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alejandrocrespo
Community Member

Can we have a separate contract option for testing work, that would not allow any feedback ?

I believe that paid testing through regular contracts is very unfair to freelancers.

 

There is a quite big disbalance on the risks for test jobs. It's supposed to save both the client and the freelance from getting into a potentially harmful relationship, but in reality, the freelancer ends up taking all the risks from a bad client and no rewards at all (excluding the potential loss of time dealing with such a client).

 

At the same time, we are very limited to what can or cannot be done during this "testing" phase because most of the clients that require testing only do that because they aren't sure of what they want, or for some reason can't evaluate a freelancer's  portfolio for their business needs. 

 

I've got a 5% JSS blow from a testing contract, just because the client didn't like the style of the design I provided, even when 1)The design was in accordance with the style of my whole portfolio, 2) The quality was the same as my portfolio.  And I know that it's a quite light blow, but the risk is there, and I've seen people get heavier hits from random test jobs...

 

There should be a separate "Testing Contract", that would take into account the specificities of testing work, and either allow a specific set of feedback responses, receive only public feedback that don't affect the JSS, or just no option for feedback at all.

 

I'm all for giving clients the opportunity to test their freelancers to avoid scams, etc. But giving them the power to affect your JSS based on how retrograde Saturn affects their mood today is a very bad deal for freelancers.

 

4 REPLIES 4
martina_plaschka
Community Member

You are not taking into account that a test project can go great too?

tlbp
Community Member


Alejandro C wrote:

I believe that paid testing through regular contracts is very unfair to freelancers.

 

There is a quite big disbalance on the risks for test jobs. It's supposed to save both the client and the freelance from getting into a potentially harmful relationship, but in reality, the freelancer ends up taking all the risks from a bad client and no rewards at all (excluding the potential loss of time dealing with such a client).

 

At the same time, we are very limited to what can or cannot be done during this "testing" phase because most of the clients that require testing only do that because they aren't sure of what they want, or for some reason can't evaluate a freelancer's  portfolio for their business needs. 

 

I've got a 5% JSS blow from a testing contract, just because the client didn't like the style of the design I provided, even when 1)The design was in accordance with the style of my whole portfolio, 2) The quality was the same as my portfolio.  And I know that it's a quite light blow, but the risk is there, and I've seen people get heavier hits from random test jobs...

 

There should be a separate "Testing Contract", that would take into account the specificities of testing work, and either allow a specific set of feedback responses, receive only public feedback that don't affect the JSS, or just no option for feedback at all.

 

I'm all for giving clients the opportunity to test their freelancers to avoid scams, etc. But giving them the power to affect your JSS based on how retrograde Saturn affects their mood today is a very bad deal for freelancers.

 


Say "no" to tests.

I recommend that clients simply hire freelancers for test jobs without telling the freelancers that these are test jobs.


Preston H wrote:

I recommend that clients simply hire freelancers for test jobs without telling the freelancers that these are test jobs.


In a sense, virtually all freelancing jobs are test jobs, in that either party is free to terminate the relationship if the initial experience isn't positive.

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