Interview Questions to Ask Freelance Industrial Designers

When looking for a freelancer for your project or business, you want to make sure you find the right person to avoid unsuccessful contracts. You can usually get a grasp of a freelancer’s ability through their website, but if you’re hiring for an important and costly project, it’s crucial that you get hiring right the first time.

It’s just as important to conduct a thorough interview with a freelance industrial designer as it is to interview graduates knocking on the door of industrial design companies. Some business relationships go on for years, and while you won’t be sharing an office with this person, their work ethic and ability will affect your business.

Asking the right questions during an interview is important. With that said, here are some sample questions you can consider using the next time you’re looking for industrial design services.

Experience

Why do you freelance?

Everyone has their own reasons for choosing to freelance, and while it sounds like a dream job, not everyone is equipped to do it. It requires a go-getter attitude and a lot of discipline. The freelancer you hire should love the work they do and be passionate about it.

Maybe they started freelancing part-time and are now in demand, so they migrated toward doing it full-time. Maybe the flexibility and independence are what attracted them to freelancing. Or, maybe they have kids at home that limit their employment opportunities. Those are all adequate reasons.

If they answer with something along the lines of, “I just didn’t enjoy working with people,” run for the hills. This is a major sign that you could have difficulties working with this person. Consider yourself lucky that you dodged that bullet ahead of time.

What feedback have you received from previous clients?

A lot of freelancers have testimonials from past clients that you can use to get a glimpse of their professionalism and working relationships. These could be on LinkedIn, on their personal website, or on a freelancing platform.

While not every freelance contract is going to be perfect, you want to look for any trends that appear. If more than one set of feedback says the freelancer was unable to meet deadlines, that may be a red flag. Of course, testimonials on LinkedIn and personal websites are curated, so you’ll likely only find glowing reviews. However, if you are using a platform like Upwork or Fiverr, you can see all types of feedback.

Can I see samples of your work?

It’s important to see some type of sample work before you hire a freelancer. Most freelance industrial designers have online portfolios, often on their own website. However, if they have a limited portfolio or none at all, don’t immediately assume the worst.

It’s possible that they are newly self-employed yet have a long and expansive work history. Some types of jobs don’t allow the work to be used as a sample. In cases where limited samples are available, testimonials and references can suffice.

Tell me about a recent freelance industrial design project you’ve worked on that you’re proud of. What did you like about it?

This question will allow you to gauge the candidate’s work style. You’re not necessarily trying to find out about their past project’s per se, as their portfolio probably has those samples. What you’re listening for are the aspects of the project they get excited about. Does your project have similar aspects? If the work is similar and you’re impressed with their work habits, scoop them up.

You’ll also be able to get a sense of their ability to work independently and prioritize. The key is to listen for insight into their work habits. Flipping this and asking about a freelance project they didn’t enjoy is also a good way to determine what types of work they don’t vibe with.

Work Management

Do you have time to take on additional work?

Lest you find your perfect freelancer only to realize that they aren’t able to work the hours you want, ask them just how available they are. Freelancers have varying hours—some can work full time while others may only have a couple hours a day to work on your project.

Depending on the demands of your project—that is, how quickly you need it completed—you may require someone who can dedicate a lot of time to your design in a short window. You’re paying them, so you should be confident that deadlines you set for your project will be met.

What type of computer software do you frequently use in your designs? Which do you prefer?

You may have some specific requirements for your project that dictate the use of a specific software. Ensure that the freelancer you hire is not only capable of using your preferred software, but excels at it. Industrial designers use CAD software to turn 2D drawings into 3D models.

Examples of CAD programs include:

SolidWorks – This is the industry standard software for CAD design. More than 165,000 companies use this program and it operates on Windows.

AutoCAD – Developed by Autodesk and runs on Windows, MacOS, iOS, and Android.

How do you ensure that working remotely with client’s is successful?

Hiring freelancers comes with a lot of benefits, and unfortunately, some cons. The freelancer will be working remotely, so it’s important to ensure they have the discipline and tools to do your project well and communicate effectively.

Communication is the key to finding success with remote workers. If your freelancer doesn’t mention frequent communication, you might have a problem. Fortunately, there are a ton of apps and programs available to make communicating effortless. A good follow-up question is to inquire about which tools they use for communication. Some examples include Slack, Skype, and Trello. With these, delegating to freelancers becomes extremely simple.

Job Specific

Are you able to meet this timeline?

Freelancers are usually balancing multiple contracts and often working unpredictable hours. As previously mentioned, you want to find a freelancer who’s hours and work habits mesh with yours. Don’t necessarily penalize a freelancer if they have a lot of clients—they may have excellent project management skills, which is what you’re listening for.

Make sure they’ll be able to meet the deadlines that the two of you agree on, and try to gauge whether the deadlines are realistic. A skilled and seasoned freelancer will know how much time to allocate to their projects, what phases take the most time, and when they’re in over their head.

If I hire you for this project, what will you do on the first day?

By asking this question, you’re essentially asking how the freelancer prioritizes their work. A good freelance industrial designer will know how to get the ball rolling immediately and will do so even with a far-off deadline. Perhaps they’ll do a simple brainstorm on the first day and let it sit for a while.

The freelancer’s response should be realistic. If they tell you they’ll have half of the work done on the first day, that’s probably not true—if it is, it’s rushed work. You want someone who sets realistic goals for themselves.

In your opinion, what skills are needed for this project?

If they’ve already submitted a proposal to your job post, they may have already communicated the skills they will bring to the table. However, this question is important to ask either way.

You can get a sense of just how well the freelancer understands the contract by their answer. If they list off skills that aren’t relevant to the job, then they aren’t in sync with your expectations or just simply haven’t read your job post thoroughly. On the other hand, if they respond with a well thought out answer, chances are they have worked on similar contracts in the past and have refined the core skills they mention.

This process can be extremely tiresome and daunting, especially if you’re a new business or solo entrepreneur hiring a freelancer for the first time. If you’re looking for assistance with vetting candidates and hiring, Cad Crowd is the place to be.

We have some of the best industrial design freelancers at your fingertips. Regardless of what type of project you have, whether it be simple or complex, we can connect you with a top-ranking designer with the skills you need to get your job done well.

If you like what you hear, contact us for a free consultation and we’ll connect you with CAD experts. You’ll quickly have a team of professional and seasoned freelancers at your fingertips!