We live in a gig economy, yet finding quality freelancers is difficult. There are many factors to consider: budget, bandwidth, skill, and background.
Yet other factors are often overlooked: alignment with company team and vision, a clear purpose of their role, and timeline to hire. While a freelancer is not a permanent team member from the start, their contributions are. And many freelancers do eventually become permanent hires.
It’s important for those reasons not to overlook these five common freelancer hiring mistakes. Keep reading to stay in the know!
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Avoid Sketchy Websites
While there are a lot of freelancers out there, there are still only a few recognized sourcing platforms. FreeUp is an excellent example of a trustworthy place to find freelance copywriters. Read more about it here.
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Trial Run
Paid assignments for freelancers is a great way to see if your needs align. You’ll get a taste for their work style, communication skills, punctuality, and creativity. Below are two creative trial run ideas.
You can have a predetermined project that you assign to your top freelancer picks. Use the submissions to determine who you’ll interview or hire.
You can also set a probation period (post-hire) in which the freelancer is aware that their role is under review for a certain period. While this sounds scary, it’s not. It’s commonplace in many workplaces and applies well to freelancing.
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Interview Them
Don’t make the mistake of hiring based on a resume or portfolio. A lot of people are different than they seem on paper. An interview is a great way to test if they mesh with your culture.
Interviewing freelancer candidates also enables you to address any questions that could impact decisions. One interview is generally enough, but you can even set up a second interview with a different team member.
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Trust Your Gut
After one or two interviews, you should have a gut feeling about the candidate. Listen to this feeling. If they said something off-putting in the interview, were late, or exposed other red flags, don’t hire them.
Set your requirements for freelancers beforehand so you know what you are looking for. Is there a certain education level, background, writing style, etc. that you need? Knowing these beforehand will make it easier to trust your instincts.
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Budget
Some freelancers have high rates. Despite being “free”lancers, there is nothing free about their hourly or project costs.
Set your maximum spend beforehand and use it as a tool when comparing freelancer rates. You are most likely hiring a freelancer because you don’t have the budget to onboard a full-time employee.
Avoid These Common Freelancer Hiring Mistakes
Freelancer hiring mistakes are easy to make, especially if this is your first time. Avoid mistakes by finding freelancers on reliable sites like FreeUp and make sure they align with your goals and culture. Don’t make any hasty hires.
The right freelancers are out there eager to contribute to your vision. Take your time to find them! Continue reading our blog for more hiring tips.
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