In the last few years, there has been an explosion of freelancers from around the world; this has made it a lot easier to hire people with specific skill-sets for specific projects. To hire a freelancer or not to hire freelancers? That is the question. 

This blog is about why to hire freelancers, how to hire freelancers, how to evaluate if the freelancer is qualified, what to expect and what not to, and where to find them.

Let's learn how to hire freelance or gig workers and manage them from a client's perspective.

Why and when to hire a freelancer:

There are many reasons you may want to hire someone to do some work for you, with the main reason being cost. Companies are increasingly becoming more open to the idea of hiring freelancers. 

The growing trend of freelancing is due to changing workforce demographics, cost-cutting measures, and business models. 

"Freelancers are not a passing trend."

The why's? Why hire a freelancer?

• Hiring a freelancer is ideal when you need an extra hand on a project.
• You can save on costs and hire some of the best talents with little overhead.
• You can access the best talent for specific projects at a moment's notice.
• You can reside the time your company spends training new staff.
• The best freelance talent is exceptionally passionate about their work and will go the extra mile to ensure the project is done right.
• You get ROI (Return on Investment).
• You can outsource work to freelancers to meet the demand for fast turnaround, high quality, and project expertise.

When to hire a freelancer?

• Hire a freelancer when you are facing difficulty finding the right person for the job role.
• When you want a specialist to support you with work on a flexible basis regularly.
• Go for the freelancer when you want someone to work on a percentage, hourly, or project basis.
• In a situation when you require providing quality support to your clients.
• When you need a unique set of skills, it could be that you need to outsource a project that your in-house team doesn't have the expertise for.
• You don't want to be bothered when you have a slow-paced project but want to save time on work.
• You want the project to finish faster and more efficiently.
• Choose freelancers when you've just started your business and want to expand your team.
• Hire a freelancer when you want to outsource work to third-party specialists so your team can focus on the strategic parts of your business.
• Also, when you don't have time, resources, or expertise to complete your project.

How to hire a qualified freelancer:

For many businesses, hiring an outsider is a challenging task. Also, it is hard to know whether the person can handle the job. Evaluating all these are important since you don't want to waste your hard-earned money on trials and practice.

Besides that, although several different ways make hiring a freelancer easy, let's discuss some of the main ways and when you should use them.

"The key to hiring a freelancer is to ensure that they can provide the same level of service expected from regular employees but on a part-time basis."

Understand your requirements

If you don't understand or don't have clarity of your requirements for hiring freelancers, you end up with dull, unproductive, and unreasonable meetings. Also, remember a high-level work requires a high level of expertise.

"Make your hiring decisions with confidence."

So, before you go out on a search for freelancers, make the objectives clear. 

Objectives like:

• The required skillsets
• The industry 
• The budget 
• The structure of the project 
• The guidelines 
• The deadline or timeline activities that need to be performed.

 It'll help you:

• Create clear-cut directions for the candidates and the project.
• Make the entire hiring process smooth and efficient.
• Finding the right talent for the job will get easier as you have a clear picture of the work and the preferred candidate.
• Communicate your plans.
• Build an excellent long-term relationship with the freelancer.
• Interview without getting stuck wondering what to do or say in the interview.
• Get the project done without any delay!
• To reach your business goals faster.

Post your requirements:

There are various freelancing websites where you can post your requirement and hire freelancers. Also, you can use social media platforms like Linkedin, Facebook, Twitter, etc., but the easiest and fastest way is to utilize freelance platforms. 

Gig4U is a freelance networking platform.

With Gig4U, find freelancers in any field, any location. Simple and easy to use. The internal team verifies all the freelancers. Post your requirement, get deliverables and pay your freelancers via the ESCROW payment mechanism at Gig4U.

With Gig4U, you can find the right person for the right job transparently and securely. Similarly, freelancers can find freelance work at Gig4U.

Features:

• Gig4U has a rating system so you can see the quality of each freelancer.
• You can post new projects or invite freelancers to work on a particular project.
• Either you can wait for freelancers to bid on your posted requirements or search based on their skills and invite them to work on your project. 

Verify if the freelancer is right for you!

When searching for freelance workers, you should make sure you choose a worker with experience in the required field. Below are some tips for you on how to verify if the freelancer is right for you.

How?

• Check out the freelancer's profile carefully. A freelancer's portfolio will tell you much about their experience and skills. It's a good idea to read through a few profiles before making your decision.
• Check their portfolio and reviews. A freelancer's portfolio will give you a good idea of their lifestyle, previous work experience, and what they're capable of. Similarly, reviews from past clients will help you get an idea of their work ethic and quality of work.
• Scrap freelancers that are experts in the required field. You can do this by looking at their portfolios and reviews.
• Create a short list of several freelancers you think you can work with. Once you've found a few freelancers who look promising, reach out to them and communicate your project requirements. 
• Connect with them. Connect with freelancers on social media or through a freelancing platform, which will allow you to get to know them better and see if they're someone worth the time and money.
• Communicate and get into a short interview call. Get into a call, understand their expertise, and build a good work relationship.

If you take the time to do all these things, you'll be much more likely to find a freelancer who's a good fit for your project.

Contract

As a business owner, it's essential to have a contract when working with freelance workers. This contract should discuss the scope of work, expectations, deadlines, compensation, and other essential details. It's also a good idea to include a clause that covers what will happen if either party needs to cancel the agreement. Once you've created the contract, be sure to have both parties sign it.

It's important to discuss the terms of the contract with the freelancer before creating it. By having a contract in place, both parties will be clear on what is expected and can avoid misunderstandings.  

Creating a contract may seem daunting, but it doesn't have to be. Many templates and resources available online can help you get started. Once you have a contract, you can feel confident that you and your freelancer are on the same page.

What are the best practices for managing freelancers?

Several best practices for managing freelancers can help ensure smooth operations and successful project completion. 

• Define the scope of work and deliverables upfront. Be clear about what you expect from the freelancer and what they will be responsible for delivering. This step will help avoid any misunderstandings later on.
• Set clear deadlines and communication expectations. Let the freelancer know when you need them to deliver their work and how you prefer to communicate (e.g., email, phone, Skype, etc.).
• Time tracking. One key element is a time tracking, which can help ensure that deadlines are met and that freelancers are not overworked.
• Provide feedback and guidance along the way. If you have any specific feedback or guidance for the freelancer, provide it promptly. This will help them stay on track and produce the best work possible.
• Fair deal and pay promptly. Freelancers rely on timely payments to keep their business running, so be sure to pay them promptly for their work. This will help ensure a good working relationship as we advance.
• Give rewards and reviews. It’s no secret that people love getting rewards. Whether it’s a pat on the back or a raise at work, everyone appreciates being recognized for a job well done. The same goes for reviews. A positive review can go a long way in making someone feel good about their work. 

So, if you want to get the best out of your freelancers or employees, it’s important to give them both rewards and reviews. Recognizing their efforts will not only make them feel appreciated, but it will also motivate them to keep up the good work.

Final words!

Finally, respecting the freelancer's time and expertise is also essential, respecting their boundaries and not expecting them to work beyond their agreed-upon hours. It also means not micromanaging their work or second-guessing their decisions. Trusting their judgment and expertise will help to foster a good working relationship.