Would You Hire This Freelancer?
Posted May 20, 2010 in Managing Clients, Marketing
Can a single sentence really make the difference between you being hired for your next freelance job and you being flat-out rejected?
Here’s an example of how it can, directly from the horse’s mouth…
Recently, I needed to hire a stellar user interface designer for my startup company. I needed someone with tons of experience, and was willing to pay well for it. Most importantly, I had a sketch and a vision for how I wanted my startup’s website to look, but I needed someone who would have the courage to stand up to me and say, “No, Erica, that won’t work, and here’s why.”
In this post, I’ll share what I did to find a designer.
How I Looked for a Designer
So I turned to my old friend: Craigslist.
I set a target hourly rate, then decided to plunge through the resumes category. I typed “ui design” into the search field, and found a treasure trove of resumes.
I carefully sifted through each designer’s portfolio. I wanted someone who had a good eye for clean design, a decent level of experience, and most importantly, someone who clearly understood user interface principles and was not just billing him or herself as a “web designer.”
(Note: If you do freelance web design, an understanding of user interface design principles should allow you to raise your rates by 50% or more.)
After a while spent reading, Googling people’s names, and checking out portfolios, I found two well-suited candidates. Both had experience developing user interfaces, and both showed capable design talent.
What Can You Tell from One Sentence?
I emailed them both the same letter. Here’s the body of what I wrote:
Both responded quickly–in under one day. Here are their responses (edited to preserve anonymity and to hide their hourly rates):
Person A:
Person B:
Before you read on and see who I hired, take a minute and read through their responses.
Hiring is subjective. Though hiring managers are not legally allowed to discriminate on the basis of age, race, gender, or any other identifying feature, they can and will make a hiring decision based on simple things like grammar, sentence structure, or even your choice of words.
I’ve removed all of the identifying features from the above emails, and left only the structure itself. Assuming similar hourly rates, experience, and qualifications, who would you hire?
Who I Hired–and Why
After reading both emails, it was an easy choice for me: I hired Person B.
I had already gone through each of their portfolios, and was confident either one could successfully complete the job. Their hourly rates were similar, and both rates were within my target range. I decided who to hire based on one sentence from each of their emails:
I rejected Person A because of this sentence: “Also, I should let you know that since I’ve been seeking full-time employment, my availability this week is somewhat limited (interviews, etc.)”
What I read from that sentence is “Your project isn’t as important to me as my job interviews are.”
Remember, hiring is subjective–you may not read the same thing from that sentence, but that’s how I saw it as the hiring manager.
I hired Person B because of this sentence: “My normal rate is high for big companies such as eBay, Cisco, SAP, etc.”
Even though the grammar isn’t perfect, I love the marketing position this sentence takes. To me, that sentence said “I’m confident enough to take jobs with the big guys, but I’m willing to cut you a break because you’re small.”
One sentence from a single email was all it took for me to decide on B over A.
The Most Important Thing You Can Do Right Now
The most important thing you can do to get that next job or start your freelance career is to market yourself better.
“But Erica,” I can hear some of you thinking right now, “I haven’t worked with Cisco, SAP, or eBay!”
Right–but that’s the great thing about marketing. Notice B never said s/he had worked with any of those companies. B simply said his/her rate was higher for big companies–and named some familiar examples of big companies. And frankly, if you want your next email to be taken more seriously, this is the exact marketing position you should take.
You may be uncomfortable saying that. I can tell you because I’ve had it myself–that uncomfortable feeling stems from a sort of “What if they find out?” fear.
As a hiring manager, though, I don’t care if B has ever worked with any of those companies. What I care about is: Will B do a good job for me? That sentence got B in the door. Now s/he just has to do a good job for me.
Use this marketing technique (called positioning) and you may very well soon be knocking down the doors of those big guys.
When I ran my hosting company, I got permission from some of our more prominent customers to name-drop them when I responded to emails from other potential customers. And before I had prominent customers, I positioned my company as the go-to hosting company for startups that wanted to scale quickly.
It worked.
It’s not about lying, cheating, or in any way being unethical. It’s about knowing how to write so that you convey the image of being successful, professional, a superstar–the best. Even if you aren’t (yet). Project the image of the company you want to lead; the person you want to be–and you’ll be much more likely to get that opportunity when it comes along.
As a hiring manager, I give you permission to use something similar the next time you sell your products or services. Don’t say something you haven’t done. Do keep it simple. Learn from Person B. And rock that next job interview, sales letter, blog post, lead followup, or freelance work response!
What Do You Think?
If you were the hiring manager, would you have made the same choice that Erica did? Why, or why not?
How would you have responded to Erica’s initial ad?
Image by thetruthabout
Related posts:
About the author: After selling her online business for $1,100,000.00 at age 26, Erica Douglass "temporarily retired." She now shows you how to grow your own business to $1,000,000 via her online business blog at erica.biz. Quick link: Download her free Blog Success Manifesto—30 tactical tips to grow your blog faster than you ever have before.
The Unlimited Freelancer is Now Only $19
Unleash the true potential of your business. Get The Unlimited Freelancer and start transforming your freelance business,
now only $19.
Try searching "Getting Clients" or "Productivity"
Free Report
Sign up for our product discount list to get a free copy of Why Some Freelancers Thrive and Others Barely Survive. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Forum Discussions
- Real Online Work
Feb 10th, 2012 - 4:30 am - Online earning ways
Feb 10th, 2012 - 3:22 am - How to get freelance jobs
Feb 10th, 2012 - 3:14 am
Popular Articles
- SEO Techniques All Top Websites Should Use
- When a Client Can't Afford You: Why It's Still Better to Bid High
- How To Stop Scrambling For Clients And Get A Steady Stream Of Paying Gigs
- A Simple Way To Stop Clients From Rejecting Your Proposals
- 3 Reasons Your Rates Are Still Low (And How To Start Raising Them)
118 Comments
Amy Harrison
May 20th, 2010 at 8:36 amWith reference to “I’m looking for full time employment…” Reminds me of doing job interviews and candidates saying:
“How many holiday days a year will I get?” “How long is it after I get a pay rise.”
It shows their priorities are not the work or the project but getting something which will fit around their time which is not at work!
From person B, I also think the reference to the conference account was a great point as well, good example of the feature / benefit technique!
Chad Weinman
May 20th, 2010 at 8:43 amSimply put: One of the finest posts I remember!
It’s one thing to provide advice, its another to show real-world scenario which demonstrates business marketing and branding. Bravo.
Pure gold.
Thanks.
Joe Valdez
May 20th, 2010 at 8:50 amGreat insight here. You can learn a lot form reading from other dealings with clients/contractors.
