With a business, you got a lot of work to do, and some jobs need special skills that not everybody has. For these jobs, you either hire a regular worker or choose the easier option and look for talented freelancers. But where can you find freelancers and how to hire a freelancer?
Where to find Freelancers?
If you need to hire freelancers, the first place you should look at is a freelance platform. Depending on what you search, some are general freelancing sites others are industry-specific. Here is a selection of freelancer sites:
- Fiverr is a popular online marketplace for freelance services to find the right person from over 500 categories.
- UpWork is one of the biggest freelancer sites with a wide variety of freelancers in different industries
- CloudPeeps also has many freelancers that you can hire for ongoing or one-time projects.
- Freelancer is a site where you can get freelancers for web design, app development, virtual assistants, product manufacturing, and graphic design, and much more.
- 99Designs offers two options either to hire a freelancer directly or start a contest where you can pick your favorite out of the created web designs, logos, or social media banners.
- Guru is another big platform for hiring freelancers to do various jobs.
- Dribbble is a leading destination for finding a freelancer that does creative work.
- Behance showcases projects from freelancers to get an idea of the designs to the skills they have.
- Toptal is a network that only accepts 3% of freelancer applicants, which are software developers, designers, finance experts, product, and project managers. The price to hire a freelancer is more expensive, but you get highly tested workers for important projects.
- Hired offers a platform for talented and qualified developers, and you can hire freelancers for product, project, and engineer management.
You can also join freelancing communities like Facebook groups or Freelancers Slack communities. But it depends on the type of freelancer you are looking to search for writing Slack community if you need writers or whatever specific work you need.
Another strategy to reach talent would be to go to colleges and universities. You can ask professors if they have students that look for freelance work or ask around. Make sure to look for the right departments.
What you also do is ask your network, your friends and family, or your colleagues if someone might be interested in the freelance job.
How to hire a Freelancer?
To hire the right freelancer for your business, you need to keep some things in mind.
Research
When you started looking for freelancers on job platforms and communities, you also need to research the potential freelancer and job you want to hire. You should have a clear understanding of the job and freelancer you want. Ask yourself how big is your project and how often do you need a freelancer.
As you know what you need for the job, you should refine your search on freelance platforms and communities.
Recommendation
Often freelancers come through personal recommendations, especially when the freelancer has done a good job. So if you ask people in your industry, they may know a freelancer that has great experience.
To get quality and consistent work from a freelancer, you should look for referrals and testimonials.
Budget
Before you hire someone, check your budget so that you can pay your freelancers fairly for their work. It may seem tempting to pay low for freelancers, but it often represents the quality of work you get. However, it doesn´t mean every freelancer that has low rates is bad for the job; also, on the other side, not everyone that has high rates does a good job.
It all depends on their experience and portfolio. Based on your project, some freelancers have an hourly rate while others have a fixed rate for a job.
Portfolio
Most freelancers can handle more than one job at a time, so if you don´t need someone full-time, there’s nothing wrong with reaching out to freelancers that work for other companies.
Find the portfolio and publication you like. It is the best qualification to find someone who is established in their niche and has previous work and testimonials to back up the work.
Some freelancers may be good a talking, but this doesn’t mean they have the best reputation and work ethic.
Communication
A successful freelancer relationship needs to have clear communication. If you build a connection, it will be easier to hire them for future projects. Communicate early and clearly about the roles and responsibilities of the freelancer. Also, describe the level of expertise and skills someone needs.
What also matters is to state in the job description company details what your targeted audience is and the company values or missions you have. This is some sensitive information but needed, especially for a logo design it will help a lot.
However, only share brief details, and when you hire a freelancer, you give a bit more price of what your company stands for.
Criteria
Depending on the job you need a freelancer for, there are different criteria for how you judge the people you want to hire. When you look for a writer, you want someone that has good writing skills without grammatical errors. Or if you need a software developer, they should have experience with the programming language that is right for your project.
No matter what freelancer you consider always look for the following criteria:
- Reviews and References are a big indicator of how talented and their work ethic is.
- Experience matters a lot when you want someone that knows what she´s doing.
- Communication is important, so make sure they understand the language you are speaking so it doesn´t come to miscommunication during the project. It also matters where they live, so you know what time they are available and that they know when your deadline is.
- Project management skills, which means if the freelancer has good time management, the work is completed before the deadline. This especially is essential when you also have a set deadline for your whole project.
To get more details about the freelancer, ask them questions such as:
- What references to past and current customers do you have that I can look into?
