Interview Tips for Providers
How do I set up an interview?
First, make sure you have 'Interview' status in My Candidacies. You should have received a notification email with the buyer's contact info and possibly a personal message. The buyer is automatically sent your contact info via email when your candidacy changes to 'Interview' status. If you didn't get (or can't find) the notification email, you can see the buyer's contact info in My Candidacies. You can see any personal messages the buyer sent with the interview invitation on the job details page.
Second, it's time to set up the interview. Generally, the buyer will give you instructions on how to contact them in the personal message, or they will send you a separate email with instructions right away. If they didn't do either of those things, simply email them with your availability and any additional contact info they might need (alternate chat IDs, etc.). Try to contact the buyer as soon as you possibly can - if the buyer is in a far distant time zone, this is especially important.
Some buyers want to set up a specific interview time, others will simply ask you to contact them whenever you see them available on the chat ID they specified. Either way, unless you are able to chat immediately, it is best to send an email to say when you will be available to chat, and confirming with them the chat service and ID you will use to contact them. You should also be sure to state whether you could be available for a voice or video chat.
Two important notes:
- We do not require
that you use your oDesk email for communication with buyers. All email
sent to your @odesk.com address is automatically forwarded to the
personal email address we have on file. Sending email from your @odesk.com address is optional.
- Remember that to protect yourself, receive guaranteed payment, and help build your oDesk reputation, the buyer must hire you in the oDesk network. Do not start work on an assignment unless you can confirm your Hired status in My Assignments.
Finally, it's time for the interview. Good luck! Please read the rest of this article for helpful tips about interviewing with buyers.
The actual “interview chat” with the buyer
It is important to understand that the “interview chat” with the buyer should accomplish the following:
- You should have a clear understanding of the buyer’s requirement
- The buyer should feel confident that you can complete the project. This includes:
- Your commitment to the project
- Your communication skills
- Your technical abilities
- Your understanding of the buyer's requirements
Buyer Questions
Below is a list of questions that you will probably be asked during the interview. We highly recommend that you review these questions and prepare your answers in advance. We have also included sample answers to help you understand how to address these questions.
For more sample questions, please read this help page written for buyers. We also recommend you review online websites such as TechInterviews.com and other materials you may have to prepare for technical questions the buyer may ask.
During your interview, make sure you answer every question as clearly and directly as possible. We recommend that you follow up the answer with a question to the buyer to make sure you’ve answered the buyer’s question to their satisfaction.
Tell me about your skills and experience.
- The buyer wants to know about your abilities as well as the industries you’ve worked for in the past. If you are a programmer, should talk about the languages you develop in. If you are an artist, writer, etc. you'll have other skills, such as advertising design or copyediting to discuss.
- Sample answer:
“I have 5 years experience developing web applications using ASP.NET and HTML. I can also code in C++, C# and PHP. Most of my work has been on ecommerce and content management sites. Besides the primary skill of ASP.NET requested, what other skills would be useful for your project?"
Do you have samples of your work?
- This question tells you that the buyer is interested in seeing actual past work completed. If you have sites that you’ve developed/designed/written and you can share the site address with the buyer, have your list of URLs ready and available. Make sure you let the buyer know what aspect of the site was created/developed by you. No matter what category of job you are applying for, you'll need to have some samples available to show to the buyer. If you haven't already, you should add these samples to your portfolio.
- Sample answer:
“Yes, if you go to www.[name of project].com, you can see an example of my work. I developed all the forms and buttons for this site. I believe this will give you the best understanding of my skills and capabilities. If you tell me more about your project and what you are trying to develop, I may have another example that I can share with you that closely resembles the type of site that you’re trying to build.”
How long do you estimate this project will take you to complete?
- This is often the hardest question you will be asked. You should make sure that you have a clear understanding of the project before providing an estimate. You will probably need to ask additional questions prior to giving an estimate. Especially if the buyer has not provided specifications. Don't be afraid to ask Please ask the buyer for any information you need to understand his requirements. Examples of additional clarifying questions could be:
- “Do you have detailed specs completed?”
- “Is there an existing product or will this be built from scratch?”
- “Have you determined the architecture?”
- “Do you have a specific date by which this project must be completed?”
