It’s not always easy to hire a freelancer. It can become tricky for you, especially if it’s unfamiliar to you.
An efficient working relationship with a freelancer begins long before you contact them.
This article contains seven working with freelancers’ tips that will help you get off to a good start with your new partner and guarantee that your experience is smooth and effective. Let’s start!
Tip 1: Identify your precise requirements
Before even attempting to contact a freelancer, you must clearly understand the kind of work required.
You also need to know the minimal requirements for the candidate you plan to hire.
Consider the precise dimensions of your project, the timelines and due dates, the deliverables you’ll require, and the available funding.
Before hiring a freelancer, be sure to take into account the most crucial factors.
You may later use this to sort applications. Create a profile for the applicant who would fit your project the best:
- what training and experience is ideal for this position,
- what qualifications are needed for this job,
- what frequency and duration you will require their availability,
- and, of course, to what degree you are willing to negotiate with the freelancer’s stated rate.
Tip 2. Compare the terms and conditions of several platforms.
And pay close attention to each one’s taxes and fees.
While freelance recruiting websites function similarly, their services and prices (both transparent and hidden) may vary.
Finding the platform that appeals to you will be much simpler once you have determined your requirements and needs.
There are platforms designed specifically for employing freelancers in a given industry, such as design, marketing, web development, etc.
Most freelance hiring sites operate in two directions. They provide a job board where you can post your open position and wait for applicants to apply.
You can also search for freelancers using the filters you’ve already selected, then get in touch with relevant applicants directly to discuss your opening.
For instance, if you frequently see your freelancer in person, you will undoubtedly require a platform with a location-based filter.
Tip 3: Create a job description that draws in the best applicants.
It’s always more convenient to post your offer and wait for applicants, whether for a short-term or long-term commitment than to go through freelancers and then get in touch with each one individually to see if you are a match.
Although not all platforms offer it, fortunately, most do. Because platform fees and taxes vary, let’s assume you have already done your homework and selected the platform whose terms best suit your demands.
Publishing a job offer is your initial screening for candidates, so ensure it successfully avoids wasting a ton of time in conversations later.
You know that a job offer should generally include a list of your project’s requirements.
But to attract the ideal freelancers, a good job offer consists of several essential components.
- A concise and descriptive title that is both catchy and very relevant, as freelancers are screening offers the same way you are screening candidates;
- The job description’s scope should state what the candidate will be expected to do;
- Freelancer availability – Be completely clear about the level of commitment and availability you expect from the prospective employee, including live meetings and geographical constraints;
- Turnarounds: Specify if they will be short-term or long-term, whether they are subject to deadlines, etc.;
- Necessary applicant skills – provide the minimum standards for education, experience, and other factors;
- Clearly state the anticipated price range and costs.
Tip 4: Choose your freelancers carefully.
Some variables are more crucial than price, whether using candidate applications or looking through freelancers on your own.
Even if the work is not precisely what you had in mind, you will still have to pay the freelancer you hire if they will do it for less money.
After that, you’ll need to find someone else to make changes or perhaps start over.
Before thinking about the price, keep the following things in mind:
- Experience and prior employment: the first thing to examine when choosing a possible partner is their portfolio, especially when a creative task is involved.
- Look for parallels between your style and the freelancer’s to increase the likelihood of a future working relationship that is easier and more productive.
By doing this, you can be confident that you and your freelancer are simultaneously working on the same project.
Additionally, seek applicants who have experience in the particular subject you require.
If you need illustrations for children’s books, give preference to individuals who have experience in this field rather than those with a more varied portfolio that includes web design and coding as well as illustrations.
Regardless of how much you adore the freelancer’s work style, as displayed in their profiles, you should probably pass on this application if they have negative evaluations.
Reviews from former customers typically provide insightful information beyond the candidate’s experience.
Read them to find out if the designer is straightforward to deal with if communication has been smooth, if timetables and deadlines have been met on time, etc.
Check their background beyond what is provided in their platform profile.
Examining a potential candidate’s profile on social media and other platforms frequently provides a more comprehensive picture of their knowledge and character.
That is quite helpful, especially if you want to collaborate with this person for a while.
We advise that you carry out this action following your initial screening of prospects.
Tip 5: First, give the candidate a simple assignment to do.
Even if all your research points to a positive outcome, you may never be sure if you and a new freelancer will be a good fit.
The wisest course of action is to assign a little test assignment before venturing into the unknown.
With the help of a trial project, you may determine whether communication between you two will be effective, how many revisions (if any) will be required to produce the desired results, the freelancer’s approach to meeting deadlines, and more.
If you are sincere right away, it will benefit you both. Inform the freelancers of your dissatisfaction and ask them if they’ll do anything to improve it.
If nothing changes, it’s probably best for you to save time and choose a different freelancer for the project.
Tip 6: Talk through any legal concerns in advance.
This issue needs to be discussed upfront.
Usually, you would wish to receive all ownership rights.
Innovative practice is to have the freelancer sign a legal document, such as an agreement, indicating that all finished work’s full ownership rights belong to you to ensure that you are legally safe and protected.
A fair practice would be to pay a portion of the agreed-upon payment up front to safeguard the freelancer from fraud.
Having the freelancer sign a non-competition agreement that will safeguard your assets if you work with them for a client other than yourself is a good idea.
By agreeing to such a contract, the freelancer guarantees that they won’t fire you and won’t take on identical work from the same customer for, say, six months—or more extended time.
Tip 7: Express yourself with the utmost clarity.
Good news thus far, you are now prepared to begin the actual work as the test project was successful. How can you ensure everything runs without a hitch?
Be very specific about the project’s scope, deliverables, turnaround times, and even the chance that your demands might alter later.
Tell the freelancer precisely what outcomes you want and when you want them.
It always helps to give freelancers examples of what they need and other tools that will facilitate and expedite their job when working together.
Giving examples also aids in dispelling misunderstandings and preventing needless modifications later on.
To make sure you and they are on the same page, if required, schedule a face-to-face or video conference meeting.
Inform the freelancer in advance if there is a remote chance that the project might change and require additional effort.
Be aware that any additional work not covered by a prior agreement will incur additional costs.
Before finalizing the contract and beginning the actual work, haggle rates with your freelancer.
In Conclusion,
Managing freelancers might not be the most straightforward task in the world.
Finding a new, better candidate for the job can be difficult at times, and you may even need to cancel your order and start over.
We hope our tips will support you on your chosen path.
