Planning to get a freelancer for your business?
Hiring a freelancer is no easy decision to make because there are a lot of freelancers offering their services in the market. Some of them may not even be in contact with you regularly or have a regular fee for their work.
They also have other clients to work for and it may be possible they won’t be able to commit to your work.
To help you find the best freelancer for your business regardless of the project you plan for them to do, here are some tips to try out:
Have a clear plan regarding the project you plan to ask them to do
Before you reach out to freelancers, you need to have a clear idea of what you want them to work on.
If you do not have a clear idea, high-rated freelancers will be reluctant to make an offer with you and waste time for your business.
Build a clear plan first before you make a job post. You need to have the following:
What does the job entails (ie. answering emails, setting up appointment, managing social media accounts, write up a 1000 word article on global warming)
What kind of person do you want (ie. experienced in customer service, fast-learner, understands SEO, able to program in C++, native language is English)
What kind of remuneration will the freelancer get (ie. awesome feedback, amazing payout, working with a global team, flexible workload)
Make your job post appealing and post it
When you have a plan in place, make your job post appealing to them by putting all the information they need to know about the job. Be clear and concise. And of course, be honest.
Doing this will guarantee that freelancers don’t have to worry about guessing details about the task or requesting an extension and we freelancers really hate it when the description on the job post does not match what is being discussed. It wastes both of our time.
A good job post will also reassure them about the pay, but they should be allowed to give their opinions about this topic.
Look for the right freelancer or wait for their proposal
While your job opening is open, you can look at freelancer profiles in sites like LinkedIn.
If you will use platforms like Upwork, Fiverr and Freelancer.com, you can review their profile and the reviews from their previous clients. You can also check forums for freelancers sharing their profiles.
Of course, you should also review their proposal if they send it to you.
Read More: How to Be Upwork’s Top Rated Freelancer
Do not be afraid to check freelancers from a different country
As you check profiles and proposals, you should also check from what country they are.
If they are from another country, don’t be afraid to work with them. You can use this to your advantage by giving the tasks they could finish for you while you sleep.
Don’t give them a low fee
When you find the freelancer to work for you, don’t be cheap with their fee.
If you pay at a higher rate, you will be able to get applicants who are high-rated.
Of course, you need to offer a pay that matches the project and the skill you are looking for.
Be clear with details like deadlines
Of course, you will need to be clear about your deadlines because it may complicate their schedule.
Make sure that your deadline is realistic and ask if they will be able to do it without problems.
Don’t be afraid to spell out the consequences if your freelancer missed out on deadlines. There are plenty of freelancers who respect the meaning of adhering to deadlines.
Do an interview
If you have shortlisted freelancers for your task, make sure to schedule an interview with them. This will let you know more about them beyond their portfolio.
You can also use the time to ask them specific questions or get their thoughts about the project.
Keep in mind that not every freelancers are comfortable with video conferencing. Sometimes, they don’t have a conducive working environment to have a video call with you. Or maybe they are freelancing in a coffeeshop.
So if there is no requirement in the job scope to see someone’s physically, a phone call will do just fine.
Read More: Inappropriate Interview Questions
Don’t be afraid to hold a trial job
If you are still not satisfied with their portfolio and you want to make sure they are the right one for the job, you can ask them to do a trial job.
The trial job will help you see if their work style fits your needs.
Offer the contract that will work for both of you
If they fit your style and you are confident they will work well with you, sort out the contract that you will both agree on.
Don’t be afraid to ask them about their opinion to make it perfect. You should also put in conditions regarding deadlines and the salary.
Once both of you agree, start working.
Conclusion
Freelancers are not like permanent employees who have the same commitments to you because their focus is not towards helping you with your business.
They are focused on getting more money with their time and build their portfolio. If you want to hire them for your business, do your research about their work and ensure they will work with you to reach your goals.
With the right preparation, you will be able to get the freelancer that can help you out in the long run.
Are you hiring? Here are some help you will need: 5 Ways to Build Great Relationships with Your Freelancers 7 Ways You Can Effectively Manage Your Freelancers For Your Business Hiring Help: An Essential Guide To Making The Right Employee Decisions
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