- How much experience do you have, and can you show me samples of your work?
- Are you willing to sign an NDA and contract?
- How do you manage your projects?
- How can we communicate during the project?
- Do you have any extra fees?
Contract
If you found a fitting freelancer for your project, you need a contract that protects both parties. A contract clearly outlines the scope of the project, as well as the term that you agree on. So include things like a copyright ownership agreement that has full ownership of what the freelancer produced, cancelation policies, rates, work time and usage rights, and more.
With a contract, you get safety when something goes wrong that can´t be resolved with a simple conversation. The contract helps each of you with legal resources to make things right.
Depending on the platform where you choose your freelancer, there may be already a contract included, which you only need to fill out. So do your research on the platform to know if you need to create your own contract.
Also, know that freelancers are not like employees who have to follow your company’s rules and policies. If you treat freelancers like employees, you may suddenly need to pay more taxes than planned.
How to manage Freelancers?
During a project, you should also communicate as much information as possible to get what you need. A good idea is to write all details in an organized Google doc or Word document you share with the freelancer. It will help both of you stay in sync for a seamless process.
What also helps a lot is to create a style guide that outlines clear brand objectives. For example, if you need a writer for your website, then give them direction on the brand voice that fits your business (educational, professional, or easy to understand…), the font and color you use, and what else is important.
You can make a checklist so the freelancer covers the objective and feelings of the brand.
To stay organized, have your invoices, projects style guide, and other information all in solid infrastructure. A good tool you can use is Trello, where you can write a to-do list, share links & documents, write comments, and create deadlines in calendars. A Trello board can also be shared with a freelancer; this will them more feel like they are part of your team and everyone is in sync with each other.
If you want to continue to work with freelancers, you should make them feel valued. You can go through the brand vision of the style guide to see what succeeded the most. And in exchange, take them out for lunch if they are near your location to create real-life bonds. Additionally, give them a bonus when they do a good job or have created the most valuable content.
To get the freelancer to work for you again, make sure you write a good recommendation or review. They will appreciate it, especially if you treat them as part of your team and pay them well and on time.
FAQ
Q: How do I hire a freelancer?
A: To hire a freelancer, you need to identify your hiring needs and create a job post that describes the type of work you need. You can then post your job on a job board or visit platforms such as Upwork or Fiverr to find skilled freelancers.
Q: What is the best way to find and hire the right freelancer?
A: The best way to find and hire the right freelancer is to post a detailed job post. Be specific about the type of work you need, the skills required, and your budget. You can also use the platform’s search function to find freelancers that match your requirements and vet them upfront.
Q: Should I hire a freelancer or an employee?
A: Whether to hire a freelancer or an employee depends on your business needs. If you need someone to work on your project temporarily, hiring a freelancer may be the best fit. But if you require high-quality work on a full-time basis, it may be better to hire an employee.
Q: What is the difference between hiring a freelancer and an employee?
A: Hiring a freelancer is typically a short-term arrangement to complete a specific project or task. In contrast, hiring an employee is a long-term commitment to employ someone full-time with benefits.
Q: Where can I find the best freelancer for my project?
A: You can find the best freelancer for your project by posting a job on a relevant job board or visiting platforms such as Upwork or Fiverr. Targeting the right freelancers with specific skills and experience can also help you find the best fit for your project.
Q: What is the best guide to hiring a freelancer?
A: The best guide to hiring a freelancer will provide you with tips on how to create an effective job post, assess candidate skills, and choose the right freelancer for your project. Look for resources tailored to your industry or niche for the best advice.
Q: How do I know if I’ve hired the right freelancer?
A: You’ll know if you’ve hired the right freelancer if they deliver high-quality work according to your specifications within the agreed-upon timeframe. A good freelancer should also communicate with you regularly and be willing to make revisions as needed.
Q: Can freelancers work remotely?
A: Yes, many freelancers work remotely and can complete work from anywhere with an internet connection. This flexibility can be an advantage for business owners looking to hire freelancers worldwide.
Q: How many freelancers are available for hire?
A: There are millions of freelancers available for hire on various platforms online. You can find freelancers with varying experience levels, skills, and expertise to match your project requirements.
Q: How long does it take to hire a freelancer?
A: The time it takes to hire a freelancer depends on your hiring needs and the freelancer’s availability. You can typically find and hire freelancers within a few days to a week if you know your job requirements and budget.
Hire a Freelancer Infographic:
