VickySo you want to hire a freelancer. But, is your project something you can even hire a freelancer to do? Some projects are better suited to freelancers than others. So is it best to hire a freelancer or in house for your next project?
Two things to bear in mind about freelancers. 1. A lot of freelancers work remotely. 2. You may only hire them for a short period of time. If you need someone to build a relationship with your customers, or have a comprehensive knowledge of your product, your project isn’t best suited to a freelancer.
Projects that suit freelancers are ones that need little contact from you or a manager. They may be in another time zone, or choose not to work during office hours. Freelancers tend to prefer work that’s deadline driven. This allows them to be flexible about when and where they work. They also work best on projects that need niche skills. They’ll specialise in one small area, rather than being a jack-of-all-trades.
So what kind of projects are best suited to freelancers? Here’s a run-down of the top most in-demand skills for freelancers:
Marketing projects:
Lots of marketing projects are perfect for remote freelancers. Improvements in technology mean it’s now easier than ever for a marketer to be a work-at-home freelancer. Some roles you can expect to be able to hire are:
SEO specialists
Search engine marketers
Email marketers
Marketing specialists
Telemarketers/lead generation specialists and more.
Web Development projects:
If you need something built for the web, you need a web developer. Web development has got to be one of the most common freelance trades. That’s because it’s perfect for remote working. All you need is a laptop and wifi and you’re away:
Web developers
Mobile developers
Desktop app developers
Software QA testers and more.
Writing projects:
Professional writers and editors are well suited to the freelance lifestyle. Again, all they need is a word processor and a wifi connection. You can hire:
Blog and article writers
Web content writers
Technical writers
Creative writers
Copywriters
Editors and more.
Accounting projects:
Some of the classic ‘desk jobs’ shift easily into the world of freelancing. Anyone from an accounting background will find they suit the freelance life. You can hire:
Freelance accountants
Consultants
Financial planners
Bookkeepers
Project managers
Legal advisors and more.
Teaching and Tutoring projects:
Tutoring is one of the oldest freelance professions going. Usually, it needs both tutor and student to be in the same location. But, more and more online tutors are springing up. And, with better video calling and vlogging software, this number is growing. You can hire a tutor for pretty much any subject.
Creative projects:
A lot of creative careers are suited to freelancing. There’s never been a better time to be a creative freelancer. Advances in technology means that good creative tools are available to everyone. You can hire a creative freelancer for a wide variety of projects:
Graphic designers
Logo designers
UX/UI designers
Web designers
3D modelers
Illustrators
Music producers
Composers
Film producers and more.
Admin projects:
Most people assume that if you need admin done, you need to hire someone in-house. But this is not the case. There’s a growing market of online administrators and office assistants. This offers flexible working for both clients and freelancers. Search for ‘freelance virtual assistant’ and you’ll see just how many pros there are on offer. They can take care of anything including:
Transcribing
Virtual office assistants
Data entry
Web researchers
Project managers
Recruiters and more.
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Stuart Logan
