The 20-minute vet
You don’t need a hiring department to hire well. You need twenty minutes and the discipline to actually spend them before money moves.
Minute 0–5: Portfolio forensics
Don’t ask “is the work good?” Ask “is the work theirs, and is it relevant?”
- Look for case studies, not just finished pieces. Anyone can post pretty images; explaining the problem, constraints, and decisions is much harder to fake.
- Look for repetition of your problem. A designer with three restaurant identities is a different bet for your restaurant than one with thirty crypto logos.
- Reverse-image-search anything that seems too polished for the price. It takes ninety seconds.
Minute 5–12: The conversation
Good professionals interview you. Count the questions they ask. Someone who quotes without asking about your goals, timeline, and constraints is quoting a fantasy project — the real one will cost more later.
Then ask the questions from our service hiring guides (each guide has a tailored list — for example, hiring a brand designer). You’re listening for process, not charisma.
Minute 12–17: References, asked correctly
“Were they good?” gets you politeness. These get you truth:
- “What would you have them do differently next time?”
- “How did they handle the moment something went wrong?”
- “Did the final invoice match the quote?”
Minute 17–20: Paper
Before any money moves: a written scope (deliverables, revision rounds, timeline), payment terms you both said out loud, and clear ownership of the final work. If the freelancer doesn’t have a contract, bring your own — our freelance contract template is free and covers all three.
On Mindhyv, verification handles identity and track-record checks before you ever see a profile — but the twenty minutes above is still yours to spend. Verified means real. Right for your project is your call.