Yeah. I think I should. Right?

I hired a web designer a couple of months ago. He came on really strong, producing artwork for my project before I even hired him and seemed really on top of it. Then, after a few weeks, he started flaking. Told me he'd get back to me...disappeared. I gave him the benefit of the doubt and suggested we reduce the tasks, meet in person, save him some work. I even offered to pay him more on a monthly, continual basis because I thought maybe the problem was that I wasn't paying him enough and he was treating it like a volunteer. (a flakey volunteer)

Then I spoke to him the other day and he apologized repeatedly and profusely and said he wanted to "re-orient himself" to the project and get back on track. It was pretty clear, he had let it drop and it had been out of his mind. So we planned to meet in person tonight and go over things.

Then he flaked on the meeting. He called me 12 minutes before we were supposed to meet from his car because he FORGOT. (I sent him an email this morning) And...could we meet Friday? Sure, we can meet Friday. But am I running my schedule around you now? I could have planned something else tonight. The holidays are here and my Friday is packed with must-do's already.



I only ask because I'm a virgo and have a low threshhold for flakiness. Should I give this guy one more chance?

(((NO)))

he sucks...no more chances

roodboi said:

coming from you, I don't know if you're serious

One caveat...

I paid him for work up front and I don't feel like I've gotten my money's worth yet, ESPECIALLY if I have to start over with someone else.

Is he hot?

heartbeatocean said:

deadly serious...

he either has issues that distract him from the task at hand or doesn't take his job seriously...either way, be lucky that he presented these faults early on before you became overly invested in him...

as shitty as it sounds, you're probably not gonna get any return on your money with this guy...I wouldn't waste my time trying...you'd be better served finding someone to suit your needs...


no more paying up front!!!

I'd be done with him.

JustErin said:

Flakes are NOT hot (to me anyway). More like the opposite.

He's married and has an English accent. I've never seen him in person. We have only communicated by phone and email.

roodboi said:

That sucks.

gurl you know I am a Scorpio

I don't even have a threshhold....

Dude would have to go before my BP started to rise and bad things started to happen in his general vicinity

heartbeatocean said:

is he good when he is interested?

Fire him

Cuddles said:

you mean at website design? YES. That's why I hired him. His work was very charming. He has good intuition, compatible aesthetic. But I had many others banging down the door for the job as well who would probably be great too. They may be more expensive. I felt like he undercharged me.

heartbeatocean said:

Im finding out its not hard to design your own web sites. In fact, its cake.
Its simply a matter if your good at arranging things and making a fluid cohesive site. Kind of like interior design.

Maybe he has a disability?

Cuddles said:

if you have an eye for design, then yes

luv4u said:

like ADD?

Cuddles said:

like unemployment...

roodboi said:

roodboi said:

Ummm NO . And by NO I mean, NO to him and yes to you on firing him.

His behavior is not only unprofessional, it is disrespectful. You don't work with people who "forget" they have a meeting with you about a project that I assume is important to you.

johnart said:

a genius can be scatter brained like this

ZombieKitten said:

been there, done that. Not interested. I want an artist, and someone to do quality work when I need it, and I'll pay them.

Prince says:



Fire him.

full payment up front, it's a tricky one. I always do that on the first job from a new client, then partial payment up front until they are one of my old trusty regulars. I've had issues with folks simply deciding (after approving the quote and signing on to proceed) to ditch the project, fully expecting to pay nothing - despite sometimes several days of work already having been done already - so I understand why someone would cover themselves like that.
Ask him if he is pulling out of the project now, since it totally feels like that to you and that you have lost confidence in his interest to continue and meet your deadline (did you give him one?). Make him tell YOU that the contract has been broken by HIM. Then let him know you expect your money returned to you in full so that you may approach someone else.

Cuddles said:

I agree, but a genius must deliver something so unique, fabulous, desirable and unattainable by any other means than him/her that you put up with bullshit.

ernestsewell said:

if she breaks the contract, it will probably be in his fine print that she doesn't get the full money back. If he even HAS anything like that in the contract she signed

Cuddles said:

you know, he made an animated film about suicide that was VERY powerful. I wouldn't be surprised if he dealt with depression/self-destructive tendencies. But he has a professional business, partnered with someone who has a strong presence in the community.

roodboi said:

He has other jobs. Mine is on the back burner at the moment, apparently.

heartbeatocean said:

that happens sometimes, was yours urgent?