If it’s your first time around, hiring a freelancer can be stressful. You may not know what to look for or where. You might not know how to work with someone you can’t monitor as closely.
You also have to make sure that you don’t get swindled out of your money. Make the wrong choice and you could not only lose money but put your business’s integrity in jeopardy as well. Let’s take a look at some crucial mistakes people make when hiring freelance workers.
Searching Only when You’re in Need
One of the biggest mistakes you can make when hiring a freelancer is only to start looking when there’s an emergency. You’ll most likely end up agreeing to work with someone you don’t know and entrusting them with very important tasks. And if they don’t deliver, you have to go through the same process all over again, and there’s no guarantee that the next one will be any better. This means money and time wasted, as well as potential deadlines missed.
You want to start searching for freelancers way before you see issues creeping up. You want to have a shortlist of people you can count on and have the time to give them test projects to see how they perform. This will also give you the chance to know them personally a little bit more.
Going at it Alone
There’s absolutely no need to start searching for a freelancer blind. Instead, you should consider working with a head-hunting agency that will find the perfect candidate for you. Firms like The Hunt are a great example. Firms like these will take the time to vet candidates thoroughly and this one in particular works by invite only. This means you won’t have to spend much time testing candidates and find someone tailor-made for whatever job you were thinking about.
Neglecting Payments
Whatever you do, you have to make sure that you respect your freelancers’ time and work. This means that you have to respect payment schedules to the letter. Freelancers often rely on these payments to live, and having them waiting in uncertainty can be nerve-wracking to them. Don’t be neglectful, and understand that it’s their livelihood that we’re talking about.
Expecting them to be as Passionate as You
You may wish the freelancer you work with to share your passion for the project or your vision. But remember that these are hired guns. They are not in there to get attached to projects. You are hiring them to do a specific job for you and go away. So, you can’t expect them to have the same level of excitation as you do. Make sure that they are at least trying to understand your expectations and are engaged, but don’t ask for too much.
Conclusion
Make sure that you avoid these mistakes at all costs when working with freelance writers. They can be a valuable supplement to your team, as long as you understand their limits and have realistic expectations.
