Do boilerplate client questions discourage you?

[#1]

Lately I find Upwork's boilerplate questions—collectively paraphrasable as "why are you the most challenging/fun/special fit for our nondescript job?"—are becoming a disincentive for applying.

Anyone else?

I wonder if Upwork tracks data on this question, and how it might affect not just the number but the quality of applications.

[#2]

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Douglas Michael M wrote:

Lately I find Upwork's boilerplate questions—collectively paraphrasable as "why are you the most challenging/fun/special fit for our nondescript job?"—are becoming a disincentive for applying.

Anyone else?

I wonder if Upwork tracks data on this question, and how it might affect not just the number but the quality of applications.

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When they come in bulk (3-5) while asking the SAME thing - I don't bother.
Do laugh, but don't even try do create a proposal for those.

If they are asking different stuff, don't mind them. Possibly even like those job posts.

[#3]

Yes, thanks, Antun!

I forgot to add that when the questions are written by the client and/or well-chosen from the Upwork options, they're actually helpful. I think Upwork needs to take pruning shears to its list.

[#4]

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Douglas Michael M wrote:

Lately I find Upwork's boilerplate questions—collectively paraphrasable as "why are you the most challenging/fun/special fit for our nondescript job?"—are becoming a disincentive for applying.

Anyone else?

I wonder if Upwork tracks data on this question, and how it might affect not just the number but the quality of applications.

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Yes, I was willing to play ball at first, but I'm sick of seeing those questions over and over again. They're usually impossible to answer since clients hardly ever provide sufficient details about their project. If my response is going to be the first thing that a client sees, and it's not possible for me to write a good response, then there's no point in bidding on the project, IMO.

[#5]

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Christine A wrote:

If my response is going to be the first thing that a client sees, and it's not possible for me to write a good response, then there's no point in bidding on the project, IMO.

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Bingo!

[#6]

As Antun mentioned, when the questions are unique to the job I have no problem with them.  

Boilerplate questions get the same response:  "See above proposal."

[#7]

Q - "What do you think is the most time-consuming aspect of this job"

A - Answering these stupid questions.

Q - Why did you apply to this particular job post

A - I didn't. You invited me.

Fact: There is button for clients to reject and report applicants for using a template style proposal, yet Upwork hands a template to clients...

[#8]

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Petra R wrote:

Q - "What do you think is the most time-consuming aspect of this job"

A - Answering these stupid questions.

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Hahaha

And yes. I find those questions very descouraging. That coupled with the infamous "Details upon hiring" is a real letdown.

[#9]

Details upon hiring = PASS.

[#10]

I have boilerplate replies to all of the inane boilerplate questions I see from potential clients.

If a potential client uses these questions, I assume they don't know much about the project they will want me to work on. It's not always a red flag - because clients who don't know what I'm doing may think I don't know what I'm doing - but it does tell me I will have a lot of work getting useful information from these fresh-faced rookies.

[#11]

The one that asks me what I think is the most challenging part of the job is irritating.

[#12]

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Jennifer M wrote:

The one that asks me what I think is the most challenging part of the job is irritating.

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The whole "HR department" tone and style is irritating. It reminds me those questions personnel employees ask in face-to-face interviews such as "If you were an animal which would it be?" or "Where do you see yourself 10 years from now?" In my country there are very common and people laugh at them. I am not sure if it's worldwide.

[#13]

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Sergio S wrote:

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Jennifer M wrote:

The one that asks me what I think is the most challenging part of the job is irritating.

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The whole "HR department" tone and style is irritating. It reminds me those questions personnel employees ask in face-to-face interviews such as "If you were an animal which would it be?" or "Where do you see yourself 10 years from now?" In my country there are very common and people laugh at them. I am not sure if it's worldwide.

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Exactly, which is why I hate it. Who cares as long  as I get it done?

I've been asked by more than one potential client what inspires me to write. That's another dumb one. On every occasion I just tell them "money," which is absolutely the truth. The HR questions annoy me, but I get a chuckle when they get totally silent from my answer.

[#14]

What recent project you have done that is most like this one and why?

When you’ve done a few hundred projects, there could be several that are similar but none would necessarily be recent. The why part is especially annoying, like I have to review code I wrote 2 years ago to see how similar it might be.

[#15]

"What recent project you have done that is most like this one and why?"

I did it because I was paid for it. I honestly hadn't fallen in love with the client.