How To Find the Right Freelancer for Your New Project

[Brian McDaniel]

So, you’re thinking about hiring a freelancer to build your website or write your copy or design your new logo, but you don’t know what qualities or skills you should be looking for.

Sorting through job boards, posting ads on Craigslist, or just crying out for help on Twitter does not sound appealing, productive, or promising. Still, your desire to invest in and partner with an individual instead of possibly spending money with a corporation and becoming just another account in a file cabinet drawer is enough motivation to cause you to consider diving into the freelancing fray.

There you sit, on the precipice of the unknown, and you wonder how to start. Well, today is your lucky day! This post is about how you can define your project in ways that will enable you to connect with the right freelancer for the job, along with some important qualities you should be looking for in the person you eventually decide upon.

Clearly Explain Your Project​

When you are posting an ad or sending out a request for a proposal, it is helpful to the potential freelancer for you to give as much information as possible about your project. A vague job posting that reads something like “I need a new website built with a few pages and Flash” is only going to attract the same quality of responses.

Before you begin your search, write down a detailed explanation of your project. Start with your “why”.

• Why are you starting this project?
• Why is it important to you?
• Why do you want to hire a freelancer?

Next, write out your short-term and long-term vision and dreams for the project. One of the benefits of finding the right freelancer for the job is that an individual has the very real potential of embracing and partnering with you in your passion for the project. If you can share the elements that excite you in a way that others can clearly understand, there is a better chance of not only finding a qualified person, but one who catches your vision and even contributes to it in ways you never imagined.

Third, be realistic about your budget and include it, if at all possible. No one wins in the haggling game. It usually is just a waste of time for everyone involved. Initially keeping your budget a mystery is a surefire way to lengthen your search time. A good freelancer will have a clear definition of their fees and what they are willing to do for how much, and most will tell you up front. You will save your own time as well as theirs if you make it clear from the beginning how much you are willing to spend. This will weed out those freelancers who do not fit into your budget and attract those who will.

Next, write down any specifics about the project that will help the potential freelancer understand what you are setting out to accomplish. Obviously, you are hiring someone to do a job you cannot do yourself, so you may not know every aspect of what is involved. Do your best to explain the functionality and goals that you want so that qualified individuals will be able to align their own skills with what you want to achieve. For instance, you may not know the coding aspects of an e-commerce website, but you can explain the experience you want your visitors to have when they shop online. The freelance web designer should be able to determine if they are capable of creating the type of website you desire. Rather than give a vague statement about wanting an online store, which will broaden the amount of potentially unqualified responses you will receive, give as many specifics as you can think of.

Now take your written overview and create your ad and/or RFP. Keep in mind that the more clearly you state your needs the more likely you are to find the right freelancer and avoid wasting anyone’s time having to explain it further to someone who cannot complete the job in the first place.

Determine Your Ideal Freelancer’s Qualities​

These qualities can be included in your posting, but more importantly you need to have a clear picture of who you are looking for when you start your search. Equipping yourself with this will provide a filter that will help you eliminate unwanted applicants and identify true potential candidates. Some key elements may be:

• Skills necessary to complete the job
• References and/or testimonials from past clients
• Portfolio of previous work
• Years in business in the field
• Successful track record

Some other possibly less obvious qualities should include:

• Strong communication skills–do they respond to your emails and phone calls in a timely manner?
• Personable and personal service–do they treat you like “just another customer” or do they make you feel like they appreciate your business, are excited about your project and want to give you the best possible service and product imaginable?
• Personal Respect–do they treat you with respect when they communicate with you or do they act like you have no idea what you’re doing and you should just let them do their job?
• Professional approach–do they carry themselves and manage their business interactions in a professional manner or do you get the impression that they do this type of work on the side and don’t take it very seriously?

Armed with an understanding of the qualities that are important to you is similar to hiring an employee with a job description in hand. However, one of the key benefits of hiring the right freelancer can be the personal touches your project and its process receives that a standard employee or corporation usually don’t provide. I encourage you to take full advantage of the possibilities!

Partner with Passion​

My favorite client experiences have been with those who have an undeniable passion for their project and have endeavored to find a freelancer who will embrace and share that fire with them. In the end, this willingness to approach the hiring process as a “partnership” opens the door to the fullest potential of all of the benefits that hiring the right freelancer can have.

I’m not talking about partnership in the business sense of the term. I’m suggesting that you let go of the concept of freelancer and client, or employer and employee, and instead strive to link arms with someone who not only “gets” what you’re trying to do, but has caught the fire of your vision and wants to contribute to its fulfillment. This is something very few corporations can offer, but it could turn out to be the most beneficial aspect of finding the right person for your project.

If your chosen freelancer is also your partner in passion for your project, they will go above and beyond the call of duty. They will want the very best of all possibilities and will pursue it with vigor. They will offer suggestions and ideas you may not have thought of or understood, and they will become active contributors to making your project all that it can be. I have been in these types of situations and everyone wins. What could be better?

Lock and Load​

While not exhaustive, these tips are some of the primary keys that will help you find the right freelancer for your project. As a freelancer, I know they are helpful for me when I am approached by or searching for potential clients. Add them to your arsenal before you start your search, then lock and load. Don’t settle for anything less than your project deserves and you will be more than satisfied with the final results–possibly even ecstatic.

If you are currently or have previously been searching for a freelancer, what are some other thoughts or suggestions you could add? If you are a freelancer, what are key elements that you could share to help those who are hiring make the process easier for everyone? Be sure to enlighten us all in the comments below.