How to hire remote freelancers
Freelancers allow your business to expand rapidly, take on bigger projects temporarily without permanently expanding your staff, and give you the protection of being able to close the contract at any time; for this to actually work, you need to be great at managing a creative team online and explicitly mention your expectations.
How much to pay a remote freelancer
I’d expect to pay 1.5x the hourly rate of the direct salary conversion if I were to hire for that role full-time.
For example, if I were to hire a mid-level, experienced editor at $70k, I’d expect to pay them (70000/52/40) = $33.60 * 1.5 = $50 per hour at a minimum, +/- more or less if they turn out to be fast and generate great results (traffic).
Keep in mind, hourly or per-project rates should be mutually agreed upon and should reflect the freelancer’s talent, experience, and quality in deliverables and ability to meet deadlines. The easier they are to work with and the better their work, the higher the rate they can command. Freelancers may demand much higher than 1 to 1 conversion of a salary to an hourly rate. This is because all payroll taxes, health insurance, tech and training falls to them, and that costs money that normally your company would pay above and beyond the salary cost of an employee on payroll.
Hiring remote freelancers is easy – and you’ll want to make sure you’re compliant legally.
How to hire the right remote freelancer
Determine your actual needs: What specific tasks or projects do you need assistance with, and what are your deadlines for completion? Typically, I must have a minimum of 3 (below that is not enough for another role – deprioritize something else) and a maximum of 5 (above that and they won’t be skilled in any of them and they won’t make a noticeable contribution) replicable tasks that contribute toward KPIs.
Write the job description: Break down those tasks into a maximum of 5 steps each. Imagine you are writing directions for someone who will be doing this for the first time, and then over and over again.
Search for freelancers: There are a number of places you can look to find freelancers, including online job boards, freelance marketplaces, and facebook or Linkedin groups. You can also ask for referrals from colleagues or other professionals in your field. Typically, I give referrals a much more stringent interview process to avoid unconscious bias. When I’m looking to hire someone fast, I usually use Upwork.
Review portfolios and resumes: Ask everyone to submit an application and answer 1 or 2 screening questions. This filters out who is really eager for the role and is more likely to show up to interview.
Interview candidates: I always try to interview because a phone conversation reveals so much. Sometimes they aren’t who they say they are, or are actually secretly working for an agency that outsources out the work to untrained people. A video interview can screen through a lot. If they don’t show up or show up on time without a good reason, politely decline their application.
Negotiate terms and rate: Once you have selected a freelancer, be sure to discuss the terms of the engagement and agree on a rate. Be clear about the scope of work, deadlines, and any other expectations you have. Make sure the agreement is mutual and they have the available time to dedicate to your project.
Get a contract in place: To protect both you and the freelancer, always get the terms of your agreement in writing. This can help to avoid misunderstandings and ensure that both parties are clear on their responsibilities. If you use a freelancer platform like Upwork, they’ll do this for you.
Communicate regularly: Good communication is key to a successful working relationship with a freelancer, even if you have to communicate asynchronously. Be sure to keep in touch and provide feedback and guidance as needed throughout the project. Always give instructions clearly in writing from start to finish in a numbered list. Do an example on video and record it. Send the written task through your project management system or the chat in the platform you’re using, and store the video in a shared training area. This ensures they understand the task and the steps, as well as the deadline and an example of what it should look like.
Check in: I usually review their work after each day to give feedback. You can’t decline their work if you decline the opportunity to give ongoing feedback and direction.
Build upon skills: Short, replicable tasks are great for remote freelancers. As you train in concepts and processes, continue building new tasks that incorporate these new skills, so they are continuing to utilize the learnings you’ve invested in them.
