Web Designer Freelance Interview Question:

Tell us how long does it take for you to deliver the final product?

Submitted by: Muhammad

Time is money, and the more time you take on a project, the more money it will cost your employers in the long run. However, this can be a problematic question to answer, because you also need to look out for your own interests. Many designers make the mistake of underselling how long it actually takes them to finish a project, which can create a whole heap of problems down the road.

After all, if you say it takes you one hour to do a project that actually takes three, your employer is going to hold you to that statement and you'll find yourself overwhelmed with deadlines you just can't meet. It's almost better in this instance to overestimate how much time you take, just to give yourself a buffer in case you're hit with a particularly difficult assignment. However, that can also be a dangerous game to play, because it may make you look less attractive than other candidates who can work faster than you.

...if you say it takes you one hour to do a project that actually takes three, your employer is going to hold you to that statement and you'll find yourself overwhelmed with deadlines you just can't meet.

What's important here is to give the interviewer a sense of how you manage your time. If it takes you longer than others to get a job done, then you need to be able to show why that extra time makes for a better final product. Break down your workflow into blocks of time so they know exactly how you work and what you use your time for.

This way, if your estimation seems too high, the employer has more information to go on and it just might help your chances. For example, if you spend a lot of your work time coming up with ideas, it might not be an issue at your new job if some of those ideas will be provided for you by a creative director.

Plus, you may find that the employer has no idea how long the project should take and are legitimately asking you because they need to know what to expect. They may be just trying to figure out how to work you into their workflow based on their own timetable.
Submitted by: Muhammad