Take the Mystery Out of Hiring Freelancers with Work Samples
When you’re hiring freelancers, it can be difficult to tell what each candidate's skills actually are when all you have to go off of is their resume and a cover letter. After all, they can put anything they want on it. And just because they’ve done something doesn’t necessarily mean they’re all that good at it.
So, to break through these very real barriers during the freelancer hiring process, I started using work samples to screen candidates — and I haven’t looked back.
In fact, I believe so much in them that I’m sharing all about how you can implement work samples into your process next time you’re hiring a freelancer.
What is a work sample?
Essentially, a work sample involves asking candidates to complete a very small project so that you can see how their skills will translate to your position and your business.
I started asking candidates for work samples in 2017 because I was interviewing far too many candidates. At one point, I conducted 12 interviews for one job because I couldn’t tell who to talk to… all of the resumes and cover letters were so good!
Work samples remove the reliance on resumes and cover letters to identify the best fit. When you ask for a work sample, you will get a much better idea if the candidate is going to be a good fit for you.
What is the difference between a work sample and a work trial?
The main difference between a work sample and a work trial is that a work trial happens much further into the hiring process — and it involves having the top one or two candidates complete a bigger project.
Work samples, on the other hand, are best conducted before the interviews. And because it’s such a small project, you can ask the top 5 to 10 candidates to participate.
Another distinction between work samples and work trials is that work samples are usually for a small flat fee, such as $20. And a work trial is usually at the freelancer’s full rate or with a slight discount, such as 20% off.
Finally, work trials are also for a longer period of time, such as a couple of weeks to a couple of months. While they are a great way to try out a freelancer to see if they would be a good fit for longer-term projects, they aren’t super helpful when it comes to deciding whom to interview.
Keep in mind, you can still offer a work trial to the top candidate even if you ask for a work sample. In fact, I recommend starting off new working relationships with freelancers with a trial.
Should you ask for a work sample when hiring a freelancer?
For most freelance positions, it’s a good idea to ask for a work sample from the top candidates because freelancers are specialists. By that, I mean you are looking for someone who has a specialized skill set.
Adding a work sample is a simple way to cut through what is on the resume and find out if the candidate has the skills they claim to have.
There are also a few secondary benefits to asking for a work sample.
For one, asking for a work sample before you conduct interviews helps you filter through the applicants and see who’s qualified, based on their work, to interview.
You also have an opportunity to see each candidate’s communication style… Did they ask questions? Did they respond to your request? Did they include any additional comments when they submitted their assignment?
You can also get a read on how reliable the candidates are. If a candidate didn’t meet your deadline and didn’t communicate that they needed an extension, chances are good they may not be the best fit for you. It’s likely they don’t have the capacity for another client.
Additionally, work samples give you the opportunity to see the level of attention to detail the candidates have. If a candidate doesn’t include a component of the assignment, consider whether you want to be tracking your team member down for unfinished details. If not, they probably aren’t the best fit for you.
Finally, conducting a work sample provides a way to see whether a candidate will go above and beyond. Every time I have recruited a social media manager for a client, there are usually a couple of candidates who add some comments on the hashtag strategy or share a few recommendations for expanding reach that my client isn’t currently doing. Those candidates are always worth interviews.
How do you ask candidates for a work sample?
Make sure the work sample is relevant to the position you’re hiring. It wouldn’t make sense to have a writer design pins in Canva, but it would be relevant to have them do a bit of writing and editing.
Aim for an activity that would take about 15 to 20 minutes to complete. Remember, you aren’t paying them for this work, and you can’t use what they produce unless you pay them.
Tips for Conducting a Work Sample
If you’re ready to start implementing work samples in your freelancer hiring process, here are my top tips for you:
Keep work sample instructions simple and detailed.
Remember that the freelancers haven’t worked with you before, so you may need to give them more information than you would once you’ve worked with them.
Overly complicated assignments will decrease the number of candidates willing to participate.
Finally, make sure the work sample is relevant to the position.
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