tips by Tamara Rice from oDesk

Red Flags and Reasonable Responses
Sample Work: Red Flags and Reasonable Responses
Want to spot a bad client before working with or for them?

As a contractor, inevitably prospective employers will ask you to show them samples of your work, your portfolio. There's a fine line, however, between using previous work to showcase your skills and spending time and effort creating something completely new for a prospective employer to 'see what you can do.' Avoid to work for free!

Here are some warning signs to watch for when discussing sample work with a prospective employer, and some reasonable responses for the professional contractor:

Red Flag #1: Asking you to create a sample design or showcase project with a lot of specific requests. For example, if a prospective employer with an auto repair website were to ask you to write a sample piece about repairing a muffler, rather than asking to see any previous piece you've written in the field of auto mechanics, your warning bells should start ringing. By a prospective employer asking for a lot of specifics in the sample post/site/design/etc. they want to see before hiring you, then there is a really good chance they are trying to get your work and expertise for free.
Reasonable Response: 'If you'd like to hire me to write a specific piece for you that fits those requirements, I'd love to create that for you. Otherwise, here's a sample from my previous work that shows I am knowledgeable in my field and can deliver when asked to focus on any specific topic.' This response says 'yes' to giving them exactly what they've asked for, but 'no' to doing it for free.

Red Flag #2: Asking you to show what you would do with a website design or other creative aspect of the prospective employer's business. No matter what field you're in, don't ever give away your creativity for free. While you should feel comfortable mentioning a specific idea or two in an interview to give the interviewer a sampling of your brilliance, you would never want to actually share the details on how to improve their website/brochure/software/whatever before they are paying you to do so.

Reasonable Response: 'From experience, I can tell you that your website could use some more white space in the overall design. My previous employers have been really happy with how I've creatively tackled their challenges and improved their sites. I know I could do the same for you.' Dangle a glimmer of one idea or concept verbally, but don't give away your creativity for free and especially not in any tangible form.

sample work oneRed Flag #3: Asking specifically for a sample that has not previously been published/used/utilized by another client. If you are ever asked to send something brand new as a sample, run the other way. Sample work should never have to be something done only for a prospective client, until you are on their payroll. If they want to see a sample, consider what you would typically charge for creating the sample they asked for, and if you are willing to kiss that money goodbye.

Reasonable Response: 'I would love to create something completely new and unique for you, once you hire me. For now, perhaps seeing what I did for this previous employer will help you see what I'm capable of.' Is the employer still reluctant to take you at your word? Consider offering to do a discounted rate on a test hire for them to see you in action on their assignment. Don't let your desire for new work manipulate you into creating custom work for free.

sample work threeRed Flag #4: Asking for anything that will take you longer than fifteen minutes to put together. We all reach that point at one time or another, where we are desperate for work and willing to jump through hoops to get a job. But investing more than fifteen minutes of your time to pull together something beyond a resume and cover letter (and maybe some links to previous projects) in order to try to win over a prospective client may prove to be an unwise choice. Be mindful that your time is always valuable. That hour you waste trying to win over one client could have been spent getting paid by one of your existing employers.

Reasonable Response: 'I can throw some things together in addition to my profile, however doing the task you've requested would involve a time commitment that I need to reserve for my employers. If you'd like to hire me, I'd be thrilled to do that for you.' Be polite, but firm. Telling someone you reserve such time commitments for employers is a professional response to a request that devalues your time.

The bottom line is that when you work for free you are robbing yourself of an income. There are a few reasons to do it (writers, see this post ; developers, see this post ; designers, this one, for more), but those reasons rarely present themselves. Don't get taken advantage of. And, please, do your freelance community a favor by reporting any scammers directly to whatever job board or marketplace they are using.

Tell us: How did you respond the last time you were asked to do sample work?

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Managing fraud risk

The now-infamous fraud scandals that began in the financial sector and spread to other industries sparked a new era of corporate responsibility. It's true that much of the impetus was driven by the markets, regulators, and other stakeholders? all of whom felt blind-sided in the scandals.

But there was another factor that is equally important in driving companies to rethink their approaches to corporate responsibility. And that's the fact that well-governed companies, those distinguished by their reputations for integrity, stand to gain a competitive advantage in the market when others falter.

However, developing an approach to fraud risk management that will stand up to the challenges of a rough-and-tumble business environment is no easy task. This is especially true in global industries, such as energy, where the risks can be as diverse as the business itself.


To help developers address this risk, this article will outline some of the key practices to which leading companies are turning for help in managing fraud risk more effectively.

Creating a framework for managing fraud risk

Fraud is a broad concept that generally refers to an intentional act committed with the intent to secure an improper gain.
1 Misconduct is also a broad concept, one that generally refers to violations of laws, regulations, internal policies, or market expectations of ethical business conduct. Either can create risk that can undermine public trust and damage a company's reputation for integrity.
Experience shows us that managing fraud and misconduct risk

* Prevention'reducing the risk of fraud and misconduct from occurring in the first place
* Detection'discovering fraud and misconduct when it occurs
* Response'taking appropriate corrective action and remedy the damage caused by fraud or misconduct

Prevention: How can we keep fraud from happening?
The best way to manage fraud and misconduct is to prevent them from occurring in the first place. Doing so requires addressing their root causes. These can often be traced to unrealistic business targets coupled with overly aggressive incentives to achieve them. Not surprisingly, some company managers and employees react accordingly and do what they think it takes ' whether that's cheating to win business, cutting costs by cutting corners, or just plain stealing to get ahead.
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Don't Work for Free
What to do when a prospective employer asks for more than you should give.

Don't Work for Free

A remote contractor has to go the extra mile to gain the trust of a prospective employer. You don't get to interview face-to-face. You'll be doing your work from a great distance, and employers new to oDesk may not yet have developed full confidence in our trust-building transparency tools. While oDesk gives you a lot of ways to prove yourself up front ' our skills tests, your online portfolio ' a prospective employer may ask for more. And, sometimes, what they ask for will amount to doing 'free work.' While contractors may feel uncomfortable with this arrangement, they often do it without protest, because they don't want to lose the opportunity for what promises to be a good job.

We posted an article last week dealing with exactly this problem and offering four clever, positive strategies for deflecting the employer who's either trying to get something for nothing, or simply doesn't realize that her requests for more sample work amounts to an unpaid assignment.

1. Portfolio Pieces: If a potential employer doesn't see just the right sample in your portfolio, send them other work you've done in the past that comes closer to the mark.

2. Test Drive: If the employer wants to see a sample tailored from scratch for his business, suggest the test drive ' a small, paid assignment to prove your worth. If you really see the potential for ongoing work, consider giving them a one-time discount. Give the employer a break for taking a chance on you, but make sure you're getting enough money that if no other work comes, you're still compensated for making the effort you're putting into the assignment.

3. Measured Advice: Sometimes you're not asked for finished work but for free consultation. You're the web designer who's asked, 'How would you redo our website?' You're tempted to throw together a comprehensive plan to prove your skills and your worthiness ' but don't. Offer a tip or two, and perhaps highlight the portfolio piece that comes closest to your vision for taking their site to the next level.
Our blog post details the red flags you should watch out for, and all the ways you can protect the value of your work without alienating a possible employer. Give it a read, and if you've got other tips and tricks, share them with our community!