Working with freelancers is not a myth anymore. If we learned anything from this pandemic is that workers can be equally productive and effective from their homes.
If you’re a small business owner and you want to hire your first freelancer, a Freelancer Marketplace like Brybe may be of big help for you. It’s designed to connect small business owners with international freelancers for more affordable prices.
However, before you begin your search for ideal freelancers, read our guidelines. It’s easy for a small business owner to get lost in the sea of freelancers, so just make sure that you’re on the right track.
Here’s what you should do:
- Decide what type of freelancer you need for your business
Deciding to hire a freelancer is a huge decision. But setting up all the details may be a bit harder. Do you need a full-time freelancer or a part-time? Do you want to contact them daily, or you’re okay with one meeting per week? How about working hours, do they need to be available to you at a specific time of the day?
These are all parts related to the contract. What about the type of freelancer – for which department do you need a freelancer? Do you need a freelancer to help you with your marketing strategy, or do you need a developer to help with the load of work you had? Perhaps you need someone to assist you with your business calls and emails and the administrative work.
Whatever the reason may be, you need to define it before you begin your search for an ideal freelancer.
- Establish your budget
Establishing your budget is essential to your search for the right freelancer. You need to clearly define how much you are ready to invest for your next freelance hire. Are you going to pay per hour or project?
Either way, you can save a lot of money by hiring freelancers. As you already know, freelancers are much more affordable than full-time employees. You don’t have the regular expenses with them – you’re only paying for the work they do.
- Check their background and credentials
This is the most important part that you need to put the most effort into. There are some fields in online work where it’s easy for freelancers to provide proof of their skills. Online writers, for example, can create their blog, and you can check out their writing style, their skills, and see if that’s what fits you the best. But other freelancers, developers, for example, can’t always provide proof of their experience unless they build their projects.
If, by any chance, the freelancer is not able to provide you with a portfolio, check out their previous working experience.
- Communicate clearly
It’s all about clear communication. Communication is the key to building successful, long-lasting relationships with your freelancers.
Talk about responsibilities, expectations, deadlines, etc. Be transparent with your freelancers. That’s the only way you’ll get the most out of the partnership.
- Think of the big picture
Finally, think about your company’s vision. If you want to build a team culture with freelancers, you need a strategic plan for that and a highly skilled HR team. As all freelancers are working remotely, this can be a bit of a challenge, but it’s not impossible with the right team. The freelancers you’ll choose should follow your company’s mission and vision.
That’s it!
Of course, the process of hiring freelancers can be much more complicated, but if you use these guidelines as your base, you’re off to a good start. If you’re looking for a place to start, Brybe Freelancer Marketplace can be of great help – you can create your profile as a client there and start searching for freelancers right away.