One For All. How to Work With Diversified Freelancers For Better Freelance Results

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Yuliya Bataltseva

06.09.2024

There is a common belief that a sure sign of professionalism in freelancers is their narrow focus on a particular field. Well, that is not the case today. There are many multi-skilled specialists among freelancers, and they are valuable assets to any business. Yulia Bataltseva, Marketing Director at EasyStaff, explains how to recognize talented temporary employees.

Multi-purpose freelancers are able to provide services in several areas simultaneously. For example, a multi-discipline freelancer can create content, design websites, and develop software. The variety of skills comes from their diverse experience in different projects.

Lower Costs, Higher Efficiency

Here’s why hiring a multi-skilled freelancer is a smart move for businesses:

Wider skill set. They can handle tasks that would typically require multiple employees, resulting in cost savings.

• A company needs to develop a new website. They can assign the task to a multi-skilled freelancer with full-stack development skills instead of hiring separate front-end and back-end developers.

Flexibility. Companies working with multi-skilled freelancers can easily restructure their teams based on needs and tasks in response to changing market conditions.

• A company launches a new product and needs a comprehensive marketing strategy. Instead of hiring several specialists for different areas, they turn to a single freelancer who understands SEO, content marketing, and analytics. Later, the company may find specific professionals to address each field.

Cost optimization. Freelancers work on a project basis, meaning businesses only pay for completed work. This reduces costs associated with salaries, taxes, office rent, and other overhead expenses.

To ensure high-quality work, it’s important to choose reliable and qualified freelancers. How do you do that?

Assessing Their Expertise

To point out a true professional among multi-skilled freelancers, guide yourself with the following aspects:

Resumes and portfolios. Look for diversity in the projects the candidate has completed.

• Example: A freelancer who has done photography (shooting and editing), product promotion (advertising campaigns, SMM), and website administration (CMS installation, SEO optimization).

Skill level. Pay attention to the tools the freelancer is proficient in and how wide the range is.

• Example: A candidate possesses skills in programming (HTML, CSS, JavaScript), design (Photoshop, Illustrator), and video creation (Premiere Pro, After Effects); a freelancer has skills in content creation (SEO articles, copywriting), and advertising visuals (Adobe InDesign), as well as web analytics (Google Analytics).

Education and Certification. Check if the freelancer has multiple degrees or certificates in different disciplines.

Testimonials and Recommendations. Explore what previous employers or clients say about working with this specific specialist.

• Example: In their reviews, clients have praised the freelancer’s ability to effectively execute tasks in web development, graphic design, and content marketing.

Communication and Collaboration. Pay attention to how willing they are to discuss various topics, how in-depth their understanding is, and what solutions they offer.

• Example: The freelancer actively participates in discussions about marketing, design, and information security on professional forums and social media.

Searching Everywhere: Where Freelancers “Live”

When looking for multi-skilled freelancers, you can use various channels.

When choosing the right freelance platform, consider the following aspects:

• Platform Specialization. Some platforms focus on specific areas, such as IT, design, writing, etc. Therefore, it’s essential to choose a platform that aligns with your specialization.
• Ratings and Reviews. Reviews and ratings can help assess the platform’s reliability and professionalism. Pay attention to the platform’s overall rating, as well as reviews about working with freelancers.
• Commissions and Payment Terms. It’s important to consider commissions charged by the platform, as well as payment terms (e.g., deadlines and payment methods).
• Data Protection and Security Policies. It’s crucial to check what information about you will be available on the platform, how data privacy is ensured, and how disputes between freelancers and clients are resolved.
• Ease of Use and UI. A user-friendly platform with an intuitive UI can significantly simplify the search for contractors and interaction with them.

Social Media

Surfing the net is another effective way to find a freelancer. It’s crucial to choose social media platforms specifically designed for professional networking. It’s important that the platform lets freelancers showcase their portfolios and client testimonials. Don’t forget about hashtags and freelancer communities (groups or channels) — these can significantly shorten your search time.

Specialized Forums and Communities

When searching for specialized forums and communities, consider these aspects:

• Topic and Specialization. Look for forums and communities that align with the specific field where you need a freelancer.
• Activity and Participants. Evaluate how active the community is, how many users they are and how they interact. The more active participants and discussions are, the higher the chance of finding qualified freelancers is.
• Rating and Reputation. Don’t forget to check ratings and reviews of candidates on the forum or within the community.
• Rules and Terms of Use. Carefully review the rules and terms of use of the forum or community to understand the possibilities and limitations when searching for and hiring freelancers.
• Communication and Payment Methods. Find out what communication methods are available on the forum or within the community for interacting with freelancers. Also, check what payment options are available for collaboration.
• Moderation and Support. Check if the forum has moderators or administrators who maintain order and assist participants. Having quality support is crucial for addressing any problems or disputes.

How to Interact with Diversified Freelancers

Here are some tips to build a fruitful collaboration with a multi-skilled freelancer.

• Assign versatile tasks. Creating presentations, editing text, managing social media — these options test their competence and can easily be offered to multi-skilled freelancers.
• Maintain relationships. Remote work can be emotionally unstable, so constantly communicate with your remote team and show interest in their work.
• Assign a trial period. Before full collaboration, offer the freelancer a small task or project. This lets you evaluate their work style and skills before making a more informed decision about long-term collaboration.
• Keep them unlimited. Most multi-skilled professionals have a unique vision and approach to problems, which means they can offer innovative ideas.
• Provide Feedback. Offer feedback quickly and constructively, and respond to questions promptly. Feedback is the engine of strong business relationships.