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TIPS FOR PROVIDERS
Most employees cannot choose their employer but PajamaWorkers can choose theirs. Remember, there are lots of fish in the sea. Some eat you and others don't.
Who is your contact anyway?
First, find out if the PJN employer is a corporation or a PajamaWorker. If it is a corporation, make sure that your contract specifies that the person who outsourced the job to you represents the corporation. Also, make certain that that this person is empowered to decide to outsource the microjob to you and to allow a payment to go to you when the microjob is finished. You do not want to get caught in the middle of messy office politics. Make sure your contacts manager is not going to decide suddenlty that he did not need the microjob done or that there is no budget for this.
If the PJN employer is a PajamaWorker then it is easy to check: seniority (how long in the network), color (red, green, blue pajama), credits (to see if the PajamaWorker has experience working with other PajamaWorkers), status (a paying member implies more commitment and seriousness) and referrals (who vouches for her?). Check the feedback comments to find out if there have been payment issues with this customer and former PajamaWorkers.
If the PJN employer is a friend of yours: do not confuse friendship with business. Go through the procedure as you would with a complete stranger.
Do they mean what they say?
Of course you want the microjob that is being offered. But listen carefully to what the PJN employer says. There is no small talk. Take everything literally. If they say they want you to speak perfect German and your German is just ok, admit it. Of they want you to work 24/7, they are not kidding. When they want you to be on their premises, they do not want you some of the time. They want you all of the time. When they are looking for an expert, remember that slight exaggeration is generally expected, but be careful about substantively exaggerating your expertise. Think beyond your need to get the microjob.
Is the deadline reasonable?
Everyone wants it done yesterday. You say it will be done today but you mean tomorrow. These are three levels of miscommunication. Tell the PJN employer how long the work is really going to take and tell the employer that you understand if that is not what he or she wants. But make her understand that impossible deadlines result in a decline in the quality of work. If he is ok with that and this is only an intermediate piece of work, put that in the contract.
Is the Chemistry right?
If you’re already getting tension and bad vibes in email and phone conversations, this is likely to get worse. If possible, trust your instincts and look for someone else. If the person still seems you’re your best bet, make a contingency plan in case of dispute.
How much freedom can you handle?
Some PajamaWorkers prefer to have interaction and productive feedback. Others want to do the microjob in solitary seclusion and then produce a pièce de résistance. Which are you? If you know that, you know what you expect from your PJN employer.
Outsource again or redirect?
Tell your PJN employer whether you are doing the job yourself or whether you are outsourcing to secondary workers and coordinating the work. It might be startling for someone to see the microjob they’ve offered to others suddenly offered to them.