For the inaugural post here at Posing as Pros, I’d like to bring you a special, two-part edition, documenting the peculiar behavior of a fellow “professional” web designer.

It began when I answered a craigslist ad seeking a partner for the technical aspects of web development.  While I have a hand in some design, I prefer sticking to the code, so I respond to these ads from time to time.  So I sent off the informal cover letter detailing my experience with various scripting languages, frameworks, common CMS, the works.

I hear back shortly from “Nancy”, who seems delighted with my qualifications.  She has a project coming up, and needs my help to get the proposal together.

Nancy claims that I will receive half the money as outlined in the proposal, and that she’ll get me a more formal agreement when the work starts.

The fact that Nancy can’t even pull together her own proposal, paired with her “at future date” promise, make me a bit skeptical, but I’m a good sport and this is honestly pretty easy, so whatever.  I let her know what open source software would help her out and be easy to maintain, how long the programming will take.  I state matter-of-factly that I would not work for any less than the number she’s set forth for such a project, and she agrees this seems fair.

We go back and forth several times.  She seems a bit unwilling to commit to any specific software solutions, and needs to check with a pro to see if various blog CMS would be better than what she had already agreed suited her needs.

She states that there’s no need to meet with me at any time, because this is not an actual project we’re working on.  She asks for my hourly rate, which I give her.  Her next reply is:

Okay, thanks for the reply - I will let you know what’s up when / if
I need to oursource!

Funny–I thought 14 emails and proofing your proposal was outsourcing!

The next day, seems Nancy’s got another “quick question”.

Since I’ve been so compliant so far in answering her very basic questions, she comes back a few days later with this winning question.. you can really tell she’s actually designed a site before.

I am writing a potential schedule for the client; when it gets time
to implement the design into the CMS, how would it work best for us -

1) start at the beginning once we have a final link structure to do a
basic layout, with no design
2) we break down the design into html? php? <— how does this part
of the process work best / how long would you say each design would
take to break down and turn into the proper format, if you had to
estimate? let’s say there are 15 main pages that are designed,  16
including the home page. I know that once the home page is done and a
couple of internal pages, it gets easier from there. I am hoping that
the page designs won’t be too different from each other, but it’s an
artsy thing, so who knows.

Thoughts?

Immediately after this message in my inbox is this heart-warming affirmal of my skills:

Okay cool, you rock! It’s nice to have someone who knows what they
are doing…!

Her last communication to me in regards to this project?  A warning that people are always out to shortchange you, and more thanks for my “services”.

Yah, you always have to watch your back with that… or you could
seriously get screwed…. Thanks for the great communication! It’s really pleasant to talk freelance with someone else in the web world.

Well, elle, you’re welcome for your free proposal!  It certainly has been nice learning just how little some people know about their “business”.

Part II:  I document the second run in with this chronic outsourcing flake of a craigslister, and, depending on my mood and thirst for lawsuits, reveal the identity of my non-professional Nancy.