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Whether you work alone or have a professional team by your side, you can improve efficiency by outsourcing some of the work to freelancers. In 2019, nearly 60 million Americans had some type of freelance operation and collective earnings came close to a trillion dollars. You can find freelance workers all over the world and in a variety of fields from copywriting and web design to accounting, photography, and data entry.
If you have a task that needs to be performed in a timely manner, there’s a freelancer out there willing to work within your budget. With our current technology, you don’t even have to consider the location of your preferred freelancer. You can work virtually with professionals from all over the world without communication or payment problems.
There are five things you should consider when working with freelancers. These tips will help you avoid some of the most common problems businesses of all sizes run into when dipping into the freelance world.
1. Use the Internet to Find Qualified Freelancers Quickly
The great thing about working with freelancers is you have easy access to thousands of talented workers through the internet. You don’t have to send out job ads, sift through piles of resumes, and sit through boring interviews. Serious freelancers will have websites, blogs, social media accounts, and profiles on freelance job sites like UpWork, Contently, WriterAccess, and Textbroker.
Many freelancers also place their own ads on job sites like Craigslist. They scour through listings on Indeed and FlexJobs to discover new opportunities. They’re actively searching for clients like you, and that means less work on your part. You can even connect with talented freelancers through LinkedIn.
As you’re searching the web for information, connecting with friends on social media, or researching products and services online, keep your eye out for talented freelancers. They’re everywhere these days.
2. Know What You Need Before Discussing a Project with a Freelancer
No freelancer can deliver exactly what you need if you aren’t clear about what you need. Take the time to create a concise brief that clearly states what you expect from the freelancer.
Include everything from details on what you want to accomplish with the project to your pay rate and milestones. The more details you provide, the more likely you are to receive work that meets your expectations.
3. Don’t Limit Yourself to Local Freelancers
You’re limited to the talent in your immediate area when hiring on-site employees, but that limitation is lifted when you work with freelancers. There are many ways to communicate with people from around the world for free online, and you can use video chat platforms if you prefer eye-to-eye contact.
Freelancers from India and other countries will likely offer you a much lower rate than freelancers in your city, state, or even country. Many Indian freelancers are just as talented, creative, and driven as competitors in the United States, Canada, and other countries. They’re able to work for lower prices due to lower costs of living and pay expectations in their home countries.
If you’re worried about paying foreign freelancers, keep in mind that you can choose how to send money to India and other countries. There are multiple ways to transfer money, but wire transfers are one of the most affordable options. It’s also fast and easy to send a wire transfer to India and many other countries with a lot of talented freelancers.
4. Discuss Ownership of the Work in Advance
Once your freelancer completes a job and you pay for their services, will complete ownership of the work transfer to you? Will you agree to display the freelancer’s name on the work, or will you claim it as your own?
Discuss legal rights to the final product with the freelancer, and then ask them to sign an agreement that clearly states the terms you’ve agreed upon. If you have a longer contract with other legal terms, you can include the ownership agreement in that contract.
5. Understand the Spirit of a Freelancer
Most freelancers choose this work model because they enjoy the flexibility and freedom that comes with working independently. They don’t want to work under the direction of a boss, and they don’t want their clients to act like their bosses.
Freelancers aren’t employees, so don’t expect to monitor their work hours or micromanage their progress.
