Recommending people for gigs...

[rachelcarpenter]

(Basically I'm really excited to see this forum up here and thought I'd get the ball rolling with a simple question or two....)

Any thoughts on how you go about deciding if you'll recommend a fellow freelancer for a gig?

Have you ever had the experience of being asked for a referral by someone whose skills you weren't confident in? (... in whose skills you weren't fully confident? [Hah!])

Have you ever realized (too late, perhaps) that your assessment of a fellow freelancer's skills was off?

(And what about burnout...)

Just kidding about the last question. It's late and I need tea. But I wanted to float this topic in case it, um, floats anyone's boat. Also I thought we might hear some funny, cringe-worthy stories.

[markallen]

Well started. I haven't had the pleasure of recommending anyone yet, but I'm about to start a project that may make that necessary. I'm curious to know what other people have experienced.

[RuthTC]

< Any thoughts on how you go about deciding if you'll recommend a fellow freelancer for a gig? >

This can be really tricky. I've had colleagues ask me to refer them in general terms ("Keep me in mind" or "I'm available if you get over-loaded"), but I only refer people I really trust to do the work properly and make me look good. The referrer's reputation is as much on the line as the person being referred. That said, I decide whether to refer someone based on how, and how well, I know the person. In the electronic age, that is often virtually, and the only thing I can judge by is how someone presents him- or herself online. That's why I think it's so important to edit and proof oneself before posting to a discussion list, a forum like this one, and even LinkedIn and Facebook - it's often the only way anyone "meets" you or can tell anything about your skills.

< Have you ever had the experience of being asked for a referral by someone whose skills you weren't confident in? (... in whose skills you weren't fully confident? [Hah!]) >

Oh, yeah. Very awkward. I've said, "I wish I could help, but I don't think you're right for this, and I'm not comfortable referring you for it." Not great for the friendship, but my professional reputation has to come first.

< Have you ever realized (too late, perhaps) that your assessment of a fellow freelancer's skills was off? >

I just had a horrible experience with exactly that, with a good friend and long-time colleague who totally ruined a joint project and blew the client for both of us. The problem was more her reliability and professionalism than actual (tech) editing skills - there was one glitch after another, from not having e-mail access while out of town to two computer crashes to a couple health crises, creating constant missed deadlines - but she fell down on that as well; the bits and pieces she did produce were way under par, to my shock. There really are no guarantees.

[markallen]

Great points. I don't know how common referrals are, but I've benefited from a couple of nice ones.It would be nice to be able to refer based on ACES membership because I see people who join ACES as serious about copy editing, But it's not like we have any limitations to joining.

I've always thought I'd work harder rather than turn a client way, but greed is giving way to common sense as I start an in-house gig. What about projects you don't necessarily want to give up, but you might need help with? Is one way to do this to subcontract? That way, you keep the relationship, protect your reputation by giving the work a final look, and pay yourself a bit as well. I know it's a lot simpler to refer, but I'm thinking of two projects in particular -- one I'm doing based on my knowledge of the process and one that's part of a longstanding relationship.

[RuthTC]

Subcontracting is a great way to keep a project; just be careful about whom you use, since their work - or their work after your review of it - will be what the client sees and judges you by, and be sure to put something in writing to protect yourself against the colleague taking over the client or project. Don't be shy about asking someone to take a brief editing test for you!

I've had mixed luck with this kind of arrangement; once it worked out great, but another time, I spent so much time and energy on reviewing/fixing the other person's work that I finally said the heck with it and took the project back.