How to Find, Vet, and Hire the Right Freelancers to Support Your Startup
by Tina Martin
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Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the United States has seen a rise in entrepreneurship. As Idea Mix explains, many people seized this unique moment in time to take control of their finances and pursue something they were truly passionate about. If you're a small business owner, you undoubtedly identify with this mindset.
While having passion for your work is great, it's important to realize that you can't do it all yourself if you want your business to continue to grow. Being able to outsource tasks will free up your time to focus on key business competencies and allow for greater success in the big picture.
To help, 50/50 Leadership offers the following tips on how to find, vet, and hire independent professionals like these to boost your business.
Get your business prepped for freelance hiring
Before you start scoping out freelancers, make sure your business is formally registered as a legal entity. Being able to prove that you're a formally registered business will help you attract top talent once you start looking for experts. It can also simplify paperwork in terms of hiring.
There are many business models available, from limited liability companies to corporations. The type of business structure impacts important elements like tax reporting, filing requirements, personal liability, and more. To find out more about how to start an LLC in California, you can check out this guide from ZenBusiness.
Figure out where you need help
With the administrative step of business formation out of the way, it's time to figure out the freelancers you need. For example, you might outsource IT, marketing, or logistics services. Once you know what you're looking for, you can craft an attractive job ad targeting the individual in question.
But just where should you post that job ad? It depends on what you're hiring for. There are many work-for-hire platforms available. 99designs offers a list of options, including Fiverr, Credo, and Freelancer. Some platforms are more general, while others target specific areas, like writing or graphic design.
Follow best practices when vetting potential freelance hires
When you're handing over business duties to freelancers, it's critical that you trust them. Thus, it’s important to thoroughly vet professionals before bringing them on board. In addition to reviewing resumes, consider doing a video interview with your top candidates. Talent Lab explains that this can help determine whether a person will mesh with your company culture. You can also rely on references to get deeper insights into a person beyond what you can determine from their resume.
Use a clear onboarding process to kickstart a positive freelancer collaboration
Once you've selected the freelancers you want to work with, set up a comprehensive onboarding process to welcome them to your team. Even if they are only working on a freelance basis part-time and/or remotely, you want to ensure clear communication and seamless collaboration.
Contently has a guide for onboarding freelancers that covers everything from explaining your business objectives to introducing them to the technology you use. When it comes to tech, do your research to see what tools might be handy. For example, accounting software like QuickBooks makes processing employee timesheets a lot easier for you and means your employees and freelancers get paid on time, which they, of course, love. Also, project management software can enhance collaboration. KissFlow offers a list of tools like Trello and Asana.
Giving up control over certain parts of your business as you hand tasks over to freelancers can be scary at first. However, it will ultimately allow for greater entrepreneurial growth.