When I first read Sarah's post, I was intrigued by the proposal that she is willing to just come in and start working so somebody could get to know her skills a

When I first read Sarah's post, I was intrigued by the proposal that she is willing to just come in and start working so somebody could get to know her skills and personality in a real work environment. However, bringing on a new person, even in that kind of role, consumes resources from the entire team as we get her up to speed. How long does it take to evaluate somebody like that? A few days? A week? I would pay her for her time though. But why bring in Sarah? Why not somebody else who I have more information about? We often bring on contractors and sometimes end up hiring them. That is essentially a get-to-know-you-first relationship too. So it would help to see some kind of work history, even if it is non-traditional. When hiring I look as much for self-direction as experience. The good thing for Sarah and this approach is that she has been noticed, and we are talking about her. If she was located nearby I would just email her and ask for more details. Let us know how it turns out, Sarah.