Rates and Requirements

[tracyparsons]

After scrolling through dozens of projects, it seems clear that the majority of potential clients looking for my services need educating on what to include in their job description in order for me to give them an accurate quote.  I'm beginning to feel like this is all a big time suck as I read post after post of incomplete info.  

[prestonhunter]

Why did you think that you need to provide an accurate quote when you submit a proposal?

You don't.

A proposal is just the beginning of a conversation. You may be asked to provide a dollar amount. You are not held to that.

Freelancers send proposals, which inform clients that the freelancer is available and interested in working on the project. If a client contacts you, then you may ask any questions you need to ask in order to generate a real quote. Or you may explain to the client why hiring you using an hourly contract would be better.

[tracyparsons]

With all due respect, a proposal is much more than the beginning of a
conversation. A proposal lays out what I, as a freelancer can bring to the
table. The whole point of the proposal is to show what I have to offer to
see if it is a match for the person/company who is doing the hiring and
that's impossible to do without all the information. Part of that is
telling the prospective client what my rates are, which can only be done
properly if the information is given in the job description.

There are two main problems I can see: 1)Most of the job descriptions are
poorly written and 2) Most of the fees associated with the jobs are
insulting to any freelancer. I cannot give an accurate answer if I do not
have all the details which means everyone is wasting their time. Today I
sent a proposal to someone willing to part with a whole $5 for a 20 minute
narration for a youtube video and they were looking for "Expert" level
talent. I had to explain to them they were not going to get an expert for
that price.

Some of the job descriptions are one or two sentences....so I just keep on
scrolling.

[colormaster]

I agree with Tracy.
Most of the clients even do not provide needful information/description in their job posts, but after any attampt of conversation just asking for estimates, examples or even trial (free work). 
What Tracy ment that client level of providing details and creating job posts is very low.
And some client create job post, then 20-50 freelancers start to write them, but in fact person even do not interviewing them cause change their mind or ask for one specific freelancer (and do not switch into closed/privat job post). Meanwhile 20-50 people lost a lot of time and connects.
UpWork need to do something with that.