Major firms keep making the news with announcements that they have to cut down the number of employees because of rising costs and competition. Similar challenges face many small businesses who may be struggling with new rising costs of resources and wages. Due to this, businesses are increasingly turning to freelancers in order to fill the gaps in their business needs but also to keep down costs of employing people full time.
A survey by PeoplePerHour suggested that freelancers could save SMEs over six thousand pounds a year. Research also suggests that freelancers will make up to 50% of the workforce by 2020. 
With the freelance industry growing at a rate of 3.5% per year, it is one of the fastest growing sectors in business.
Freelancers are now being taken more seriously as more people have experience of hiring them. With faster and more convenient communication, it is becoming easier to hire freelancers and keep in close contact with them. You could potentially hire someone from the other side of the country and never meet them in person. Improvements in technology have also made it easier for people to go freelance, meaning that businesses now have a greater choice of who they will hire.
Thinking about hiring a freelancer? Here are some things to consider:
Consider each freelancer individually
Chances are you will consider a few freelancers. They all have different skills and experiences and only you will know if they’re the right fit for your business. Take a look at their portfolio, ask them how their experience will fit with what you want.
Don’t just go with the cheapest
If you want quality work, you’ll likely have to pay for it. Many freelancers starting out will undercharge or even offer their services for free. However, if you have the budget it is better to pay someone with more experience in doing the work you require. Things will run more smoothly for both of you.
Contract
A good, experienced freelancer will present you with a contract. If they don’t, they’re probably new to this and you should insist on one. You both need to be clear on what you’re paying for/getting paid to do so that there are no discrepancies later on. Do this with every freelancer you hire, even if you’ve hired them in the past because every project is different.
They are not your employee
Remember that they work for themselves, you are not their boss. Many clients hire freelancers and wrongly assume that they are their only client. Freelancers tend to have several projects going on at once and are not on-call for your business. Agree beforehand how often and when you will communicate on the project.
Rates
If a freelancer quotes an hourly rate which seems expensive, you have to remember that the overall cost of hiring them will be less than you hiring a full time employee. Freelancers also have expenses and more tax to pay because they are essentially businesses themselves. Also, don’t be surprised if you ask for more work and they charge you, it’s a business. You can’t expect someone to work for free.
The benefits of hiring freelancers are being experienced by increasing numbers of small businesses. You can save your business a lot of money whilst also getting an outside perspective on your project. Any potential risks of hiring a freelancer can be easily addressed with the use of a contract and by researching the best fit for your project.