When done right, hiring a freelancer is one of the best ways to take control of your schedule and grow your business. But like any time you try something new, it\u2019s easy to take some missteps the first time around. Here are the most common first-time employer mistakes, and some tips for getting the most out of the experience.<\/p>\n
The only way to attract the right freelancer is to set reasonable and clear expectations from the very start. You can\u2019t do this if you refuse to give any specifics about your job! Before you even start looking for freelancers, pinpoint exactly what it is you want. What do you want them to do? How fast do you need it? What specific skills and industry knowledge are required? And don\u2019t forget your budget \u2013 will it allow for the best of the best, or are you simply looking for someone who can get the job done?<\/p>\n
Automatically hiring the freelancer with the cheapest rate is a recipe for disaster. Assess each freelancer\u2019s portfolio, profile and ratings as well as their quote. Newbies tend to charge cheaper rates to score more jobs because they are trying to boost their reputation. If you find a newbie with a portfolio that impresses you, go for it! But if your job requires finesse or specific expertise, you may need to hire a more experienced guru at a higher rate. This generally pays off in the long run in terms of turnaround time and the end result.<\/p>\n
If you find you aren\u2019t getting the quotes you want, make sure you aren\u2019t making some of these common job posting mistakes.<\/p>\n
Different types of industries all have different conventions around hiring. For example, a copywriter will probably ask you for a creative brief, or a short explanation of what you want, your customer avatar, and information about your branding. If you\u2019re not sure what you should be sending the person you want to hire, ask them or ask the Guru community! By giving a freelancer what they need in the proper format, you\u2019re greatly increasing the chances that you\u2019ll get what you want.<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t try to outsource something very important on a short deadline. You need to allow enough time for any revisions that need to be made, and besides, you never create the best work leaving it till the last minute.<\/p>\n
Nothing says you have to stick with the first person you outsource a job to. If you\u2019re not 100% happy with the work or a freelancer\u2019s attitude or communication, then you can and should look for someone else, even if you are in the middle of a project. You may have to pay for the work that has already been delivered, but sometimes it\u2019s better to cut your losses to move forward with a freelancer who will bring you more value long-term.<\/p>\n
When you first start talking to a freelancer, pay attention to how promptly they respond. Do they seem to proactively offer information on related topics when you ask a question? Do they answer all of your questions, or only the first one? The last thing you want is to work with a freelancer who is unavailable when you have a question. Look for the red flags from the beginning, and establish your expectations in your agreement, where you can request updates from a freelancer at set intervals.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s never a good idea to pay a freelancer up front when you\u2019re hiring them for the first time. There are just too many things that can go wrong, from simple misunderstandings to outright misrepresentation. Once you\u2019ve paid a guru, your money is with them and there is nothing we can do to help get it back. Instead, protect yourself by asking your freelancer to create an agreement, and fund upcoming hours or milestones using SafePay. This gives your freelancer the assurance that you plan on paying them, and you can rest easy knowing that your money will be paid to them only after you approve the work. In the case of a dispute you can request a refund of SafePay funds and use our arbitration services, if needed.<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t be afraid to hire freelancers. But do be smart about it, and reach out if you need help! If you have any questions or concerns about how to outsource your job, let us know in the comments.<\/p>\n
You can also learn more about outsourcing 101 and how to simplify the hiring process in the Help Center.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
When done right, hiring a freelancer is one of the best ways to take control of your schedule and grow your business. But like any time you try something new, it\u2019s easy to take some missteps the first time around. Here are the most common first-time employer mistakes, and some tips for getting the most<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":13303,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[26],"tags":[339,435,436,354,389,332],"class_list":{"0":"post-10848","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-employer","8":"tag-communication","9":"tag-find-freelancers","10":"tag-hiring","11":"tag-job-posts","12":"tag-payments","13":"tag-skills"},"yoast_head":"\n