3 Essential Rules to Hire a Pro Freelancer

Many entrepreneurs nowadays acknowledge the benefits that come from working with freelancers. Hiring freelancers has become such a large trend, it is predicted that this will become the workforce majority in the US within a decade. It is quite obvious – at this point, nearly half of the millennials freelance full-time or as an additional source of income.

So, if you have a fine idea for a business and want to get into the hype of hiring freelancers, you are in for a great deal of choosing. With the numerous platforms for hiring freelancers, the choice will be grander than you could ever anticipate. This is one of the many benefits of hiring freelancers – outsourcing in a global and more versatile market.

Hiring is one of the biggest decisions you’ll have to make if you want your new business to be successful.

Hiring has never been easy, but that is why the result of good hiring is never disappointing. Knowing what rules to follow is crucial. You must know how to recognize true potential and dedication behind the identity of a future pro freelancer.

Desiree Slover, the expert at case study writing, says that the quality of your hiring skills will always be the number one thing influencing influences the quality of the people you hire.

While many of the global market solutions can be cost-effective, lowballing applicants or hiring the cheapest freelancer you can find often results in disaster.

The Importance of Hiring a Pro Freelancer

Many business owners make the mistake of hiring the first person that looks great on their resume or offers a cheap rate. But, if you consider that 43% of the workforce in the US is predicted to be freelancers by the year of 2020, you should be very careful about making such choices.

Yes, 61% of freelancers you can find specialize in 2 to 3 talents, but many will be inexperienced or less talented than others. It is better to wait to find the right person and offer a higher rate than to hire one average freelancer after another who will only bring you more stress and cost you more in the long run.

Top Three Rules for Hiring the Right Freelancer

By following these 3 essential rules, hiring will become easier and you will most likely be satisfied with your choice.

Have Realistic Expectations

Nothing good comes easy. You must understand that even an experienced freelancer has room to grow. Even if you feel like the work they do in the beginning could be better, never underestimate the power of practice and hard work. They will get better with time.

It is crucial to have the ability to recognize real potential. No one becomes a pro by sitting and waiting for the project that will give them all they ask for. That rule applies to you, too. You cannot expect anyone to have everything you ask for and know what you need without having to explain it. What is important is the will and qualifications to do the work. The rest will follow.

It’s hard to only rely on time to see satisfactory results, but that is what makes it so worthwhile. This rule doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t be happy with hiring a freelancer right away. You can hire a pro freelancer right away and have a great feeling about it, but be prepared to give them some time to perform to their full potential.

Be their guide and helper, make them become what they want and you want. You will be more satisfied when seeing results and improvement, rather than hiring someone who doesn’t change their style or tempo.

Freelancing is a career that requires constant skill-building and improvement on behalf of both sides. No freelancer can expect to make every client happy straight away, and neither can every client get everything they imagined when sending the first assignment.

As with any other professional relationship, you need to set boundaries and guidelines for the freelancer. Don’t make rushed decisions just because the freelancer did not deliver the work as you expected it. Give them feedback and emphasize your requirements, and see how they improve.

If they do, you have made the right choice. If not, it is time to seek another freelancer.

See Who You Are Working With

The history of a freelancer tells you a lot. It can be an indicator of low or high quality skills and work in various areas. In order to have a clear look at who you might be hiring, check their work history, education, etc. You might find recommendations, reviews on their work and similar information that might make or break your impression of them.

Here is how the ideal process should go:

Devise a Plan for Hiring

Before you even look at applicants or post a project description, devise a plan for what you need done. Only in this way will you be able to find the right person. Moreover, it will tell you where to look for the right freelancers.

Look Them Up

Posting projects online will yield many applications, but don’t dismiss any based on your gut feeling or just because you don’t have the time. Look into their resumes and applications, see if they have references, and do a Google check on each of the prospective freelancers you are interested in hiring.

If they do have references, don’t be afraid to reach out to them. A freelancer’s success greatly depends on word of mouth, so why not use this to your benefit? Ask around – you’d be surprised how much you can learn about a freelancer without even having to do a test project.

Take time to even look up some of their previous work. What can assure you more than actually looking at their products?

If you really don’t have time to go through all of these people, hire through a marketplace like FreeUp that does the pre-vetting for you.

Ask Questions

Don’t be afraid to ask freelancers what you want to know. You and your business have the right to know who you will be working with toward your goals. If something is lacking in their application or you simply want to know something more about a candidate, ask them directly. There’s no point in keeping things unclear or rejecting a candidate because he or she did not say what you wanted them to say.

Reject Candidates

As well as asking, don’t be afraid to reject where you feel this is necessary. With every rejection you are one step closer to finding someone that will fully meet your company’s needs. Trust your plan. You’ll know what you need when you see it.

Give to Receive

Just like you want to hire the best freelancer possible, so does the freelancer want to get a project worthy of their skills and time. You cannot cling to your expectations alone. In order to get something, you must give in return.

All of the above means that you should ensure that your expectations are realistic and both you and the freelancer are satisfied. In other words, you need to find the balance between your requirements and the conditions set, as well as pay them properly for their work. When all of this is set up, it is natural for anyone to feel like they need to do well in return, resulting in a healthy work relationship.

Another thing you should keep in mind is the level of harshness in you orders and commands. In order to keep a healthy connection, you must know that no one wants, or deserves to be pushed around. Both sides must know their limits.

Communication is key in every professional relationship. You are not the freelancer’s boss, but you are the person hiring them and paying them. There is no room to be afraid to say what’s on your mind, what is working and not working.

With time, you can either improve your communication or find out that the freelancer isn’t the right fit. Listen to them and share feedback on regular basis. Freelancers can be an amazing source of quality work, but only if you work together to reach your company’s goals.

Stop expecting freelancers to know what you want and how you want it. If you want to find the perfect fit, you need to make the perfect fit. This can only be achieved by moving forward with open communication.

Conclusion

The goal of these three main rules is to find the perfect freelancer. All three combined guarantee a good result in your freelancer hunt. Keep it simple and professional, and you will find a well-educated, talented and work-ready freelancer who will surely produce good results for you. Remember – if you want to get the required work done well, you first must set the stage, and this begins with knowing what you want and knowing how to spot it, then working with a freelancer to meet your pre-defined expectations.

Chris Richardson is a journalist, editor, and a blogger. He loves to write, learn new things, and meet new outgoing people. Chris is also fond of traveling, sports, and playing the guitar. Follow him on Google+.