Looks Like It Happened Again

[jwinter]

I think something that the writers who flake like this do not consider is that we talk. Writers who have been in the game for awhile, who have our footholds with clients and who offer the overflow work talk. We may not talk on the forums and name names but we do offer referrals and warnings. When you flake on one of us more than once and when second chances are given and you blow them, guess what? Your name gets shared. It just does. Just like in the brick and mortar world. If you hire a contractor and they screw up on the job and leave it half done, you will warn a buddy that's looking for contractors to avoid that person like the plague. If someone does a bad job or a business is lacking you will leave a review stating as much.

What amazes me is I have seen people who have done this to me, done this to others and flake on a regular basis turn around and post about how they need work and how they can't make it in writing (or other jobs) and just don't understand why they can't find clients. Well, this is why!

[dsmpublishing]

Originally Posted by jwinter

I think something that the writers who flake like this do not consider is that we talk. Writers who have been in the game for awhile, who have our footholds with clients and who offer the overflow work talk. We may not talk on the forums and name names but we do offer referrals and warnings. When you flake on one of us more than once and when second chances are given and you blow them, guess what? Your name gets shared. It just does. Just like in the brick and mortar world. If you hire a contractor and they screw up on the job and leave it half done, you will warn a buddy that's looking for contractors to avoid that person like the plague. If someone does a bad job or a business is lacking you will leave a review stating as much.

What amazes me is I have seen people who have done this to me, done this to others and flake on a regular basis turn around and post about how they need work and how they can't make it in writing (or other jobs) and just don't understand why they can't find clients. Well, this is why!

Well anng shares my flake list with you and vice versa for when we are hiring.

And if you want a real good laugh - a past flaker of mine has commented on this thread!!!! And its the same when there is an overflow job they are straight there offering their services.

Having said that I have a brilliant writer that does blogging for one of my clients and she did flake on anng but we gave her a second chance and she is amazing.

For every 10 flakes I get i will get one writer that will stay with us for keeps so I am willing to go through the crap to find the decent ones.

kind regards


sam
X

[anng]

Originally Posted by mtgywriter

Honestly, I don't get it. Why apply for work and then treat the guidelines and the deadlines as if they were optional? Is there some perception that because the work is for someone who participates in this forum that it is not for a "real" client?

I've often wondered that. I was telling one of the posters here about a few of the issues I've had. I don't hire for overflow, so it's a little different, better I'd say. I hire for private clients who need new writers brought in and they trust my judgment. It's weekly pay in those cases and work that lasted months.

There are two situations that stick out, and it's a reason why I wonder if writers don't take those posting here seriously. In one case, the person told me she'd had a huge storm that knocked out power and Internet. I gave her a second chance. A week later, another missed deadline, and another huge storm excuse. I looked up the weather history in online newspapers for her town and there hadn't been a storm at all. I booted her and she went to the president of the company to complain. He immediately forwarded the email that said I was horrible and that unless they fired me she was going to the BBB. He made it clear the company would back me no matter what, especially when we had proof that there had been no storms. Her audacity astounded me and I would never recommend her to anyone on here.

There's another situation where the writer would miss deadlines. I gave her three chances (three strikes), and she blew it three times. At the end, she told me that she had a better paying client and that their work always came first and that mine was just filler. Yet, I'd made it clear that there ws a 20 article a week requirement and deadlines were 7 days from the date the work was assigned. Why she applied for a job when the pay wasn't up to her standards I've never understood. I'm sure out there there was someone who really wanted/needed that work and she took it from them for those three weeks.

[AlwaysWriter]

I am also sorry you have had this experience, Jwinter! Aside from common courtesy, the person in question should of taken in to account your pregnancy and the fact stress is the last thing you need right now. I consider myself a good writer and I, like everyone else here, trawl job boards etc on a daily basis looking for work - the fact that a person like this ruins a potential working opportunity for others is annoying.

[workathomewriter]

Situations like this are part of the reason I never worry about competition or running out of work. Apparently there are plenty of people who aren't even willing to do basic things like follow through or meet deadlines. It's frustrating when you want to outsource, but the flip side is that there will always be a market for those who are willing to work hard and follow through.

[ErinHill226]

Originally Posted by workathomewriter

Situations like this are part of the reason I never worry about competition or running out of work. Apparently there are plenty of people who aren't even willing to do basic things like follow through or meet deadlines. It's frustrating when you want to outsource, but the flip side is that there will always be a market for those who are willing to work hard and follow through.

I totally agree!

I'm sorry this happened OP. You may blame yourself, but nobody deserves to deal with something like this for being a nice person. You tried to help someone by offering them some work you thought they needed, and that is never a mistake. Live and learn.

The only time I have issues with deadlines, is when they client doesn't care. The vast majority of my clients do not care about having things on a particular day. As long as they know progress is being made, they are good to go. If somebody says they want X done on X day, I make sure I do it. But it is true that those who meet their obligations will get the work.

[Itsjusmeli]

It was really nice of you to give the person a second chance. In my mind, there's just no excuse for failing to communicate, at the very least, when you're not going to be able to make a deadline. And even then, it had better be a darned good excuse.