Entry, intermediate, expert... is the gradation correct?

[valery221166]

The short story first.
A few years before I worked in the small print studio. At the first day of my work the owner gave me a short test. 'I have CorelDraw file that contains few thousands of objects. Some of them have RGB fill, few of them are Pantone filled.' - he said. 'Could you separate them and how long it could take?' 'Yes - I said, I can, it will take 3 minutes'. Then I opened file, run Find and replace command and instantly fount the wrong objects.
After this I noticed that the owner started to look at me as I was magician. He told me after, that time before he brought this file to design bureau, and people there MANUALLY checked all files during few days in order to find the wrong objects.
Now we have 3 type of level-oriented projects.
$ Entry level Client is looking for freelancers with the lowest rates
$ Intermediate level Client is looking for a mix of experience and value
$$$ Expert level Client is willing to pay higher rates for the most experienced freelancers
Let's suppose that nobody of clients comes here to get semi-ready product (otherwise we have to suppose them **Edited for Community Guidelines**), so in case of entry-level freelancer it means many corrections, and, as result, a lot of wasted time. I even don't speak about absence of experience, low speed and, the same wasted time and money. Sometimes I check what happens about other freelancers and see, how people spend tons of time for the projects that could be done with less efforts.
Notice, offering the options to client nobody says this, they mention CHEAP prices of the entry-level freelancers, but don't say that the same item done by experienced person will cost THE SAME or even LOWER. It plays very important psychological role, sometimes forcing people to make wrong choice.
I guess the only criteria of the task could be if it is straightforward, that bases on knowledge of elementary things,  or creative, multitool, that makes freelancers to force their brain and use all range of their knowledge. But, in this case,  the gradation bases on SUBJECTIVE evaluation of the task from the client side. Just refer you to story I told you before.

[resultsassoc]

The gradation is entirely subjective, and has to vary from domain to domain. I'm primarily an issue-based consultant who identifies the real issue involved, then devises a solution. In the non-internet-job-board world, at my level of experience this starts at perhaps $650 an hour and can go up to $1,300/hour - or more - for an expert. Nobody will ask for an entry-level consultant in my niche.

For data entry, experts might make $15/hour, intermediate $12/hour, entry level $6/hour. UW defines "expert" as someone making $18/hour and above. Rubbish.

I am a provider and a client on UW and another board. It's been years since I competed for complex high-value projects; when I was doing that, I refused to hire anybody asking for less than $50/hour. My website designer offered to build my website for $250; I told her I wanted a website worth more than that, and raised her price. Late this week I"ll hire an illustrator without regard to price so long as I can afford him. I specify "expert" when hiring, and only filter for "expert" jobs as a provider.

I don't want a client looking for entry-level, because my work will have little value to him. I don't want a freelancer charging very little either. If you don't think you're worth very much, I'm not about to argue.

[petra_r]

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Bill H wrote:

UW defines "expert" as someone making $18/hour and above. Rubbish

"Rubbish" indeed, because Upwork does not "define "expert" as someone making $18/hour"