Many small, mid-sized and large business owners are quickly realizing the benefits of hiring freelancers rather than full-time employees, to help with various aspects of running their company. Hiring a freelance talent provides extra flexibility, saves on cost, and allows you to reap all the benefits of working with somebody who works remotely, meaning that there’s no need to provide them with an office space or equipment since they’re an independent contractor. However, one of the biggest problems that entrepreneurs face when finding freelancers is getting the right ones.
The internet has made it easier than ever for anybody to market their freelance services. Whilst this may be great for anybody looking to earn a few extra bucks, it can cause issues for company owners who only want to work with the best talent. So, we’ve put together some top tips to help you find only the best freelance talent for your brand.
Tip #1. Know Where to Look
Firstly, it’s important to know where to look to find the best freelancers out there, no matter what kind of jobs you are looking for help with. In general, you’ll probably find better candidates by posting ads on job sites, in dedicated forums, and even by searching for people looking for work on Craigslist and other listing sites – zoomthelist.com is a great tool that you can use to search ads worldwide. Avoid any freelance sites where freelancers are required to pay to sign up or where the majority of candidates are charging a very low price; this may seem attractive cost-wise, but you will get what you pay for.
Tip #2. Ask for a Trial or Sample
When working with freelancers, it’s different to hiring in-house staff in many ways. Perhaps one of the most obvious ways is that, in general, you won’t get to invite a freelancer in for an interview and meet them in-person, especially if they’re going to be working remotely from the other side of the country or even overseas. Because of this, the best way to determine whether their work is a good fit for your company is to conduct a trial with them or ask them for a custom sample. This will help you decide whether their work is something that you could use in your brand and give you an idea of what it is like to work with them. Bear in mind that most freelancers will charge for trial work. However, it’s worth paying to ensure that you get the right one.
Tip #3. Be Clear About Your Needs
Finally, when advertising freelance work, you’ll need to be extra clear about what you need and require from a freelancer. Otherwise, you’ll likely end up with tons of interested freelancers who may not actually be able to meet your demands. Detail exactly what you need in your advertisement so that then it’s down to the candidate to determine whether they have the experience and resources required to carry out the work.
Did you find these tips helpful? Let us know in the comments!
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