What To Look For In A Freelancer As A Business Owner

 2019-12-1

As a startup, have you ever felt the need to get assistance? Where the work and effort you put in grows tiresome as the days go by? Startups like you, lack the funds to hire full-time people, that’s when freelancers come in. They are the extra help you can get, that isn’t too tight on the budget. Admittedly, we claim to accomplish things on our own, without the need or assistance from anyone.

Of course, you can’t just get anyone to help you, they would need to have a gist of what you are trying to achieve and how you would want to achieve it. Hiring freelancers may be a tedious process, however, the first step is knowing the qualities of a freelancer that you would need.

Here are 5 of the top qualities of what you need to look for in a freelancer:

1. They have great communication skills

Freelancers work virtually/remotely with their clients, therefore communication would play a vital role in terms of scope and responsibilities needed. As a startup, you wouldn’t want to invest a tremendous amount of time just trying to translate the job you want to be done, freelancers must be well versed in the language of their choice. One thing we also try to avoid is losing the idea/concept during a transaction.

Some businesses even maximize the use of channels and applications that cater to online conversations. You may track previous discussions and even schedule business meetings via call. The majority of big companies require employees to have a strong command of the English language since it is universal and may favor both parties.

2. They can work independently

Your freelancers can go through training that you have planned out, however, this would consume a lot of your time. Some employers have already made videos of the training and even have them in writing for their employees to digest on their own. The freelancer you plan to hire, should be capable of learning on their own because they do work virtually/remotely.

This not only makes training quicker, but this may also test the capabilities of your employees to the extent that they would only need minimal supervision. It may also be a venue for the freelancer to explore the product and project plan that your business has to offer. They may even have a better outlook since they wouldn’t be constrained with the ideas already embodied by your vision. Providing a fresh perspective to your startup.

3. They religiously stick to the deadline

Deadlines are always a pain, especially if you have a schema at hand. As you project the growth and success of your startup/business, the least you would want is for your freelancers to drag you down. Providing constant reminders weeks after a task was due is never a pretty picture, and wouldn’t look good for the image of your product.

Freelancers should stick to the calendars provided to them, and during the interviews, you must already have a grasp of their work ethics given the responsibilities.

4. Hire them from reliable platforms

The majority of startups are doubtful in hiring people online, you would always have to check if the freelancers you look for are honest and reliable. It’s one of the most important aspect of what you need to look for in a freelancer. This can be done through simple background checks and looking for them on websites that provide only the best.

You can research through thousands of websites that have reviews on people that have applied in their pages and create a shortlist from that. Do note immediately hire them, check on what they have to offer and if they share the same ideas and perspectives as you. From then, make the choice that would benefit your business.

These qualities are only examples of what to look for in a freelancer. Put them through a series of tests and interviews before you accept them to view their capabilities and experience for the role. Talking to them also helps in line with a personal touch in the interview process.