Freelancers can be exceptionally useful to sole traders and small business owners. Hiring freelancers can give your business access to experts, or to people with the skills that you need to get specific tasks done. It can be significantly cheaper than hiring permanent staff, and gives you the flexibility to only pay for the work done, and only when you need and can afford it.

Freelancers often work productively, as they only take work when they need it and are keen to build a positive reputation and secure long term clients. They might bring fresh ideas to your business and prove to be useful connections in the future. One of the most significant benefits, however, is that it gives you time. Hiring freelancers to take on the work that you don’t have time for, don’t have the expertise to do well, or isn’t as important as some of the other things on your to-do list, means that you can focus on the things that need you. Or even that you can take a break. Freelancers can reduce your stress levels and boost your business at the same time.

But, as freelancers become more widely appreciated, and more work is made available to them, more people start working this way. More freelancers are looking for work than ever before. Some have their own websites and spend time finding clients. Others work through freelance sites and agencies. This can make finding the right freelancer for your business very difficult. Here are some tips to help you.

Look at Other Outsourcing Options

Freelancers are great, but it’s important to remember that they aren’t your only outsourcing option. Sometimes you need a more permanent solution. Outsourcing specific work to other companies and using strategic IT staffing is sometimes more effective and cost-efficient than hiring freelancers to tackle one job at a time.

Ask for Recommendations

When you hire a freelancer, you are trusting someone else with a part of your company. You won’t want to give this trust to just anyone. A great way to find the right person is to ask other business owners that you know for recommendations. Ask people who they’ve worked with, and how it went.

Keep Your Budget in Mind

Freelancers can vastly vary in price. Typically more experienced and skilled workers will charge more than new freelancers or those with little experience in their field. Keep your budget in mind when looking for someone, and if you are tempted to go over, make sure the results will be worth the expense.

Issue a Detailed Job Description

It’s easier to find the right person for your job if you are clear about what that job is. When looking for a freelancer, make sure you advertise or issue a detailed description of the work so that they know if they can do it before wasting your time and theirs.

Interview

Hiring a freelancer is the same as hiring any other member of staff. Feel free to interview candidates, making sure they’ve understood what you want, you can build a positive working relationship, and they’ve got the skills that you need.