What You Didn’t Know About Hiring Freelancers
The burning question on every entrepreneur’s mind: Where do you find GOOD freelancers?
The last time I was on the Eat Blog Talk podcast, Megan asked me this same question. And I remember mentioning how much I love freelancing platforms because you have a captive audience of freelancers who you already know have capacity for a new client. (They wouldn’t be on there if they didn’t.)
But, those sites also have their drawbacks, especially that they tend to be expensive… for you, for the freelancer or for both.
I’ve continued to refine my approach to hiring (because I’m always doing that), and what I discovered is that you can find good freelancers anywhere. You can find them in Facebook groups, via LinkedIn, on freelancing platforms like Upwork and Fiverr, through industry-specific associations… just to name a few.
I was super excited to return to Eat Blog Talk for an episode that aired on August 6th to talk about why bloggers should be focusing less on where to find freelancers, and what to do instead.
Tune into the episode here, plus keep reading for notes on what we covered in our discussion below!
3 things to keep in mind when hiring freelancers
I’ve found: It’s not about WHERE you look as much as it is about HOW you find them.
Testing and refining my hiring process over the past five years has involved a lot of research on high-performing freelancers. And what I’ve learned is that you can't hire the best talent if they don't apply to the job posting.
There are several components to consider when you initiate your hiring process to attract the best freelancers:
1. Hiring Tip: Think of hiring like a marketing campaign.
While employees are looking for stability, a freelancer’s mindset involves freedom and flexibility. They are business owners just like you and like to have variety.
Be professional of course. But also show your personality. Why would they want to work with you? Including a bit about yourself helps your job posting stand out and attract people to your posting.
I usually include things like my personality, my Enneagram and some favorite books, movies or TV shows.
2. Mindset Tip: The best freelancers don’t apply to everything.
The talented, reliable, high-performing ones are very selective about which positions they apply for.
Putting together a stellar application takes time and energy, and freelancers know the odds are always low that they get the position. You only have one opening, and you might have 20, 30 or 40 applicants (especially if you’re using my job posting formula).
3. Job Posting Tip: Clear role definition is a requirement.
Freelancers read a lot of job postings and can tell which ones are clear vs. which ones don’t know what they need or expect one freelancer to take on five jobs.
The key is to write a detailed job posting because they avoid anything that's vague. The list of responsibilities and qualifications are where they are focusing the most and asking themselves if the role sounds like them.
Consider these 5 questions as you develop your job posting.
To have a detailed job description that attracts high-caliber freelancers, be sure your job posting can answer these questions:
What are you looking for at a high level?
What would the freelancer do for you?
What kind of experience would your ideal freelancer have?
Why would they want to work with you?
What should freelancers do to apply?
Additional resources for hiring:
If you’re looking for some extra support, check out the following resources:
5 Things No One Tells You About Hiring Freelancers: Hiring as entrepreneurs doesn’t come with a rulebook, and it looks a whole lot different than hiring in the corporate world. My free mini-course covers what you need to know (and what might surprise you) about hiring freelancers.
The Hiring Fix: Finding freelancers isn’t about where you look but how to find them. And, The Hiring Fix digital course contains the complete blueprint for finding your next team member.
5 Reasons Finding Your Perfect Hire Starts with a Great Job Posting: You could be the best manager in the world, but if you don’t have great talent applying for your open position, it’s not going to matter. Attracting the RIGHT people to your job begins with drafting a job posting that’s compelling, detailed and shows applicants exactly what type of job it is. This article explains why a great job posting is so important in more detail.
Job posting template: Learn the secrets of an attractive job posting and write one using my formula so you attract high-quality applicants with this simple template.
And don’t forget to tune into the episode to catch our full conversation about hiring and how to really find the best freelancers.
Whether you already have a team or have never hired in your life, you’ll feel more confident than ever to bring on your next team member with ease, whenever it’s the right time to hire.
