Should you take an order on oDesk if you're not sure you can complete it?

Question

PHP

I have been developing in PHP for almost a year now, and sometimes I take orders from oDesk.
At the moment, I have completed about four orders, in a couple of months, and during the same period there were three orders that I took on, but could not complete, so I canceled them (of course, you won’t ask for a fee for this).
I wanted to ask if the list contains knowledge that you do not have, how do you determine if you can quickly learn those as you develop?

Answer 1

IMHO if the performer says that he takes up the work - then before starting work he should have not only confidence - the performer should have a clear understanding of how exactly he will solve the task and in what time frame. The “I don’t know, but I’ll definitely figure it out” approach is not needed by anyone. First understand - then apply for the task.
I especially like the phrase:
That is, do you really think that this is normal, and even ask the opinions of others?
You have wasted the client's most expensive resource - time, which is worth much more than the $ that a freelance artist receives.
In the civil code of the Russian Federation there is an excellent term - "Forfeit".
Penalties for the contractor's failure to complete the project on time can be much higher than the cost of the contract itself.
And it is right.
Sorry for the emotionality, #I'm indignant

Answer 2

I take projects in which I am 70-80 percent sure (usually, I write or hint about it to the client).
Sometimes it is impossible to be sure whether a project will succeed or not. In some niches, you have to be a pioneer yourself, and success is not always guaranteed. Therefore, do not listen to those who say that you must be 100% sure: you are engaged in high-tech projects in which there are always risks (both for you and for the client). This is not painting fences, and not sweeping floors - the result is 99% guaranteed there.

Answer 3

I don't think it's worth taking. better work out or change the field of activity.

Answer 4

There can be no 100% certainty that you will complete it. You can always get sick or die. There is only a percentage probability of one or another outcome. And the calculation is not always easy.
Even projects of national importance fail and nothing can be done about it. The same Tower of Babel was never built... They started to build the Trans-Siberian Trans-Siberian under Stalin, it didn't work out, they want to complete it after more than half a century...
But to notify the other side about your uncertainty, about insufficient preparation - this is highly desirable.

Answer 5

Motorists have an excellent proverb, following which you can more than once save yourself and others life and health:
"If you're not sure, don't overtake!"
If you're not sure, it's best not to.