Your ultimate checklist for hiring a freelancer
- Research the going rate for the work you want to be done, so you can budget accordingly;
- Decide whether you’re paying by the job or by the hour;
- You’re not looking for the cheapest freelancer – you’re looking for the best you can afford;
- And you’re not looking for the most popular freelancer – you’re looking for one who’s going to produce exactly what you need;
- Work out how you’re going to share information – especially, large graphic files;
- Start the hiring process as far in advance as possible and build in some extra time for the whole project to compensate for any surprise delays;
- Assume you’re going to get a lot of unsuitable applications (hint: some people ask for a phrase to be included in an application just to make sure the applicant has read through it properly);
- Once you start receiving applications, go through them in batches – it’s faster and easier to compare them;
- You’re looking for evidence that your candidates can work to deadlines, cope with criticism and can follow directions;
- Beware of applicants who just point you towards their portfolio and leave it at that – if they have samples that come close to your requirements, good applicants will include them with their proposal;
- If you’re looking for a freelancer with specialised technical knowledge, make sure they can convey that knowledge back to you in a language you understand;
- When you’ve created your shortlist, send each of them an identical message to see how they respond – this gives you the chance to find out how well they communicate, and an insight into their personality;
- If you’re planning on a small test job for your shortlisted candidates, it should be the same for all of them, and have a non-negotiable deadline;
- Once you’ve selected the best candidate, it’s a good idea to let the others on your shortlist know you’ve chosen someone else, and to thank them for their interest – it’s worth staying on their good side because you never know when you might want to use them in the future.
Featured Photo by Kyle Glenn on Unsplash
