The pandemic has shown us that more agile and flexible companies are more likely to survive challenges. At the onset of the pandemic, firms are forced to adopt remote work.
While no one really knew how to effectively implement remote work arrangements, those that were quick to adapt survived. New York City alone lost 5,000 firms during the pandemic according to a report by the New York Post.
A study by World Bank noted that businesses that pulled through during the pandemic were open to digitalization and innovation. Businesses that were open to asynchronous and hybrid teams also had a higher chance of surviving the pandemic.
Remote work advocate and founder of Running Remote community Liam Martin said that at the advent of the pandemic, many companies were asking him to answer the questions: “How to hire and manage freelancers?”, and “How to implement remote work?”.
Fast-forward to 2023, globalized, mixed, and distributed teams are now a norm. Every company is scrambling to know how to hire freelancers who can be added to their existing team.
Freelancers and offshore staff are just like your regular on-shore employees, they just happen to sit at desks in different locations. The world is getting smaller, thanks to technology. Geographical distance is not that big of a deal anymore.
Getting Started: How to Hire Freelancers
You probably have googled “how to hire freelancers” by now which is why you came across this article. We will walk you through the process of hiring freelancers.
Here is the step-by-step guide that you can easily follow:
1. Determine Which Roles You Need
Some roles are better handed off to freelancers. Be clear and outline the services and skills you need and the work that needs to be done. It will help to put the services you need in bullet points, as this will guide you in matching what you are looking for to what the freelancer can offer.
Among the most common roles taken on by freelancers are writer, copywriter, SEO specialist, digital artist, website designer and developer, social media specialist, and other digital marketing roles.
2. Decide on the Terms
Figure out for how long you would need the freelancers, as well as how much is your budget. Is it an ongoing monthly or weekly project? A one-off project? If it is ongoing, it is better to hire the freelancer and start with them in a trial period of around 3 to 6 months to see if they are for you.
If your budget is limited, it’s better to have a fixed price for a whole project, define deliverables in every stage, and have a milestone pay before or after the work has been done. This is much like the payment setup with wedding planners – usually, you pay a downpayment, then 30%, then another 30%, and then the remaining balance.
Bottom line, you should have a clear idea of a project you would want your freelancers to assist you with, how urgent you want it done, and a ballpark timeframe on how long the project will be.
3. Put up Your Job Posting
Hiring a freelancer is more like hiring an employee. You still post the job posting on your careers page (and indicate it is a freelance setup or a contract), on job boards, as well as freelancer groups on Facebook and other platforms, and freelancer outsourcing platforms like Upwork or Fiverr.
It can be a daunting task to go through all of the applicants, talk to them, and filter and shortlist until you arrive at the talent that may be the best fit for you.
After you have chosen, hire the freelancer, give them the contract and workflow, and orient them on the company, values, and goals. When that’s done, then get started with the project.
PRO TIP: Consider Booking an Agency
It can be daunting and time-consuming to assess tens to hundreds of applicants. Instead of looking at how to hire freelancers, you can consider going for a less-hassle agency like Pinoy Marketing that has experience in what you’d like to work on.
With getting freelancers, you will need to do all the work: define and post all the details on the roles, responsibilities, your terms, etc. You need to talk to 10 or more freelancers as if you are hiring an employee.
Even when you put in all the work, there is no guarantee that you will find the best fit for your company as fast as you would want.
Getting help from a trusted agency allows you to set your requirements and expectations. It saves you time and energy so you won’t have headaches scanning for dozens of profiles looking for the best person for your project.
Unlike hiring a freelancer, agencies consisting of marketing teams can better assess your project and guide you through. They know what needs to be done and recommend the best course of action for your projects.
Some even provide dedicated freelancers that match your needs. There are affordable agency services that you can easily book, without the hassle, and they can help you to get the job done on time.
Tips for Hiring Freelancers on Your Team
1. Start With 1 or 2 Freelancers
We highly suggest that you slowly build the freelancer arm of your team slowly. Starting with 1 or 2 freelancers can help you get into the groove of working with freelancers.
If you are used to having your staff in-house, it will take some time to learn how to work with freelance staff. Freelancers usually answer to different clients even at the same time. So it will help to have some understanding if they can’t answer immediately or within the day.
It takes around a few months to a year to fully know a freelancer, and for them to know about your company.
So starting off with 1 or 2 will greatly help you and your in-house staff navigate working with freelancers.
2. Establish Your Communication
When you are managing a team with freelancers, communication is very important. We suggest you determine which communication platforms you will use.
It is okay to use social media messaging apps like Viber, Whatsapp, Messenger, or Telegram for fast communication, but it is best to communicate via professional channels. These can be emails, collaboration apps like Slack, Microsoft Teams, or Google Meet, or project management tools like Monday.com, Trello, or Asana.
It is also beneficial to set alignment calls that are kept short. Getting your team and your freelancers on the same page prevents your deadlines and targets from going haywire.
3. Encourage Collaboration and Use of Workflows
Your in-house and freelance staff should be able to collaborate well. They should also be on the same page for effective operations. That’s why it is important for freelancers to have a holistic understanding of the company. This helps them deliver what is needed by the company.
You can facilitate this by keeping the freelancers in the loop and operating with workflows that are clear to your team. Doing so will help the team function like a well-oiled machine.
Collaboration and exchange of ideas among your staff can help churn new ideas and can even lead to innovation. Setting sessions for collaborative work and brainstorming is a great way to encourage and cultivate collaboration.
4. Treat Them as Part of The Team
Freelancers are as much a part of your team as your in-house members. Include them in meetings and team socials. Letting them in on these company activities helps them understand the company, its goals, what it stands for, and its branding.
Anyone who works for you should be on the same page as you and have a clear understanding of your company. Including them in activities also helps build rapport between your in-house staff and your freelance staff.