Are you looking for some extra help in your business but don’t have the funds or space to hire a permanent worker? Hiring freelancers online might be the solution for you.
These days there’s no need to be limited to looking for talent in your local area. Modern communication tools mean that you can work with people on the other side of the country or even internationally with ease.
However, if you’ve never hired someone online before, you’ll no doubt have some worries. In this post we’ll take a look at common worries people have, benefits of hiring freelancers and how to choose the right one.
Common worries
If you’re worried about hiring freelancers online, you wouldn’t be alone. It’s hard to trust someone you hire online. What if they take your money and run? Fortunately, most freelancers are genuine and wouldn’t do this.
The next most common worry is whether they’ll be any good or not. It’s difficult handing over money for a deposit when you’re unsure what the work will look like in the end. You may also be worried that the freelancer will not be open to feedback or making requested changes.
Another worry is that the freelancer won’t share your vision or get your company message well enough. This is why a detailed conversation in the beginning is needed to make sure you’re both of the same page and have the same expectations of each other.
Benefits to hiring freelancers online
They’re generally cheaper
Freelancers are usually cheaper than hiring a permanent worker in the office. As freelancers are self-employed, you don’t have to worry about things like holiday, sick or maternity pay.
Freelancers will take care of all that themselves. However, it also means that their fees will likely be higher than the hourly salary of an office worker but if you’re likely to use them less it could work out cheaper.
You can hire them as and when needed
Business fluctuates naturally. Some months will be busy, others quiet. Freelancers are a great addition to a team for those busy periods. Once everything goes quiet, you can put the freelancer on hold and work with them again when needed.
This also saves you money during your quieter periods that you would otherwise be spending on a permanent worker with nothing to do.
Save on space
In the early days of building a business, space may be an issue. If you can’t hire more staff because you’re at capacity, freelancers could bridge the gap between now and when you can move into a bigger, more suitable office.
How to ensure you pick the right freelancer
Most people will head over to Fiverr or People Per Hour to find a cheap freelancer. Plenty of people have success with this but if you want a freelancer to add real value, you’re probably going to have to pay a bit more for them and step away from the content mills.
If you’ve got the budget to do it, find a freelancer with a proper website, portfolio, testimonials and a good presence over social media. The reassurance that you get from this is invaluable when you’re discussing details of your business.
Try to pick a freelancer who specialises in just the work you require. Some freelancers can do a bit of everything but if you want certainty that they’re suitable for the task, pick someone who’s done it tons of times before.
Whoever you choose to work with you, make sure to have detailed conversations and draw up contracts to get everyone on the same page and everything down in writing. Good luck!
Have you ever hired a freelancer? What is your biggest concern on hiring one? Please share your thoughts below.
