul 24, 2018 10:20:13 AM Edited Jul 24, 2018 10:20:47 AM by Tamara H
That happens a lot! And to make sure you have found a reliable person to do your project at first you need to look at their profile to find out if they have a good success score, top rated is not a must but it would give you more comfort when hiring a freelancer, then you should look for the jobs previously done and feedbacks received.
If the freelancer does not have the above mentioned, you must look into their proposal, cover letter, tests passed, any certifications, etc. Once everything is fine with this you have found a good freelancer to work with!
Hope this helps.
Tamara
SMM/ SEO Manager, Upwork
Jul 24, 2018 11:36:28 AM by Preston H
I have hired over 75 freelancers.
I tend to hire pretty quickly.
I usually don't read proposals or cover letters.
I usually don't interview freelancers before I hire them.
If I hire a freelancer and she doesn't provide the work I'm looking for, then I close the contract.
If she provides great service and results, then I continue working with her.
Jul 24, 2018 12:13:41 PM by Will L
Everybody's work methods on Upwork are different.
As a freelancer, I wouldn't agree to take on a project from a potential client who wouldn't have a call with me first and review samples of my work.
I have run into too many clients who really have no idea what they are actually hiring me to do, and then complain when I do what I know needs to be done. Just because they don't now what I'm doing doesn't mean I don't know what I'm doing.
Jul 25, 2018 04:45:01 AM Edited Jul 25, 2018 04:47:16 AM by Gabriel B
As a software dev these days --I-- would be the one who interviews the person/company that wants me to join so I can eliminate entities that:
Jul 25, 2018 08:37:50 AM by Preston H
re: "I wouldn't agree to take on a project from a potential client who wouldn't have a call with me first and review samples of my work."
Excellent comments from Gabriel and Will.
To elaborate slightly on my comments: I try to provide very complete (but concise) descriptions of the work required in my job postings. These postings are for freelancers in various categories such as writers, artists, illustrators, graphic designers, technical consultants, penetration testers, configuration specialists.
These job descriptions provide enough information for freelancers to do the entire job or (if they're working directly with me via screen sharing), the job postings provide enough information that they know exactly what they'll be doing.
This entirely or mostly eliminates the need for any "interview" period. Nevertheless, it is common for me to answer a few questions via Upwork Messenger if freelancers have questions before they accept a "Hire" offer. Many freelancers are quite willing to work for me after they view my client history and read the comments made by previous hires.
These concepts would necessarily be an effective strategy for hiring programmers for long-term development projects.