This gives the freelancers out there a view inside of person in position to hire and what to say and not to say.
Good stuff, thanks.
Daniel Karpantschof
May 20th, 2010 at 8:59 amA freelancer, posting on craigslist, who works with Cisco, SAP, or eBay (and not a third party intermediate?). Sounds like bs.
Usman
May 20th, 2010 at 9:05 amvery nice and impressive article thanks for sharing
Dieter
May 20th, 2010 at 9:07 amI would have chosen A.
I agree with Daniel above.
Pure bluff, B sounds like a douche.
He even says you will be a side project, isn’t that explicitly saying you’re on the bottom of the priority list? At least A is honest.
To me, it looks like you’re really trying to find a negative subtext in A’s answer, while ignoring the obvious in B’s message.
Don’t really follow your rationale on this one.
everysandwich
May 20th, 2010 at 9:11 amThis really is a thought provoking little example revealing different core values, maybe even innate character traits. I have no problem with someone name dropping legitimately, but I *do* have an issue with purposely implying what is untrue. “Normally my rate is higher for the Prince of the United Arab Emirates and Warren Buffet, but for you, I can cut a deal.” Secondly, I would need clarification on why there is a relative billing schedule that seems to punish clients for their previous success. If it’s the scope of the work or the audience that determines shifting rates, fine, but otherwise it seems arbitrary.
I appreciate the honesty of the first response, and if my time line could accommodate divided attention the first week, I’d still consider that person if subsequent queries indicated full attention later.
The typo in the second response would give me pause, though it’s not a deal breaker. There are certainly more typos in communication with the rise in mobile use. Still, I would be alert for other examples of inattention.
Long Nguyen
May 20th, 2010 at 9:20 amAs a web designer, I can tell that person A made a mistake by asking “Will you be using WordPress as your CMS or something else?” That isn’t a client’s decision. Different tools are appropriate for different projects.
Lucian
May 20th, 2010 at 9:26 amI would hire person B, too. The person A, obviously did not want to get the job, since was looking for full time position. I wouldn’t hire some body who is not going to be available as a freelancer and like the person who was hiring said, her project was not important enough.
Jordan Walker
May 20th, 2010 at 9:27 amVery thought provoking article.
Natalia M. Sylvester
May 20th, 2010 at 9:30 amI agree with Daniel and Dieter. Sure, person A is looking for a full-time job, but she didn’t have to mention that–she could have just as easily gone along with her interviews, been difficult to reach, without ever giving you the heads up. I appreciate her honesty, and her enthusiasm, to me, says she’ll value this project more than person B, who is already looking at your project as a “simple…side job.”
He sounds arrogant while person A is taking the time to learn more about your preferences. But like you said, it’s subjective.
Freelancer Dave
May 20th, 2010 at 9:33 amI curious if the author contacted prospective B and asked about any of these relevant projects they have done for those big companies. Name dropping might make you look cool and experience, but if you can’t show anything to prove that you actually know or work for those big names, you just end up looking like a poser.
Timothy
May 20th, 2010 at 9:43 amThat single sentence tells me he’s not confident about his hourly rate and is afraid it will scare you away.
A hint of this sentiment can be found earlier in his reply, when he’s trying to minimize the amount of work that needs to be done. First it’s 30hrs of work, but if that scares you he might be able to it in 20hrs.
He then goes on to say that, if his reduced hourly rate and a 30% reduction in billable hours isn’t good enough, he is also willing to work with whatever budget you have.
Oh, and by the way; He normally works for very big companies and get’s payed really well, so he will only ‘deal’ with your project on the side.
If he has indeed worked for such companies at said rate and has done a good job, he wouldn’t be going this far to catch a ‘small fish’.
Person A on the otherhand is confident he can do the job, gives a realistic number of billable hours and speaks from experience when he tell’s you it might take 2-3 weeks to complete the design.
I get the feeling this comes down to person A being more expensive, and you wanting to convince yourself it’s not about the $’s.
While person A’s estimate does seem more expensive at 40 hrs, I am confident he will have cost you less time, frustration and maybe even $’s when the project is fininshed.
Erica Douglass
May 20th, 2010 at 9:51 amHi!
I’m the author of the article.
“A freelancer, posting on craigslist, who works with Cisco, SAP, or eBay (and not a third party intermediate?). Sounds like bs.”
I didn’t ask B about whether s/he had worked for any of those companies. I hired B, and s/he did a great job for me. I would hire B again. :)
@Natalia:
“Sure, person A is looking for a full-time job, but she didn’t have to mention that–she could have just as easily gone along with her interviews, been difficult to reach, without ever giving you the heads up. I appreciate her honesty, and her enthusiasm, to me, says she’ll value this project more than person B, who is already looking at your project as a “simple…side job.”
He sounds arrogant while person A is taking the time to learn more about your preferences.”
I find it interesting that you’ve attached a gender to each person. I was extremely careful in the article to not give a gender to either person. As a woman myself, I know that can be problematic.
I’m curious as to how/why you decided on each person’s gender.
-Erica
J Kehler
May 20th, 2010 at 10:00 amI would have picked person A. They sounded more professional, although I don’t agree with the WordPress question, they seemed more into taking the project. The phrasing and choice of words in A was more professional and thought out. Person B sounded like they wanted to come across as a hot shot as quickly as possible (hence, the typo). If you can’t take the time to write a simple email without proper grammar and spelling, are you sure they will be paying attention to the details necessary to hold your site together?
Natalia M. Sylvester
May 20th, 2010 at 10:01 amHi Erica! You know, I just realized that myself as I was reading it back! Truthfully, I think it’s because when I was looking a designer, I had similar experiences, and each candidate’s tone reminded me of two specific people. Funny enough, I also went with the B-type designer. We went throw two revisions before he completely stopped answering my emails and calls (he had only given me concepts, so I didn’t even have a site at that point, just designs I didn’t like). I finally had to ask for a partial refund, which thankfully, he didn’t argue with as it’d become clear my project was no longer a priority.
It is very subjective. In my case, my prior experiences affected how I would hire someone the next time around, though it isn’t so much a matter of gender as it is how they treated me as a client.
Rebecca Laffar-Smith
May 20th, 2010 at 10:33 amWhen I read the two responses I felt drawn to Person A. As others mentioned, the response rings with integrity. Person A is honest and forthright. The response has a ring of confidence and experience. The designer doesn’t try to minimize expectations, is firm in the set hourly rate, and has a clear idea of the time it will take to complete the project.
