I recently wrote an article about finding author website design services, where I covered the available options and how to evaluate designers in the hiring process. However, I didn’t discuss the importance of “soft skills” that make someone a good fit. I dislike the term “soft skills” because it implies that interpersonal skills are less important than practical skills, which is simply not true. Nevertheless, I use the term here as it is commonly understood to refer to personal qualities, characteristics, and interpersonal abilities that enable individuals to effectively interact and work with others. Soft skills are essential for building positive working relationships and achieving mutual goals.

If someone can do the job but is difficult to work with, it can negatively impact the outcome. Working with an author website designer who is a good fit for you means not only enjoying the process but also enhancing the end result through effective communication. If you plan to continue working with your designer beyond the initial website build or anticipate needing their help in the future, maintaining a mutually respectful relationship throughout is important.

Here are some factors to consider when choosing the perfect author website designer for you, beyond their practical skills:

• Time Management. Everyone’s time is valuable, and it’s crucial that the person you hire respects your time. They should show up for meetings as expected, respond to your queries promptly, communicate their availability, and provide clear timelines for project milestones. While nobody is perfect, it’s important to feel that they value staying in communication with you. Additionally, a designer who can effectively organize and prioritize tasks for your website creation demonstrates strong project management skills, reducing the need for constant follow-up and ensuring clarity about the process and next steps.
• Easy communication. You should never hesitate to ask your author website designer questions. After all, you’re hiring them for their expertise. A good designer understands their role as an educator, willingly sharing information with you in a way that you can understand. They should be eager to communicate and avoid making you feel like you have to pull information out of them. Clear expression of ideas, active listening, and effective verbal and written communication are all valuable qualities.
• Adaptability & problem-solving. Despite efforts to communicate expectations beforehand, it’s common to discover differences once you see a design in front of you. It’s important to be able to request changes without fear of damaging the working relationship. A good designer actively seeks your input and expects constructive feedback to create the best fit for you. While endless revisions without proper compensation should not be expected, clarifying misunderstandings and making adjustments based on your feedback is a standard part of the process. A skilled designer can help identify and address issues or adjustments even if you can’t perfectly articulate them, as problem-solving and creative solutions are integral to their role.

These skills are highly valued in an author website designer as they contribute to effective communication, teamwork, productivity, and the overall success of your author website. When interviewing potential designers, ask questions that assess not only their technical knowledge but also their ability to foster a great working relationship.