I’m not sure if i can laugh this one off. I see both sides of the story (business owners side and the Web Designers side) when it comes to businesses posting under the famous Craigs List “Computer Gigs” section. Now, in the past, when I had the time to design. I have had some great success using Craigs List to find freelance work. I have also listened to past story’s from clients that used Craigs List and I have seen the so called “Rants” from designers posting them on Craigs List. So let’s dive into the issue of the famous postings from businesses looking for cheap web design, partnerships or my favorite one…The dreaded “looking for Intern” one.
From the designers point of view. I hope all future business leaders that are thinking of posting a “Design Gig” on Craigs List takes the time to read this prior to posting.
- Posting the following is just ridicules: “Multi-Million Dollar Company Looking For Web Design – “Needs individuals who have good understanding of websites and their use for commercial purposes. Developer will be junior to mid level and fulfill the following duties: Maintain web site after completion. Be available to install eCommerce when we are ready and have a clear understanding of databases. We will be using 8-10 pages, contact forms for public and secure forms for clients. We will also need a interactive calendar for events (15 events a month). Products in cart when ready will be 1200+. Please send resume, contact information and a portfolio of work. We will choose the best designer based off portfolio. Any contact with out portfolio will be deleted. We are offering 50 percent of sales from website when approved or $350 for entire build and $15.00 hr. for updates. We would choose the percentage as this site is going to make serious money. A non disclosure/compete will be signed by you. Please be located in the US (no overseas) Thank you.
Yes, the above post was posted on Craigs List. Pretty demanding right? OK business owners let’s take a look at this reads out to a professional designer.
- You’re a Multi-Million Dollar Company? Do you know how many Multi-Million Dollar companies are out on Craigs List? They are all million dollar companies. If you really were a million dollar company, you would not be posting on Craigs List. So with that out of the way..Let’s continue on with your payments.
In this example, this company offers three options. 1) 50% of all sales 2) $350 for the entire build and 3) $15.00 hr for updates. This reads as follows.
- You would like to offer the designer 50% of all sales. You even recommend to take that offer as the website is going to make money. Excuse me, Mulit-Million Dollar company. No Thank you. If I took every offer of percentage when I was a designer, I would involved in over 1000 companies that are not making a penny. In other words you want me to market your product for free. Thanks but no thanks.
- $350 for the entire build! With all due respect sir, my keyboard alone cost more than $350 and to be honest it will cost you $350 just for me to turn my computer on. Thank you but no thank you.
- $15.00 a hour to update. Again, This industry starts between $50-60 hr. I charged $85 a hour. So let me take a $70 per hr cut just to help your multi-million dollar company.
- You need me to sign a Non Disclosure or Compete letter. Let me tell you this. Chances are I have already had the idea that you are working on and if I wanted to make it a success I would implement all my contacts and just do it myself. Thanks again.
So now your Craigs List post has been broken down for you. How do you think it looks? Not good if you ask me. Now in brief I will educate you on the education of typical Designer.
Most hold a Bachelor’s degree or an associate degree in graphic design. This surpasses your $15.00 hr rate. The creativity, communication, problem solving skills and familiarity with graphics and design software is priceless.
Some have gone to 2-year and 3-year professional schools for this field and others have obtained their skills for normal university and on the job training. I think this brief history of the education level of a graphic designer is enough for you to get a understanding. So in the future, post with the above in mind and remember, you get what you pay for. Does your Multi-Million dollar company want a high school kid to design your business website in his parents garage? If that’s the case, you might as well have them host it on their parents computer as well.
OK – I said I see both sides of the story. I will now be speaking with fellow designers about Craigs List.
The Rant: Designers…HELLO!! stop posting rants on CL. It’s time consuming and chances of the person even coming back to Craigs List is slim to none. They are never going to see it. Do not post information about them on Craigs List. We have all seen the famous post “Don’t work for so and so, they are cheap, etc” That is not professional at all, agreed? Depending on what you post about that, you could open yourself up to a serious lawsuit. I have seen it happen.
