Freelance

If you have a tight timeline, you need to know right away whether the freelancer has a conflict. Most freelancers often manage multiple projects; this doesn't mean they aren't the right fit for your project, but it does mean that they need to be able to balance your project against the needs of their other clients.

☛ Things to listen for: Project management skills. Are they confident about their ability to meet your milestones? What's their approach to juggling multiple projects?

☛ Follow-up question: "Is this timeline realistic?" An experienced freelancer should know whether you've allocated enough time, missed key steps, or aren't leaving enough "buffer" for challenges that are likely to arise.

Freelancing requires a real hustler mentality and a whole lot of love for what you do. You want to look for a freelancer who's doing it because they want to work on projects they're passionate about or with people they enjoy working with.

Maybe a freelancer first started freelancing so they could be at home with a child or elderly parent, or so they could travel - that's fine too. If that's the case, make sure they explain why they stayed with it. If they fell in love with it for the work, freedom and flexibility, they're likely in it for the long haul.

What you don't want is someone who's freelancing because they don't like working with people or on teams. This is a sign that they might not be easiest to work with.

If someone doesn't have a working process they are either brand new or unorganized. Either way, move on.

The last thing you want is to hire a freelancer who is so unorganized that they can barely remember their own name let alone the project you're working on.

The flip side is the person who has a process that's too time consuming. If you are required to be involved with every little aspect of the project then you're talking with someone who is afraid to make decisions. They lack confidence and it will show in their work. You need to work with a professional who is confident (not arrogant or proud, but confident).

Ask yourself this, "Would you trust a doctor who was always asking your feedback on a procedure? "So, do you concur?"

Now I realize copy writing or graphic design isn't the same as practicing medicine but I think you get the point. The freelancer should be an expert in his or her field and therefore be bold enough to say, "This would work best."

An experienced professional should be able to share samples of their work or tell you about projects they've worked on. Use your best judgement about this based on how they've represented themselves: Some types of work aren't always public or easily shared, for example, and someone with years of experience may not have a big portfolio if they've recently made the move to self employment.

☛ Things to listen for: Quality. Does their work represent the skill level and attention to detail you're looking for?

☛ Follow-up question: "What was your approach to this project?" This question will help give you more insight into how they collaborated with others, addressed the client's needs, met challenges, or exceeded expectations.

► What is the purpose of this project?

► What sort of background do you expect a freelancer working on this project to have?

► How technical is this project?

► Describe how you envision the finished project?

► How many (words/pages/screens) are needed? (Modify this question for your own specific field.)

► What are the specific project instructions?

► Do your customers have any special requirements or needs to be met by this project?

► Can you show me an example something like what you have in mind?

► Who will be my contact for this project?

► How available are you (or the contact) to answer questions during the course of the project?

► If necessary, will I have access to (your website/company-specific information/etc.)? (Choose one.)

► Is it necessary to have any special (equipment/software) to complete this project? (Choose one.)

► Do you envision any potential problems with this project?

► How do you think the project went?

► Do you have any suggestions?

► Do you anticipate having any other projects based on this one?

► Will this project need to be updated or revised at some point?

► If the project needs updating, do you consider the updating or revisions to be a separate project?

► Are there any other projects that I can do for you?

► How often do you need the services of a (writer/web designer/programmer/consultant)? (Choose one.)

► Can I use this project as an example on my portfolio? (If the project has gone well.)

► Would you be willing to give a testimonial on my work for my web page? (If the client is pleased.)

A formal bid letter is a great way to avoid any confusion over what's involved in the project. A phone call - which we'll talk about next - can help accomplish this also but there's too much risk for misunderstanding when it's not in writing.

And as the one hiring it's your job to communicate exactly what you need done. If you need someone to write all the copy for your site don't just say, "How much would you charge to write the copy for my website?"

A better way to ask this would be, "I need copy written for the following pages: Home, About, Services, Our Team. I need headlines on each page and will also need meta-descriptions written for each page using our keywords of Muscle Cars for Sale."

Be specific. And get it in writing.

Not all freelancers are available on a full-time basis, and if this hasn't already been discussed, it's important for you to know their availability. Many people have successful freelance businesses in addition to other employment, and you should feel comfortable that your expectations will still be met.

☛ Things to listen for: Time management. Confirm that they can meet your deadlines and communicate in a timely manner.

☛ Follow-up question: "What time zone are you in?" There are benefits to working across time zones, and often the impact is minimal. However, this will help set expectations; it's also helpful to identify hours that overlap so you know when you're both available to connect live.

You should always ask at the end of the interview whether or not the freelancer has any questions. Do not be alarmed if there are no questions. If you do a good job of explaining the scope of the project or state that details will be shared after the hiring decision has been made, then do not expect any questions. At the same time, if a freelancer asks a pertinent question that is interesting and shows that they have thoughtfully considered the project, then that freelancer should be highly considered.

Remember to add a few of your own questions and personalize the interview process. Be as thorough as possible and you will find the freelancer who is the perfect fit for your project.

You'd be surprised how many hiring managers skip this question. We don't encourage discounting new freelancers, as they can be equally or sometimes more equipped for the job at hand and even managing their own work. But it's still a good to know how much experience a freelancer has working with clients.

The more experienced someone is at freelancing, the more likely they are to have their own processes in place for how they operate, which can be beneficial if you're still figuring out how to work with freelancers. More experienced freelancers are also used to more varied forms and levels of feedback. So if someone is newer to freelancing, try to put extra effort into sharing effective feedback in a constructive manner.