CONTESTS!

[#1]

PLEASE ADD: "CONTESTS" as a TYPE of job posting. Great examples: Best logo wins $250 Best solution wins job! etc etc It would be a GREAT source of additional revenue for Odesk. Also, currently, odeskers don't know what to do if they see a job like any of the above, or even one like: "First verified solution wins". A lot of times, programmers (one category of contractors here) won't know what to do when they see a job posted like "First verified solution wins. Solve the problem, Show me your solution, and if I verify it works, I'll award you the job, and pay you immediately." If you had an actual "Contest" option under "Post Job" pages, this would make this process more understood and more believable too. Many others sites have used this successfully. There's nothing to lose and everything to gain. CONTESTS would not only bring in a lot of untapped revenue to Odesk, but will bring more job opportunities for contractors, and be ideal for clients who need solutions "now". Adding Contest type posts would also legitimize these types of job posts and make it easier to post more jobs. Thanks for adding contests as a method of posting. You can fancy it up however you want. I know you guys have a lot of great ideas at Odesk. Thanks!

[#2]

The other beauty of adding contests as a job posting method is that we won't have to blindly commit to any/every coder who says "I can totally duwwwit!!" since they almost always say they can do it (so you hire them), but this isn't necessarily the case at all. After you hire them, you find out they have no idea or, even if they are capable contractors, they actually were not able to duwwit. Contests would solve this problem. Contests are GREAT for well-defined jobs that need QUICK solutions. For example "First to provide a bug fix that I verify on my end." Also, to ensure that an unscrupulous job poster doesn't just take a solution and say "there were no best solutions", you could easily find ways to require that either: a. client pays $5 to NOT have to award the contest (eg if there are no solutions, the client shouldn't have to designate a winner). However, making the job poster pay $5 or any amount isn't really the smartest solution either. b. client does not have to award the contest but must RANK (stars) the responses, and those ratings will, in turn, affect the contractors overall star rating. In the end, contests, if properly configured (your team sits down and works it all out), would be an awesome feature that would bring a whole new market to you, and more job postings from old faithfuls like me. They bring tremendous value. Thank you for discussing adding contests to Odesk in your upcoming meetings.

[#3]

the job poster should pay each contractor who exerted effort $10 to close the job if not awarding it to someone. Every contests needs a 'consolation' prize right? 😛

[#4]

Offer a consolation PRIZE?
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That's delusional at best.  So you're telling me, any random person can opt in and send you a subpar design and expects to collect $10?

Is this what you mean?  That'd be crazy.  You'd run through your budget so quickly, you'd be chased off to 99Designs or DesignCrowd.

Now if you say the top 3 will get $10 dollars each with the top 1 awarded the job based on a total budgeted amount, you might have traction.  But award EVERYONE. lol hahah that's comical.  Let's be real here.

[#5]

I. Odesk needs to add "Contest" as ONE method of posting a job here. Here's all the reasons/advantages:

1. Everyone knows the rules going in, so no one bids who doesn't agree with the few extra rules
2. Odesk makes a LOT more money since contests are in HIGH DEMAND
3. THE WINNER GETS PAID immediately when s/he wins the project.
4.. You get to a JUMPstart on the project and learn it well.
5. You get to see what it's REALLY like to work with the employer (how valuable is that?)
6. The buyer gets to see what it's REALLY like working with you
7. If you're as good as you say, then you'll WIN the project "every time", and what's better:
8. The guy/girl who WINS the contest WINS the project usually too!!

It's good for EVERYONE, and MOSTLY, it's good for you!!  

If the worker doesn't like contests, doesn't think he can win, then he doesn't have to bid! He can just do the regularly, old standard posted jobs.

