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Being mainly a web programmer, I get a lot of very bogus inquiries (like re-implementing multi-million dollar websites in a day) and requests from companies doi

by Udo 11y ago

Being mainly a web programmer, I get a lot of very bogus inquiries (like re-implementing multi-million dollar websites in a day) and requests from companies doing projects that look very very painful if not outright doomed. I tried several ways of letting these people down gently, and only one actually works in all cases - even though the turn-down email is often a bit of a lie, sorry to say. The problem with the whole "I don't think this is a good fit" angle is project owners will then try to convince you why it should be an excellent fit, and they're often not wrong. If you advertise yourself as, say, a full-stack web app developer, it's difficult turning down someone asking you to help out on a generic web app. The second thing I tried is reasoning with people by letting them know why I personally think the project is a bad idea, or is not salvageable. Unsurprisingly, it's almost impossible to do this without insulting them, or without inviting responses like "well, then maybe you're just too incompetent for this". So the only thing that actually works in my experience is: "sorry, I'm fully booked at the moment, so I can't take this on". The beauty of this approach, even though I recognize it's morally questionable, is that it's an entirely realistic reason. In fact, it's the exact same response I send out when I am indeed fully booked. You leave that person behind with a neutral impression, and they still feel good about their project (which is important because I could be very wrong in my judgement of it).

chris_hawk 11y ago
Udo, that's not a bad approach, and I've used it myself. But I always felt bad for outright lying. At least by saying the project is a bad fit, I can say I'm being honest. Now that I've said this, I'm sure I'll end telling someone "uh...I'm all booked up" before the week is out. :) That said, IMO the word "No" is a full sentence, and when clients do as you describe, trying to forcefully argue why it should be a good fit, I simply hold to my original rejection and don't participate in that discussion. They may want very badly to initiate a game of tug-o-war, but unless I agree to pull on the other end of that rope, it's not happening. :) I agree 100% with you about the pitfalls of giving a personal critique of why the project is a bad fit/poor idea/not salvageable. That's just bad news. Also, those bogus inquiries you mention? OMG BANE OF A FREELANCERS EXISTENCE. Not a single week goes by where I don't have an interaction like this: Small Biz Owner: "I have an app idea!" Me: "Of course you do." Small Biz Owner: "You have to sign an NDA before I'll tell you!" Me: "Straight-up 'no'." Small Biz Owner: "OK, then...my idea is 'Twitter, but for law enforcement officers'! And they have to pay for it! It's GUARANTEED to make millions!" Me: "OK, we can build & launch it for $10k." Small Biz Owner: "What?!? That...ten THOUSAND? That's preposterous!" Me: "It's guaranteed to make millions, right?" Small Biz Owner" "Yeah, but...can't you do it for equity?" Me: "Get out of my office." (note: the above exchange has been hyperbolized for comedic effect)
- mhurron 11y ago
  > But I always felt bad for outright lying. You are always fully booked, even if your doing very little, because this project is not enough to make you move your current schedule around to accommodate it.
  - chris_hawk 11y ago
    That's a pretty healthy way to look at it! Did you have that outlook on day one, or did it take some number of years in the freelancing game to come around to that outlook?
    - mhurron 11y ago
      Actually I don't freelance. This just came to me as I thought about it. So probably the answer is after some experience without realizing it. It's not all that different than a new project as an employee, though you may have less control over your scheduling. If you hand me one project it takes all my time When you come back with another project and ask me if I'm busy the answer is yes, I am 100% dedicated to this project. Taking anything else on takes time away from that so I have to look at what I'm doing and weigh if its important enough to reduce the amount of work on the other project.
  - nsns 11y ago
    Ah, rationalization, the anesthetic for morality.
    - chris_hawk 11y ago
      nsns - can you elucidate?
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by Udo 11y ago

chris_hawk 11y ago

Udo, that's not a bad approach, and I've used it myself. But I always felt bad for outright lying. At least by saying the project is a bad fit, I can say I'm being honest. Now that I've said this, I'm sure I'll end telling someone "uh...I'm all booked up" before the week is out. :) That said, IMO the word "No" is a full sentence, and when clients do as you describe, trying to forcefully argue why it should be a good fit, I simply hold to my original rejection and don't participate in that discussion. They may want very badly to initiate a game of tug-o-war, but unless I agree to pull on the other end of that rope, it's not happening. :) I agree 100% with you about the pitfalls of giving a personal critique of why the project is a bad fit/poor idea/not salvageable. That's just bad news. Also, those bogus inquiries you mention? OMG BANE OF A FREELANCERS EXISTENCE. Not a single week goes by where I don't have an interaction like this: Small Biz Owner: "I have an app idea!" Me: "Of course you do." Small Biz Owner: "You have to sign an NDA before I'll tell you!" Me: "Straight-up 'no'." Small Biz Owner: "OK, then...my idea is 'Twitter, but for law enforcement officers'! And they have to pay for it! It's GUARANTEED to make millions!" Me: "OK, we can build & launch it for $10k." Small Biz Owner: "What?!? That...ten THOUSAND? That's preposterous!" Me: "It's guaranteed to make millions, right?" Small Biz Owner" "Yeah, but...can't you do it for equity?" Me: "Get out of my office." (note: the above exchange has been hyperbolized for comedic effect)

mhurron 11y ago
> But I always felt bad for outright lying. You are always fully booked, even if your doing very little, because this project is not enough to make you move your current schedule around to accommodate it.
- chris_hawk 11y ago
  That's a pretty healthy way to look at it! Did you have that outlook on day one, or did it take some number of years in the freelancing game to come around to that outlook?
  - mhurron 11y ago
    Actually I don't freelance. This just came to me as I thought about it. So probably the answer is after some experience without realizing it. It's not all that different than a new project as an employee, though you may have less control over your scheduling. If you hand me one project it takes all my time When you come back with another project and ask me if I'm busy the answer is yes, I am 100% dedicated to this project. Taking anything else on takes time away from that so I have to look at what I'm doing and weigh if its important enough to reduce the amount of work on the other project.
- nsns 11y ago
  Ah, rationalization, the anesthetic for morality.
  - chris_hawk 11y ago
    nsns - can you elucidate?
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