When it comes to working with freelancers and remote workers, like freelance developers, there are a lot of advantages, benefits, and positive aspects to consider. One of the main reasons to work with these types of people is that they have a lot of experience and knowledge that you may be unable to find in-house. This can be a great way to get unique or innovative ideas that you may not be able to come up with on your own. However, there are numerous complex issues to consider when hiring freelancers.
The following are some of the top issues which can occur during the process of hiring freelancers or remote specialists:
- Lack of Knowledge and Experience
- Choosing a freelancer is time-consuming and painful
- Find the right freelancer:
- Language issues for the English market projects
- Communication problems
- Verify freelance work sample
- Hiring freelancers is difficult due to a limited budget/price.
- If the quality of work is not satisfactory:
- Data Breaches
- Problem with refunds.
Lack of Knowledge and Experience
When hiring freelancers, one of the common problems people face is that they may not have the necessary knowledge and experience to do the job properly. While some freelancers may have experience in a corporate setting, they might not be as committed as you need them to be. The work environment between corporate and freelancing can be quite different, so if you're hiring someone with no proper freelancing experience, there is still a risk that they won't work as efficiently as you need them to. This is a major problem that many people face when hiring freelancers. So what can you do to ensure that your freelancers will do the job properly?
Solution — Well, first, do it correctly of all, you need to be sure that you have the necessary skills and knowledge to do the job you're hiring them for. If you don't have the necessary skills or knowledge, it's going to be difficult for them to do a good job.
Choosing a freelancer is time-consuming and painful
If you've ever had to search for a freelance programmer, you know how frustrating and time-consuming it can be, and it's even more challenging to find a reliable one. You need to trust your freelancer and know they'll be able to meet your deadlines.
You have a lot of time-consuming tasks ahead of you, and you can't afford to skip any steps in your search for the perfect remote worker. Whether you're looking for a freelance software developer or coder, each stage of the process is equally important.
Solution — Hire an expert freelancer with experience hiring other freelancers and proper knowledge of the field you are working in, so this person will do the hard job for you and save you time.
Finding the right freelancer is not easy
Finding a freelancer is the most difficult aspect of hiring one. Due to the numerous online portals and social media platforms that have only made their jobs more complex, the majority of founders fail in this initial stage. Although the gig economy has made it easier to find independent workers, you still need to put in the effort to find the right people for the job. This is because not all freelancers have the same skill set or work ethic. You need to take the time to find someone who is a good fit for your project.
Solutions — The best way to find a good freelancer is to ask your network for references. Once you have a few references, you should check out their profiles on websites like Upwork or Fiverr. Please read the reviews that other clients have left for them and look at the quality of their work.
Freelancers are unpredictable
Part-time freelancers can be unpredictable, which can be frustrating for project managers. Often, freelancers will disappear, stop responding quickly, or cancel a project, even after working together for a week. Imagine you're a project manager and working with a freelancer on a project. Suddenly, the freelancer disappears and stops responding to your messages. You're left scrambling to find a replacement and get them up to speed on the project. This can be difficult and time-consuming, which can often delay the project.
Solution — Hire a full-time remote specialist, it is important to understand their goals and objectives clearly. It is also helpful to be able to trust them completely, which can be difficult to do after just one meeting.
Communication problems
One of the risks of working with freelancers is that they may not have the proper customer service attitude or may ignore basic ethical standards. This can lead to communication problems and missed deadlines.
Solution — To avoid these issues, vet your freelancers carefully and clearly communicate your expectations from the start. It is important to consider the customer service attitude of a freelancer before hiring them. If they have a history of ignoring ethical standards, it could lead to problems with the project's communication and deadlines.
Verify freelance work sample
Another common problem with freelance work is verifying the work samples. Without proof of the work being done, it can be difficult to get paid on time. Verifying samples can be done through a variety of methods, but it is important to use the right one for the project. Sometimes the work samples may be copied from somewhere and faked.
Solution — You may verify it by searching for reviews of the freelancer’s previous work, contacting the company's customer service department, or asking a colleague who has worked with the freelancer in the past.
Hiring freelancers is difficult due to a limited budget
Many businesses, especially small businesses, struggle to find the right freelancers to help with their projects. Hiring freelancers can be difficult to manage due to differing rates and a limited budget. Top freelancers demand a high price because of high-quality work. However, many freelancers do not have a high price but less output quality.
Solution — Consider how much you are willing to pay per hour, project, or task when looking to hire. More experienced freelancers with a proven track record will charge higher rates. Keep this in mind when creating your budget to make accounting simpler. You may hire a new freelancer who has potential talent.
If the quality of work is not satisfactory
It is inevitable that, as a client, you will occasionally find yourself dissatisfied with a freelancer's work. Maybe they made a mistake, or their work wasn't up to your standards. Whatever the case, it's important to remember that getting angry and taking up extra time to fix the problem will not help anyone.
Solutions — First, be sure to communicate your expectations clearly from the beginning. If the freelancer knows what you are looking for, they are more likely to deliver it. You should give a chance to improve quality, if it fails, then cancel the job.
Data Breaches
In the modern workplace, more and more employees are working remotely. This can pose a significant challenge when it comes to data security. When data is stored on a central server, it is much easier to protect. However, when employees work remotely and store data on their own devices, keeping track of who has access to what information becomes much more challenging. There have been some incidents where clients of freelancers have been harmed and had their company data compromised.
Solution — Filter your freelancers and settle for those who offer their services. Don't put blind faith in anyone.
Problem with refunds from freelancing marketplace
When you buy a service from a freelancer, you agree to purchase a service that the freelancer will complete for you to the best of their ability. If you are unhappy with the service and would like a refund, you may request one within 7 - 14 days of receiving the final product. The freelancer has specific days to respond to your refund request - if they do not, the refund is automatically processed following the marketplace refund policy.
Solutions — As a starting point for your project, make sure to communicate your expectations clearly. If the freelancer knows what you are looking for, they are more likely to deliver it. You should give it a chance to improve quality, if it fails, then request a refund.
Conclusion
To condense all of those ideas into a few key points, here are some things you can do when hiring a freelancer:
Take your time to select the ideal candidate — a hasty hire rarely results in success.
Set reasonable expectations – concerning costs, schedules, and deadlines.
Have a distinct endpoint in mind — what you hope to accomplish and when you are content with the outcome.
Engage in it — accurately prepare task descriptions, communicate frequently, and provide feedback.
By following these tips, you can find, hire, and manage freelancers more easily. If you have questions or comments, you can reach out to me on Twitter or through the contact form on my website.
I will assist you in finding the best freelancers or remote specialists for any type of project and will mitigate major freelance risks.
