The 5 minute guide to choosing the right freelancer for your project

Freelancers are increasingly playing a big role in offices worldwide, as the gig economy takes over. Now, not only is it possible to hire a freelance designer or developer but Kolabtree has made it possible to hire a researcher or scientist for one-off projects. Hiring the right freelancer for your project can be a daunting process. However, it needn’t be! Here’s a quick guide to help you pick the right person for your job on Kolabtree.

Write a good job post

The easiest way to attract high-quality and relevant candidates for your project is by making sure you’ve written a clear job post. On Kolabtree, we make it easy and painless for you to create a project and enter all details that will help you choose the right freelancer. Here’s what you should pay special attention to:

• Project title: Your project title should clearly define your requirement in a short sentence. This will help freelancers immediately understand if they have the required skill set to work on your project.
  A good example of a project title: Need a chemist to formulate a vegan cosmetic product
• Project description: Describe your project in detail, mentioning any skills or expertise that you require the freelancer to have. Clearly define the goal of your project and the deliverable(s) expected.
• Duration: Define how long you expect the project to run for, and by when you need to hire so that freelancers know if they have the time and resource to work on your project.
• Budget: Provide a realistic estimate of your budget for the project. If you are unsure, you may choose a placeholder budget and finalize a fee once you discuss more with freelancers. If you’re open to negotiation, mention so within your project description. You can choose to pay by the hour or a fixed fee.

Tip: You can edit your project details even after you post your project.

Shortlist freelancers

Once you start receiving quotes and proposals for your project, you may find it difficult to choose the best candidate. Shortlisting freelancers is a great way of picking the top freelancers who have relevant skills and expertise for your project. Here’s what you should be looking at:

• Proposal: Review the freelancer’s proposal carefully, where they outline the scope of work and let you know why they’re a good fit for the project. Check if they’ve worked on similar projects before and if they have the necessary background to work on your job.
• Profile: Take a good look at the freelancer’s Kolabtree profile and review their experience, skills and expertise. If you’re hiring a PhD-qualified researcher or scientist, look for publications that showcase the expert as an authority in the subject. Many of our freelancers specialize in one or more subjects, so review their education and work details carefully.
• Availability: Make sure the freelancer is available to work on your project and has made it clear when they would be able to start.

Tip: If you would like to discuss further details with freelancers, you can chat with them online or set up audio/video calls before you shortlist.

Interview shortlisted freelancers

Once you’ve shortlisted freelancers, you can discuss your project with each one to find the perfect match. You can schedule audio/video calls within the platform. Here are some tips to conduct an interview effectively:

• Pick a convenient time: As you might want to hire someone in a different timezone, make sure that you pick a time that’s suitable for both of you and is not unreasonable for the freelancer.
• Prepare well: Make sure you’ve reviewed the freelancer’s proposal carefully and have all your questions listed out. Ask the freelancer any questions you may have not just about their expertise and skills but also resolve any issues related to the proposed fee.
• Discuss the schedule: Get an idea of how much time it would take for each deliverable or milestone in your project. This is super important to make sure there are no disappointments or conflicts! You can request the freelancer to maintain a timesheet if you’re paying by the hour. If you’re on a tight schedule, make sure the freelancer is aware of it.

Once you’ve interviewed your shortlisted freelancers, you can take a well-informed decision and choose the right freelancer for your project.

Tip: You can reject freelancers whom you feel are not a right fit for your project. Always let them know why you are rejecting their proposal. This will help them receive valuable feedback and us improve our matching system.

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That’s it, you’re good to go! Ready to hire? Find an expert on Kolabtree. It’s free to post your project and receive quotes!