Predict whether job will result in good feedback or bad experience

[sajal36]

Hi,

  I believe everyone on Upwork have great experience or even bad experience either working with client or freelancer. However, it is very easy to evaluate whether the job will result in success or become a nigthmare.

There are different type of clients on Upwork -

1. Client directly posting the job for their businesses

2. Middle person or consutlant or agency hiring for their clients

3. Feelancer acting as client and hiring for the part of job either as a agency or client

 I believe #1 is the great win case if you get to work directly with client as the complete energy is getting the job completed sucessfully. This can even turn into a longterm relationship  #2 is  purely body shopping scenario, where you are hired and deployed to the project. Middle person have no idea about project performance or quality of work and solely depends on the feedback from the client. #3 Freelancer take up the job and further subcontract the job either having agency account or  opening up the client account.

Any project you implement you must be interested in knowing / tracking the effort and revenue from the job. I discount skill here as you will apply for jobs for the skils of your expertise. So observations - 

#1 will have accurate cost and effort and in case require the client will be flexible for accomodating the change or scope creep, if any. 

#2 will be concern on effort and project scope as you are signing with consultant so there can be surprises when you start on the project. So must be careful in terms of scope and effort committed for the project. If it is hourly then you must be still look into the timeline as this might hidden at theconsultant level

#3 will be prime concerning area. As this is being subcontracted so you need to be careful on effort, cost and timelines. I remember one of the case where job poster posted the job where he required part time freelancer availaiblity between 9 am to 9 pm and posted the hourly job post with 10 hours per week cap and no manual hours. Interesting point to note in this case was that it was implicit in the job post that you will work free for most of the time.

I believe whenever you apply for a job #1 and #2 might be ok. But you need to be careful on #3 in terms of contract negotiation else you will burn mid night oil for free and also look for delivering timely and high quality prodcut for feedback to be good.

Your thoughts?

[a121390e]

Totally right but it's really difficult to notice the client's real identity.

[sajal36]

Hi Peter, 

    That's True. However, there are many ways to look into the details to figure out the client's identity. Sometimes the job description itself state what their clients are looking at. 

But once you apply for the job and receive response at that point too you will have more details to identify the client. Most client list there details / company details and often if it is consutlant then they ask for resume to be shared with their client.  If someone carefully observe the details then 80% of the time it is easy to find out the details.  

[759e32fa]

Interesting. To freelancers who regularly check job listings and have more experience in applying to jobs in the marketplace and getting interviewed, have you noticed the same thing?

If so, what are some of the common giveaways that clients fall into categories 1, 2, and 3?

This would be a helpful thread for newbies and those who wish to improve their JSS! Definitely bookmarking so I can recommend this to them.

Thanks, Sajal!