Dealing with people on Craigslist
The barrier to entry on Craigslist is low, anyone can post and respond to ads for free (in most markets). This is both a good and bad thing, as it allows many people to post, but it also means that it attracts people who are not exactly sane... If you post your resume or a "Looking for work" ad you will probably get at least one crazy person responding to it, asking you to develop "the next MySpace". So how should you go about dealing with them?
An example situation :) (from Newsicus Maximus)
Identify what kind of 'crazy' they are
Over time I've come to see there's roughly four different types of crazy people on Craigslist, each one with their own quirks. Know what kind of crazy you're dealing with and the best way to deal with them:
- The crazy entrepreneur: These are the "I'm going to build the next MySpace" people. Usually full of energy, 100% certain their idea is failproof, and very persuasive. Unfortunately, they are usually flat broke and have a history of business ventures that never got off the ground. They'll quite often want to offer you 'equity' and 'bonuses' and other flashy things. Unless you can make sure they are truly legit (crazy people with a lot of money can be your best friend), stay far away... unless you like not getting paid.
- How to handle: Be direct and assertive about the exact job requirements and payment details, if they can't give you a contract with definite terms for repayment and services performed you probably need to get out.
- The overly secretive: A close relative of the crazy entreprenuer, but goes about things cloak-and-dagger style. In their mind, they also have a brilliant idea, but it's so brilliant that noone can know what it is, even those who work for him. More often than not their idea is not original at all, but even if it is original it probably sucks. Mode of operation: contracts, NDAs, extensive phone interviews to make sure you aren't a Russian spy, etc. These people are huge wastes of time.
- How to handle: Ask them up front for a definite plan of action and what work they need done. If they can't provide this simple information there's no sense in debating back and forth over 20 emails about the number of hours it'll take to build their mystery idea.
- The ignorant: people who have no idea what they're getting in to. Case in point: after posting my resume on Craigslist I immediately received an email from someone asking 'hey can u build me a youtube sight?'. After trying to get some clarification, and explaining the complexities involved in running your own hosted video site, he still just couldn't understand how big of an undertaking it truly was. If your job is to design and build websites you'll make yourself miserable by taking on clients who need constant handholding and explanations on the basics of computing! They will typically pay you less and be less appreciative of your work as well...
- How to handle: Quote your rate and give a ballpark number of hours; often times the actual mention of the money involved for the project will scare them away.
- The genuinely malicious: people who are out to get your work for free and take advantage of you. Unfortunately for some people you can't really tell if they are good or bad. Just make sure you take every precaution to ensure you're not getting ripped off.
- How to handle: Be cautious, don't hand over your work, get a contract and hold the other party to it, keep good records (name, phone, dates and times of contact, etc.), trust your instinct (see below). Learn how to protect yourself as a freelancer.
After some initial probing you'll be able to weed out 90% of the crazy people. Simple techniques like asking them to actually define the work they need done and seeing how much it will cost them turn most of the crazy people on Craigslist away.
Watch for warning signs
Also important is to actually look at an ad or any kind of communication with a watchful eye for potential problems. Here are the warning signs I've been able to pick up on:
- Does the ad mention "no pay" or "internship" or any of that crap that means you won't be getting paid?
- Did the person mention odd repayment terms like only paying half until they can cover the rest of the money? More often than not you won't be getting that other half...
- Do they promise to pay you equity, repaying you after the site makes a million dollars?
- If they do mention a rate, is it reasonable? Too low probably means you won't be able to convince them to pay your real rate; too high might indicate they're putting you on
- If they mention specifics about the work they want done, is it a straightforward, doable task? Not too vague, not too grandiose, etc.
Trust your instinct
Probably the most important point... if you've been in contact with a someone and you feel something isn't quite right, it's best to trust your instinct. When I first got started in web freelancing I got stuck with a couple of dead end jobs because I trusted the other person too much. Your time is too precious to let other people take advantage of you! If a job is too demanding, or not paying you enough, or piling a bunch of cruddy work on you, you may have to make a gut decision to cut your losses.
So remember: know your 'enemy', look for warning signs, and trust your instinct. Good luck out there :)