As for the cheap people. Yes, I said cheap. That is what they are cheap. But they do have the right to post a “gig” at the price they want to pay. You have the right to not respond to it. Let the overseas cheap labor do it or as mentioned the ‘High School” kid. You know as well as I do, they will then be in a world of hurt dealing with people like that. So let them learn, Let them spend “350″ (as mentioned above) and let them understand after those people take the $350 and run. Lesson learned. 
To be honest. Craigs List should only be used by the professional designer when they have some down time or for that matter maybe they are just board. Maybe some of you can interject about the quality of designers stalking Craigs List these days?
So would it be correct of me to say “I covered the basis of both sides” when it comes to Craigs List and the “gig” section? for those of you that know me, I always take things a step further. Hey, I like to cover all my bases. So I had the chance to speak with a few professionals and interview them. This is what they had to say about the great Craigs List “gig” debate.
“ I’m not going to do a full assault on Crags List web designers, I would like to think that they have many legitimate web designers on the service, however finding one on Craigs List is almost impossible for the average person. Running a review website I have had many people email me and tell me how they were screwed over by designers from Craigs List and have several requests for us to list designers that use Craigs List in our review section so they can be reviewed. When it comes to payment and offerings, people just need to be educated on correct price for design work. If they want to pay cheap wages for design all they have to do is compare some of the reviews on our website about the cheap web hosts. Many people are just not happy. I feel for the designers out there on Craigs List. I wish them all the luck and if they get a solid gig, I personally would try to keep that client happy so they return.“ Rich Lee Owner: Elite Web Hosting Reviews www.elitewebhostingreviews.com _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ “Hi. When I posted my add for designer I was working with a budget. About 10 minutes after posting I must have received over 100 emails that looked like chain letters. Many of them did not even speak perfect English and the quotes were way out of budget. I believe the average price was $5000.00 dollars. I scrolled through the emails (many went into my spam folder) and finally found a designer that would work in my budget and took the time to understand my direction. The process of searching for me was time consuming. My website is not complete yet but I’m happy with the progress. Now that I’m working with a designer, I have learned to have all my ducks in a row as the delays are from my end. I feel people should be paid what they are worth and started my budget at $1000.00. Luckily, after speaking with my choice of designers, she was able to work on my site for half that. My taste is simple. Lucky I found her” Dee Patrick Owner: 24 Virtual www.24virtual.com *Special Note: I would like to thank Dee for responding and allowing us to list the 24 virtual website. Dee is currently working with designer found on Craigs List and the website as of blog date is not complete yet. Thank you Dee* _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ “Thank you for the email today. Being in the E-Commerce industry as a Web Host, We hear from many clients that would like to design a web site on the custom side of our system. I have recommended Craigs List and I have found a few excellent freelancers from Craigs List that we send clients to if they are needing design work done. I’m not totally sure about a Craigs List debate, but I do know that the postings range from free, budgets and some with no limits. As a business owner, I fully understand that new start ups may not want to pay what they should, maybe they can’t afford it?. I feel it is up to the designer to either work with that budget or not take the job. I always tell our clients if they post on Craigs List to post a amount that they can afford, be honest and always check into any business/designer that responds. I further advise to only work with freelancers or companies in the United States. As for your question about equity for design work; I really can’t comment on that one. I would assume that those people are looking for entrepreneurs / investors. So why close the door? Moving forward to story’s of people being taken advantage of; That situation takes place on a daily basis when it comes to web site design work. It happens in more places than just Craigs List. Web site design is a very competitive industry so if the designer has the skills! They should be paid their weight in gold. I wish you the best of luck with your article/blog and thanks again for contacting us. Len Cavanaugh Owner: Kadzoom Technologies www.kadzoom.com________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
So folks…I have covered everything I could. Feel free to put in your two cents.
Thanks for reading.
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