When I read Person B’s response the wishy-washy answers left an acrid taste in my mouth. The double standard in rates with a disclaimer that meant his/her first and second offer could still be talked down comes across entirely unprofessional. An experienced freelancer has decided his or her worth and while open to negotiation doesn’t look for it.
Person B’s first sentence was the first black mark against him/her. As a designer myself there are no “simple” jobs. Claiming a job is simple is like telling your client that they’re stupid. It is one thing to be confident in your abilities and another to understate the difficulty of the work you do. It’s like the president saying, “Running a country is easy.” No, it isn’t, but after a year or two in office you might have the hang of it. Designing is not easy, but after years in the industry there are things we learn to do efficiently.
The lesson I learned from this post is that you should write with your individual voice and personal confidence. Understand that client values differ. Person A’s style of response will resonate with the clients who share his/her values and Person B will find clients hiring to his/her values. To each their own. :-)
Behzad
May 20th, 2010 at 10:34 amI would say wording an email help but also I would want to look at their portfolio/website. Also a person to person meeting if possible. I would also check their referrals and see if they have any? There is more to hiring someone other than their email response. But I do think that it is very important as well.
We are all victims of misspelling and such. Some designers are not good at communicating well on paper but they are great at communicating through their work.
A clear message like the example above that their priority is different would surely setup a red flag for me too, but I would take that and what I mentioned above here with a grain of salt and then reevaluate my decision.
We are all too quick to make judgments. That is something I have learned not to do in my business and personal life.
Ryan
May 20th, 2010 at 10:44 amGreat read! I’ve made simple mistakes that lost the job or the contract before… its all about learning! no matter which way you would have hired you have a reason why though. How would you/I correct it so that next time we think about the what if.
again great job!
Tim Gregorio
May 20th, 2010 at 10:49 amI was completely shocked when I read you went with Person B. Person A was engaging, honest, and seemed willing to go beyond what you were asking for(as far as writing the markup for you) if you needed it.
Person B came off as someone who didn’t care about you or your project. That is one of the most condescending responses I have ever read and I would’ve immediately removed him from consideration.
Bill
May 20th, 2010 at 10:59 amI thought you would have gone with person A to be honest, although neither of them were strong responses. Both responses seemed a little dismissive of the project. What does WordPress have to do with producing designs for a startup? I agree with Tim’s comment also: Person B’s response sounded very condescending. They both quoted hours without any depth to the brief. Arranging a quick call would be a nice start along with possibly announcing your hourly rate. Were their portfolios really outstanding?
ac
May 20th, 2010 at 11:00 amWhile I understand your point — if I get an email via craiglist from someone who mentions “web 2.0″, “startup”, and “limited budget”…I’m not sure I could muster more than a canned reponse.
I also would have chosen A over B, though. I didn’t care for the “I usually make more than you can pay me” line — sounds like attitude I don’t want to work with, could sound a little more tackful…but goes to show it being subjective I guess. :)
Laura Spencer
May 20th, 2010 at 11:09 amErica Douglass,
Thanks very much for coming to Freelance Folder and sharing your post.
You’ve given us all a valuable peek into one client’s decision-making process and maybe answered a few questions that freelancers wonder about.
If anything, I think that the varied answers illustrate just how subjective the hiring process really can be. As a freelancer, this certainly highlights the importance of thinking about how you respond to job advertisements.
Thanks again for sharing this with us. :-)
Ameet
May 20th, 2010 at 11:11 amwell i wud have hired A…atleast he was honest to go with…person serving big guns like ebay and all what he is doing at craigslist and how come he have time for such a small work…B was manufacturing something out of nothing anyways this is what i thought….
Janek
May 20th, 2010 at 11:30 amDefinitely person A. Honest and forthright.
Ed
May 20th, 2010 at 11:34 amYou have got to be KIDDING me! After reading both responses you decide to go with B?
You’re entire blog posts revolves around rejecting applicant A because he’s being honest with you? Really, you’re asking for a week’s worth of work here. The person is entitled to look for work.
As far as single sentence rejection goes… Here’s a few from part B which pulsate like a bad pimple:
“Sounds like it is a simple project”
“My normally rate is high for big companies such as eBay, Cisco, SAP, etc.”
“I can deal with it as a side project, I am willing to do it…”
Aside from terrible grammar you go for a guy that supposedly works with fortune 500 companies [rolling eyes], but he’ll do this eBay job for cheap as a “side project” (and to think you rejected the guy who said that we was looking for full time work).
I’m sorry, but I this is atrocious. I’d love to hear how this eventually turned out, but my guess is that Candidate B turns out to be a major tool and your cool Web 2.0 project is not finished by this person… and you will have been out some sort of up front payment.
I’d also love to see how him poking around on your desktop works out for you.
Also, you sold your online business for $1,100,000.00 at age 26 and you don’t have better contacts than posting on Craigslist?
Mason Hipp
May 20th, 2010 at 11:37 amWow, this is a fascinating conversation. I love seeing everyone’s choices and rationalizations.
I’m not sure who I would have chosen based solely on those emails, but I do agree with Erica that the specific ‘looking for a full-time job’ sentence would have given me pause. I always look to build long-term relationships with freelancers, and just knowing that the candidate I’m looking at won’t be available for long would be a potential drawback.
Very interesting :-)
Drew
May 20th, 2010 at 11:39 amHm, I disagree with the rationale; to me B sounds like they consider your project an afterthought, compared to the ‘important’ work they name-drop (sounding a bit arrogant in the process). The spelling error also stops me in my tracks, indicating carelessness on B’s part for a response I would prefer they scrutinize. I didn’t even consider that it could be a mobile device mistake, but the error starts B off on the wrong foot for me. If B can leave that error in the response, what mistakes might pop up their work?
On the other hand, A at least exhibits some honesty, and seems like a more friendly person to work with.
You obviously know what you’re doing though, and I’m glad it worked out well — I only wonder what kind of work A would have done in comparison.
Erica Douglass
May 20th, 2010 at 11:40 amLove the comments! Keep ‘em coming…
“my guess is that Candidate B turns out to be a major tool and your cool Web 2.0 project is not finished by this person…”
I went with person B, and the project was completed successfully, and quickly. Total hours B billed me: 25.
-Erica
Dale
May 20th, 2010 at 11:40 amI’m very surprised in the choice to go with Designer B! Designer A provided a solid rate, estimate of hours and a timeline to complete the job in a professional manner and asked a question to encourage further communication (straight out of interview 101). And it was an intelligent question, if you are using WordPress it would affect the design and css they would provide to you (as would Joomla or another CMS).
