Freelance Programming is Easy to Manage

There are several reverse bid freelance sites out there. Beyond the big ones, smaller ones are popping up each day. With the variety of places for a programmer to go and look for work the review systems in place on these sites don't count for as much as they did at one point in time. If you are thinking about getting a project off the ground and using a freelancer there are some basic rules you should go by.

1.) State your needs clearly and effectively. If you need a programmer to help you write a decent proposal you might want to start off by finding a programmer to talk to. If you understand the technical side of things better you will get better service. I can almost guarantee that.

2.) Talk to the freelancer through the sites private message board. It will give you a chance to see how well they can communicate. Ask some questions that can't have cookie cutter responses. If you are considering freelancers that don't speak the same native tongue as you, you might have some communication problems.

3.) Remember, the ability to program does not give a programmer the insight into your business. While you might know what a down line building reciprocal link morpher with a built in MLM system and a double wide matrix, they may not understand you at all. Make sure you are quite clear and they DO understand you.

4.) Reviews are important, but they are not everything. It's fine to give someone new to the site a shot, as long as you communicate well and you follow the guidelines below.

5.) DO NOT PAY UP FRONT- Use escrow in stages if you must, but just handing someone money that you don't know is sort of silly. It's fair to release funds in stages for a long project. Make sure you get the source code at each release of the escrow as well. Just because they do a good job for the first two stages doesn't mean it will continue.

6.) Make sure they are writing well commented code, a program that needs to be edited or improved upon is much easier with commented code. It will save you money in the long run, especially if this programmer isn't available.

7.) Don't do a project in pieces if you can afford to do it all at once, it just increases the cost dramatically and will frustrate the programmer. Trust me on this one ? a frustrated programmer doesn't work as hard.

8.) Consider pricing, you will get bids for almost nothing.....sometimes you get what you pay for. Good programming costs money, and time.

Freelance sites are a great way to get good quality work done, and you can also get the other end of the spectrum ? that is cheap and fast low quality. Know what your expectations are, and be realistic with yourself. You can't get a real enterprise level application made for a hundred dollars.

Article written by Ed Charkow. Ed is the webmaster and lead programmer for Stmadeveloper and NicheSiteSpecial.

Reprint rights are available as long as the links in this resource box remain intact and clickable.

---

Your Future Profit Is In The Stars

You don't believe in astrology but you check your horoscope... Read More

Benefits Of Making Your Website Accessible To Disabled Users ? Part 2: The Business Case

The Disability Discrimination Act states that service providers must not... Read More

9 Keys to an Effective Website

Many small companies choose not to invest in a professionally... Read More

Increase Your Affiliate Earnings with a Smart Webmaster Plan

Affiliate programs are a great way to earn an income... Read More

Have You Got Your Ear To The Ground Or Your Head In The Sand?

What happened on your website yesterday? What about last week... Read More

Remember This When Building A New Site - Beginners Guide

I recently helped my mom to launch a website (www.mom2me.com)... Read More

Web accessibility for screen magnifier users

The needs of screen magnifier users are overlooked when implementing... Read More

Having a Domain Name And Web Site Gives Your Business The Key To The Door

Just like all things in life, the ways to run... Read More

Growing Your Meetings In CyberSpace

As increasing numbers of people search for information on the... Read More

Why You Need a Website

You hear a great deal about the Internet these days... Read More

The Power Is In The Pipes: How To Get Maximum Leverage From Your Website

What is the most important part of your online business?Many... Read More

Non-Profits: Successful Online Strategies

More and more non-profit organizations are developing websites to help... Read More

Live Support from Your Website? Can You Do It for Free?

I'm a freelance programmer and somehow I managed to get... Read More

Do You Really Need A Website To Succeed

Rosalind wants to share her inspirational poetry with a wider... Read More

Now You Have a Web Site - Have You Ever Heard of Accessibility?

An accessible Web site is easily approached, easily understood, and... Read More

Successful Commercial Sites

Do you make your website just to entertain yourself or... Read More

Web Success Secret - Keep Your Visitors Interested

Visitors to your site come looking for information or solutions... Read More

10 Things You Should Be Monitoring On Your Website

Every business needs to know how it is doing. That's... Read More

7 Questions to Understand Your Customer Better

Customer service questionnaires can help your clients better understand their... Read More

Let Your Customers Redesign Your Website!

When you purchase a new item from a Yahoo! Store,... Read More

Nonsense! Why Do I Need a Website?

"I don't sell anything online, I don't advertise online, in... Read More

Your Content for Nothing and Your Clicks for Free

The first thing my business consultant (read brother-in-law) asked me,... Read More

Get to Know People through Websites

Web sites are not just places to sell things; they... Read More

How Did You Get Here?

When marketing your website, it's important to know which of... Read More

What Your Customers Say About YOUR Site! Part 1

The following is a list of patterns that many visitors... Read More

Website For The Company Store

If your company own one or more stores, you might... Read More

The 5 Biggest Mistakes Almost All Web Designers Make

Huge Mistake #1: Creating a Website with Flash -- Did... Read More

PHP & Account Activation

When a user signs up at your website, you may... Read More

You Don?t Have to be Amazon.com to Achieve 12% Conversion Rates!

That's right. According to a recent study by Nielsen/NetRatings, Amazon.com... Read More

Running An Effective Website

Running an effective website is a continuous process. I have... Read More

Why a CSS Website Layout Will Make You Money

Although CSS layouts have been around for years, they haven't... Read More

The Problem with Automated Accessibility Testing Tools

An automated accessibility tool is a piece of software which... Read More

Whats Your Business Online Attitude?

This article was prompted by some customer support work I... Read More