- There are 2 schools of thought amongst when it comes to giving estimates. Either way is okay, but you want to make sure that you explain how you came up with the estimate and take into consideration how many hours a day you will devote to this job.
- Give estimates based on the time it will take to develop the code only
- Give estimates based on the time it will take to develop and test the code.
- It is very important to get feedback on the time estimate given. Not all buyers are experienced in software development (or blog writing, or whatever field the job is in) and therefore you may need to give them additional clarification on your estimate.
- Sample answer:
“Although I haven’t studied your detailed specs, based on the information you have provided I believe that it would take me x hours (over y days) to complete your project. This is only an estimate. If you have your project broken down into specific tasks and those tasks are clearly defined, then that time estimate may be reduced. My time estimate also includes the necessary testing and fixing of any bugs. Does this time estimate fit in your schedule?”
- An additional statement to make when discussing estimates is:
“The difference with oDesk is that we can work on an hourly model. Even though I may have given you an estimate of X days, if I finish earlier you only have to pay for the time I worked on your project.”
Normally the buyer will not change a fixed rate job into an hourly assignment, but it is possible, so it doesn't hurt to ask.
What hours are you available each day?
- If the buyer asks this question, they are trying to find out your commitment level and time you will spend on the project. It is important to be online and working based on the commitment provided.
- Sample answer for an Independent Contractor (IC):
“I have a full-time job but can commit to 3 hours each evening Monday through Thursday [GMT -3]. I can also work an additional 6 to 8 hours each Saturday, making my total availability 18 to 20 hours per week. My estimate above was based on my working 18 to 20 hours per week. Each day I will send a daily status update. In case any emergencies come up that will require me to miss a day of work, I will let you know. I can be on line and working each day from 19:00 to 22:00 [GMT-3] Monday through Thursday and from 10:00 to 16:00 on Saturdays”
Do you use any voice over IP for communication?
- If the buyer asks this question they are looking to speak directly with you. If you feel comfortable talking on the phone and feel comfortable speaking in English, then by all means talk with the buyer. Currently you can do PC-to-PC voice communications with Skype, Google Talk, Yahoo! Chat, and AIM. These tools require a high-speed internet connection to work well. If you need time to understand written English, then be honest and tell the buyer that you feel uncomfortable talking on the phone.
- Sample answer:
“I am sorry, but I would prefer to communicate via written form – email and chat. Although I can code and understand English well, I do not feel comfortable speaking English”
Your turn
Once the buyer has asked all their questions they may ask you if you have any questions for them. Take this time to ask any questions that may help you understand the buyer and the project. Some questions that you can ask the buyer include but are not limited to:
- When I start on your project, will I work with you directly if I have questions or should I direct my questions to someone else?
- Will you be on line and available for chats when I’m working on your project?
- Will I be the only member in the team room developing your project or are there other members already in your team?
- When I ask questions in an email, how soon can I expect to get answers from you?
- Do you have any other questions about me or my experience that I haven’t answered for you already?
And the most important question of all!
- When would you like me to start on your project?
Tips for conducting a successful chat:
- Be prepared – Have basic information about yourself pre-typed so that you can cut and paste into your chat conversation.
- Stay on topic – If a buyer asks about your skills, don’t ask questions about the project.
- If you require the use of a translator program, make sure that you explain in advance why you may take longer to respond to the buyer’s questions.
“Although I have enough English skills to develop your project, I will feel more comfortable if I translate your questions into my language so that I don’t misunderstand what you’re asking. There may be a delay in my answer while I read the translation and give you my answer.”
After your “interview chat”…
It is always a good practice to send a thank you email. This will show the buyer that you are interested in their project.
- This email should confirm the information discussed during the chat.
- An example of this email is as follows:
Dear {insert interviewer's name here}: Thank you very much for the time spent discussing your project. As discussed, I am available on a daily basis from 18:00 to 22:00 each night Monday through Friday. I believe that based on your brief project description I can complete the project successfully. I look forward to starting on your project ASAP. Regards John Developer
Other points
- Make sure you archive your chats. An oDesk representative may ask you to forward an interview chat you’ve had with a buyer.
- Most openings are filled within 3 days of creation. You will receive an update on the status of the opening when the buyer decides which provider(s) to hire.
- Check out these interview tips from Dice