Problems with Hiring a Freelancer

Freelancing is a relatively easy job to get nowadays. There are so many available online now that it can be tough to choose the right one for your project, especially if it’s a long-term project. If you are not cautious, you will get poor quality work put together by unqualified writers/designers —— even non-native English speakers.

QUESTIONS TO ASK

When the time comes to hire the right freelancer, you should know that there are many things to consider. To save yourself from hiring someone who will cost you money and time and compromise the quality of your project, it is essential for you as a client to ask crucial questions before handing over any work. Below are some of the top questions that every client must ask before hiring a freelancer:

How long have you been working as a freelancer?

This is an essential question because anyone can say they are experienced, but this does not necessarily mean they are competent. It is best to find out how long the freelancer has been in business so you will have an idea of whether they have sufficient knowledge and skills to complete your project. Most freelancers who have been working for a longer period of time are very likely to do better work due to their years of experience.

On the other hand, freelancers who have just started may not be ready to handle a task as big as yours. In this case, you will have to look at their work samples and portfolios carefully so you can determine whether they are ready for your project or not.

What types of projects have you worked on?

You need freelancers capable of handling your project. Since freelancers specialize in a particular area, it is best to find out if they have taken jobs similar to yours. For example, someone who has only created logos and layouts for brochures or magazines would not be a good match if you need someone to handle an e-commerce website.

Can I contact some of your previous/current clients?

Hiring a freelancer is not just about knowing how long the person has been working, what types of projects they have handled, or how much their hourly rates are. You must also find out if they can be trusted to do good work that will meet your standards. To find this information, you could ask the freelancer for some references or even contact their previous/current clients so you can go over the type of service they received.

Are your work samples original?

This is very important because most people will say that they can produce original works, yet plagiarism is still a problem among freelancers. It is best to determine if the freelancers use plagiarism checkers to ensure no issues with your project.

Are you willing to sign a contract?

A freelancer may say that they are ready and able to complete your project, but this does not necessarily mean that they will provide satisfactory services. Some of them may just be saying this to get the work, and then they will not comply with your requirements. To ensure that you get excellent service, you should ask if they are willing to sign a contract before starting the project so both parties understand what is expected. If the freelancer agrees, make sure you set clear expectations in the terms and conditions so there are no misinterpretations.

By asking these questions and having a contract between yourself, as a client, and the freelancer, your project will be in good hands and you will be on the same page. In addition, it will save you from wasting time and money on tasks that are not going to produce satisfactory results.

PROBLEMS AND THEIR SOLUTIONS

We will discuss some of the problems with hiring freelancers and the possible solutions.

Deadlines

The first problem when hiring freelancers is not having someone who can consistently meet deadlines. Some people are good at time management, while others aren’t. Even if you agreed upon a payment plan with your freelancer, the task might take longer than expected to complete. This will ultimately result in you paying more or receiving the finished product much later than anticipated. Sometimes poor communication also results in missed deadlines, so make sure you have set the expectations and goals with the person working remotely for you.

The solution for this problem is to provide deadlines and stick tothem. If you’re unsure when the task should be completed, try giving your freelancer a deadline that is earlier than what you expect it will take to complete the task.

Requirements

The next type of problem that could arise is finding a freelancer who can complete the project with the exact requirements you need. This doesn’t mean that they aren’t capable or skilled enough, but that they don’t have experience in the exact area of work that you need done. If the freelancer doesn’t have prior experience in your industry, it may be time consuming to adjust and learn what works and what doesn’t.

The solution here is to invest a small amount of time into teaching your freelancer more about what is expected from them on the project. Anyone applying for a job should be willing to learn about the requirements instead of hoping you teach them everything.

Once your freelancer is more acquainted with what needs to be done, they will be less likely to make mistakes that could reflect poorly on you and your company. While it’s not possible for every project that an employee works on to be completely error-free, you should strive to get as close as possible.

Time-Bound

The third type of problem is finding a freelancer who can complete the project within the given timeframe. Some people are good at managing their time and know how long something will take them to complete, while others aren’t. If the freelancer tends to work faster than anticipated, you might end up paying them more or receiving the final product much sooner than necessary.

More significant projects are time-consuming, so make sure you give them enough time to get their work done.

The solution to this problem is to never rely on someone else to tell you how long something will take them. If your freelancer says they can complete a particular project in two days, it’s best to give them four days instead. If you have any doubts, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Skills for the job

The fourth type of problem that could arise with hiring a freelancer is finding someone with specific skills as per the job description. You might find a freelancer who has done similar work in the past, but every project is different, which means that the freelancer may not know how to complete it.

This solution would be to hire more than one freelancer with specific skill sets. While it’s not always possible to find someone who has exactly what you’re looking for, there are opportunities to increase the chances of hiring someone capable of handling their specific area of work. If your project requires someone who only focuses on writing, you should hire a writer who specializes in creating content.

Reliability

The final type of problem that can arise with hiring a freelancer is finding one who will be reliable over time. Some people only want short-term projects and, therefore, may only be interested in completing the work for you for a short period of time. This can cause problems down the road if they aren’t available to complete specific project tasks that need to get done.

The solution here is to find someone interested in working with you long-term. While it may not always be possible to get this type of commitment from your freelancer, some can be contracted to work with you for a specific period of time.

WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT FROM A FREELANCER?

As a client, you can expect the following from freelancers:

A fixed-rate for the task, which they usually quote
A quick turnaround time (maybe within two days)
They will not take up any other work while working on your task
You can expect high-quality results with minimal errors
You can expect them to be available online at the time of work
They will not carry any personal vendetta against you over any other issues, as they are just working for money and you need to pay them

IS HIRING A FREELANCER WORTH THE RISK?

As a client, you should understand that hiring a freelancer is not a safe option if:

You have a deadline to meet and need the work done urgently and you are looking for the last resort
The work cannot be split between two freelancers
The work is not able to be done in a remote location by remote employees
You cannot be online while they are working on it
You want a one-off task done and you will never need their service again for this type of work
The task is a straightforward one that anyone can do

WHY DO FREELANCERS FAIL?

A freelancer may be working on multiple projects at the same time
The quality of work is not good, and your expectations may not be in line with the freelancer’s capabilities
Your task gets priority and all other work takes a backseat. This delay may push back other deadlines
Your feedback may not be prompt, which irks the freelancer, and they may work slowly on future work
You may not be able to pay for his services on time, which is a turn-off for them
You may be a complicated and demanding client

WHAT ARE THE DRAWBACKS OF HIRING FREELANCERS?

The biggest drawback to hiring freelancers for home-based jobs is dealing with a stranger. Yes, they may be very skilled at their work, but you never know whether there could be any other issues.

For example, if the freelancer is not satisfied with the fixed reward or feels that they did more work than quoted, you can be in a messy situation. In such circumstances, you may have to hire a lawyer and get your job done through them.

There is also a chance that the freelancer will take on as many projects as possible while working on yours, which could again lead to some problems.

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?

You can make sure that you are clear about each other’s perspectives. Sometimes, the freelancers are unclear about your expectations and quote a lower price than they expect to win your trust.

Here is how it works: The freelancer quotes a low rate for their services— say $25, which is much less than they expect to get. You agree since it is a small price and you don’t want to spend much on such a small task.

When work starts, you can see if the freelancer is doing more than what has been quoted —say writing double the number of words you had asked for. When this happens, ask them to stop as you are already getting the work done at a better price. If you want more, hire this freelancer through an agency or directly and pay the quoted price. You can also use time tracking software that screen records all the work done by your remote employees.

HOW TO AVOID ISSUES WITH A FREELANCER

I do not recommend working with freelancers for work that must be done immediately without prior notice. You cannot expect quality results if you’ve hired freelancers without checking their track record.

freelancers without checking their track record. Hence, if you need to give an immediate task to a freelancer, make sure that the freelancer has worked on similar projects in the past and provides proof.

WHEN TO HIRE A FREELANCER

A business owner hires a freelancer for projects that are not time-critical. Examples of such projects are digital marketing, article writing, handling email, etc.

Do not hire a freelancer if you need an urgent task completed. If you need to hire someone urgently, it is better to hire a full-time person or contact an agency for this purpose.

IS HIRING A FREELANCER GOOD FOR YOUR BUSINESS?

You should not spend more than 10 percent of your work time on freelancers. If you depend significantly on them, there is something wrong with your business.

Freelancers are working remotely, and are therefore suitable for jobs like digital marketing, writing articles, handling email, etc. If you need to hire a freelancer regularly, hire one full-time or contact an agency that can do the work at an affordable rate.

HOW TO BUDGET FOR FREELANCERS

The best way to work with freelancers is to hire them for specific tasks. If you are looking for a writer, explain the job clearly and ask them if they want to accept it. Try not to quote more than 20 percent of their monthly salary as payment since they may have other commitments too.

If you are hiring someone every month, make sure that you give them enough work for this period. If possible, provide their payment in advance to ensure they complete the task on time.

There are several advantages to working with freelancers but if you need work quickly, then never hire one- full-time employees or agencies will be better options in such cases.

HOW TO HANDLE TASKS BETWEEN YOU AND YOUR FREELANCER

It is always advisable to use an intermediary between yourself and freelancers since this will help avoid unnecessary arguments or claims by either party. If you cannot find one, make sure that freelancers do not work on any other projects while giving them work.

You should also ensure that the freelancer discloses their skills and experience by providing quality samples, relevant links or certificates. Before hiring them, you can check their portfolios to judge how good they are.

The best way to avoid problems with freelancers is to do your research before hiring someone for a task. This will help you learn more about the service provider and ensure that both of you are clear about each other’s perspectives. You can also use the reviews provided by other customers before you finalize them for any project.

If problems arise later, hire a middleman to resolve them — either an agency or a neutral party. If you cannot hire one, make it clear in your contract that the freelancer should not take on any other project while working on yours.

Be sure to check whether the freelancer has previously worked on similar projects and provides links/certificates of their experience for reference. This will help avoid disputes later on.

Finally, do proper research before hiring freelancers for any project. This will help you learn more about the service provider. You can even check their previous work through their portfolios to judge their expertise beforehand.

If problems still arise, make sure to hire an agency or a neutral party to resolve them before they lead to disputes. Otherwise, if the freelancer takes on additional projects while working on yours, it will result in disagreements later on.