The freelance phenomenon has grown rapidly over the last decade, contributing an estimated $1.2 trillion annually to the U.S. economy. According to Zippia research, 36% of the American workforce reported doing freelance work during 2021.
What does this mean for your business? Freelancers are available to fill in the gaps when needed. They can help scale your business and boost your workforce during busier times.
Finding Reliable Freelancers
One of the first things you’ll need to do when hiring a freelancer is find one with the right skills and expertise. A simple way to do this is by using a freelance job market, like Upwork or Guru.
These platforms let you search for freelancers by skill, and they include reviews from past clients. This is a great way to get an idea of what previous clients thought of the freelancer’s work and communication.
Another great way to find reliable freelancers is by networking with other entrepreneurs in your industry. You can find new freelancers this way, and you also might make some invaluable connections that could lead to future work opportunities for your team.
The best part is you’re not limited by geography, so you can hire freelancers from a country like Vietnam and save on overhead.
Set Expectations Early On
When you’re working with freelancers, it’s important to set up a contract between your business and the freelancer. The contract should outline the expectations of both parties and what work is to be completed.
To avoid any misunderstandings down the road, include the following:
- How much work is expected
- Payment terms and frequency
- Your preferred communication (email, chat, video call, etc.)
- Deadlines for work submission and completion
To avoid personal liability, consider forming a limited liability company (LLC). This will also help with tax implications down the road. Do some research about your state’s regulations and procedures for forming an LLC, or find an LLC formation service in your area.
Decide on a Payment System, Process, and Frequency
An important factor to stipulate in your freelance contracts is payment processes. Some companies use a set payment system, like PayPal, Stripe, or wire transfers. However, these options might not work for freelancers from countries such as India, for example. Asking your freelancers to invoice you is one way to handle payments. Another is to use a secure money transfer system, like Remitly, which allows you to send Vietnamese Dong for as little as $1.99.
Invest in Tools to Boost Efficiency
To better manage your team, you’ll need to invest in the right tools. Here are some of our favorites.
- Slack. This messaging app is great for team communication and has integrations with tons of other tools, like Google Drive and Dropbox.
- Google Suite. This is a great way to keep all your files in one place and collaborate with team members.
- Adobe Acrobat. This software is great for creating and editing PDFs. You’ll be able to easily send contracts, proposals, and other important documents to your freelancers. Plus, the free online PDF converter is a great way to manage files and quickly convert PDFs into Word documents for editing.
Hooed.com has a more comprehensive list of essential business apps here.
Manage Your Team Effectively With These Tips
To make managing your team as easy as possible, follow these best practices. Give your freelancers the freedom to complete tasks at their own pace, but remember that you may need to check in regularly to ensure they’re on schedule.