A rating with no review attached is almost information-free. Five stars could mean the work was excellent or that the client wanted to be kind. The difference matters most to the next person reading it, who has no other way to judge.
Write for the next reader
- Say what the work was. A review that does not describe the job cannot be applied to another one.
- Separate the work from the working relationship — both are useful and they are not the same.
- If something went wrong, say what and whether it was fixed. A review that only lists problems is as unhelpful as one that lists none.
- Avoid rating on things outside the person's control.
The most useful review you can write is the one you wish had been there when you were deciding.
