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Webwork
Posts: 89
From: New Jersey USA
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Possible Outfront jobs and resumes board? - 7/17/2002 7:06:56
What' s the possibility of a message board dedicated to people posting summaries of work and requests for quotes?
What' s the possibility of a section where people can post their " resume" and rate sheet?
Why not offer such a service on a subscription basis? Make it modest or free at first, to ascertain demand but then price it so the revenue covers the expense and any effort.
It seems to me a natural extension of a community where people possess or are learning a skill that has an economic demand and value.
Dialogue, boss?
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Thomas Brunt
Posts: 6109
Joined: 6/6/1998
From: St. Matthews SC USA
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RE: Possible Outfront jobs and resumes board? - 7/17/2002 11:39:21
This is a timely post as I' ve been thinking about this kind of thing more and more lately. Not sure it will be effective, but it might be worth a try.
t
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Webwork
Posts: 89
From: New Jersey USA
Status: offline
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RE: Possible Outfront jobs and resumes board? - 7/18/2002 11:16:07
I' d find a " fee sharing" or " fee percentage" arrangements problematic, in this realm at this time. It raises the cost of the work. It makes pricing the work a tad more difficult. It also makes reporting an issue. I know there are other firms that work on variations of fee sharing formulas, but they have the resources to devote to make it work and the calibre of experts/consultants involved in such arrangements tends to be high.
Since it' s a pilot program I' d start off easy: A set fee to post your resume and rate sheet for the first year. Something modest until the concept proves itself.
I' d set a separate fee, for posting work or requests for quotes. Again follow the KISS rule for starters. Perhaps $5.00 -10.00 for a one time post for 30-60 days and $25.00 - $50.00 for " up to 10 - 20" posts in a year.
Food for thought, Mr. B. Perhaps others might bring a side dish to the meal for tasting and consumption.
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erinatkins
Posts: 3072
From: Mechanicsville VA USA
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RE: Possible Outfront jobs and resumes board? - 7/18/2002 11:32:08
I think it is a good idea.
I know I have emailed some members directly & had them do some work for me. It has worked out well. I trust the people here & think people here are fair. I also know I have emailed moderators when I was not sure who I might be able to go to for a project that was out of my scope. We have a wealth of people & resources here that could increase the worth of this forum. (If that is possible - how do you top the best website?)
It would be nice to have a place where I could go & say I need help with this website or I have a client that has a major graphic project & be sent quotes for the work.
Only problem I could see is what if someone hires a person & they do a bad job. Would some members post all the problems & give this member a bad rep? What if the problem was communication? I would hate to see this sort of thing.
I am sure whatever decision is made will be the right one.
Erin
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Thomas Brunt
Posts: 6109
Joined: 6/6/1998
From: St. Matthews SC USA
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RE: Possible Outfront jobs and resumes board? - 7/19/2002 11:45:30
The main reason I' ve backed off of this in the past has been quality control. There' s really no way for OutFront to control the quality of services that would be exhanged on a board like that.
I think it would be necessary, however, for OutFront to have some say about how services are represented and whether or not someone should be allowed to continue advertising and/or bidding.
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piquet
Posts: 530
Joined: 3/26/2002
From: Ciudad de México
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RE: Possible Outfront jobs and resumes board? - 7/19/2002 11:57:46
Thomas, maybe to preserve the integrity of the service the decision should be your´s as to who can bid. I am sure some kind of password could issued to ensure only authorized designers can bid and advertise.
A quick look at their web design home site and the portfolio contained therein should be enough to select those members.
Tough on aspiring designers and maybe against the principle of encouraging beginners to improve their skills, I know, but it´s a tough world out there and it gives the more dedicated something to aim for.
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Thomas Brunt
Posts: 6109
Joined: 6/6/1998
From: St. Matthews SC USA
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RE: Possible Outfront jobs and resumes board? - 7/19/2002 12:12:52
I' m not sure it' s quite that simple, but I do believe that most of the folks who would bid would be folks who could do the jobs quite well.
From experience, I believe that there would be a lot more work for scripting and db folks than there would be for designers. The designers would come to this looking for someone to partner with on projects with some specs that are over their heads.
t
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mar0364
Posts: 3221
Joined: 4/5/2002
From: Florida, US
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RE: Possible Outfront jobs and resumes board? - 7/19/2002 23:20:41
<rant>
I don' t think it is a good idea. You have a great virtual community here now. Introducing that element to this community may spoil the spirt of community. When I help someone or someone helps me. I do it out of a sense of virtual community.
</rant>
But thats just my opinion. I could be wrong.
