.png)
How To Hire The Right Freelancer For Your Project
Are you looking to hire a freelancer for your project for the first time? Or maybe you have been hiring freelancers before now but want to learn how to narrow down your search? Would you like to hire the right freelancer who will not disappoint you? If yes, then this article is for you!
Whether as an individual or a company, there comes a time when work available surpasses the number of hands on deck. This is the perfect time for thinking outside the box. Instead of hiring a fulltime employee, a freelancer reduces the burden of having to manage human capital.
Furthermore, there is no need to worry about paying taxes, union levies and medical insurance. And to make the whole experience more exciting, you pay less for more work done! A lot of companies outsource jobs to freelancers who have built a reputation for delivering quality service. It is no news too that freelance work from home has gained tremendous popularity in the past decade.
More employers are resorting to freelancers for getting tasks done in record time. In fact, the demand for freelancers is on the rise every day. As an employer, however, hiring the right freelancer may seem so difficult and overwhelming. The rigors of selecting the best out of myriads of proposals submitted for just one project cannot be overemphasized.
This article will guide you on how to choose the right freelancer for your project. When hiring a full time staff is above your proposed budget, here are some steps to help you select the right freelancer who will not disappoint.
1. Define Your Project Scope, Budget and Deliverables
Hiring a freelancer is one side of a coin. The other side is about defining what exactly you need done and how much you want to pay. Consider your objectives and goals, sign an NDA agreement if necessary, and be clear about your terms and conditions beforehand. You will want to take a closer look at your budget and decide if the project will be short term or long term, as well as payment schedule; whether it'd be weekly, bi-weekly or monthly.
The pay rates of most freelancers are generally affected by a number of factors including experience, location and industry standards. Understanding and communicating your project scope will also give you a hint of what the project description should look like. This will help you determine if hiring a freelancer or full time staff is worth it. Check the complexity of your project scope and determine the budget expectations. Of course, no one hires a freelancer or employee to do nothing.
Defining your project scope and description also tells the freelancer that you know exactly what you want. This will enable them decide if they have the appropriate skills to get the job done or not before sending a proposal. Guess what? It increases your chances of hiring the right hands for your project! Write a clear and concise project description detailing very important details such as the project deadline, skill level and experience, budget, pricing structure and deliverables.
Ensure to mention all other important details you will be the needing from the freelancer in the course of the project. Your job description should convey the right information about what you need done. If it is cheap and wacky, expect to get inexperienced freelancers knocking on your door with applications. Remember, quality comes with price and experience.
2. Assess Skill Sets, Availability and Experience Levels of Freelancers
After creating a job post with a concise job description, it is always advisable to go through the proposals submitted by freelancers. Determining minimum freelancer qualifications such as work experience, specialization (if any), certifications and skill sets is the next process to consider. Admittedly, this could turn out to be a very painstaking process, as there could be hundreds of proposals awaiting your assessment at the same time. The importance of careful assessment of proposals received from freelancers cannot be overemphasized.
In fact, assessment is the genesis of the success or failure of your project. Carefully assess the experience of each freelancer and relate it with your needs. Important factors to consider include the freelancer's availability, efficiency, dedication to work as shown in testimonials/reviews, pricing structure, flexibility and adaptability. Ensure to assess the skill sets and experience level of each freelancer who submitted a proposal before hiring.
Always ask for portfolio or samples of previous work done. This will give you a hint about their experience and skill sets, and also help you decide whether they're the best fit for your project or not. Final assessment can be done through personal survey and enquiry, video and audio interviews or tests.
3. Shortlist Promising Candidates
While carrying out the assessment procedure, you will come across freelancers who are promising talents that can deliver. We refer to them as shortlisted candidates. These freelancers may share certain unique skill sets and experience. Ensure to shortlist promising candidates to keep track of which is most likely going to be your best pick. Shortlisting candidates will help you stay focused and save time if interrupted during the vetting and assessment process.
4. Hire Your Best Fit!
After carefully following the above guidelines and shortlisting candidates for your job, the next process would be hiring the best freelancer for your project according to the assessment results. Depending on the project scope, budget and deliverables, hiring the best fit for your project is the first step to having a successfully completed project done in record time.
As a rule of thumb, always hire a freelancer of that is capable of meeting your project objectives, goals and requirements as outlined in the job description. The right freelancer for your project will follow your instructions, have the right skill sets to get the job done, and have discipline required to beat the project deadline.
5. Build a Network of Trusted Freelancers
Since hiring the right freelancer is a tedious process, we've got an alternative way out for you. Endeavor to build a network of trusted freelancers. Having a good employer-freelancer relationship will help you in the long run.
Establish a network of freelancers whom you trust to deliver quality work. This will save you the time and energy required for going through the hectic process of hiring again and again, although trying out new hands isn't a bad idea. You just have to decide what works best for you.
Trending Topics: