7 Steps Hiring Guide For Freelance Marketplaces
Predefining a hiring strategy is very important for the acquisition of the best freelance talent. A single bad hire in your team can cost you much in terms of time and money.
Upwork and Fiverr are the two best-rated freelance platforms for remote hiring and outsourcing of projects.
Follow the below seven steps of the hiring guide to spotting the most suitable remote talent.
Hiring Strategy For Freelance Marketplaces
Define Your Need
Before reaching a freelancer, you must know your demands. Just skills are not enough to deliver quality work on assigned deadlines.
Other factors like communication skills, research understanding, creativity, work ethics, hands-on experience, and personality also are significant.
Discuss with your team about the vacant position and make the list of requirements in the form of bullet points.
- Job Title
- Job Description
- Job Details
- Qualification and Skills
- Salary and Compensation
- Company Details
Short List Most Suitable Candidates
Go to the search bar of Fiverr/Upwork or any other desired freelance marketplace and search your query.
Their algorithm will bring the best talent to the top of the search results. Just overlook and open matching profiles in new tabs.
At least shortlist 5 to 10 profiles that match your requirements. Then save these profile links in your Google docs, word, or excel file.
Analyze Freelancer Profile
Once shortlisted, it is time to analyze the profiles one by one. First, read their profile descriptions, client feedback, pricing, and skills, and view their portfolio.
During this process, match the freelancer’s abilities with the specification list you predefined.
Then, finalize two or three profiles for the further screening process.
Go Through the Portfolio
The candidate portfolio is the best way to evaluate suitability. If the portfolio is missing, ask your candidate to furnish it.
Then, review the portfolio in the next step and confirm whether it is valid or fake. In some cases, you can communicate with recent clients regarding their experience with that freelancer.
Ask more questions about the portfolio and observe its relevance.
Assign Test Task/Project
Another essential part of the remote hiring guide is testing individual skills by viewing samples and assigning the test tasks.
Give your candidates assignments that can be paid or free in some cases.
Some freelancers offer free mock-ups. Analyze the results and then step ahead. It is better to lose a tiny amount in test projects to circumvent a bad hire.
Plan a Digital Interview
Only a freelancer profile review is not adequate for long-term hires. You must arrange an interview with the finalized freelancers via Zoom, Google, Skype, or other suitable platforms.
Ask questions about interests, availability, and work strategy. Share all project details and requirements to clarify them in the beginning.
Then, pick the best candidate from the interview score. Upwork and Fiverr both have added video call options to their communication channels.
We prefer to utilize the built-in alternatives instead of relying on a third party.
Trace the Flow
It is not enough to hire the best talent, continuous tracking is essential for achieving good results. Establish a daily or weekly communication schedule to discuss the project’s progress.
If you are using any project management tool, then add new hires to it. Don’t leave everything to them.
We prefer to use freelance platform project management and communication tools to record conversations and job progress. This will help in dispute resolution.
Conclusion
Hiring individuals from freelance marketplaces can be a cost-effective and time-saving practice. But it comes with several challenges.
Anything can happen at a loose end, so be very careful and practical in this process.
A hiring guide assists in determining the prerequisites and essentials of remote hiring.
The above 7-step hiring guide was practically implemented and gained excellent outcomes.