There are NO DISADVANTAGES TO CONTESTS WHEN OFFERED PROPERLY and they offer every advantage a regular contest offers and more! A great example is a logo job: Instead of having every designer in the known world, respond "I can totally duwwwwit!" and having to BLINDLY pick someone based on their words or their portfolio of sometimes 1 logo (!), there are a LOT of workers who would LOVE to participate in contests, if you offer them, since it's a) EXTRA income (for you too!); b) a chance to FINE TUNE their "real life" skills and in real time, as in "we need something now"; c) it's a chance for BOTH parties to see what it's like to work intimiately with the other, which ITSELF is INVALUABLE to the buyer when we choose a winner!  d) What's more, IF the worker CHOOSES to participate, these are outstanding opportunities, because they fill a need in the employment community, a need for immediacy.  And finally, perhaps the best advantage of all e) Everyone (Odesk/worker/employer) gain HUGE advantages because, when they see immediate success on a project, and award that individual right away, we then want to REHIRE that individual for FUTURE jobs. That's why the most savvy among workers will always choose to participate in contest-style job posts. It's so easy to implement: a few extra fields and a few extra bullet points of rules.

Please add contests.

[#6]

No, Upwork definitely doesn't NEED to add contests IN ANY shape or form.

Here's why:

1. Let's face it, the rebranding was done partly so they can build new image and repair some of the damage cheap labour, cheap scammy clients and unreliable providers had done to the brand oDesk. If Upwork wants to build itself a name as a place for true professionals, contests have no place on it - no serious professional wants to work on contest basis.

2. Upwork won't make a LOT more money because they'd only take their usual 10% cut from the winner's prize. But they'd have to dedicate N x more bandwidth to host ALL the entries from ALL the contestants. Won't even bother to comment why and how contests are in demand and which client base they cater to.

3. The WINNER gets paid AFTER a long(ish) process of selection. During which none of the contestants, winner included, know IF they'd get paid at all. That goes well for work morale and motivation, let me tell you.

4. What even?

5. I get to see what it's like to work with employer and that's valuable? Really? First, you're not an employer. You're not even a client in a contest. You're a contest-holder and I definitely won't see you or treat you as a client. And second, that valueable experience is worth diddly-squat - in a contest there's no actual communication line between the holder and the contestants, so it's technically not a work experience. And even if it was, experiences don't pay bills. Which all of us have to do in order to be able to even enter.

6. Since the BUYER can't work with EVERYONE, they actually work with no-one in a contest. They post a description and collects the results. That's not the same as working WITH someone.

7. Being "good" doesn't automatically mean you'll win - it all depends on the contest holder's personal views/taste/expectations for the result. Sometimes contest-holders have ...odd... taste. So you're "good" and you still don't get paid for your work. Isn't it wonderful?

8. Sooo. There will be people who win "usually"? And what, pray tell, will motivate the rest to enter? The amazing perspectives?

If the contest-holder likes contests so much, he can go to a contest site (there are plenty of those around) and post there, instead of demanding a contest category on a site that's supposed to be a professional platform. Those workers that you mention that would LOVE to participate in contests are ALREADY on those sites, so there you have it.

Please don't add contests. I think that's the last drop that will drive me away from this place.

[#7]

Yes good idea, Please adding contests option 

[#8]

You realise this is a 10 year old thread?

If you want to work for free, why don't you join a contest site, instead of a site where people come to find work that pays their bills?

[#9]

Excellent plan. So contractors don't have to waste time reading a 'job' that turns out to be a contest. A filter option in the job search would be a magnificent addition.

[#10]

All job postings which are contests should be billed $50 per posting, after all, its a small price for using the platform for the opportunity of exploiting people.

[#11]

"Requesting free work of any kind is prohibited, including contests in which freelancers submit work with no to very little pay, and only the winning submission is paid the full amount."

[#12]

Anyone who posts a job should undergo an oDesk readiness test first before they can post to prevent/minimize the possibility of 'contests' being posted

[#13]

I really do not get your suggestions!
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You do know that there is a plethora of other services out there right?

Anddddddddddd this is how the new CEO sinks the company.  smh.

Listen, it sounds harsh but cash is king and the POSTER is cash. 
Fight if you will but for every 1 decent poster willing to pay, there are a dozen cheap guys like "myself" if you will, looking for top design for rock bottom pay.  That's the fundamental breath of these types of freelance sites. lol
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Otherwise, we'd tap local talent in the US.  =/

You guys aren't ready.

