Most important online interview question

[djxcee]

Like some of you people, I hire many different people online for their services.
I just wanted to know what is your most important question(s) you may ask before hiring.

My most important is "What is your source(s) of communication?".

Who are your last 10 clients, and what is your portfolio...

if you can not prove your clients, that means you lie. if you can not prove that you were useful somewhere, you lie. if someone say " all my clients are private, so i can not show them to you", he lie... because people applying to private usually have sidelines, or at least a portfolio... or where would they be able to apply to privates...

there is no freelancer who start with a first job like this... the "we all started somewhere" is just shit... when you start, do not apply on big projects, you will not be able to answer the needs anyway, or you are a genius...if you are a new coder, release some stuff, support it, and show people that you really have talent...

as we all know, you were scammed here like a sheep (not personal)... because the popular scammers were all on your because you noted some $$$$ in your project description. one good thing: NEVER pay a penny before a result... people can live without cash, they can code without being paid first, and if they say the opposite, do not hire them. other coders will execute the job before being paid anyway...

when someone have a clean reputation with a lot of good results, you can think of an upfront, but not 50%, go like in real life... most creators or artists will require 10 or 15% upfront before working on a contract... why go higher when you are online....

[Shelley_c]

4 of my big clients like to remain anonymous, and, I would not give out their names and/or credentials or direct people to the work I've done (still do) for them. Doesn't make me a liar. Simply makes you incorrect.

An important question would be. Do you steal databases? if they cannot provide direct works ask them to provide works on forums they have actively posted on (submitted their works to).

Originally Posted by Shelley_c

4 of my big clients like to remain anonymous, and, I would not give out their names and/or credentials or direct people to the work I've done (still do) for them. Doesn't make me a liar. Simply makes you incorrect.

i am not incorrect... you can provide a large list of clients without naming the few who are anonymous...

in real life, are you confident with someone with no references at all ?!

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and btw, the same with the coder, we can not have confidence in clients we do not know... "rarely", we will hear from a coder who was scammed by a client who never paid... but i can tell that a lot of people who were refered to me were just morons who had no idea of the job they were requesting... i now refuse any referred client, even from persons with good reputation, because i do the search myself and i want the clients to be clean...

oh, and Shelley, i'm not talking about a small job, a 5$ hack do not require to have a clean portfolio of tons of clients... just be honest with the client and you will have positive answers... but when a client comes with a 5000$ contract, that's different.

[Shelley_c]

I'm confident period. If I cannot do it myself then I go without no matter how badly I need their service. But that's me and last time I checked I'm not the one asking the question with regards to what I should be asking when it should be a question to ones self in what should you be doing.

Because this is related to scammers ( looking at the OP sig) you just have to dig deeper and look into the background on the person your paying the services to. There's no use handing money over to the first client that is willing to take the job and/or under cutting every other person putting a quote in to gain the job. Simple as that, a little common sense and a couple of hours background checking if you look hard enough.

[lasto]

Originally Posted by Shelley_c

An important question would be. Do you steal databases? if they cannot provide direct works ask them to provide works on forums they have actively posted on (submitted their works to).

Good question - do u relize how easy it is for someone to take your database and either upload it elsewhere for others to have or even sell it.
Ive seen Databases on the net with thousands of ready made members should you wish to add them to your board.

[Shelley_c]

Originally Posted by nexialys

i am not incorrect... you can provide a large list of clients without naming the few who are anonymous...

in real life, are you confident with someone with no references at all ?!

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and btw, the same with the coder, we can not have confidence in clients we do not know... "rarely", we will hear from a coder who was scammed by a client who never paid... but i can tell that a lot of people who were referred to me were just morons who had no idea of the job they were requesting... i now refuse any referred client, even from persons with good reputation, because i do the search myself and i want the clients to be clean...

oh, and Shelley, i'm not talking about a small job, a 5$ hack do not require to have a clean portfolio of tons of clients... just be honest with the client and you will have positive answers... but when a client comes with a 5000$ contract, that's different.

you sneaked that paragraph in but you shouldn't insult my intelligence nex, I'm not referring to 5$ jobs. I could point to 10 people who have references and links to existing clients who would happily speak good of them who have scammed and continue to do so, stole databases and will tell you what you want to hear that might cut it for you but it does for me. Simply because you won't supply a client with existing work you've done doesn't make them liars. I've worked with 4 clients who require to remain anonymous for the work i do for them so when another client asks for existing references i will not supply it simply because i'm bound to respect my ongoing clients wishes. The whole point being, simply because someone will take a job that doesn't provide references doesn't make them liars infact, most people around who do provide those squeaky clean references and link to existing clients/portfolios have scammed people here stealing their databases, selling their sites and then a few months later revert back to using the same database the same one the sold.

Originally Posted by lasto

Good question - do u relize how easy it is for someone to take your database and either upload it elsewhere for others to have or even sell it.
Ive seen Databases on the net with thousands of ready made members should you wish to add them to your board.

I know, which is why i posted the above. and, if a squeaky clean reference by their friends and a portfolio is enough to hire someone then go right ahead. I will do a background check on anyone with/without portfolios references amongst other precautions

actually Shelley, how do you do a background check ?!... i did not point you in my comment btw, i'm not trying to insult your intelligence... but if the person you hire have no references, how can you check his/her background?

by asking for references, you can contact these old clients and see if they were scammed etc... that's the same for a job in real life you know, the new boss will verify your references by calling your old job... same if you lease an appartment... if you give no references, bye-bye...

i'm not telling it's the only solution, but checking background is the same... you have to know where that guy come from, and if on his path you see some scam or crap.

another question to ask is "how do you want to be paid?"... and "what will be the difference in price between an exclusive work and something the coder continue to own for resell etc"...

[iogames]

do you work for free?

p.s. Just kidding I have paid a lot, but mainly previous work to evaluate capacity and vision