Designer B provided a rate that apparently varied from job to job, did not provide a solid estimate of hours and did not provide a timeline for completion. The name dropping is also strange, if Designer B had worked for these clients wouldn’t the work be in their online portfolio you had already viewed? These would have raised red flags for me, making me lean towards Designer A.
When I hire for projects I don’t want someone presenting a ‘superstar’ image. I want a confident professional who can provide me with the relevant information I need to make an informed decision. After all, this is about design as a function of your business and if hours and rate vary before the project starts it is fair to believe the same would happen during the project. And that costs a business productive time and money.
Ry
May 20th, 2010 at 11:42 amI can totally see why you chose that rationale for person B – it’s the same one that you use to continue pulling yourself up by your bootstraps. I hate to burst the bubble, but having and selling one successful business (from one’s first attempt, when originally funded by one’s parents, according to your blog) does not make one an “expert” entrepreneur, it makes one simply “lucky”. Becoming an expert comes from repetitive failure and learning from those mistakes.
It seems that you have made some solid decisions along the way, and clearly you haven’t been without difficulties (again, according to your blog), but you are definitely a better salesperson than an entrepreneur – fortunately, salesmanship is one of the most important traits of an entrepreneur. You can definitely sell yourself, I grant you that.
rehtse
May 20th, 2010 at 11:43 amGreat post, it’s interesting to read about ‘the other side’ opinion :)
Natalie Hipp
May 20th, 2010 at 11:45 amI would have chosen Person B as well. What turned me off to Person A was the general feeling I received that he/she wasn’t very confident about the project and their ability to move forward with it. Person B, on the other hand, offered a positive step forward and gave an option on what the next step would be. As someone looking for help with a startup, keeping the ball rolling is a major draw.
It would be really interesting to see more real-life inquiries and responses from our FreelanceFolder readers. Maybe post your specific situation on the forums and get some feedback? Just a thought :)
Thanks Erica!
- Natalie
George Passwater
May 20th, 2010 at 11:53 amThank you for this Interesting post Erica.
I would be torn by both responses actually. A is truthful, but the comment about seeking full-time work screams “bail” if they get that full-time gig. B did use some big names, but to me, not a stellar response as well.
I am not sure what happened after the email responses, but I would have had a Skype chat or phone conversation with each and got more insight into each and went from there. I believe you can tell more about someone from talking to them compared to just a email reply.
Vik
May 20th, 2010 at 12:09 pmI would have chosen person A, because the question was asked (read: a question was asked). The Photoshop requirement is obvious; responsibility for CSS less so.
Somebody else decided against person A because of that question. While I understand thast approach, WordPress (or some other choice) may be a requirement that hasn’t been fleshed out yet. As a client, I may want to choose a CMS I’m familiar with, rather than learn a new one. As the designer, I don’t want to design something an obscure or lightweight CMS may not be able to handle.
Interesting discussion all around whichever way you look at it.
Chris
May 20th, 2010 at 12:11 pmI couldn’t help but think – at multiple points while reading this article – that towards the end there would be some kind of punchline stating that everything written was a big joke… I probably would’ve actually chuckled slightly. Really?! This is one of the most ridiculous examples of somebody just-not-getting-it that I have ever read. No need to explain why… Those worth explaining it to already get it.
Sheesus.
Adrian
May 20th, 2010 at 12:25 pmFirst of all I’d like to say thanks for a great article. It is quite refreshing to see a real world scenario instead of hypothetical advice.
I also think this is an interesting way of showing how subjective the hiring process is. From what I could tell, both candidates displayed a slight lack of interest in your project (A: “looking for a full time job”, B: “simple… side project”). Person B however appears quite arrogant and makes it sound like they’re doing you a favour by taking the job.
Person A seems far more modest and definitely more professional. Whilst still display some disinterest in the project, I think that is who I would’ve gone with.
I’m sure many people on here would argue all day about who they would have hired, but at the end of the day you hired someone you were happy with and the rest of us got an interesting and thought provoking article!
Ed Gandia
May 20th, 2010 at 12:41 pmSkyrocketing unemployment has forced many jobless professionals to explore freelancing. Trouble is, they’re treating their business like a temporary solution. Worse yet, they’re ADMITTING this to their prospects (like Freelancer A above). That’s why they’ll continue to struggle… and end up back in a regular J.O.B.
I have another view on this, though. And it has nothing to do with the questions asked. I think it’s a mistake for a freelancer to have different fees for different types of clients. Why should you lower your fees when your expertise are just as valuable? Rather than doing this because you need to pay the mortgage, I would be working on improving my business and my promotional efforts so that I can find more clients who can afford me. Yes, it’s more work to do this. But it’s much better to go through the trouble than to have to take whatever I can get (and lower my fees to get it).
Jordan
May 20th, 2010 at 1:06 pmInteresting post and definitely thought provoking. I agree with others above me in choosing candidate A. There is nothing more reassuring than completely honestly and transparency. Candidate A also sounded much more interested and enthusiastic about your project where as B didn’t really care.
I’m actually surprised you went with B, however, there is another factor that we don’t know – and that is the quality of their portfolios. I’m sure that had more of an impact than you realize when you made your decision, as it would have with me. But based solely on their responses, I would have chosen A and felt much safer.
Great post!
Markus
May 20th, 2010 at 1:08 pmWhile reading this i never ever thought you would pick B: He (or she) was bragging about big companies (he most likely never has worked for), and already downgraded you to a side project. He also said, it sounds very easy to him which just means, he won’t really focus on it and think it through. He will just pick your sketch and make it shiny.
Person A on the other hand sounded very true and professional, he asked questions (always a good sign!) and provided a rough time frame.
So for me definitely A, he sounded professional and honest.
Lara F
May 20th, 2010 at 1:23 pmI also would have gone with B because of the way they said that they didn’t want to commit to a budget before they saw more of the scope….that tells me that person has been around the block a number of times, and knows how to properly set expectations and negotiate a better deal for everyone.
Laura Spencer
May 20th, 2010 at 1:30 pmAs Natalie suggested, I started a thread in the Freelance Folder forums discussing how hiring decisions are made.
If anyone has hired freelancers in the past and would like to share their thought processes on how they go about it, feel free to join the discussion there.
Keep the comments on Erica’s post coming here, though. :-)
Yogesh
May 20th, 2010 at 1:47 pmPerson B was the correct choice. Confidence in first email is first impression itself. Person A might have better skills, but one should learn to present yourself with those skills to hiring managers.
Richard Moldovanyi
May 20th, 2010 at 1:53 pmI would have hired person B as well. It doesn’t seem like person A wants the freelance job. He or she would have dropped your project if full time employment came calling.