[#14]

It should be but I remember not long ago someone reported a contest and when they followed up with Support to ask why it's still up, they got "Because this type of job is allowed in the marketplace". Can't find the node to get the exact quote but I'm pretty sure the general idea was that.

[#15]

i believe this is what you're talking about: [quote=Louis D.]So there you go. Pointless even flagging them - sarcasm aside it turns out they are actually legitimate. This was the bulk of the posting: "We will have several people sending in their logo design and only one person will be paid the $100.00. If you are interested in this contest, please submit your design." oDesk's response a couple of days later: "This posting was not removed as a contest ia allowed for posting as long as it meets the criteria of our Job Posting policy." So there you go design contests are allowed. I re-read the job policy and it's true you could illegitimate post a job contest. Unless it's changed since I read it a while back I could have sworn there was something about job postings asking for free work without a contract? Anyway, i'm done. I'll let them continue condoning exploration and go about my business.[/quote] i distinctly remember it being Louis, he seemed to be really upset about it at the time, and understandably so.

[#16]

I think thats fair assessment.

[#17]

OP is probably a 'client' who only wants to spend $5 per job. He/she can just say no one provided a good solution and use all the work submitted (but pay only $5 to close the job according to his/her idea). It surprises me how incredibly manipulative and exploitative this proposition is. Only a complete imbecile would not see through how the tone and use of words is designed to manipulate people into thinking its a good idea. The OP should be/must be a copywriter (or have ASPD).

[#18]

Duh!

course its rubbish and manipulative. 

But there is ONE absolute truth in all of this. 

THERE IS NO DURESS! 

You are NOT required to participate if you do not want.
#simpleAsThat!

[#19]

A couple more comments: [quote]Best logo wins $250 Best solution wins job! etc etc It would be a GREAT source of additional revenue for Odesk. Also, currently, odeskers don't know what to do if they see a job like any of the above, or even one like: "First verified solution wins".[/quote] Yes we do. We avoid them like the plague. Contests simply don't work from a contracting point of view. You're doing all the work for a 1/X chance of being paid for it (with X being the number of applicants). Add to that the chance of the client skipping with the work and wasting time on competition-format 'jobs' just doesn't make sense. [quote]b. client does not have to award the contest but must RANK (stars) the responses, and those ratings will, in turn, affect the contractors overall star rating.[/quote] So you get to poison a random bunch of people's careers without even paying for it? No bloody way. Not to mention the amount of ways this could be gamed.

[#20]

i was wondering about this "contest guy" Robin mentioned in another thread. i'm still trying to decide if the OP is being sarcastic, or serious (or seriously sarcastic). :puzzled:

[#21]

Anything can be gamed though.
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There is no assured way of guaranteeing anything.  While I agree that you're putting sweat and real work behind a potential design that may ultimately be rejected, or forgone for another, its the nature of the beast.

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I too, would like to see how some of these concerns can be resolved.  I'd hate to see a contractor lose out but limiting these options not only hurt  Odesk/Upwork and its contractors, it allows for other groups like 99 design and designcrowd to find traction and wedge into the industry.

But who cares, no one wants to assure survival of their business, right?

[#22]

Guess if folks really want to gamble at if their design would be the best they can go to any other site out there that offers contests for their hard work.

[#23]

An absolute new low for the company.

Things are getting worse by the day here.

[#24]

• Requesting free work of any kind is prohibited, including contests in which freelancers submit work with no to very little pay, and only the winning submission is paid the full amount.

https://www.upwork.com/info/terms/client-policies/

[#25]

Plenty of good points have been stated in this thread, including and not to be ignored Terms of Service regarding allowed job types.

There is another "freelancing" site out there who has a very very busy Contests area, to the point "good" jobs are a rare find.  After realizing this, I've avoided that site like the plague. If Upwork allowed this job type, I'd throw my hands up in disgust and leave without looking back.

One last word: Yeesh!