Submitted by guest blogger, Zach Swinehart
In the previous article, we learned about the five different types of geeks, and how each can benefit you. Now, we'll find out how to go out and actually get one!
There are four approaches to finding geeks, but because this is just a short article, I can only cover one of them. You can learn more in The Geek Guidebook.
The four approaches are:
1. Kids of yours or friends
2. High School students
3. College students
4. Craigslist
APPROACH #1: KIDS OF YOURS OR FRIENDS
The easiest way to find a geek is to first look towards your own kids, or your friends' kids. The downside that comes along with this approach is that sometimes they will not follow through because they know you and think they can get away with it.
When taking this approach, you'll mostly want to keep your eyes open for the "general technology geek", for two reasons.
1. The other kinds of geeks are relatively uncommon, so it's improbable that one of the geeks you find through your friends will be anything other than a "general technology geek" anyway.
2. The "general technology geek" is the least crucial for the success of your business, and as a result, it matters much less if they are a flake.
This approach to geek getting is not as involved as the others, which saves you the time of extensive interviews and questionnaires. The approach consists of two parts: the interaction with the parents, and assuming it goes well, the interaction with the geek.
When talking to the parents about their geeks, there are a few big things you will want to find out from the conversation:
• Is the geek accountable?
• Is the geek tech-savvy?
• Will the geek be patient with you?
• Does the geek value high quality work?
• Does the geek have honesty and integrity?
• Does the geek have problem solving skills?
If you choose to purchase the full book, you will see that I've created a parent interview questionnaire that will guide you through the parent interview process, and will result in you having a better idea of whether the geek is worth interviewing, as well as giving you some useful information about the geek that you might not be able to get from asking them directly.
If you talk with the parents and things go well, it's time to interview the geek.
COMING UP NEXT...
In the next article, I'll you'll learn the secrets of how to interview your geek to ensure that the geek you hire is a perfect fit!
Guest blogger, Zach Swinehart, is a true geek. He is author of The Geek Guidebook, recommended for those who want to hire a geek and get it right the first time.
Do you recommend going to places online that offer freelancers? Or is this an entirely different concept?
I use Elance.com and Odesk.
Isn't there a 5th category experienced web professionals?
Thanks for sharing. It’s a nice info Joel…