If you read my article about pricing for freelance, as a business owner, you may be wondering what YOU have to do to hire a freelancer. How much should you pay them? What deadlines are “realistic” to set for your projects? What is quality work?
I will try to answer those questions and highlight some sites where you can find freelancers. If you have questions, let’s talk. Leave a comment!
What do you have to do to hire a freelancer?
Step One:
Post your job. You can use Elance.com, FreelancerRatings.com, Guru.com and iFreelance.com. You also may want to consider using a temporary agency, Craigslist, or advertise on social media. Remember, when posting your job, you have total control over the END product. A good rule of thumb is that you have control over the results and not the means to get there.
Step Two:
Make sure you are not advertising the work of an actual employee. This can be bad news. You could run the risk of hiring someone who isn’t invested in your vision, who you have to constantly reteach about what your business is all about, and it can be bad for your taxes. “Misclassification Penalty: If you make an error in classifying an employee as an independent contractor, you will be liable for employment tax, interest, and a penalty. Use caution and keep current with the legalities.”
Step Three:
Write up a contract. This must label exactly what your freelancer will be doing. Outline the wages, deadlines and duties to the point of excruciating detail. If you mess up this process, you can run into legal trouble. “The government leaves it up to the employer to determine who qualifies as a full-time worker. Independent contractors must meet certain criteria to demonstrate their independent status.”
Step Four:
Make them sign a non-disclosure agreement, so all your work is free from exploitation or duplication.
Step Five:
Pay them first. The money exchange and contracts should be signed BEFORE they actually do any work. Or, pay them some at first and pay them the rest when you are happy with the work.
How much should you pay them?
In your job listing, outline what you are going to pay them. They can accept that price by applying for the work. Do not lower your prices after you sign them on because this is another way to have legal issues. If they do a good job, tip them. Believe me, it is a lot easier to stick with one freelancer than to get many. It’s hard to find the right one, and you will have to constantly retrain them.
What is quality work?
Quality work is anything you are happy with. In the end, it is your fault if the outcome doesn’t turn out how you want it to. You are able to tell them to redo the project. If you don’t like something, don’t accept it until it is perfect for you. Like I said earlier, you are in charge of the final draft, and they are responsible for getting there. Don’t worry about making people mad. This is YOUR business.
