Free trial?

c_gohrani · ‎07-19-2019

I recently spent a lot of time with a potential client and he showed interest to hire me but asked me to first work on his campaigns for 2 weeks for free, so he can 'try me out'. Is this common? Why would I be on Upwork if I want to provide my services for free?

dzadza · ‎07-19-2019

Yeah - he can "try you out" for 2 weeks, then try someone else for 2 weeks, and... well, you get the picture - free work unlimited...

just report him - flag the job post

c_gohrani · ‎07-23-2019

Thank you, I didn't know you can flag a job.. I just did that..

tranvanhieu · ‎07-19-2019

Trial work/ or test is ok, but it should never take more than 1 hour to complete.

Hieu T
Vietnamese translator

prestonhunter · ‎07-19-2019

re: "I recently spent a lot of time with a potential client and he showed interest to hire me but asked me to first work on his campaigns for 2 weeks for free, so he can 'try me out'. Is this common? Why would I be on Upwork if I want to provide my services for free?"

Chandra:

I can assure you that this "client" (realy: "scammer") has absolutely no intention of every paying you any money, no matter how well you do during the "free trial."

Hieu wrote: "Trial work/ or test is ok, but it should never take more than 1 hour to complete."

No. It is really NOT okay.

If a client asks for trial work or test work, it is a violation of Upwork ToS. Such a client should be reported.

sergio-soria · ‎07-19-2019

Yes, it's very common... It's very common to find these scammers. They especially target new workers, some even promise 5-star reviews. How shameless. Tell him your time is valuable and you can do a trial as long as he pays for it. You already "spent a lot of time" talking with him.

petra_r · ‎07-19-2019

Hieu T wrote:
Trial work/ or test is ok, but it should never take more than 1 hour to complete.

Nonsense

c_gohrani · ‎07-23-2019

i know, right? this is what he actually said: "7-14 days won't take the whole of your time, moreover we want to believe that you already have a system in place"

martina_plaschka · ‎07-23-2019

Chanda G wrote:
i know, right? this is what he actually said: "7-14 days won't take the whole of your time, moreover we want to believe that you already have a system in place"

Yeah, the system I have in place is not working for free. Good system, btw!

williambernal · ‎07-23-2019

Hieu,

No, no...

NO!

Let's be clear-

Under no circumstances should any client request free work, nor should any freelancer provide free work.

I would call to your professional ATTENTION-

Upwork's TERMS OF USE: 4.1 EXAMPLES OF PROHIBITED USES OF THE SITE

Requesting or demanding free services, including requesting Freelancers to submit work as part of the proposal process for very little or no money or posting contests in which Freelancers submit work with no or very little pay, and only the winning submission is paid the full amount

If a client requests a "Trial", simply reply- "I would be happy to provide xxx just as soon as we agree to Terms."

If a client requests a "sample", that is the exact purpose of your portfolio so simply direct their attention there.

If a client repeatedly makes such requests, simply remind them of the above ToS Rule.

Work smart, work safe!

c466a54d · ‎08-13-2023

Oh no, oh no! I just recently sent someone trial work and still haven't heard back from them. I was just thinking "Dang, I wonder why it's taken them so long" when I realized I probably just got duped. Ugh! Thankfully, it was only a few sentences of creative writing work, but they now have my words to claim as their own without any compensation. Just kicking myself over this.

martina_plaschka · ‎07-23-2019

Hieu T wrote:
Trial work/ or test is ok, but it should never take more than 1 hour to complete.

Free work is never ok, it drags down the platform for everybody.

jddavis100 · ‎07-19-2019

Yes, from time to time, prospective clients make these requests. Usually, I explain that I can't absorb the business expenses of doing work without pay. But if I have a sample of my work that is not privileged, I do provide that. I also used to limit my free consulting, i.e., communications, to 30 minutes. So if I start going over 30 minutes on a call, or with messages back and forth to review items, I tell the prospective client that I may have to charge them. I remind myself that they are only a prospect until a contract is offered and accepted by me.

prestonhunter · ‎07-19-2019

Keep in mind that when we decline to work for free, that is good for us a freelancer.

But it is even better for the client.

We don't want to facilitate clients becoming bad people. We want to encourage them to do the right thing. Most people, if invited to do the right thing, in a polite and professional way, will do so.

c_gohrani · ‎07-23-2019

I will try and follow the same. Glad to see that I wasn't the only one who thought his demands were wrong.

florydev · ‎07-23-2019

Chandra,

I like your profile and your initiative in asking this question! I want to encourage you to persevere as I think you have something going there. It can be hard to get that first project but I believe you will get there!

Good Luck!

mtngigi · ‎07-23-2019

What this client did isn't funny, truly ... but can we just talk about the sheer audacity of a client asking for two weeks of free work? If it were me, I'd have a hard time keeping my mouth shut.

prestonhunter · ‎07-23-2019

Any freelancer who actually agrees to work for two weeks for free for a prospective client...

...does more harm to the Upwork platform than clients who ask for free work.

A waiter who let a patron eat at a restaurant for free for two weeks, while the patron "tries out the food," would definitely be fired.

martina_plaschka · ‎07-23-2019

Virginia F wrote:
What this client did isn't funny, truly ... but can we just talk about the sheer audacity of a client asking for two weeks of free work? If it were me, I'd have a hard time keeping my mouth shut.

I see that it would be hard to squeeze 2 weeks of free work into your schedule. Do you have a vacation planned? You could do it then!

prestonhunter · ‎07-23-2019

re: "I see that it would be hard to squeeze 2 weeks of free work into your schedule. Do you have a vacation planned? You could do it then!"

I might be willing to provide a client with two weeks of free work if that is when I take my two weeks paid vacation, at the client's expense.

doctlb · ‎08-26-2019

If a job has potential for me to earn over $200 or so, I offer to do about 30 minutes of work (editing or writing) as a sample of my work. But sometimes potential clients want me to answer a bunch of questions about their work, which basically comes down to free advice. When that happens too much I recommend that they hire me for consulting and let it go.

b5f28224 · ‎06-04-2023

I applied for a Virtual Research Job. They wanted to try researching 10 leads for a restaurant in Chicago. I did it (work 2 hours for free). Then he wrote that I was on top of candidates but I made a mistake in some tags, and if I wanted the job I needed to do it again (10 more leads). I wrote that I could fix the tags and it will only take me 10 minutes in total. He responded that they needed to see the amount of time it took me to do it right completely. I simply say no. But this is what people do...requesting a job and not paying for it.

**Edited for Community Guidelines** is the company.

Thanks for reading.