Finding the perfect remote freelancer

How do you determine if the candidate is the perfect freelancer for the company? Upwork, PeoplePerHour (longest running freelance service in the United Kingdom), Fiverr, and Worksome (UK based network for elite freelance jobs) are some of the most popular platforms to find freelancers and fill contractual jobs. It is not surprising that there are 2 million freelancers recorded in the UK, especially now that the pandemic has forced companies to limit physical work because of the 2019 Coronavirus threat – people are shifting to remote work and/or people are in need of job because of the economic crisis brought by the pandemic. 

The freelance sites have profiles, reputational scores and information about the workers all combined into one place. Read through profiles and references in a detailed manner, so that you get a good understanding of the person.

With millions of freelancers online across the world, how could a Human Resource (HR) Department find the right freelancer for the job they needed? In this article, we will give a few tips on how to interview and evaluate freelancers even on the digital platforms, and when you do not see them face to face.  

  1. BE DETAILED IN JOB DESCRIPTION – to attract the right people, you should be able to clearly define what you are looking for and expecting from any interested candidates. Don’t simply ask for someone who has technical skills but go for a concise job description and a detailed application process including some tests like setting up a Google Form, ability to use word processors, video editing software, or whatever it is close to the work you are intended to assign. 
  1. FOCUS ON COMMUNICATION SKILLS – in any job, good communication is important. So make sure to pay close attention on how a freelancer communicates with you. Especially considering that you don’t get much time to spend with them to clarify instructions and monitor their work, thus, it is important that you look for candidates who emphasize communication skills on their CV or candidates who respond fast and clearly to your emails during the application process. 
  1. DEAL WITH SOMEONE DISCIPLINED – during the interview process you may ask candidates how they handle their time and see if their response meets your standards. One problem with freelancing is procrastination as employees have the will to do work whenever and wherever they please. For that reason, you should observe how someone deals with a work situation, and if they have good resources at home for work. Their portfolio might be a useful tool to get to know them too.

Please share our hub with the world!