There comes a time for many web designers and digital agencies when they need a little help on a certain project, or they have a bunch of work they just can\u2019t fulfil in house. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Enter The Contractor. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Finding and hiring a contractor can be one of the most anxiety-inducing, stress-filled times a business owner can face. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Seriously: you\u2019ve either already got a project you need completed and you need it done right, on time, <\/em>and on budget<\/em>, or you need to hire a contract worker (or outsourced team) if your regular employees don\u2019t have the skills or time to tackle certain tasks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n But hiring a freelancer or contractor that doesn\u2019t quite fit with your company, or doesn\u2019t produce the quality of work you need, will only cause more stress, more problems, and more work for you – especially if you have a tight deadline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Before I set up my content writing agency 4 years ago, I had an eCommerce agency with my partner – and got plenty of experience trying to find and hire reliable, talented contractors if we were in a pinch. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Finding a contractor is best done in advance, before you need them (yeah I know, our world doesn\u2019t really work that, does it?). To be sure your contractor or freelancer is a good fit for your company, you have to approach the hiring process as rigorously as you would for finding full-time employees. <\/p>\n\n\n\n And, like any good hiring process, it all starts with a sound job description.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Unlike a full-time employee job description, with a contractor job description you can\u2019t cover unexpected scope creep with the usual \u201cduties as required\u201d line. Scope creep will cause your project to run over budget and past the deadline – which is something you definitely don\u2019t want. <\/p>\n\n\n\n To avoid scope creep you\u2019ll have to be specific about the job your contractor is expected to perform and the results you expect at the end of the project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Include the exact deliverables you want and the experience you\u2019re looking for in a freelancer. Be as specific as you can about the project\u2019s timeline and be ready with a clear budget when they ask you for it. If they don\u2019t ask you for a budget – run away quickly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n After your job post is up and the candidates come rolling in, do a little online vetting aka professional stalking. This will help you get to know your contractors and help you find out if they\u2019re the right fit for your company. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Start with their website (they should definitely have a website) and check out their work samples. Do the designs interest you? Does the copywriting reflect a tone you\u2019d like to see in your project? Is the development work flawless? <\/p>\n\n\n\n Look for work samples that mirror the look and feel of your project. This will let you see if the contractor is up to the task of producing the quality you\u2019re looking for. If you\u2019re hiring a creative position, ask for the first draft and the final piece of work from their work examples, so you can see how much effort their previous employer had to put in to get the work completed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s also helpful to note whether the work samples reflect their ability to work on a variety of projects. If all of their work looks the same – that\u2019s a bit of a red flag. You don\u2019t want your project to be just another in a long line of samesy, bland templates. Look for work that showcases versatility and flexibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n After exploring their website, investigate their social media presence. If you\u2019re hiring a contractor for a social media or digital marketing strategy, their social presence will tell you if they\u2019re capable of handling your project. But even if you\u2019re not hiring them for their social media skills, it\u2019s still a good idea to make sure they\u2019re the real deal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ok, so you\u2019ve found a great candidate! Their experience fits the brief, their previous work looks impressive, and they check out on social media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now you\u2019re on to the interview process! This is your chance to confirm if this freelancer\/contractor:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Below are some interview questions designed to get the information you need out of your interviewee. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You\u2019re not necessarily looking for the perfect or \u201cright\u201d answers to these questions. You\u2019re looking for honest answers that reveal whether this person will suit your project and your team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Experience questions<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Operational questions<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Culture-fit questions<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n These questions, especially the cultural-fit ones, are intended to be thought-provoking for the freelancer and revealing for you. They help you interact with your contractor, see how they might react to not knowing an answer, and show you how dedicated they are to their work. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Most importantly, they tell you whether their professional experience, attitude, approach and personality will be an asset to your project and your team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Wrap up the interview by asking to speak to one of their clients or read some unfiltered testimonials (Google Business Profile is your friend on this one). Hearing glowing reviews from past clients is always a green flag when it comes to hiring a contractor, but knowing what it\u2019s actually like to work with them will give you great insight into what your experience with them will most likely be. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You can ask all the questions in the world, but nothing can replace actually<\/em> working with someone. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If they\u2019ve passed all your questions, try them out on a small task before hiring them for a full project. Set a trial piece with a limited, defined scope and clear turn-around time – it’ll give you confidence that you\u2019re hiring a freelancer who can meet goals and deadlines with high quality work that\u2019s ready to send on to clients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I keep mentioning that a contractor should fit in well with your team. That\u2019s not fluff: it\u2019s a reality of working together. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Bad personality fits won\u2019t result in a successful project. Work can grind to an unproductive halt thanks to miscommunication, misinterpreted deliverables, and missed deadlines – and a personality clash. <\/p>\n\n\n\n1. Write a (super precise) job description<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
2. Do your
stalking<\/s> homework<\/h2>\n\n\n\n3. Ask them the right questions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
4. Get an insight into their working style<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
5. Give them a small (paid) trial run<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Ultimately, fit really is everything<\/h2>\n\n\n\n