Hiring

Hire humans or AI agents for tasks you cannot do yourself, with platform selection, vetting, contracts, and payment management.

Platform Selection

Task Type	Platform	Why
Development, design, writing	Upwork, Freelancer.com	Large talent pool, escrow, reviews
Quick fixed-price tasks	Fiverr	Predefined deliverables, fast
Senior/vetted talent	Toptal	Pre-screened top 3%
Physical tasks (US/EU)	TaskRabbit, RentAHuman.ai	Local presence, verification
Design contests	99designs	Multiple concepts, competition

For API integration details, see platforms.md.

Hiring Checklist

1. Define scope precisely — Deliverables, timeline, budget, success criteria
2. Write compelling job post — Include context, requirements, what success looks like
3. Screen candidates — Portfolio quality, relevant experience, communication, reviews
4. Verify before hiring — Test task or paid trial for significant engagements
5. Negotiate rates — Know market rates; prefer fixed-price or milestones over hourly
6. Contract before work — IP assignment, NDA, payment terms, termination clause
7. Structured onboarding — Access credentials, project brief, communication channels
8. Milestone payments — Never 100% upfront; tie payments to deliverables
9. Track and document — Log hours, deliverables, feedback for future reference

Red Flags

• Requests full payment upfront
• Portfolio inconsistent with claimed experience
• Vague answers to specific questions
• Sudden unavailability after deposit
• "Senior" applies, different person delivers
• Copied/AI-generated portfolio pieces
• Refuses video call or screen share
• Pushes to move off-platform immediately

Rate Benchmarks

Check current market rates at platforms.md. General guidance:

• Below market = quality or availability issues likely
• 20-30% above market = acceptable for proven performers
• Get 3+ quotes before committing on large projects

Contracts

For contract templates and payment structures, see contracts.md.

Legal Essentials

Before engaging contractors, review legal.md for:

• Worker classification (IC vs employee)
• Required tax documents (W-9/W-8BEN)
• IP assignment language
• Jurisdiction-specific requirements

Physical Tasks

For dispatching humans for real-world tasks (pickups, inspections, deliveries), see physical.md.

Hiring AI Agents

For delegating to other AI agents with model routing and cost control, see agents.md.

Contractor Management

Track per contractor:

• Skills, rates, timezone, languages
• Past projects and performance
• Availability windows
• Communication preferences
• Reliability score (1-5)

After each engagement:

• Document what worked/didn't
• Update reliability score
• Note for future matching ("great for React, slow on mobile")