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Delegating is one of the best ways to save time and boost efficiency.
I’m sure there are tasks that you already know you could give to someone else. Weekly blog posts? Social media management? Video editing?
If you already have a trusted team, that’s great. Go ahead and optimize your delegation processes.
But if you need to someone external, there is a chance you may be considering freelancers.
After all, not everyone can afford a new full-time team member.
How to hire the right freelancer? If you can’t rely on personal recommendations, a freelance platform is your next step. And Upwork is one of the most well known platforms out there.
In this post, I will share with you my best tips to hire your ideal freelancer through Upwork at an affordable price. Let’s go!
Know What You Need
You won’t be able to find your ideal candidate if you don’t even know what you’re looking for. Fortunately, you can have a look at this comprehensive pre-hire checklist that will guide you through every step of your preparation to hire.
From understanding what and how much you need, being realistic about your budget and setting up intuitive processes and templates for your remote workers, there is a tip for everything.
Going through the whole list can take as little as 30 minutes, but it will save you time and headaches in the long run.
Be Specific
Keywords are crucial and that is true for everything from search engines, to paid ads, to finding good team members.
Start from the title of the position you’re looking to fill — for example, Content Editor.
Then narrow it down: are you looking for a blog editor, a business and finance expert, or someone with some marketing experience?
Once you’ve got that figured out, you will need to start adding filters. I always try to find someone who:
- Has done this before (previous earnings on the platform are a good indicator).
- Is a native or bilingual speaker.
- Has a quality rating of at least 80%.
Of course, more specific filters can apply. Often, going as deep as you can into your niche is a good idea.
However, it also means that you will end up paying more. So before you decide to go extremely specific, ask yourself whether the task you are looking for cannot really be performed by more general freelancers.
Budget, budget, budget
Be honest with yourself about what you can afford. At the same time, be mindful that a poorly paid job will probably also be poorly executed.
In the case of the Content Editor of our example, I can tell you that most hourly rates will be between $30-60. If you go towards the lower end ($30), you may have to consider providing stricter and more complete information or more extensive training. That is not necessarily a disadvantage, and it is entirely up to you.
Consider your wallet and your priorities, and find the right fit for you right now. You can always switch down the road – it’s about applying the 80/20 rule and getting the process moving so you can iron out the smaller details later.
Run a Short Trial
Something I would advise you always do is giving your shortlisted candidate a trial task. For an Editor, you can choose a short blog post or a short transcript that you want to be turned into an article.
You will have to put in a small investment to pay all candidates, but the benefits definitely outweigh it.
You won’t only be able to hire the best but also identify potential extras to keep in touch with. I like to save the contact details of outstanding freelancers that I decide not to hire initially because I could always need them in the future.
Your time is precious, and freelance platforms like Upwork are pretty crowded. With these simple tips, you will be able to hire a good fit for your needs easily and quickly without drowning in the noise.
