Hey everyone,
Lukas from CGTrader here.
There seem to be some misunderstandings of how the 3D Jobs system works. Let's clear that out.
There are two ways how a client can hire you. It's either via the "Hire me" button, which lets the client send you a private job offer, or via "3D Jobs" section, where they can post public job offers for anyone to apply. Regardless of how the job was posted, before applying, you should always make sure that the requirements are clear and you are on a mutual understanding with the client. Don’t hesitate to ask for more details. The most common reason for a refund is miscommunication - expectations were higher than the result; workload grew and it wasn't worth the money anymore and etc.
When you receive a private job offer, the client has most likely seen and liked your work and is looking for something similar. Just find a mutual understanding and you are good to go. If you are applying for a public job offer you should always introduce yourself. Imagine it as a job interview - you tell a little bit about yourself, your experience and show them your work examples. You can also paint a picture of how you imagine the workflow of that job. Since the job is public there will be more candidates. The better you present yourself, the bigger are your chances of being hired.
Most clients send follow-up questions to get to know the designers better and choose the right candidate. Some may even ask for a sample before they hire you. And it is up to you whether you agree to invest your time and provide a sample, or no. However, you should never under no circumstances agree to start working on a project before the client has selected you and made the payment. As you may know, to start a job, the client needs to make the payment. The payment is held by CGTrader until the job is marked as completed. Once the job is completed, we add the funds to the designers’ monthly revenues. By holding the funds during the jobs progress, we can guarantee the safety of both parties and help solve any occurring issues. Designers can feel safe knowing that they will always receive payment for the completed job and clients can count to receive requested model or a refund, if the work isn't done. However, this isn't possible if the payment wasn't made. Therefore, I'll repeat myself, NEVER start working on a job before the payment was made.
Note: You can always track the jobs status: Not selected – the client hasn’t selected any candidate yet; Declined – the client selected a different candidate; Started – the client has selected you and made the payment; Finished – the client has marked the job as completed.
Coming back to job posts - yes, there are some job posts that seem to be active for months and have a big number of candidates. In most cases the client just couldn't find the right applicant to work with. As I mentioned, it is really important to make sure that you are experienced enough to take up the job and to present yourself to the client. We often see cases where designer applies to the job without fully understanding what is required or having a portfolio to present his work quality. It is quite reasonable that the client won't even want to reply to such candidates. In other cases, the client could just go missing. It is possible that he found a freelancer elsewhere or just changed his mind. Just like there are inexperienced designers there are unreliable clients as well. Nevertheless, you guys should always set the pace and show an example. Apply only to jobs that you know you are credible to work with. When applying, introduce yourself and show examples of your previous work. Approach clients professionally and you will receive the same type of communication.
If you’ll have any additional questions or would like some personal tips feel free to ask here or contact me via DM.
Cheers,
Lukas, CGTrader