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makerbiles6
Community Member

Is it possible for a paid test project to go out of scope?

I'm longwinded AF so I'll try to keep this brief.

I did a small paid test project for $100.

It was the equivalent of an introduction + one H2 section (a little over 200 words).

The client responded positively to the sample and asked me to complete the article for an additional sum of $400.

I wasn't expecting this since they framed it like it was an unexpected round 2 to choose their writer (but I suspect it was planned all along).

So I get them the rest of the article, which I had a bit of a hard time with due to the complexity of the assignment.

They pay me. give me a lot of good feedback, and ask me to re-write half of it (lol?)

This is the second revision request I've ever received, but this one didn't surprise me given some of the friction I encountered while working on the piece.

What is kind of surprising (and I guess to me, annoying) is the expectation that I will re-write half of it without any indication of where I am in the process. Also, while $500 is a fine rate for the piece, I am losing money (time) by re-writing it.

This started out as a test. And perhaps I failed—but I don't really want to spend more time on the piece when I already know I'm gonna hit the same roadblocks. And they weren't very helpful when I explained said roadblocks.

Obviously, this isn't the best fit.

But I guess I'm looking for an attitude/experience check. Am I off-base to be bothered by the way this is progressing? Can a paid test project go out of scope?

5 REPLIES 5
mtngigi
Community Member


Maker B wrote:

I'm longwinded AF so I'll try to keep this brief.

I did a small paid test project for $100.

It was the equivalent of an introduction + one H2 section (a little over 200 words).

The client responded positively to the sample and asked me to complete the article for an additional sum of $400.

I wasn't expecting this since they framed it like it was an unexpected round 2 to choose their writer (but I suspect it was planned all along).

So I get them the rest of the article, which I had a bit of a hard time with due to the complexity of the assignment.

They pay me. give me a lot of good feedback, and ask me to re-write half of it (lol?)

This is the second revision request I've ever received, but this one didn't surprise me given some of the friction I encountered while working on the piece.

What is kind of surprising (and I guess to me, annoying) is the expectation that I will re-write half of it without any indication of where I am in the process. Also, while $500 is a fine rate for the piece, I am losing money (time) by re-writing it.

This started out as a test. And perhaps I failed—but I don't really want to spend more time on the piece when I already know I'm gonna hit the same roadblocks. And they weren't very helpful when I explained said roadblocks.

Obviously, this isn't the best fit.

But I guess I'm looking for an attitude/experience check. Am I off-base to be bothered by the way this is progressing? Can a paid test project go out of scope?


Yes, a paid test can go out of scope, but only if you allow that to happen. No matter if a job is a full job or a test, expectations about deliverables should be discussed at the interview stage. You set the number of revisions you're willing to do, or clients will take advantage.

 

Learn how to set contracts up from the start, including expectations and revisions, to avoid this kind of situation.

 

If you've already been paid for the "test" that turned into a full job and the contract was closed, that's it for that job. If they want more work from you, let them know they need to create a new offer/contract, and for a successful outcome ask and get all you need from them to complete this next round.

 

If they're not willing to do that, say adios.

a_lipsey
Community Member

If they already paid you for the draft, tell them they need to fund a new milestone for the re-write. 

mtngigi
Community Member

Just curious ... you don't have a finished profile or photo. How did you get this job and get paid?

petra_r
Community Member


Virginia F wrote:

Just curious ... you don't have a finished profile or photo. How did you get this job and get paid?


Germany is also not 2.5 hours ahead of me....

Only Iran and Afghanistan are

mtngigi
Community Member


Petra R wrote:

Virginia F wrote:

Just curious ... you don't have a finished profile or photo. How did you get this job and get paid?


Germany is also not 2.5 hours ahead of me....

Only Iran and Afghanistan are


The plot thickens.

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