Freelance Job Interview Questions With Tips

Freelance Job Interview Questions With TipsFreelance Job Interview Questions With TipsHow is a freelance job interview different from a regular job interview? For starters, neither side is committing to a long-term relationship. That kind of freedom comes with plenty of benefits for workers and employers alike, but it also changes the hiring process a bit, including which interview questions you can expect to hear from a hiring manager. Types of Questions Freelancers Are Asked When interviewing freelancers, clients dont need to worry about how youll fit into the corporate culture or where you want to be in five years. Depending on thegig, it might bedrngnis even matter whether youre a morning person or a nightperson, or what your typical work week looks like. Instead, expect questions geared toward results. Thats because, even more than regular employees, contract workers are there to solve a problem. The person who hires you will have to demonstrate that youre doing that, probab ly on a much shorter timeline than he or she would a full-time worker. The essential irony of contract work is that even though youre cheaper than an employee who gets benefits, and thus less risky if you dont work out, youre also easier to evaluate, because your goals are specific and limited, and easier to fire, because the usual termination process doesnt apply. In any case, its always in your best interests as a worker to focus your preparations on the job interview questions youre likely to get. For freelancers, this means being able to demonstrate that youre worth the money and that you can get things done. 5 Freelance Job Interview Questions These are some of the questions you might be asked during the interview process 1. Can you show me samples of work youve done on similar projects? Tips for answering When youre a freelancer, your work speaks for you, so its important to have a portfolio of work to show prospective clients. In the olden days, this meant a physical folder full of your work samples. Now, digital portfolios make it easy to email links to prospective clients, as well as show off your work in an interview. Regardless, youll want to be able to anzeigegert some samples and demonstrate how you delivered on the clients vision in each case. Youll get bonus points if you can attach a dollar sign to that demonstration by explaining how you made or saved money 2. Whats your work process like? Tips for answering One of the distinctions between an employee and a contractor, according to the IRS, is that businesses cant specify the hours of work for a contractor. Setting deadlines is acceptable (e.g., project will be completed by EOD on Nov. 1) but not blocking off hours of your time on an ongoing basis (e.g., Freelancer will be available eight hours a day, five days a week, from 9 am to 5 pm, until ABC Company says otherwise). Still, things need to get done when they need to get done, so dont be surprised if you get a question about yo ur work process- and know that while the hiring manager might indeed be interested in your work style, he or she most likely wants to know that youre available during working hours to answer questions and take requests. The other aspect of this question is that the interviewer wants to know if you can take constructive criticism and if youll participate in a review process. So, make sure to mention that youre flexible, collaborative, and open to ideas. 3. Tell me about a time you had trouble making a deadline, and pulled it off. Tips for answering The real secret is that everyone, from schoolchildren to executives, hates group projects. Still, as long as individual contributors are valuable, and until we can figure out some better way to synthesize independent thought into a large-scale result, were probably stuckverzierung with them. That means that were all dependent on one another to hit deadlines, so that we can get on with our part of the show. Remember, when you answer, th at the interviewer has reason to be even more anxious about a freelancer hitting deadlines, because the other team members wont be able to find you in a hurry if you drop the ball. Your goal here is to provide concrete examples of your dedication to getting things done, no matter how difficult. Be as specific as possible. 4. How much do you charge? Tips for answering This is a case where you want to let them do the talking first. Go in with a general idea of your freelance rates, but dont commit to a price right off the bat. You wont know how much to charge- or even whether to bill hourly or by the project- until you have a lot more information about the work required. Dont be fooled into naming a number at the beginning, only to find out later that the client expects three meetings a week and doesnt want to pay for them, or that every stage of the project involves three signoffs and two of those belong to other remote workers who are rarely available. Get all the specifics bef ore you commit to a price- and then get it in writing in the form of a contract or statement of work. 5. Whats your availability? Tips for answering This is your opportunity to express enthusiasm, reassure the client about your commitment- and tischset some boundaries. Many clients give the impression of wanting the commitment of a full-time employee from their contractors, without extending the same in the form of job security. This doesnt mean theyre evil or trying to cheat you it may just be that theyre used to that model from working with regular employees. Regardless, you can convey your passion and reliability without promising to be available for 10 pm emergencies or every regular morning meeting. Most professional freelancers find it impractical to sleep in every morning anyway, so you can likely tell them youre usually available during normal working hours, and that you have a policy of responding to client emails with X time period (24 hours or less). Youre under no o bligation to promise them full-time availability for part-time work. Prepare to Ace the Interview Before you head out the door or get on the phone for your interview, review these tips for how to ace an interview for a freelance job.