When Should You Hire A Freelancer?

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Many businesses are risk averse when it comes to hiring. It doesn’t matter if this is hiring someone full time or a freelancer; they tend to shy away from the hiring process and ‘get by’ with what they have. Business growth is based upon a number of factors however having resource/expertise in the right areas can help you grow.

Hiring a freelancer to help you with areas of your business is a wise decision. Unlike an agency a lot of freelancers are happy to mould their offering around your requirements and work to your business’ needs. Freelancer’s day rates also tend to be more competitive than an agency’s and your budget is typically spent on the person rather than overheads.

There are a whole bunch of times when a company should hire a freelancer but here are some key times when a freelancer would be a great option for your business.

Time sensitive project:

Most freelancers are well rehearsed at working to tight deadlines or on time sensitive projects. Perhaps you have a project you want to get completed quickly and the in house team are completely stretched. This is a great time to enlist the help of a freelancer.

A freelancer will happily work on a project fee basis which means you can weigh up the financial implications of waiting for in house resource to be available vs hiring an external helping hand. If a project is time sensitive you should lean on external expertise.

Limited Budget:

Full time hires are expensive. Furthermore as a business you may not have the need or the right projects for a full time hire. This is where freelancers are worth their weight in gold. Freelance talent gives you access to the skills and expertise you need without the burden of a monthly salary.

Most clients I work with who have a limited budget spread that over the year so they have retained resource from a freelancer on a monthly basis. This way projects and progress can be constantly worked on as opposed to completed in bulk. However you use your budget; freelancers give you access to a talent pool without the concerns of having a salary to meet every month.

Specific skills set/expertise:

An internal team may be unfamiliar with a specific medium of work required. Perhaps there is a technical piece of content to be written or you want to standardise your customer service process. It may be that you want someone who is a specialist at email segmentation.
Hiring a freelancer who is a specialist in a specific area of business is worth its weight in gold. Why muddle your way through something you are not qualified or experienced in when you can hire a professional who can get the job done without any hiccups?

I was hired recently to complete a one off technical SEO audit for a website migration gone wrong. None of the in house team had strong SEO knowledge so approached me to assist. By delegating this job to me they were assured the job would be done correctly. This may not be the case if you try bundle through with what you have, and long term it can really damage your business.

Internal Resources are limited:

Internal team stretched thin? No time to work on additional projects. Outsource the work to a freelancer. Many businesses will try and get the work done by unfairly leaning on team members and expecting work above and beyond their current workload. This not only impacts morale; but also the quality of the work produced. Hire help.

One off job:

Very similar to the specialist field. You may have a ‘one off’ job you require completing. This could be moving servers, setting up an email client or perhaps a one time audit of one of your marketing campaigns. These jobs are perfect for freelancers or consultants. Find the best freelancer to fit your needs and get the work completed by a professional.

Advisory role:

Want to know you are on the right track with a specific area of your business? Outside expertise in an advisory role can really make sure you are leaving no stones unturned.

A previous client of mine asked me recently to work with them four hours a month in an advisory role to make sure they were staying on track with their marketing. For this client I point out opportunities, highlight what they are doing right and what they could be doing better. I also keep them up to date with latest trends and implementations which could enhance their business. The monthly cost to them is minimal but it helps them keep on top of web standards requirements and industry trends.

Growing company:

As a company grows or experiences growth they should start to utilise freelance resources for key areas of their business. As a founder of a company you tend to do a lot of the day to day things yourself. With growth this becomes difficult.

Outsource where it makes sense. Hire marketing support, get someone to look after the customer support emails and don’t feel pressured into hiring someone full time. With a full time hire there comes the added expectation of meeting another salary and factoring in other implications of having employees. Test the water with freelancers. If the additional support is helping you run your company more efficiently then you may venture to a full time hire.

Closing thoughts

When to hire a freelancer really comes down to your business’ needs and requirements but freelancers can add a lot of value to your business and provide specialist advice in areas where your organisation may not have the skills set. Freelancers also move the pressure of making a full time hire; something growing companies constantly feel. The web is full of great people, excited to help your business. Make the most of the accessible world we now live in.