Ask clarification questions before sending proposals

[rishtin]

Hello everyone,

I just have a thought to share hoping to get your feedback on it. 

I have realized that most of the job postings are very vague or lack the key information for freelancers to base the amount of work or time that would be required or just to get a better understanding of the scope of work before they send a proposal. Sending proposal costs "connects" and "connects" is money! Sometimes I use my connects just to ask a clarification question from the client.

I recently submitted a ticket to upwork support asking them the same thing and their response is that you can only send a message to client once they respond to the proposal. Well I'm not necessarily asking to contact the client and get their actual name and identity revealed. Ebay found a solution to this problem back in early 2000s. Why can't they mask their identity and/or have a separate space for getting clarification on job posting. "I need a expert to develop Business Intelligence visualizations" is not a job posting that I can really do much about. In fact such job postings should be screened and not allowed to be posted at all.

[prestonhunter]

This has already been discussed in dozens of threads.

You may ask questions as part of your proposal. You may ask questions in the cover letter section.

Remember: A proposal is just the start of a conversation. It does not commit you to any particular price or type of contract.

You may not ask questions prior to sending a proposal.

[rishtin]

You are explaining the current process and I'm proposing that upwork should and could change it. So we may ask questions prior to submitting proposals, logically speaking.

When you submit a proposal you do give away certain amount of connects unless the job posting expires (and perhaps one more condition).

[wlyonsatl]

Said Z:

Upwork doesn't want clients to be overwhelmed by proposals from freelancers (which is why connects are no longer free), so there is no chance Upwork will allow any freelancer to ask the client questions before the client can indicate the client is interested in working with the freelancer.

All of my proposals include a list of questions about the client's project, partly because so many clients write such poor project descriptions and partly to show each client I have some idea of what is important to the successful completion of their project.

Good luck!

[petra_r]

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Said Z wrote:
I'm proposing that upwork should and could change it.

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Yes, they "could" and no, they "should not."

The reason why they don't do it is because it would be such a bad idea.

[abinadab-agbo]

There is one platform I avoid for this specific reason - they have a way for freelancers to ask questions before submitting a proposal.

Freelancers keep asking nonsense, silly questions on my posting, everytime.

Such a waste of client's time.

No client wants to be badgered with questions from unserious freelancers like that, and publicly so!

How to show you are serious about your questions?

Apply.

Stop acting so risk-averse to even a few cents of Connects.

[rishtin]

I got the point and i agree with the fact that people can misuse the channel however how can a one line job description be justified? If you look up BI related posts most of them post their wish not a detailed job description.
This has to be addressed from both client and freelancer's perspective.

I think there is no justification to one or two lines job descriptions.

[prestonhunter]

Said:
Is it possible that those clients who post bad, one-line job descriptions...

...are contacted by freelancers who ask them questions and talk them into starting a lucrative contract?

[rishtin]

Preston you are trying to take this discussion personal and i want to talk about the process in general. Please keep scrolling and move on to the next topic.

[calvo_juan]

One line job descriptions are a sign of bad communication and lack of cooperation. I wouldn't waste a cent on applying to those jobs.

There is another freelance site that I can't name that has the option of posting questions before sending proposals.  Most of the time questions for terrible jobs are left unanswered, unless they really want to scam you or convince you that slave wages are great. Just don't apply. Find better jobs.

[richard_wein]

I quite like short job descriptions. It doesn't take me long to write a proposal for them. If a proposal is long and has attached files, I tend to feel obliged to read it all and write a more detailed proposal. I once got a very good job from a one-sentence job description,  though that was an exception. I generally don't want  them to be that short. Also,  when I was new to Upwork I preferred longer descriptions,  as  I was willing to (and needed to) work harder on my proposals, to impress clients and stand out from the rest. So I ignored very short ones. 

[abinadab-agbo]

I have a former client that usually posts 2 short sentences max.

And she always hires, and pays good $.