Guidelines To Offering & Receiving Services

One of the more common occurrences that happen here in the developers services forum is when people advertise their services, they leave no links to a portfolio or examples of work they've done and no way to get a hold of them, among many other gaps. If you are going to post your services, please provide the following information so that other developers can make a quick and informed decisions as to whether they could use your services in their developing endeavors.

Job Title:
Provide your job service position (title) at the beginning of your forum thread's title. (i.e.) "Game Graphic Designer: For Hire". This will immediately specify what your job title is out of all the service types in your field of work, making it easier for developers looking to find their specific needs.

Position Skills:
Please provide all of your service skill sets that pertain to your position. "I do [put job here]" generally doesn't get you work as people looking don't know what skills you have. Provide your specific skills pertaining to your field of work. If you design, indicate exactly what kind of design work you do. Web, logo, print, conceptual art, Obj. C, UI, texturing, rendering, scene. Be specific about all of your service skills so the developer has something to base their evaluation of your work.

Application Platform:
Are you proficient in more than one program or scripting language? Objective C+, Photoshop, Illustrator, PHP/XHTML/SQL, Java, 3DMax, Maya, QuarkXress, Premiere, FruityLoops, Synth, whatever you are familiar with should be listed. Like wise for 2D/3D modelers, animators, sound techs, etc. for project specific tasks. That way the developer knows what AP's you working with and if it will fit their project needs.

Experience/History:
List any type of education you have pertaining to the job service you are advertising for. College, trade or special training you have received makes a big difference on whether you'll be selected, how much you get paid and what the developer can expect from your training. Also list how many projects, highlight the big ones and what, if any development studios you been employed by. A perspective developer may want to and should have the right to check your development history if they are going to bring you on and pay what you negotiate or request for your services. You may also consider adding any non-profits you've worked on.

Show Your Work:
No one will take you seriously regardless of your credentials if you don't show your previous labors rendered. Keep an up to date portfolio of your projects and pieces so developers can see your work and make a more educated judgment of your potential. If your serious about you're work and your even more serious about getting paid, a proficiently designed portfolio website is not an option, it's a requirement. If you can't put together a site but would like to show your work, there are alternative "portfolio" sites available for just about every field in game and web development. Remember that Google is your friend, research and if you can't find a spot to display your work, ask a fellow developer who does similar work.

Good, Practical Advice:

- Be honest. This is a business proposition. Don't waste the paying developers and your own time assuring them you have the skills, hardware and time line to meet a projects expectations and deadlines by "giving it a go". Know what you are doing and what it will take to get it done. Not only would you not get paid for failing to meet your end of the obligation, you could be costing the developer time and their own out of pocket money.

- Understand what your getting into. Because time, money and most definitely reputation are at stake. You need to understand your obligation to a project and discipline yourself to follow through with your end regardless of what the developer paying you is doing.

- Protect yourself. If you and your perspective boss come to an agreement on working together on a project, agree on how deadlines will work, what you'll get paid for and when. If you feel it necessary, have the developer type up and send you a contract. Believe it or not, most business endeavors are commonly done this way, over the web or in person.

- Use common sense. At any point in your business agreement, if you something isn't right, voice your concerns and solve them before moving on. Your work and passion to do it turns out much better when your happy with the work flow and environment. Don't do favors or receive them. Do exactly what the developer, your boss, is paying you for and don't ask for more than your contracted keep. It keeps both of you honest and happy. Lastly, never discuss your work projects with anyone. You are not only getting paid labor to produce, your getting paid to keep you're business to yourself both publicly and privately. All good work contracts have a Non-Disclosure Agreement that outlines keeping your mouth shut until otherwise told.

Some things to live by and if anyone has suggestions that should be added to this, PM them to me, I'll take a look and update the post if needed. Perhaps it may be worth a forum sticky?

 

Thanks for the feedback.

 

Sticky refers to pegging the post thread to the top of the forum.

 

Another excellent idea.

 

Thanks for your support.

 

Guidelines revised.