Your business may benefit greatly from hiring freelancers. When hiring freelancers, you want to find highly qualified individuals with a variety of experiences who are specialists in their field.
The majority of freelancing jobs go something like this: You hire a highly qualified expert, who comes in, completes the work for you at a certain fee for a predetermined period of time, and then you part ways. Alternately, you don’t.
They could wind up performing such an excellent job that you wish to retain them for future work or perhaps employ them for another project.
You’ll discover that one of the clever strategies for developing business ties with high achievers is maintaining top talent in your freelancing pool.
But it might be difficult to know what to search for. It is absolutely worth getting right, but it is not as simple as it would appear.
The overwhelming amount of freelancers in existence contributes to how difficult it is to hire one. How do you determine who is and is not a suitable match for your project?
Fortunately, top-notch freelancers are distinguished in a variety of ways.
The qualities of a competent freelancer are dependability, commitment to deadlines, communication, professionalism, and honesty. The list goes on.
But how does it really appear? How do you even begin? What should you specifically look for or keep in mind when recruiting independent contractors? What kind of behaviors, traits, or characteristics ought you to avoid?
The following are the qualities we think you should seek in a freelancer:
Ability and Knowledge
Rhett Stubbendeck, CEO of LeverageRx recommends checking their skill level first.
He states: “A match between their talents and the demands of the customer is the first and most crucial factor clients should consider.
This indicates that they want to see demonstrable proof that their services can assist in resolving their business-related issues.
Here, one typical error made by inexperienced freelancers is overselling oneself to the customer. Clients should keep an eye out for this as it may demonstrate overcompensation for a lack of skill
Clients should also consider if you and they would work well together as two different businesses. In essence, you assess their skills while they assess your demands.”
Look for independent contractors who adhere to high standards.
David Farkas, founder of The Upper Ranks recommends hiring independent freelancers that prioritize quality.
He states: “You want a freelancer who holds himself and others they collaborate with to high standards. You need someone who can recognize excellence when they see it.
The explanation is straightforward: Choosing a person with an eye for quality increases the likelihood that you will get better outcomes since they won’t submit work that is unfinished or of low quality.
They spend a lot of time, effort, and thought into ensuring that they provide you with the greatest version of their product, therefore their work is of a high caliber.
To be clear, when we say “high-quality standards,” we don’t always mean perfectionists. Perfectionism may really be quite unproductive, therefore it’s crucial to choose someone who does excellent work and has faith in the outcome.”
Strong Portfolio
Aliza Naiman, manager at Olgam Life shares: “The most effective weapon freelancers have at their disposal is a well-kept portfolio. It demonstrates that previous clients have used their services and are satisfied with the level of expertise.
This is essential because, without a portfolio, a potential customer cannot confirm that you are whom you say you are. There is no concrete proof supporting their decision to pay for your services.
A portfolio is, in a sense, a compendium of instances in which the freelancer was successful in resolving customer issues and maintaining a working relationship. By checking their portfolio, you can reassure yourself about the hire being a good decision.”
They function well on their own.
When managing and teaching someone electronically, a new approach is needed.
In this day and age, you must employ a computer-literate person who can grasp your company strategy and has all the tools required to do tasks on schedule.
Verify that they have the reliable internet and calm environment required to be a productive contractor. An advantage is having an office or a separate home office.
Send your freelancer instructional videos or manuals, if you have them, to expedite the training process.
Set up a follow-up meeting to make sure they attended the training, or hire a company like efront to teach new contractors the specific skills you need them to have in order to serve you and your business to the best of their abilities.
Additionally, the freelancer now has the chance to ask any queries they may have. Your freelancer will be prepared to start working straight away with the appropriate procedures and equipment.
They adhere to deadlines
Carl Jensen, owner of Compare Banks shares: “You normally won’t get a list of references verifying that you are employing a responsible person, unlike when you hire someone inside.
There is no one to verify a freelancer’s work ethic, therefore all you have is faith in them.
When you speak with them further, you’ll be able to tell whether they’re someone you can trust to help you achieve your quarterly objectives.
According to Inc., it’s important to establish ground rules straight on. “This means clearly spelling out how many hours per week you expect them to work on your project, which tasks need to be completed by which deadlines, how they are to complete specific work, etc.,” the company advises.
Share a thorough schedule with your freelancer that outlines any times when they will be unavailable to ensure that everyone is on the same page.
A reliable freelancer will be willing to share their calendar with you so that you may establish deadlines that are reasonable.”
They are excellent communicators.
Entrepreneurs are often afraid about working electronically since it is difficult to interact with one another.
A freelancer with strong communication skills has expertise using tools that provide reliable communication channels, such as Slack or Zoom.
The benefit of utilizing these applications is that they record every chat you have, so you can always go back on the discussion if there is a problem with your freelancer.
