Choosing an IT intermediary is a matter of trust. Whether you are a client seeking capacity or a freelancer wanting assignments, you want to know who you are dealing with. The right questions up front prevent disappointment afterwards. But which questions are those?
In this article I give you the best questions to ask an IT intermediary before working with them, separately for clients and for freelancers. That way you know in advance what you get, and recognise a good, transparent intermediary from one that is not.
This blog is for both audiences: clients seeking an intermediary, and IT freelancers wanting to join.
Honest disclosure: I am an intermediary myself, so I describe here which questions you should ask me and my colleagues. I think you may ask them firmly; a good intermediary has nothing to hide. In fact, these questions help you distinguish a good one from a bad one.
Why are the right questions up front so important?
Because the quality of intermediaries varies strongly, and you want to know that up front, not when it goes wrong. A transparent, engaged intermediary adds a lot of value; one that only makes the match and then disappears mainly delivers frustration. The right questions expose that difference.
Good questions are about what the intermediary concretely does, how they earn, and what happens if things go wrong. An intermediary who answers openly and clearly is reliable. One who stays vague or beats around the bush is a red flag. Below the best questions, per audience.
The best questions as a client
As a client, you want to know whether the intermediary delivers what you need, and whether they cover the risks for you. These questions give you that insight:
- How do you select and assess the IT professionals you propose?
- What do you do if a hired IT professional drops out or leaves?
- How do you cover the Dutch DBA Act risk, and with whom does the risk lie?
- How is your fee structured and what do I get for it?
- Do you work with the intermediary construction or intermediation, and what does that mean for me?
- How engaged do you stay after the match?
The answers tell you whether the intermediary really adds value or only refers. Watch especially the answers about the Dutch DBA Act risk and about replacement on dropout; that is where the difference lies between an intermediary who unburdens you and one who passes you a name. Want to know more about that risk? Read our guide to the 9 assessment factors of the Dutch DBA Act.
The best questions as an IT freelancer
As a freelancer, you want to know whether the intermediary brings you suitable assignments, is honest about money, and takes you seriously. These questions help:
- How is your fee structured, and do I keep my rate with the intermediary construction?
- What kind of assignments do you have for my profile, and how often?
- Do you work with the intermediary construction or intermediation, and what does that mean for me?
- How do you stay engaged after I am placed?
- How do you arrange Dutch DBA Act compliance?
- What happens if an assignment does not suit or falls away?
Watch especially transparency about the fee and what happens after the match. An intermediary who is open about money and stays engaged is a partner; one who is vague about the fee or disappears after placement is a red flag. Want to know how working via an intermediary feels? Read our honest review on that.
Which answers are a red flag?
For both audiences: watch not only what the intermediary says, but how they answer. Vague answers, dodging the money question, or big promises without substantiation are signals to be careful. A good intermediary is concrete and honest, also about what they do not do.
A few answers that give pause:
- Unclarity or dodging about the fee and how it is structured
- "We arrange everything" without making concrete what exactly
- No clear answer about the Dutch DBA Act risk
- Promising large numbers or fast placement without substantiation
- Staying vague about what happens after the match or on dropout
One questionable answer is no reason to bow out, but it is a reason to probe. It is about the overall picture: is the intermediary open, concrete and honest, also about limits? That determines whether you have a reliable partner.
Frequently asked questions about choosing an IT intermediary
What is the most important question to an intermediary?
How the fee is structured and what you get for it. Transparency about money is the most important signal of reliability. An intermediary who is open about that is usually also honest about the rest. One who dodges or stays vague about the fee is a red flag.
How do I recognise a reliable intermediary?
By concrete, honest answers, also about what they do not do or cannot do. They are open about the fee, explain how they arrange the Dutch DBA Act, and stay engaged after the match. Big promises without substantiation and vagueness about money are signals to be careful.
May I question an intermediary critically?
Certainly. A good intermediary has nothing to hide and appreciates sharp questions. You are entering a collaboration that matters, so you may know exactly what you get. An intermediary who finds critical questions annoying says something with that already.
Does it matter whether an intermediary is large or small?
It matters for what you get, not for quality as such. A large party offers volume and structure; a small, personal party offers engagement and short lines. The questions stay the same; the answers show which type fits what you seek.
What if I do not have a good feeling about the answers?
Trust that. A collaboration with an intermediary revolves around trust. If you get vague answers or an uncomfortable feeling about the money question, look further. There are plenty of transparent intermediaries; you need not settle for one that is not.
Conclusion: the right questions reveal the right intermediary
Whether you are a client or freelancer, the right questions up front reveal whether an IT intermediary is transparent, engaged and reliable. Ask about the fee, about what they concretely do, how they arrange the Dutch DBA Act, and what happens after the match or on dropout. The answers say enough.
For whom is this most relevant? For clients and freelancers choosing an intermediary for the first time or anew. For whom less? For those who have worked with a trusted party for years.
My advice: ask these questions out loud and watch how they are answered. Open, concrete answers point to a partner; vagueness and dodging to a pass-through. You deserve an intermediary who is transparent about what you get.
Curious how I answer these questions?
Want to ask me these questions and see how I work? Plan a no-obligation call. I am open about my fee, my approach and what you can expect from me, whether you are a client or freelancer.
Note: regulations around the Dutch DBA Act may change. For current information, consult rijksoverheid.nl or belastingdienst.nl.
