What to Consider Before Hiring a Freelancer

By Rob Toledo

Whether you're looking to overhaul your website or you need some fresh ideas for a content marketing campaign, hiring a freelancer can be a great way to go. Freelancers as a whole tend to be less expensive than their in-house counterparts — namely, because you don't have to pay benefits and because you can hire them as needed. This is especially important for creative work, which may be crucial to the success of your company, even if you don't have a sustained need for it. In fact, you can often tell you have a successful relationship with a freelancer when they become your go-to source. Just give them a ring, and they're ready to go.

But getting to that point won't just magically happen. While there are plenty of freelancers advertising themselves on countless job boards across the Web, they vary widely in quality — not just in terms of the work in question, but also in terms of their organizational skills. No amount of talent will be worth much to you, after all, if your freelancer gums up your work by routinely missing deadlines.

So, how can you make sure you're finding the right freelancer for you? Here are a few important things to consider.

1. Have a clear project brief

The first step in hiring a freelancer actually has nothing to do with the freelancer at all. It involves getting your own priorities clear — or at least as clear as they can be. There's a big difference, for example, between knowing that you want a new website and knowing that you want a WordPress site that your marketing team can more easily edit in-house once it's been built. Knowing this, as well as having a few ideas about how you'd like your new site to look and feel, and what your budget range and timeline might be, will be a great boon to help you evaluate potential candidates for the right skills.

That said, don't let this totally intimidate you. The freelancer is the true expert and should be able to help you set some of your goals as you work on a project together. Just try to have as many details as you can figured out before you start reaching out.

2. Ask for samples

The rule for samples is pretty simple: if the freelancer you're interested in can't provide them, don't hire that person. There's just no other way to determine whether or not a freelancer is right for you without actually looking at what they've done previously. On one level, this is a measure of quality assurance, as it's easy for freelancers competing for work to overstate their abilities and past experiences. On another level, even the best freelancers won't necessarily be a fit for your company or goals. Samples will help you make this determination for yourself without trusting in blind promises.

Most professional freelancers — even those just starting out — will have online portfolios to share that highlight past freelance projects or projects they did in school. The one caveat here is that many freelance content writers do a lot of ghostwritten work, so they may send you PDF files that are difficult to verify. If you have any suspicions about the work, feel free to ask the writer whether or not you can contact previous clients to confirm that they did the work. (Generally, this shouldn't be an issue.)

3. Look for reviews

In addition to contacting a freelancer's previous clients, there's also much to be gleaned from online customer feedback. This may include testimonials on the freelancer's own website, reviews left on Upwork or Thumbtack, or a recommendation on LinkedIn. While reviews can be somewhat helpful in determining a freelancer's talent, they're generally more useful for highlighting how the freelancer works — those everyday, nitty-gritty, life-work-time-management/communication skills that are so crucial when working with a professional in any context. Can they stay on budget? Do they deliver materials when they say they're going to? Do they respond promptly to client emails and phone calls? Look to the reviews to reveal all.

4. Ask key questions

Don't be afraid to grill your freelancer throughout the interview process. They should be able to clearly communicate how they work and what they can do for you -- just like you would expect any salesperson representing a bigger business to do. Some key questions to ask (particularly to writers and designers):

1. Is there a particular industry you focus on?

2. Do you have a niche design or writing approach? In other words, are you more of a blogger or a Web copywriter? Do you write white papers or lifestyle articles? (Keep in mind they may very well do all of these things; you'll just want to see evidence to confirm this in their samples).

3. For writers from whom you'll need consistent content: How much time do you typically need to meet an assignment deadline?

4. For designers: Once the website is built, how much technical support will you provide?

5. For your stated price, how many revisions will you do?

6. Does your price include research and interview time?

7. Do you know the basic principles of SEO to incorporate into your design/writing work?

8. Are you a fulltime freelancer or do you also have a day job? (Note: If you have a big project, someone with a day job may not be your best bet, as your project won't be a priority).

9. What is your upcoming schedule like? How much time will you have to devote to this process on a weekly basis? (Note that freelancers can often be on tight deadlines, so it's important to know how much time they'll have available for you at any given time).

5. Negotiate pay

Before you talk to your potential freelancer, do some research online or with other small business owners to find out what the going rate is for freelance services so you're not taken totally by surprise. Tempting as it may be to go with the cheapest person, keep in mind that they may not necessarily the best one to do the job.

The amount of money you save on someone who undercharges won't mean much if they produce subpar results. You'll just have to redo the job with someone who has more expertise. What's more, many freelancers are open to price negotiations, though those that are most in demand won't hesitate to pass you up if they've gotten an offer for a higher paying gig.

6. Establish a payment procedure

There are a number of ways to pay freelancers, and you shouldn't assume that your standard way of business will sync with the freelancer's preferred payment method. Will you deliver payment at certain benchmarks, in installments, or on a monthly basis? Will you pay per project, per hour, or by retainer? Will your freelancer bill you through their own accounting software, or will you direct deposit their check according to your own accounting procedures? Get this hashed out ahead of time so there's no confusion.

One word of warning: be wary of any freelancer who wants too much money upfront. This may be a sign they'll split before the job is done, and it also makes it more difficult to fire them should you not like the work they're delivering along the way.

7. Get your paperwork in order

A freelancer is considered an independent contractor, not a full-time employee. That means there are a few unique legalities to consider, including that you'll need to give them a W-9 to fill out before they start work and a 1099 to report their earnings at the end of the year.

It's also a good idea to provide your freelancers with a contract so there are no potentially costly misunderstandings along the way. This should detail all agreements and expectations, like pricing, all invoicing procedures, who the point of contact in your company will be, whether or not you'll have any kill fees should the project be canceled, terms for any unanticipated add-ons, and deadlines and deliverable dates.

While you'll rarely have this happen to you, some freelancers may actually have a client contract for you to sign, or they'll present you with an RFP (Request for Proposal), which will lay out all of their terms. This is actually a really good sign, as it shows that you're working with an experienced freelancer who knows all that's involved with their work.

The takeaway

With a vibrant pool of freelancers just a click of a mouse away, you're always sure to have ready access to the talent you need to make your business thrive. With these tips, you'll be sure to find the right freelancer for you.