What are people thinking, when asking for designers for jobs and offering awful rates

[mrgonz]

Probably was my fault but, in the job description it says that she needs a designer to design post for social media, the budget says $25, it was really vague about how many designs and frecuency of it would be needed, of course in my mind I figure well maybe she doesn't have a clue about what would be an fair budget for designing or how to work with a designer for social media, so I got to talk to her and she says If I'm willing to do the job, so the first thing I do is tell her my price range that the minimun price is $5 for a basic instagram posts, then she replys if that's per post, and that's when a raised my eyebrow, of course it is per post I said, then she thank me and said that my proposal was the most expensive that she has recieved and I was like really? my pricing I think it's pretty standard the budget you have is not fair for the type of job you're asking for, then she says there were proposals asking for even less than here initial budget ( $25) so i said well isn't that sad, and left me thinking if theres people willing to work for less money why didn't she hired them... crazy world..

[mthornton-cpc]

This is an age-old problem. Some clients have no idea what design work is worth. Some designers are willing (or feel forced) to take very low-paying jobs. Both of these continue the cycle of undervaluing design work. You were right to bid and propose a budget you deemed fair to you. Often, the posted budget is simply a placeholder or even a low estimate that can be increased once the value of the job is explained and understood. 

[vastianzzz]

This does seem to be a serious problem in the design category for jobs. I mean, I've come across countles job offers that list a budget for a logon in as low as $5. I mean, I get that some people might have absolutely 0 idea of what constitutes a fair rate, or an indistry standard price for something liek that.

But I think the amount of people offering just aful budets for work that can end up requited a fair bit of time is really large. It also caughts my atention that many of the people I've seen posting jobs of that nature for veyr low rates. Often ask for "samples" to "get an idea fo what the freelancers can do" quit eoften. And are generally conducting several interviews at a time.

[mrgonz]

well i've been ask again....to do a free test, and hey is not even a big gig, is just a $50 flyer, well they say in the ad that's just a placeholder is not the final price but ..yeah right we'll see 

[mthornton-cpc]

Report them. Asking for free work is against the ToS. It’s simply not allowed.

[r2streu]

This happens a lot in Voice Over as well. The best you can do, really, is reply with your rates and see what happens. A lot of time, clients simply don't know standard rates, so they drop in a placeholder and see who bites. 

Usually, the people who bite at the lower rates aren't very good or are just beginning. If you have experience and talent on your side, there's no reason to be uncomfortable bidding higher. 

I just recently had a situation in which the client invited me to audition at a low rate. I responded with my standard rate, and told him I could get him an exact bid if he could give me the length of the script. He sent me the script, as well as another bidder's response (which was bid at the rate the client posted). 

I gave him MY rate along with a demo, and he was happy to pay it because he understood that I'm a professional and that I charge professional rates... AND I'll be getting more work from the same client, because what I sent him impressed him. 

So let your work speak for you, is I guess what I'm saying, and the right clients will come. Don't sell yourself short, and under no circumstances offer a "free sample." 

[nanuven]

A big disappointment ... But, slowly, the thinking about Design is changing.

I work as a freelancer for 8 years here in Brazil. I am often impressed by the lack of customer awareness of the value of Design. They devalue our work all the time, but in fact it is without realizing it.

I believe the subject is a matter of conscience. Some people have a higher consciousness and some people don't. And gradually, humans in a general way, are raising their levels of consciousness.

The ideally you should bet on customers with better deals and work out good deals for them.

That's a good question, thanks to bring that!