Another contract offer out the blue... but it wasn't a scam this time! :)

Debs1723

On Friday afternoon I received another offer out of the blue from a stranger. But this time, the positive note was that it was pretty detailed about the project, the company, their objectives. Previous scam offers instead, were very general and had no details at all.
Also, this contract offer is set to activate at a later date, one week from now. No rush, no stress.
BEFORE ACCEPTING THE OFFER, I replied by asking a few questions and suggesting to meet online after the weekend to discuss the project. The client agreed and added more details, and confirmed that he was pretty confident as he had analysed my profile carefully before reaching out.
A few days later we met and agreed to begin a collaboration, beginning mid next week.
It came out that his company is not far from where I live, and I have been invited to go there and meet with the team in person.
Needless to say, my preliminary search has confirmed who he and his company are.
ONLY AFTER THE ABOVE STEPS, I ACCEPTED HIS OFFER ;)
I asked him why he just sent an offer to a stranger. I suggested him that that is risky for him as well, in case a dishonest freelancer begins adding paid work hours without a preliminary exchange.
His answer was interesting: " If I send an offer I am pretty sure to secure a response from a freelancer i'm interested in. If I just reach out via a message, I might get no responses at all. Nothing bad has happened to me so far".
There's always something to learn out there! ;)

Vladimir

Debs1723 Wow, thanks for detailing a fantastic learning experience! The client is definitely using the platform in an unintended way but as Andrea mentioned, your approach ensured you kept yourself safe but still open for potential collaboration. I can safely say that we'll use this and the previous thread you started on the same topic as one of the first forum KB articles.

This is the type of first-hand expert freelancer master class experience freelancers need to read about and internalize. Great job Debs!

Petra

Debs1723 Congrats!

That's the only way to handle unsolicited offers that appear out of the blue.

Andrea

Awesome! It really goes to show that it isn't always hard and fast rules you have to trust your insticts and do the next right thing. That's why I loved your strategy on your previous thread as it covered you from both angles same as here. If if was a scammer they wouldn't waste time engaging with you too much and if it was a real client you got the conversation started towards completing the project. Win-win!

Debs1723

Andrea Thank you! What I found interesting, is that clients can have issues of unresponsiveness on the part of freelancers.
I was in the shoe of a client only once, he added me to his account in Upwork to assist in shortlisting and recruiting someone with my same language. I was polite, as clear and detailed as I could in my reach-out. I can confirm that I only got responses from 3 on 10 freelancers contacted. Of those 3, two went missing shortly after witout explanation, the 3rd one was a no-show at a video-call to discuss the project and never explained nor apologised. And no, it wasn't a $5 job.

Andrea

Debs1723 Yeah, I'm not that surprised. Soft skills is where employment and freelancing are very much set apart. Having good communication and just being responsible and professional can be a big differenciator. A lot of people are just used to their employer being on top of them (which is normal if that's the only way you've ever worked) and that doesn't work with freelancing.

Robin

I also received a contract offer out of the blue in the summer. Took me by surprise. Guy was good to work with until he needed to do some testing.

Then he disappeared 😄

I sometimes don't realise what people are thinking about me when they message me or hire me so readily. It can be ages since I even last read my own profile.

In person you get an impression of someone, they of you; you can sort of sense mutual impressions going on. You connect; it feels good. Online, you don't necessarily realise that people are doing this connecting with a written-you, absent of your presence…

I find it can feel a bit disembodied, and this discussion reminds me that I sometimes need to do a better job of connecting with the human on the other side (who already feels they have been connecting with me) other than… oh, hey, this looks like a nice piece of business… 😬

Debs1723

Update: the contract started a few weeks ago, but this client has not yet shown up to begin the work on the project. I sent him a couple of messages, and he hasn't yet replied. I politely notified him that I will close the contract myself in about a week. Weird experience!

TopRatedTroll

I got one last week too and I thought he was a scammer at first. I asked for more info like I always do and it took him some time to reply. That's usually the sign of a scammer but lo and behold he answered and I worked. Now let's see if his payment goes through tonight lol

Debs1723

TopRatedTroll fingers crossed ;)