Need a Freelancer? Check Out NCs for Hire on Creators

[Eric Suesz]

Need to hire someone to sharpen up your Ning's site design? Looking for someone to help integrate a third-party widget? Have a specific piece of work you think could be handled by a freelancer? Where do you go to find that person?

This week, to help Ning customers find proven freelancers, we'll begin introducing a new member category here on Creators: NCs for Hire. These are Network Creators who regularly take on freelance work and who may be able to help you if you've been looking for a qualified person to take on a project.

We've always had a Certified Partner Directory, which lists firms that can be approached for custom development work. NCs for Hire is a little different, though. It will undoubtedly be more focused on less-involved projects. If you or your organization needs to dig into the Ning API and create an intensely custom site from scratch, those larger Certified Partners may be who you want to approach. For smaller jobs, site redesigns, or specific things you need done, look to the NCs for Hire.

How it works

• Each NC for Hire gets a special badge.  
• All of the NCs for Hire will be listed on their own category page. 
• NCs for Hire will utilize a Text Box on their profile page so potential clients will have an idea of what they can expect if they seek to hire them. 
• NCs for hire will usually list portfolio samples or links to work they've done, testimonials, tips they've created for this community, expertise, contact info — whatever they think is relevant for potential clients. 
• We'll promote NCs for Hire in newsletters, our community digest, here on Creators, on Twitter, Facebook, etc. When someone posts or asks where to find a good freelancer, this will be our go-to list of folks.

NCs for Hire is a way to recognize members of the Ning customer community who have been proven to be available and successful freelancers. The goal is simply to give them a way and a place to advertise their services.

Want to become an NC for Hire?

If you'd like to join this category, we only have a few things we'd ask of you:

• We'd like NCs for Hire to have completed at least three projects for Ning customers as a freelancer. Please send us links to three pieces of work you've done for hire. 
• We'd like NCs for Hire to list the types of services they generally offer — and we encourage them to list types of work they don't do. We just want it to be clear what you do and don't do so folks can get an idea before contacting you. 
• We'd like NCs to provide at least three examples of their work on their profile page by linking to some of their finished projects. If you have approved testimonials from happy customers, even better!

If that sounds good to you, feel free to send me a direct message. If we can add you to the list, we will.

[Janettee McCrary]

Badan - how is it bad for Ning? I believe the reason they started this up is because people kept posting discussions asking for someone willing to do XYZ to their site - and Eric is constantly saying "go to the Hire A Creator group"... Maybe this would alleviate that happening (as much) and also it creates a bit of a "checks and balances" system for those offering their services. If you're not listed on their list, that probably means you're ripping people off. Although I must say - I've been ripped off a few times by people hiring me, and I'd really love to see a way for those of us on the list to keep a tally of those who rip off those being hired...

[Eric Suesz]

Hey, Badan. We often have people show up here on Creators and ask if they can hire someone, which is why we created the Hire a Creator group over two years ago. Some people just don't want to do it themselves or don't have time or would rather spend the money to have someone build something for them rather than spend 20 hours puzzling out the technical details of implementing a complicated CSS redesign. Some people call us and ask our support team where they can hire someone like this, so we want to make it easy for those people to find qualified freelancers. 

One thing to keep in mind is that this specifies when and how you can advertise your services on Ning. People don't like crass commercialism, and this is a sanctioned way that people can choose to quietly advertise their services by being listed in a very simple directory. I guess I have a hard time understanding your objections, but I'm open to hearing them.

[Susan Daniels]

I think this is a wonderful opportunity for people who aren't quite at the enterprise level of design as yet. I'm not quite ready to be a freelancer, but I will be soon. I've been coding my fingers to the bone for three years on Ning. It needs to start paying off! LOL!

Warmly,

Susan

[Bernard Lama]

As you said: " I personally strongly believe, if I am over Ning, if not for all reason, one reason is, I love playing with the site design, customization etc.". Well, everyone is not a tech savvy like you and everyone doesn't have much time. 

And also you said: "However, they are partially destroying the free sharing of tips through creators.ning.com. Nowadays I frequently notices sentences like I am available for pay, such tips are available for payment".

Well, many NCs are still sharing tips helping each other and even sharing some killer tips like Tj's "smileys", Jen's "ads within forum and group", Ron's "FB like pop up inbox" etc. And I'm sure they will continue sharing such kind of stuff. And of course those are for free. After-all, Everyone works for earning their livelihood,

[Bernard Lama]

Hey Badam,

Thanks for pointing out my tips. Well, I respect your opinion too. And nice to know about your profession.

Best wishes

Bernard 

[Bernard Lama]

Dear Badam,

I think you are wrong. There is no doubt ning has many simple and easy templates where we can create our own network in less than 5 mins. However, some people are still not satisfied  with  pre-made design and ultimately look for a person who can help them out to customize their networks. And it's little complicated to find them. Even I noticed Eric is constantly saying go to the Hire A Creator group.

In my opinion, this idea is the best way to help people who don't want to do it themselves or don't have time or would rather spend the money to have someone build something for them like Eric said. 

[Jelena]

Im with u Bernard

[solo]

thats cool, been taking a few course on css less and everything around it,lol..ull be ready to throw my hat in the ring soon

[Analiza Roque]

This is good! Hoping that they can publish the prices of theme enhancements and more..

Actually, I'm into the concept of letting Ning sell, superb new themes to us network creators.

How's that concept Ning? Market a ready to use theme... like what other networks do... Wordpress is a good example.

Aside from "You" , selling us themes, why not letting us incorporate the add pay concept.

Like if we wanted to integrate phpbb or wp as an addons into our network will be great.

Ning can do it, instead of creating a new add ons, we just buy the connection fee from you.

Not all ning needs the same video, events, picture and other modules.

By this, It will be wonderful if we have an amazing themes and functional add ons that we like to utilize.

To prevent any surge bandwidth usage, and the capacity.. Your side needs to invest on the bandwidth and capacity count.

And we pay according to our usage just like PUB fees. Pay according to your bandwidth and usage.

[Thiago Santos de Moraes]

Great initiative!

[Kristin]

Projects I have worked on have been on private networks, would it be possible to describe the networks created? For example for PTO 2.0 at my daughter's school, which is for parents of kids at the school and has tools for fundraising such as cafepress, amazon book stores, and posting of advertisements from local businesses who are actively catering to the school parent population. 

I am also creator for a big private network for mothers diagnosed with multiple sclerosis...

Both of these are very private by nature...would I be able to just describe them? I suppose I could work on creating a few new ones, but wanted to ask since these are my biggest projects.

[Eric Suesz]

Kristin, we're pretty focused on having folks who have at least three examples they can point people to of work they've done for clients. Once you have three, shoot me a message and if we can add you, we will. You might also consider using screenshots to illustrate work you've done or something like that.