Top 5 Tips For Working With Freelancers

Nowadays it is almost impossible to run a successful online business (especially if you are just starting out) without hiring freelancers. Hiring full-time employees tend to become too much hassle and to be honest, it’s expensive. This is exactly when freelancers come in handy. But there are several things to know before you start hiring them.

1. Define assignments and schedule clearly

Working with freelancers tends to get overwhelming at times. Especially when the deadline is approaching and you didn’t receive what you paid for. This is why it is extremely important to define assignments clearly. If your freelancers don’t know what they need to do, how will they be able to complete their tasks? Keep your explanations short and to the point, avoid any ambiguity.

Equally important is making sure that your freelancers know when the deadline to complete the project is. You don’t want them working on something for weeks or even months only because you didn’t set a deadline for its completion.

2. Set a budget

Importance of setting a budget cannot be stressed enough. Freelancers usually have a set rate for each project so your budget will determine what kind of freelancers you will hire. Usually, the better the freelancers are, the higher their rates are. That’s why it’s important to set a clear budget so you can figure out who you can hire. So don’t set it too high in the beginning, and don’t set it too low as well. Experiment until you find your ideal price range.

3. Be a leader

Being a good manager is often not enough. You have to be a leader. People have to look up to you. If you have a whole group of freelancers that have to work together, it can be a challenging task to make them a true team and not just a group of individuals. Turning managers into leaders is an important task that every manager has to complete before even thinking about managing a group of freelancers. And from that moment on – everything is a lot easier.

4. Manage freelancers like remote workers

One issue that a lot of managers face is the fact that they aren’t informed about the progress of the tasks. And a solution to this problem is a rather easy one. Just think of your freelancers as remote workers. Communicate effectively, set tasks and deadlines and you will be good to go. If you feel like you need more control over your freelancers, then just use one of many online Project Management tools or time-tracking ones. It will make your life a lot easier.

5. Learn from past mistakes

Let’s face it – there will be a lot of mistakes. Don’t worry, it’s a process everyone has to go through. Every mistake you make will work as a lesson. But if you do notice that some mistakes keep appearing, just search for various online learning opportunities that can help you not make these mistakes again.

Working with freelancers is not always easy, but can be fun. You will not waste money and time on finding the right employees, and you can hire them when you need them.

What do you think about hiring freelancers? Share your views with us!