If you haven’t had any experience with hiring freelancers online yet, this article should help you finding out all the necessary things about working with freelancers. Hiring a freelancer online is not as simple as it may seem. There are number of things to define before you even start looking for the right freelancers.
#1 Determine the Scope of Work
To know how to find a freelancer for a project, you need to determine some basic scopes of the work itself. That includes the budget, the deadlines, the tasks, the milestones, etc. Once you write down all the things that define your project, then you’ll be able to dive into finding the right person for the job.
Why is it important to define the scope of work before you post a job online? It’s because a well-defined and clear scope will help you to find the freelancer who:
1. Has necessary skills/experience/knowledge for the job
2. Fits into the proposed budget for the project
3. Is competent to deliver the work as you require
Finding a freelancer is not just a one-time decision, it can shape your future relationship, as well. It is often the case that once you hire a freelancer for a certain project, he/she can become your long-term collaborator on other similar projects.
Here are some factors you should include when defining the scope for your project:
- What problem needs to be solved? The specific task in the core of the project, like designing a landing page for xy product or writing a blog article on a certain topic, etc.)
- What tasks will a freelancer perform during the project? (Outline the exact steps/phases of the project.)
- How many milestones a freelancer should meet? (Milestones enable both you and a freelancer to keep track on the dynamics of the project, in order to respond to unpredicted things in a timely manner.)
- Which deliverables will a freelancer complete? (Define the expectation for each deliverable there is.)
- Are there additional tasks? (Describe each task within the project that supplements the main task.)
- What is the proposed budget for this project? (Is the freelancer paid by the hour or upon the completion of the entire project? When should the freelancer expect to be paid?)
#2 Minimum Qualifications for Freelancers
After clearly describing the scopes of the project, it is easier to determine which qualifications you should look for in the freelancer. Once you set up the minimum qualifications, you will be able to survey through the applications more efficiently.
Which things should you look for in a freelancer’s application? Here are the most vital ones:
- Experience
- Specialisation
- Rates
- Contract length
- Flexibility of schedule
More demanding and nuanced projects require seasoned freelancers. Therefore, you need to determine the exact experience and specialisation qualifications for a particular project. On the other hand, more general projects can be done by freelancers who are specialized in more than one area.
Depending on your budget, you want to hire freelancers you can afford. Therefore, the rates play an imporant role in deciding which freelancer are you going to hire. The same is true for the flexibility of their schedule – if you need someone who can start as soon as possible, you will outline it in your job proposal.
#3 Finding Freelancers Online
For many business owners, finding freelancers online can be a daunting thing. The fear of not finding the freelancer that will fit into your job description is one of the most common reasons behind such an approach.
The process of recruiting a freelancer might appear the same as in the case of a regular employee. There’s no guarantee that you will find that perfect employee either, regardless of the fact that you’re not using the Internet to recruit them.
There are numerous platforms for finding freelancers online, and most of them are free to use. The entrepreneurs from the US enjoy the leading platforms for freelancers, such as Upwork or Fiverr. The top freelancers within particular industries are available for new endeavours, and the payment has never been easier to be made! However, the commissions are extremely high.
The business owners from Europe can also use Upwork or Fiverr to find the freelancers they need; both platforms have regulated terms and conditions that allow you to legally hire freelancers no matter which part of the world are you comming from.
However, in the recent years, entrepreneurs from Europe can enjoy in the rise of European freelancing platforms such as i-Lance. The benefit of having a European freelancing platform lies in the fact that not only the European platforms are cheaper, but there’s also not much competition, which makes the choice of a top freelancer easier and straightforward.
#4 Write a Killer Job Post
Once you’ve found the right platform for freelancers, you should create a job post sharing all the details about the project, including the scopes and required qualifications. The more details you provide, the better the chance that you’ll find a freelancer that suits the job.
It’s vital to create a job post that will attract freelancers with the right qualifications. Don’t hesitate to put extra effort in making your post funny and appealing. Remember – it’s a perfect way to advertize your company, and not just finding the right freelancer!
However, don’t forget to mention all the crucial details about the project. You can also leave your email for more information and encourage freelancers to connect with you. The most important things to outline in your post are the scope of work (what is the one main task a freelancer will do), the budget expectations, and deadlines for the delivery.
#5 Interview the Promising Freelancers
Usually, you can expect numerous applications, especially if you use one of the many online platforms for freelancers. After reviewing the promising applications and selecting the top candidates, you should start with interviews.
If a freelancer provided a detailed CV or, even better, a portfolio of their work, it shouldn’t be a problem for you to decide which one you’re going to interview. Again, there could be even hundreds of applications for that one job, thanks to the advantages of the online freelancing platforms.
An application is only the starting point for a more thorough selection of promising candidates. Conducting an interview online should be a next step in the process of finding the right freelancer online. You can use Skype, FaceTime or Viber to establish a connection with top selected candidates and ask more detailed questions about their previous experience on similar projects.
Additionally, you can assign a test project to the few selected candidates, to make sure that they can meet the qualifications for the project. After all, interviews are quite pointless and there is no better way to assess a candidate than directly working with him/her for a few days or even a week.
#6 Set Up the Contract
The final step in the process of hiring a freelancer online is signing the contract. A contract is a perfect way to prevent any misunderstandings and to protect your business in the right way.
When it comes to sharing valuable information about your company and the particular project, you need to establish a trustworthy relationship with your collaborators. Freelancers usually collaborate with many clients, mostly at the same time, so it is extremely important to set up a proper contract.
Which contract should you use when hiring a freelancer? There are several types available, depending on the level of legal bond you seek to establish. However, the more formal contract the better, since it will secure your relationship with the freelancer in the right way.
So, how do you decide which contract should use? Here are the most common types of freelance contracts:
- Formal freelance contract – or independent contractor agreement is the most formal type of agreement you can choose when hiring a freelancer. It is a common practice when establishing a collaboration with a major company. It is also the most legally airtight contract, since it covers all the aspects of a relationship with the freelancer in an utmost strict way.
- Statement of work – it is not as formal as the previous contract but it does implicate many aspects of a formal agreement. Due to its simplicity in the terms of language and structure, statement of work is a more popular solution among business owners. It spells out all the crucial points of a work agreement, which makes it clear to understand.
- Letter of agreement – if you want to set up an agreement with someone you are close to (a friend, a former co-worker, or a relative), you can use this type of contract. It’s the least formal one since it comes in a form of a letter, not the „regular“ agreement. However, be careful with whom you’re using LOA because there’re less legal obligations to both sides than in the regular contracts.
- Non-disclosure agreement – in today’s business world, the value of information is more guarded than ever. Therefore, many freelancers sign the non-disclosure agreement or NDA. This type of agreement obliges the freelancer to keep the information about the project and the company as a secret. NDA can be signed even before the project itself starts, especially if the information about the project are sensitive.
- Non-compete agreement – since the level of competition among the freelancers are extremely high, business owners need to be certain that their selected freelancer will not pursue their clients. There are many companies that work as an outsourcing agencies or a third-party agencies, putting them in a sensitive position on the market. In order to avoid any risk of being taken advantage of, clients should put a non-compete agreement as an addition to a more formal agreement.
No matter which type of the contract for freelancers you choose, make sure it is well-written and it covers all the aspects of the project in a detailed and reasonable fashion. Leave enough room for flexibility since some unexpected situations might occur during the project.