Henry
May 20th, 2010 at 1:55 pmI’m with Ed on this one regarding the fee flexibility.
I don’t think I would have hired either of these two. Person A isn’t a serious candidate if they’re searching for full time work, but if I had to choose, I would have picked them over person B.
What is the value of the work B does? He either believes it’s worth the higher rate that he would charge ebay, or he believes he’s ripping off ebay, but giving you an honest answer.
I’d feel like I was kind of his co-conspirator in ripping off “the man.”
I’m glad to hear the job worked out… but I would have kept looking.
Cyndi Smith
May 20th, 2010 at 2:12 pmGREAT article! I have something POSITIVE to say about the person who was being honest about their desire for full-time employment: many times I weed out clients that I may not want because I (temporarily) need my clients to understand that I am a MOM FIRST at the moment. I live a double life: super mom by day, uber geek by night. Until I can have 6-7 daylight hours of focus (my little girl is in Kindergarten, only 3 hours a day! Gasp!), I’m keeping many projects at bay. It’s a nice position to be in where people desire your services and you can pick and choose – it’s not always so wonderful, is it?
On another note, it sounds like you’re getting ripped off for this project, or maybe you made it sound much simpler than the project really is? I wouldn’t have hired person A, either, but NOT because of that seeking-employment honesty part. I would have chosen person B (whose prose seemed much less professional, if you ask me) because Person A sounded like they didn’t know what I was talking about – 40 hours??? Seriously??
OK – again, thank you a million times for the inspirational and helpful article!
:) Happy Freelancer/Corporate team member/contractor/Web Developer/Mommy, @WebVixn (Cyndi Smith)
Big Buddy
May 20th, 2010 at 2:18 pmGreat article. Regardless of whether you agree or disagree with the decision, in the end, Freelancer B got the job. This is very thought-provoking and a good discussion.
Deb
May 20th, 2010 at 2:28 pmTo me, person B sounded like a complete douche (pardon the French..)
Admittedly, person A sounded less confident and it gave off some alarming vibes too, but I got the impression for person B that he (yes, I instinctively attribute that email to a male person) is the kind of person I just can’t stand.
It seems our personality, as the person hiring, is also important. One freelancer won’t be the right one for everyone.
Detroit personal
May 20th, 2010 at 2:32 pmGreat article, using real examples and showing how you work through the process without the use of abstract or theoretical made for an engrossing read.
Todd Gail
May 20th, 2010 at 2:43 pmBoth probably could have done a job you’d have been happy with, but personally I would have had second thoughts about hiring both of them.
Person A seemed to be the more honest and experienced designer. However, if I was considering someone for future work, I’d have second thoughts, seeing as how they’re looking for a full-time gig.
Person B didn’t sound very confident in their abilities. They also didn’t sound like your project was very interesting or important to them. They were practically yawning. Name dropping big companies feels misleading, deceptive and very suspicious to me. Especially since they may or may not have even worked for those companies. I would be asking myself, “if you’re such a hotshot, what are you doing talking to me?”. Even worse, the sliding fee rate implies that if something comes along that pays more money, your project will abruptly find itself on the back burner. Overall, the tone of their message seemed contradictory. It gave the impression that they lacked confidence in their work, and yet implied they were good enough to work for the big boys. Which is it?
Unless person B had a portfolio that absolutely blew my socks off, they wouldn’t have gotten a response from me. Persona A? Possibly.
Linda Sandvik
May 20th, 2010 at 2:57 pmI would have hired person A.
Person B said “Sounds like it is a simple project” – which to me indicated they did not understand the scope of the project, the importance of the project, or indeed “UI”.
Instead of saying the project was simple, they should have said that they were confident in carrying out the work required (like person A said).
Jeroen Marechal
May 20th, 2010 at 3:15 pmI wouldn’t take any of these 2 persons for my projects. The sentence from person A “I’m busy with interviews, etc.” and from person B “Usually my rate is higher for big companies” tells me enough.
Person A shows off that he/she is very busy doing other things that are more important then working for you. And person B shows off that you are not like those big clients (which he might not be working for) and he has enought time to take my project as a side project. I don’t want to be a side object. I’m a client and want to be treaded as any other of your clients.
So both are a no-go for me
Amber Weinberg
May 20th, 2010 at 3:20 pmAs a freelance developer myself, I would’ve never hired Person B. Not only do they sound like they’re spouting BS, the fact that they charge two different rates depending on the client, means they were both playing you and they’re not professional. They only said that to make it sound like they were giving you a deal and it was unprofressional, because a real business charges the same price. Sounds to me like this person had no work at all. Which isn’t a bad thing per se, but I don’t like freelancers who try to sound like a something bigger than they are – its very dishonest to the client.
Miles
May 20th, 2010 at 3:23 pmWhat a self-serving “about the author” speech… still, the article is decent.
MattT
May 20th, 2010 at 3:28 pm“I find it interesting that you’ve attached a gender to each person. ”
This is not related, but fascinates me because I, too, read person A as female and person B as male. There’s a psych/sociology dissertation waiting to be uncovered in there.
Matt Hill
May 20th, 2010 at 3:56 pmAs a self employed designer, I can’t help but look at this from the other side of the coin. I’m honestly surprised that one of these people agreed to work for you.
Red flags in your initial email that would instantly get my back up include:
“Web 2.0″
“…more work in the future.”
“my budget is not huge.”
And the fact that you asked for a quote without providing them any where near enough information is honestly ridiculous. If you were that serious you should have provided a more detailed brief.
No serious web designer will provide any kind of quote without going through some initial qualification first. The designer has to know exactly what it is you want and that can only be gleaned either through a phone call, meeting or some kind of questionnaire. I go through this phase with initial prospects before going anywhere near a mention of a price. Responder B did at least mention this so they would be more likely to have got my business.
I’m kinda disappointed that both of these designers gave you a time estimate for something they so far have virtually no information on; that’s honestly ludicrous.
Anyway, neither of these replies you received are especially encouraging as a first response and I ultimately wouldn’t choose either. Person A is looking for a full time job so a new freelance project is not going to be high on their list of priorities. And person B has such a crappy message when it comes to his/her rates that it immediately raises suspicions.
Débora C. de D'Eramo
May 20th, 2010 at 4:03 pmI’m afraid I’d have gone with number 1 too. Sounds more professional to me. But again, hiring is subjective. =)
Jeremy
May 20th, 2010 at 4:35 pmThis is what I gathered by reading this article.
You would rather have someone that can talk the talk or stretch the truth than to hire someone who obviously was being honest from the beginning. I personally would have hired person A since that person was being honest about their schedule, person B seemed to be less interested in the project and seemed to be blowing smoke.
You punished person A for being honest. You also admit that because person A was looking for employment you went with person B. This is fine except for your reasoning; you are punishing person A for the same view you have. I am more bothered that you feel this is justifiable. Your part-time position is not going to pay all the bills, this person was trying to be honest with you about the situation and you used it against them.
You state, ” It’s not about lying, cheating, or in any way being unethical” but it clearly is. You are telling us that you would rather hear fluff and have smoke blown than to have an honest worker. This says a lot about someone’s character. I cannot believe you are encouraging this, I hope no one takes it seriously; just think of the potential damage.
You are encouraging people to stretch the truth. No matter how you look at it, a lie is a lie, even if it’s only a partial one. Then again, honesty doesn’t get you anywhere. It is entertaining to finally see that someone has the audacity to encourage immoral work ethics. Luckily, I am in a position that I don’t have to deal with the sort.
This is my impression of this article, I do not agree with it but I do understand your viewpoint. I also see this as a problem on the hiring side. I like people like you; you keep me employed. I make my living by fixing mistakes on platforms due to this exact reason. People that say they can do something and it turns out they can’t. The majority of the time, smoke and mirrors are simply that. Hire someone that is qualified and can produce a portfolio. Not someone who is good at blowing smoke.
Amber Weinberg
May 20th, 2010 at 5:11 pm@Matt Those would’ve been my red flags as well.
Eric
May 20th, 2010 at 5:15 pmI find it interesting that many people fixate on candidate B having two different rates. I, too, have worked for some big companies, the latest being IBM. I find that in order to be free to do the fun projects, the ones not mired down by committee, that I have to offer a lower rate as well. Most small companies can’t even touch the rate big companies are willing to throw at a project. It’s intriguing to see that most large companies have the mentality that you can’t possibly know what you are doing unless you charge a very high rate. (experience that one a few times)
Most small companies are looking to save as much money as they can so my rate comes down considerably. It’s a trade-off really. I get paid less but I get the satisfaction of working with an individual or individuals who are more free to push the limits of technology and just have fun with the project.
I wouldn’t have hired Candidate B either…but not because of his alleged work experience. Attention to detail is key..so his grammatical faux pas stood out for me.
david
May 20th, 2010 at 5:38 pmAs a web designer and front end programmer. I would have chosen person A.
Person A, was up front and honest with timing, their reply was optimistic, confident and refreshing. While many cases it’s the designer/programmer who decides what to use ie. WordPress, Joomla, Drupal, however it was thoughtful for person A to probe the question. Came across as being thoughtful and more willing to work with the client.
Person B, didn’t come across as being very confident. But bonus that they would have the conference meeting set up to do an online walk through.
TheAL
May 20th, 2010 at 5:50 pmThis is definitely a good post. That final bit from Person A likely would have been a reason why I wouldn’t have hired her/him. And, from the standpoint of being a fellow freelancer, I am curious to know how one does 3 weeks of work and only bills for 40 hours? How can you pay bills that way? However, I actually didn’t like either person more than the other. Person A was at least sincere. Person B came off as potentially gimmicky. For Person B, I both liked and disliked the part about billing big companies. It could easily be a made-up claim that they used just to make it look like they’re cutting you a break. It’s a very common tactic.
tripdragon
May 20th, 2010 at 11:02 pmWhat a pony show. Here’s your marketing position. Say this. I want the F#*$#@KING Job.
There. Would that scare away the Hiring director. Who the F$^*k knows.
Impulse Magazine
May 20th, 2010 at 11:04 pmProbably not because if they have been looking for work that hard, than they probably are not any good
Jonathan B
May 21st, 2010 at 12:59 amOMG! now i know the meaning of “Choose Your Answer Carefully!”
I think person A was honest and person B was a little bit conceited ( i dont know if im using the right word for “creido”). But your points are valid.
Ty so much, very informative and very useful :)
Keith Mountifield
May 21st, 2010 at 3:56 amWhat a useful and interesting post.
The variable hourly rate discussion is also interesting. I feel it’s all about what the market will bare. If’ you have a few major corporate client who are able to pay your ‘standard rate’, then great, but small or startup companies may simply not have the budget available.
So do you forget that potential client becuase they can’t afford your full rate, or do you adjust your hourly rate and take the job? I would suggest that many factors should inform your decision. Are there long term benefits, or is that client a member of a business group that could lead to more clients, perhaps at full rate? Maybe they’re able to barter services that are of value to you or is just a great project for your portfolio?
Consistency of pricing is important, but there’s always room for flexibility.
Ollie
May 21st, 2010 at 6:01 amNice post :)
I’d hire person B, s/he sounds more confident and professional.
That’s it.
Usman
May 21st, 2010 at 8:16 amnice topic thanks for sharing for all that
Heather
May 21st, 2010 at 8:55 amSeveral people have criticized B’s response because it had a grammar error. A’s response is not perfect either. In the last sentence ‘your’ should be ‘you’re on a very tight timeline.’ And I don’t see any reason for ‘head’s’ to have an apostrophe since the ‘head’ doesn’t own the ‘up.’ I wouldn’t have gone with either one, because neither seemed willing to make my project a priority.
Jen
May 21st, 2010 at 9:26 amIf I had to choose I would have went with A. But if I was writing you back I would have never given you a time estimate based on the loose guidelines in your email. I would have asked to have a call with you to discuss in more detail because of the red flags someone mentioned above.
Person B did not respond professionally at all.
I think the WordPress question was appropriate. Context is extremely important in design.
I wonder too if you were swayed by the portfolios.
James
May 21st, 2010 at 10:15 amThe killer sentence here for me is “Sounds like a simple project” – that clearly conveys that they have not understood the requirements correctly, will have underestimated the work involved, and makes it very likely that the project will overrun, go overbudget, or probably both.
Person A’s question about WordPress conveys that they are interested in understanding your requirement properly and have spotted something which you missed in your specification which is pertinent to what can be done. Why didn’t person B ask that question?
The premise that ‘they work for big companies so they must be ideal to deal with a small company’s requirements’ just doesn’t hold water. You need someone who knows more about your problem than you do and can ask the right questions.
Robin
May 21st, 2010 at 10:33 amLoved the article and comments! There could be a website dedicated to this information, I’d love it! (I’m with Team Person A)
Manda Szewzcyk
May 21st, 2010 at 10:55 amI have to agree with Matt. I’m surprised anyone was able to give you an estimate based on your ad. I’m assuming you also had some responses with further questions about your project? That’s what I would have sent — if, as Matt mentioned, I hadn’t been turned off by some of the language in the ad.
This is an extremely interesting article — I love real-life examples. The comments have been especially fun to read through.
In the end, I think it’s NOT about whether or not she should have hired designer A or designer B, and it’s NOT about how you should or shouldn’t present yourself as a designer. It’s obvious that everyone is different — we all have different working styles, and all have different personality types. I think that a certain type of person feels confidence — and a connection — with designer B. Other types of people feel a connection to the honest and upfront email sent by designer A. In the end, those gut reactions are going to lead you to the best designer for you (assuming their portfolios are of similar quality).
There are certain types of people that I work better with — I’m with the group drawn to designer A. But, if you look at Erica’s website, and her business style, it’s easy to see why she would be drawn to designer B. In the end, I’m sure B was a better choice for her — they are already on the same page before the work begins.
Ask any hiring professional, and they will tell you that personality is one of the most important factors when making hiring decisions. Hiring a freelance designer is no different. You want someone who shares your values and your working style. Is a beautiful portfolio important? Of course! But, even the best designer is useless if your personalities clash and you can’t work productively together.
I think it’s smartest for designers to be themselves when contacting potential clients. The types of clients that will work best with you will be drawn to you. Those who are looking for a different type of person will go elsewhere. There is nothing wrong with that; in the end it will just mean happier clients, and happier designers.
Matt Hill
May 21st, 2010 at 11:03 am@Manda: I totally agree. I think the most important thing to learn from this article is that you get the best result when you work with people who share your views and values. I regularly turn down enquires from clients who quite clearly are not a good fit for me.
That’s why pre qualification is so important and why I don’t give quotes in the first email. You have to know that you’re going to work well with the prospective client. One of the key things about working for yourself that a lot of people seem to forget is that you can choose who you work with. You don’t have to accept every job that comes your way. The working relationship is two way; if I don’t feel the client is right for me or my style of work, why would I want to work with them?
Of course, it seems like many freelancers do take every job because they are desparate for the money. All I can say to that is: work out a better business plan and start getting better clients!
Hilary
May 21st, 2010 at 12:36 pmNeither.
Person A – They was honest about their current schedule and I don’t think you should have faulted them for letting you know that they were busy this week. Where it concerns me is if they get a job from those interviews I doubt they would have time for side projects or would be distracted with the start of a new full-time job.
Person B – They were willing to cut their hourly rates right off the bat and that doesn’t sit well with me for a variety of reasons. Several possibilities: that they are not sure about their pricing, they want to make you feel like you’re getting a deal even if you aren’t, they’re ripping off larger companies by giving them a higher price (if my business grows, I don’t want to be punished for it), or your project will be treated as they said, as a side project and thus probably get less attention. Also not a fan of how they used the names of big businesses.
BOTH designers did at least inquire in different ways about the project to get more information. They both get points for actually expressing real interest in the project. Both seem a hair too desperate to start on the project however. I also wouldn’t have given you a time estimate without finding out more about the project first.
YOUR letter to me looked a bit like your project wasn’t a serious project starting with the mention of “Web 2.0.” The phrase “there will probably be more work in the future” also signals someone looking for a lower price and throws up a big red flag that you would be a possible problem client (so maybe this is why B was your match, it looks like you were looking for a deal, they were offering a deal.)
David Morgan
May 21st, 2010 at 12:49 pmI’m suprised you didn’t go to a professional site like UK’s http://www.peopleperhour.com where you’d pay around £45/hour (65$) for a real pro.
My site was developed by someone who regularly gets work with peopleperhour.com and has a very high star rating as a developer on this site. That was key to my selection criteria. Also with peopleperhour you pay by escrow – which means your money is safe. Many US developers ask for money up-front. With escrow they only get paid when you are happy with the work.
You tried to get someone cheap who claimed expertise. You may think you have a good website but now ask an expert to check the code.
Todd Gail
May 21st, 2010 at 2:40 pmI wouldn’t have responded to your post either. Sounds like it was written by someone who probably wants to get work for free. “My budget is not huge” usually translates to “I have no budget at all”.
Although I guess it’s a moot point, because I stopped looking for freelance work on Craig’s List long ago. I got tired of all the wishy-washy non-committal people posting on there who aren’t really even sure if they’re looking to hire a designer.
Jenna
May 21st, 2010 at 2:43 pmThis is truly unbelievable…
“they can and will make a hiring decision based on simple things like grammar, sentence structure, or even your choice of words.”
So you chose Person B whose grammar, sentence structure and choice of words were terrible? What point are you trying to make here exactly?
Also, “Stellar” User Interface Designers don’t give a monkeys if your “budget is not huge”, it’s not going to make any difference (and shouldn’t) to their rates. They work out their worth based on many factors and they’re not about to reduce their worth because you can’t afford it. So, what exactly was your motive behind mentioning that?
I’m surprised they didn’t ignore your email. However, Person B was clearly desperate so I can understand why they didn’t.
+1 for Person A’s honesty. They definitely get my vote :)
Jenna
May 21st, 2010 at 3:02 pmP.S. Totally agree with Jeremy at 4.35pm. I thought exactly the same thing when reading this.
Freelancing forums
May 21st, 2010 at 4:43 pmI would have chosen person B because the first designer is “seeking a job”. Hmm.. this doesn’t sound too well to me, seriously. If you’re doing well as a freelancer, there’s nothing in the world to make you get back to being someone’s employee. I wouldn’t go back to working for someone if they paid me twice what I make as a freelancer.
Evniki
May 21st, 2010 at 8:10 pmWhile I did think Person A was more tactful in their response, I’m surprised that no one caught that they had poor grammar in their response as well:
“Just a heads up if your on a short timeline” should be YOU’RE or more appropriately in this professional context, should not have been conjugated at all.
Perhaps I’m a stickler for professionalism, but I would not have hired either applicant.
Keith
May 21st, 2010 at 8:19 pmIf quality, forthrightness, and professionalism aren’t as valuable to your project as the depth of the respondent’s BS, you chose each other well.
Iva
May 21st, 2010 at 8:47 pmPerson A all the way!
I agree with everyone who pointed out horrible grammar (and hey, I’m a foreigner, English isn’t even my second language) and the unnecessary mention of big companies. If that’s how the business world works, I don’t want any other form of advertisement for my work other than the plain old word of mouth.
Also, it really sounded like wanting someone to work in a sweatshop for peanuts, not like wanting an actual creative professional. Pure capitalism at its worst.
bill
May 21st, 2010 at 10:30 pmHi! I’m building a cool new Web 2.0 project with littke or no budget. It will surely take off because I’ve sketched out 3 pages so there will be more work to come. Anyone on CL want to blow smoke up my ace of clubs so that we can both get entangled in a nightmare? PS only people that can view my desktop remotely will be considered.
Ian
May 22nd, 2010 at 1:41 amAs an engineer, the line, “Will you be using WordPress as your CMS or something else?” was the clincher. Person A didn’t understand your vision from the start. You’re building a service, and Person A assumed you were building yet another content site.
Person B dropped names. That’s cool with me so as long as the person can back it up. I’m a pretty trusting (read: gullible) person, so I might not ask to see any of the work the person actually *did* for those big clients. However, say that in one of our casual conversations over videoconference I asked, “What exactly did you do for eBay, Cisco and SAP?” If Person B were to reply, “Oh, actually, I didn’t do work for those clients,” all trust would be eliminated.
I’ve done over 150 engineering interviews in four years. If someone puts PHP on their resume, I’ll ask them to code up a PHP problem on the whiteboard. If I were hiring a designer and they put eBay, Cisco and SAP on their resume, they’d better show me some samples.
Cyndi Smith
May 22nd, 2010 at 2:06 am@Ian This is the best response of every single response I’ve read! Thank you! You pulled the words out of my brain and pasted them neatly above. Bravo!
:) Cyndi
Cyndi Smith
May 22nd, 2010 at 2:07 am@bill ha! thankyou :)
John Walker
May 22nd, 2010 at 5:23 amIt is a very interesting article to read as someone that is about to start work as a freelancer. It gives an insight into the sort of language that customers would like to see, although I must say that I didn’t particularly like the responses either gave. I suppose their portfolios would be a major sway so without seeing these I can’t really judge who I’d go for.
Adarsh
May 22nd, 2010 at 12:14 pmWell said article. The single most problem I faced in my beginning days was that I never got replies from clients after I send them a reply email. My wordings and approach may be the reason.
I also believe that as a freelancer, you need to be pushy. Keep sending emails once in a week if you do not get replies reminding about the project. however do not send the same email again and again. The trick is to add something unique each time you send an email like offering bonuses and so on
Usman
May 24th, 2010 at 9:54 amNice ideas thanks for sharing
Issa
May 25th, 2010 at 2:54 amGreat pointers. Yes, I would do the same thing as Erica did. I believe that writing a killer cover leter spells the big difference between getting hired and not. Even if you have too many projects, customers would like to feel that you show them the same “care & respect” that you show others. On a client’s end, he or she may be paying more or less than what others pay you, but they all want to feel that you have them on your priority list.
Ross
May 26th, 2010 at 1:36 pmI was shocked by 2 things , first when you stated “it was an easy choice for me…” and the fact that you chose “B”.. It wasn’t an easy choice for me since both seemed “qualified” for the job.
But personally I would have gone with “A”. “A” came off as being honest (maybe a little too honest but honest nonetheless). B came off as a little arrogant by mentioning “big” companies and blatantly mentioning it as a side project.
Lyndi
May 27th, 2010 at 3:10 pmI can see why you didn’t like that person A was looking for full time work. However, I apprecaite the honesty. The attitude of person B of I have worked with much more important clients and your project is going to be a side project doesn’t say they think your project is less important? However, I don’t think based on one email I could have made the decision. I would have invested more time in sharing conversations with both and looked for a good personality and skill balance to meet my needs. Thanks for the post, very interesting to think about.
Lee Munroe
May 27th, 2010 at 6:52 pmIs Craigslist the best place to look for an expert UI designer?
Anyway, you’re right that Person A sounds like they won’t make you a priority so no long term relationship here and they’re going to be doing other things.
But Person B also says they’ll treat it like a side project. Not something you want a designer saying especially since you’re ‘paying well’ for it.
I would have picked neither based on these emails (sorry Person A & B).
danno
May 30th, 2010 at 12:32 pmTough Love: 5 Serious Red Flags from the Buyer
Here’s why good, experienced UX/Web designers might be be hesitant to become involved in this project:
1. Searching for UX expertise on Craigslist.
(Word-of-mouth? Wider reputation? There are other, far more effective ways to find out who the area experts are in a given field)
2. Phrasing: “I have a sketch of how I’d like this to look. I’d like this transformed into Photoshop.”
Translation: “On top of all of my other areas of expertise, I also have the time to be a designer / art director and I just need a software-manipulator to help fulfill my creative vision. I’ve already done most of the tough creative work…I just need someone to move those pixel thingies around on the screen to look like my sketch.”
3. Phrasing: “Tell me where I’m going wrong with the user-interface”
Simple. You’re going wrong with the user interface by trying to be a ux designer / art director — time that’s taken away from you actually running whatever little company this is.
4. “Self-funded company, budget is not huge, there will probably be more work in the future”
Translation: “I’m not just a designer / art director. I’m also CEO and CFO. So, even though the rate sucks, there’s probably more work for you in the future. Also, no one else believes in this project enough for it to be properly funded / it’s another DOA single-person small business. Better get that 50% up-front.”
5. Absence of even an initial project brief, upon which a reliable estimate would be constructed.
jared baker
May 30th, 2010 at 4:00 pmHa! Article should have been called “Would You Work For This Buyer?”
Jacob
May 30th, 2010 at 6:06 pmWow. Great read. I am definitely going to work harder to improve my positioning right now! I’ll let you know how it pans out ;-)
pinochet zubra
June 1st, 2010 at 10:45 amgood points…Would I hire this client? (Probably not).
Is this the kind of client / situation upon which a good professional relationship is based?
Or is this the kind of client whose experience and understanding of design is more at the level of a commodity service?
Erika
June 3rd, 2010 at 3:31 pmNo question: Person A.
Judging from the above comments, it looks like Person A won’t have too much of a problem lining up future jobs (or is employed full-time already). Forthrightness goes a long way in the business community.
Nico
June 11th, 2010 at 11:32 amI agree, person A should have got the job. Person B reads like they’re belittling you and your project, where person A is clear and concise, as well as honest and up front with their schedule.
Rachel
July 1st, 2010 at 9:28 amThis was a really interesting post, and I love how it’s generated so much debate in the comments! Especially as you said in your original post that hiring is subjective.
You ask how we would respond to your ad. I think I would ask for a little more detail, particularly with regard to the audience. I would want to know who I was designing for – also I think curiosity about the project (as shown by Person B) is always a good sign!
order camel cigarettes
March 28th, 2011 at 9:19 amVery good information, I am going to visit your blog more often
Trackbacks