We Don't Bite (A Cheat Sheet for Working with Freelancers)

How many times have you received an “I am currently occupied” response when you went back to hire that freelancer from your previous project?? Let me reveal a secret. They might not be occupied in real. Maybe, it’s something about your previous work experience together that is stopping them from working with you again. Have you ever felt that?

Here’s a post to help you avoid such situations and know what it is like to be on the other side. I tried to emphasize how your decisions and actions as a client impact a freelancer’s work and behavior. Keeping these in mind could probably make your dealings with freelancers smoother. Read on!

1. You and I Have the Same Clock:

Just like companies, freelancers could also have many leads/inquiries coming in about projects. I remember one of my projects where it took nearly 3 weeks just to sign a contract for 20 days of work. There are instances where people called me to check my availability and then got back after 10 days, asking if I could start working immediately.

We understand that companies have a lot of formalities and standard internal procedures to assign a contract to someone. But this delay occurs mostly with companies that begin their project-planning after they find a freelancer to work on it. That is, if a company receives a new requirement from a client for which it does not have the expertise, it starts looking for freelancers that specialize in the relevant domain. Once it identifies one, it starts discussing the project with the client.

So, the company needs to sign an agreement with their client first, and then they will reach out to the freelancer to sign another. Have you ever thought about what the freelancer had been doing all this while? Of course, some of us, work with multiple clients at any point in time. But unless we’re sure of our availability, we’ll not be able to give any commitment to other clients while you’re busy negotiating with yours.

I know this also happens sometimes because we don’t plan our work properly, and this is something that we also need to work on at our end.

2. Stop Playing the ‘Vendor & Client’ Card:

Even though you may have a short-term agreement with them, freelancers are just like your employees, working from a remote location.

I’ve experienced this with some of my clients. My project manager suddenly calls me late at night and says, “Harish, the image in the second slide is not aligned with the text below. Can you please move the text box a little to the left and mail an updated ppt file to me?” This behavior surprises me.

When you’re working with a freelancer to serve your client, it is in your best interest to work as a team. Looking at it as an opportunity to play “I’m the client” and “you’re my vendor” card will only make things slow and will also create an invisible barrier between you two, which is not good for either of the parties.

Your friendly behavior with the freelancer makes him/her take ownership of the project and work flawlessly with your team to deliver the best results.

3. Did You Know I Dance??

Just because they’re not your regular employees, it doesn’t mean you need not know them very well. In fact, how many managers today know the strengths and weaknesses of their team members? I remember one of my previous employers, where after working for one year, they came to know that I was fluent with multimedia software and asked me, “Why haven’t you told us before?” I replied, “I thought you read my CV.”

Have a small conversation with your freelance vendor in your free time, wherein you dig deeper into their past work experiences, specializations, interests, and more. This will give you an insight into how to make the best use of their skillset for your requirement.

4. Have a Proper Communication System in Place:

This is one of the biggest issues with remote work. Unfortunately, technology doesn’t solve all our problems unless we know how to put it to proper use. Maintaining proper communication with your freelancer is very important to avoid any surprises.

Having too much communication is also not recommended. It will reduce the efficiency of the freelancer, while inadequate communication will lead to assumptions that can cause irreparable damage. At regular intervals, inquire about how things are with regards to work; and if everything is going as per the plan. Also, do not forget to ask if they need any help.

At the same time, keep the freelancers informed about any updates on the project, which includes your conversation with the client and your team about any major changes in the project. Keep them informed on when they can expect to receive the feedback on their deliverables.

Make it a point to greet each other regularly. It might sound funny, but when I receive a “Good Morning” or “How are you doing?” message from my project manager, I say to myself “Okay, looks like I received feedback on my deliverable today.” This assumption mostly comes true.

5. Don't Have to Say Goodbye After Project:

Freelancers keep updating their skill set to survive in the industry. Stay connected with your freelancers, even after the project is complete. Keep watching their updates on LinkedIn, or follow their blog posts/articles or even say “Hi!” sometimes to see what they’re up to.

Their skillset doesn't need to be limited to what they’ve offered you before. Follow their updates to get a full picture of their capabilities, which will make it easier for you to make a wise choice the next time you have a requirement.

Let’s end this post by reading a couple of quotes from my freelancing friends.

“It’s not professional to wait for payment after the work is over! It leaves a sour mark on the enriching work experience.” – Anonymous 01

“Often clients turn to freelancers as a last resort. When a client comes to me with a deadline for yesterday, it puts me off. I really wish clients would realize that proper planning is very important, all the more when a freelancer is working with them for the first time.” – Anonymous 02

Hope these points will help you with your interaction with your freelance consultants. Let me know if you'd like to add anything to it or if you have any experiences with freelancing or while working with freelancers. Sharing our stories is how we bridge the gaps and make work easier for all of us. Leave your thoughts in the comments below.