How to hire a freelance creative

I saw a post the other day looking for a freelance creative person, a copywriter to be specific. As you might suspect, it included a checklist of requirements for the temporary position. A really long checklist.

And while the checklist looked good on paper, at least to the due diligence of the person who wrote it and every stakeholder involved, one key thing was missing. The most important thing. In fact, the only thing I ever looked for when hiring a freelancer.

The thing?

Does the person, regardless of age, race, gender or experience level, have one piece that I wish I had done?

Now, about the piece I was looking for. Was it smart? Was it compelling? Was it persuasive? Was it informative? Was it surprising? Was it clever? Was it artful? Did it make me feel something? (No, this isn’t a checklist, merely some different lens I use to view and create work.)

One piece, you see, will tell you everything you need to know about the person you’re looking for. It will tell you they know how to problem solve. It will tell you they understand tone and manner. It will tell you they’re committed to craft, the details and the end product. In short, it will tell you that they get it. And if they got it for someone else, they can get it for you.

Now should the person’s portfolio have more than one piece that you wish you had done, well, that just stacks the deck.

If you need help finding someone, I can think of a dozen currently available creatives who fit the bill…okay...make that 13.