Thanks!
Rich
Never do business with a friend.
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abbeyvet
Posts: 5095
From: Kilkenny Ireland
Status: offline
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RE: Possible Outfront jobs and resumes board? - 7/20/2002 6:54:02
quote:
I don' t think it is a good idea. You have a great virtual community here now. Introducing that element to this community may spoil the spirt of community. When I help someone or someone helps me. I do it out of a sense of virtual community.
I can completly understand that fear and that is why I think it would be very important that this is not an elance type system, where basically anyone can show up and be a provider, not that there is anything inherently wrong with that there, but it wouldn' t work here.
The reality is that a lot of the people helping others, and getting help from others, here are at the same time earning a living, or trying to, in this area. It has never before impacted on their willingness to help free of change and I don' t think it will in the future.
There are some people who want help to do something themselves, there are others who, either because they are not interested or do not have time, just want someone to do it for them. The former audience is well catered for here and will continue to be, the latter audience, at the moment, is not really being looked after at all. There is also a blurring between the categories, lots of people who for one job want to learn to do may decide that for another they may just pay someone else, or they may have more work than they can deal with and wish to subcontract some on a onece off basis.
I also think there will be a lot of occasions where people could help each other out on small jobs for a fee. For example I usually outsource any Flash work I am asked for, I have Flash and can use it but I am slow as hell so it makes more sense to do that. I have also assisted people from here on other occasions with parts of jobs or entire jobs for a fee. I don' t have any problem seperating that role from answering questions in the forums, I doubt others do or would either.
My main suggestion would be that the suppliers be bone fide members of this community. Maybe there should, for example, be a minimum number of posts that they should have made before being eligible to be a supplier or something. Not sure how that could work in practice, but basically some safegaurd against people showing up, making no contribution but using the facility to gain work.
Frankly I think this will occur itself - the community would come down like a ton of lead on anyone abusing the system like that anyway, and if an advertiser is someone who patently makes a genuine, worthwhile and onging contribution elsewhere it can only help their image among prospective users of their service.
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Katherine
:: InKK Design :: InKK Domains
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Eli
Posts: 2659
From: ... er ...
Status: offline
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RE: Possible Outfront jobs and resumes board? - 7/20/2002 11:16:34
one great thing about a board like this is, as Katherine has already said, people don' t stand for any nonsense.
My view, for what its worth, is try it. If it doesn' t work or proves to be a headache - hit delete. (?)
_____________________________
Programming today is a race between software engineers striving to build bigger and better idiot-proof programs, and the Universe trying to produce bigger and better idiots. So far, the Universe is winning
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Webwork
Posts: 89
From: New Jersey USA
Status: offline
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RE: Possible Outfront jobs and resumes board? - 7/20/2002 15:16:56
As a potential consumer of services the first credential I would look to is links to websites the service provider worked on. I could contact the webmaster for verification. The provider posting the link to " the proof of competency" would be required to secure prior approval from the webmaster/site owner to be contacted to validate the claim - similar to the situation where someone asks for a letter of recommendation.
Another avenue I might pursue when shoping for a service provider is to examine the quality of the " volunteer work" the person has performed in the Outfront forum. If I see they have a history of resolving issues for other people the logical inference is that they will have the same capacity to do that for me. I imagine that process is already in play in Outfront. For instance, I know I once asked Spooky if he would be available to act as a paid consultant.
Just ask yourself: As an educated customer - what would I look for? The answer: Proof by example, referrals, recommendations, credentials, etc.
My advice, as a lawyer and entrepreneur: Empower consumers by educating them how pros shop for services AND advise the consumer that Outfront does not warrant the work or the credentials. Let the consumer do the heavy lifting. Caveat emptor.
As to the service providers, you can impose any requirement you want: Membership? Yes. Specific info required in " resumer" . Yes. Minimum number of references? Yes. Willing to have their performance rated? Yes. (Simple system: Totally satisfied, very, satisfied, etc or something
similar - without getting into verbal critiques or specific charges.)
Keep in mind you might allow vendors to fit into a sliding scale of competency: Advanced, Intermediate, Experienced, Etc - letting the vendor self-select the rating, by confirming the competencies, but set minumum standards.
By providing a sliding scale of competency you keep the door open to all levels of experience having a chance to gain experience in paid positions. For instance, as I stated in an earlier post, I have some work to offer that doesn' t require a great deal of experience. I don' t want to pay someone $50 an hour for work that someone with basic experience would be happy to perform at a lower rate.
Keep moving ahead.
Big K - feel free to pick my brains directly if you wish.
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