Readability of Upwork Client Job Descriptions

[bobmc_rmm]

As you know, English writings consist of words in sentences .. in paragraphs .. in pages and so on.  It must have structure.

Client job descriptions are often unreadable because they have no structure. Sometimes there is a big screenful of text with no breaks or task lists.

Messages have the same problem. Pressing the enter key sends the message so it is not possible to have paragraphs or lists. My wo;rkaround is to copy-paste from a system editor.  Or to send text as an attachment.  But the problem of reading client messages remains.

What can be done?

[christopherbudde · Accepted solution]

You can change the enter key to a line break using the gear icon in the upper-right of the message box.

[nkocendova]

Hi Robert,

Could you please advise if all the job postings you see and messages from clients are displaying in the way you described?

Also with regard to the enter key issue, you can change that in your message settings. Click on the gear icon next to your compose box to change the default behavior of "enter" from sending the message to creating a link break (or back again). Line breaks can also be added by pressing Alt+Enter or Ctr+Enter or Shift + Enter.

[bobmc_rmm]

The hints for messages are helpful but the main problem is that job descriptions are difficult to read....

[reinierb]

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@Robert M wrote:

The hints for messages are helpful but the main problem is that job descriptions are difficult to read....

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 This particular job description is not difficult to read; it is imposible to read because the preview of your screenshot won't load for me...

[kenstone]

I'm using the Safari browser.  Uploaded images never display for me either.  Even the ones I upload myself here in the community.  

In messaging with clients there is no problem.  

[bobmc_rmm]

I use FireFox and Chrome.  First I clicked the "Photos" icon.  It was discarded after upload because "bad HTML".  Next  I clicked "Browse" and uploaded JPEG file.  The preview feature does not work for JPEG.  It must be downloaded for viewing.

[bobmc_rmm]

The preview feature does not work for JPEG but the download icon appended to the filename does.

[petra_r]

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@Robert M wrote:

The hints for messages are helpful but the main problem is that job descriptions are difficult to read....

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 That's a $ 3 an hour job so not worth your while to try and decipher anyway.

[gilbert-phyllis]

This may or may not be the case across all specialties, but when I see a project description that contains (or wholly consists of) an unedited wall of text obviously copied and pasted from some other document, I don't even slow down. Presumably, whoever is posting the job will be the person who enters into the contract with me, provides ongoing feedback about the work I submit, and approves payment. If that person is either too lazy or insufficiently informed to write a halfway reasonable project description, then I am not a good fit for them.

[bobmc_rmm]

Before Upwork, I tried Freelancer which has a copy-paste button to "make job like this one".   All the descriptions started with the same sentences.  It was terrible.

[mtngigi]

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@Robert M wrote:

As you know, English writings consist of words in sentences .. in paragraphs .. in pages and so on.  It must have structure.

Client job descriptions are often unreadable because they have no structure. Sometimes there is a big screenful of text with no breaks or task lists.

Messages have the same problem. Pressing the enter key sends the message so it is not possible to have paragraphs or lists. My wo;rkaround is to copy-paste from a system editor.  Or to send text as an attachment.  But the problem of reading client messages remains.

What can be done?

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What can be done? Nothing.

There is no way Upwork can or will police the way clients write and structure their job posts. How could or would they? If I see a post I'm interested in and it's presented that way, I simply copy/paste the text into a local program so I can take the time to read through and understand the RFP before bidding.

Upwork is not going to make clients revise/correct their RFPs (nor should they).

[bobmc_rmm]

Perhaps an optional form, template, or AI bot should be available. The client needs to be interviewed sooner or later so that requirements can be turned into software models.

[bobmc_rmm]

"Client job descriptions are often unreadable because they have no structure. Sometimes there is a big screenful of text with no breaks or task lists."

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My complaint is only true for the "Find Jobs" page. If the description is formatted, it will be acceptable on the "Submit Proposals Page".