Freelancers now play an integral role in the world of business, and you’ll be hard-pressed to find a company that doesn’t work with freelancers from time to time. If you haven’t worked with one yet because of apprehension, this is understandable. Working with someone you never worked with before can be scary, especially when it is an important project.
However, if you manage to avoid some crucial mistakes, working with freelancers becomes easier, and you have a greater chance of getting the exact results you wanted. Here are some of the mistakes you should avoid at all costs when working with freelancers.
Hiring at the Last Minute
The absolute worst time to hire a freelancer is when you have an emergency. You also don’t want your first project with a freelancer to be an important job with a short deadline.
No matter how good their profile or portfolio is, you have no idea how they will react to this job and how well they will perform. You might also find out that your styles don’t really match. This is why you should start looking for freelancers early and have a list of people you can contact if you need any work done.
Not Using Test Jobs
There is no reason to trust a freelancer straight into a big job the first time you hire them. Sometimes, it pays to hire them for a test job first, even if you have to pay. You could put them on a personal job that doesn’t have a deadline, for instance. This way, you’ll be able to see exactly what you can expect from them in terms of quality, and you’ll also be able to check how well you mesh with each other.
Going for the Absolute Cheapest Provider
If you hire cheap work, expect cheap results. While there are some great people out there who may be starting and will be willing to settle for less, these are few and far between. However, you shouldn’t make the mistake of assuming that more expensive automatically means better either. Freelancers can pretty much charge whatever they want, so you’ll have to see the quality of their work first before you assume anything.
Not Being Clear
This is one of the most crucial mistakes when dealing with a freelancer. Being vague with your objectives is a sure-fire way to get exactly what you don’t want. You can’t expect freelancers to toss the whole project away because you didn’t provide clear instructions. You should also be wary of freelancers who don’t ask questions when taking on projects. The more questions they ask, the more likely the final product will fit your expectations, and there will be less need for revisions.
Hiring a freelancer is not something you do on a whim. You have to make sure that you have a thorough vetting process, and make sure that you steer away from these mistakes if you want to avoid issues.
