When looking for a freelancer for your project or business, you want to make sure you find the right person to avoid unsuccessful contracts. You can usually get a grasp of a freelancer\u2019s ability through their website, but if you\u2019re hiring for an important and costly project, it\u2019s crucial that you get hiring right the first time.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s just as important to conduct a thorough interview with a freelance industrial designer as it is to interview graduates knocking on the door of industrial design<\/a> companies. Some business relationships go on for years, and while you won\u2019t be sharing an office with this person, their work ethic and ability will affect your business.<\/p>\n Asking the right questions during an interview is important. With that said, here are some sample questions you can consider using the next time you’re looking for industrial design services.<\/p>\n Everyone has their own reasons for choosing to freelance, and while it sounds like a dream job, not everyone is equipped to do it. It requires a go-getter attitude and a lot of discipline. The freelancer you hire should love the work they do and be passionate about it.<\/p>\n Maybe they started freelancing part-time and are now in demand, so they migrated toward doing it full-time. Maybe the flexibility and independence are what attracted them to freelancing. Or, maybe they have kids at home that limit their employment opportunities. Those are all adequate reasons.<\/p>\n If they answer with something along the lines of, \u201cI just didn\u2019t enjoy working with people,\u201d run for the hills. This is a major sign that you could have difficulties working with this person. Consider yourself lucky that you dodged that bullet ahead of time.<\/p>\n A lot of freelancers have testimonials from past clients that you can use to get a glimpse of their professionalism and working relationships. These could be on LinkedIn, on their personal website, or on a freelancing platform.<\/p>\n While not every freelance contract is going to be perfect, you want to look for any trends that appear. If more than one set of feedback says the freelancer was unable to meet deadlines, that may be a red flag. Of course, testimonials on LinkedIn and personal websites are curated, so you\u2019ll likely only find glowing reviews. However, if you are using a platform like Upwork or Fiverr, you can see all types of feedback.<\/p>\n It\u2019s important to see some type of sample work before you hire a freelancer. Most freelance industrial designers have online portfolios, often on their own website. However, if they have a limited portfolio or none at all, don\u2019t immediately assume the worst.<\/p>\n It\u2019s possible that they are newly self-employed yet have a long and expansive work history. Some types of jobs don\u2019t allow the work to be used as a sample. In cases where limited samples are available, testimonials and references can suffice.<\/p>\n This question will allow you to gauge the candidate\u2019s work style. You\u2019re not necessarily trying to find out about their past project\u2019s per se, as their portfolio probably has those samples. What you\u2019re listening for are the aspects of the project they get excited about. Does your project have similar aspects? If the work is similar and you\u2019re impressed with their work habits, scoop them up.<\/p>\n You\u2019ll also be able to get a sense of their ability to work independently and prioritize. The key is to listen for insight into their work habits. Flipping this and asking about a freelance project they didn\u2019t enjoy is also a good way to determine what types of work they don\u2019t vibe with.<\/p>\n Lest you find your perfect freelancer only to realize that they aren\u2019t able to work the hours you want, ask them just how available they are. Freelancers have varying hours\u2014some can work full time while others may only have a couple hours a day to work on your project.<\/p>\n Depending on the demands of your project\u2014that is, how quickly you need it completed\u2014you may require someone who can dedicate a lot of time to your design in a short window. You\u2019re paying them, so you should be confident that deadlines you set for your project will be met.<\/p>\n You may have some specific requirements for your project that dictate the use of a specific software. Ensure that the freelancer you hire is not only capable of using your preferred software, but excels at it. Industrial designers use CAD software to turn 2D drawings into 3D models.<\/p>\n Examples of CAD programs include:<\/p>\n SolidWorks \u2013 This is the industry standard software for CAD design. More than 165,000 companies use this program and it operates on Windows.<\/p>\n AutoCAD \u2013 Developed by Autodesk and runs on Windows, MacOS, iOS, and Android.<\/p>\n Hiring freelancers comes with a lot of benefits, and unfortunately, some cons. The freelancer will be working remotely, so it\u2019s important to ensure they have the discipline and tools to do your project well and communicate effectively.<\/p>\n Communication is the key to finding success with remote workers. If your freelancer doesn\u2019t mention frequent communication, you might have a problem. Fortunately, there are a ton of apps and programs available to make communicating effortless. A good follow-up question is to inquire about which tools they use for communication. Some examples include Slack, Skype, and Trello. With these, delegating to freelancers<\/a> becomes extremely simple.<\/p>\n Freelancers are usually balancing multiple contracts and often working unpredictable hours. As previously mentioned, you want to find a freelancer who\u2019s hours and work habits mesh with yours. Don\u2019t necessarily penalize a freelancer if they have a lot of clients\u2014they may have excellent project management skills, which is what you\u2019re listening for.<\/p>\n Make sure they\u2019ll be able to meet the deadlines that the two of you agree on, and try to gauge whether the deadlines are realistic. A skilled and seasoned freelancer will know how much time to allocate to their projects, what phases take the most time, and when they\u2019re in over their head.<\/p>\n By asking this question, you\u2019re essentially asking how the freelancer prioritizes their work. A good freelance industrial designer will know how to get the ball rolling immediately and will do so even with a far-off deadline. Perhaps they\u2019ll do a simple brainstorm on the first day and let it sit for a while.<\/p>\n The freelancer\u2019s response should be realistic. If they tell you they\u2019ll have half of the work done on the first day, that\u2019s probably not true\u2014if it is, it\u2019s rushed work. You want someone who sets realistic goals for themselves.<\/p>\n If they\u2019ve already submitted a proposal to your job post, they may have already communicated the skills they will bring to the table. However, this question is important to ask either way.<\/p>\n You can get a sense of just how well the freelancer understands the contract by their answer. If they list off skills that aren\u2019t relevant to the job, then they aren\u2019t in sync with your expectations or just simply haven\u2019t read your job post thoroughly. On the other hand, if they respond with a well thought out answer, chances are they have worked on similar contracts in the past and have refined the core skills they mention.<\/p>\n This process can be extremely tiresome and daunting, especially if you\u2019re a new business or solo entrepreneur hiring a freelancer for the first time. If you\u2019re looking for assistance with vetting candidates and hiring, Cad Crowd is the place to be.<\/p>\n We have some of the best industrial design freelancers at your fingertips. Regardless of what type of project you have, whether it be simple or complex, we can connect you with a top-ranking designer with the skills you need to get your job done well.<\/p>\nExperience<\/h3>\n
Why do you freelance?<\/h4>\n
What feedback have you received from previous clients?<\/h4>\n
Can I see samples of your work?<\/h4>\n
Tell me about a recent freelance industrial design project you\u2019ve worked on that you\u2019re proud of. What did you like about it?<\/h4>\n
Work Management<\/h3>\n
Do you have time to take on additional work?<\/h4>\n
What type of computer software do you frequently use in your designs? Which do you prefer?<\/h4>\n
How do you ensure that working remotely with client\u2019s is successful?<\/h4>\n
Job Specific<\/h3>\n
Are you able to meet this timeline?<\/h4>\n
If I hire you for this project, what will you do on the first day?<\/h4>\n
In your opinion, what skills are needed for this project?<\/h4>\n