Even for companies with a stellar full-time workforce, situations usually arise where short-term external help is required. Large-scale projects, therefore, might demand additional employees if at all deadlines are to be met. Alternatively, specialized projects may require unique expertise not available in-house, further justifying the need for skilled temp workers.
If you can articulate the expertise and skills you need, websites or online portals that pool freelance talent can really help you accomplish your organization’s projects cost-effectively and timely.
Here are specific advantages to hiring independent contractors and/or freelancers.
1. Less Overhead
The best part of the gig economy is that it helps an organization reduce some of the costs and inefficiencies which hamper profitability and growth. Here are some overhead costs organizations can eradicate or at least minimize by capitalizing on freelancers:
• Workspace – The majority of freelancers telecommute
• Training – A good number of freelancers already have all of the required skills and qualifications
• Benefits such as retirement, paid sick leave, healthcare, and so on – Usually, freelancers themselves are responsible for handling this.
2. Maximum Flexibility
Usually, full-time employees are entitled to work for a certain number of hours per week, according to labor laws. A typical and conventional system like this can place you at a disadvantage since you may be paying more than what is actually required of you. This affects your profitability and productivity, which eventually hurts your bottom line.
Hiring freelancers or independent contractors is a better option as you will at all times have the proper levels of manpower. Another plus is that independent contractors are not subject to some of these labor laws, especially those that touch on weekly work hours. For instance, you can hire a freelance web developer to work on your website over the holiday period when your business is closed.
3. Find Top Experts
It’s very rare to find an employee who can thrive in all departments of an organization. Seldom does a single employee possess that kind of knowledge, especially in today’s corporate world. Hiring freelancers and independent contractors help you seek services of experienced professionals for each and every project, on a need-basis.
For example, you could contract a highly accomplished software developer to manage your business app, an SEO specialist to increase your exposure on Google, a freelance bookkeeper to handle your accounting needs and so on. This will definitely allow you to run your entity at the highest possible level.
4. Independence
Organizations spend a lot of time and money when training new and inexperienced employees. Unfortunately, when that employee chooses to leave or terminate his contract, it puts the organization in a difficult situation. It’s uneconomical and inconveniencing for any company.
Hiring independent contractors is a better option because the management is at liberty to shift between different people as considered necessary and can part-ways without causing any inconveniences. If an individual team member plans to terminate his contract, management can just hire another independent contractor who is enthusiastic about the job.
You could argue that the organizations that prosper are those most flexible. Appreciating the gig economy and capitalizing on the freelance craze is your sure ticket to guaranteed growth, greater productivity and increased revenue.
Best sites for finding and recruiting high-quality freelancers
1. Craigslist
Craigslist is not just a platform for buying and selling your old, unwanted valuables. It’s, in fact, one of the most reliable websites where job-seekers and employers get to connect. Craigslist has an upper edge over other sites because employers can directly deal with freelancers, without paying a fee to a third party.
With that said, there is nothing to stop an unskilled candidate from applying to your job post; therefore, ensure you screen the applicants well and demand references prior to making a hire.
2. Upwork
Upwork came from the merger of oDesk and Elance (two of the most common freelance portals), which boasts of millions of global freelancers in an array of fields. Employers or organizations who post jobs on Upwork can use the site to schedule interviews, carry out skill tests (where necessary) and make payments. The employer usually pays Upwork, which in turn pays the freelancer, taking a 20 percent cut on the wages.
Like many other freelancing websites, both freelancers and employers receive ratings after every project is completed. These ratings can be used in the future to weed out ornery clients and subpar freelancers.
3. Freelancer
Freelancer is another popular website which offers freelancers and independent contractors the opportunity to make competitive bids on various job postings. If you are in search of a graphic designer, media specialist, software developer, or copywriter, you will find a lot of candidates willing to bid on your post on this platform. Like Upwork, Freelancer charges a fee for every freelancer’s earnings.
4. Fiverr
Fiverr is an online platform that helps employers and interested companies find talented freelancers to perform an array of short-term tasks. Whether you are looking for writers, graphic artists, programmers, digital marketers, or even voice-over artists who can do Morgan Freeman impressions, you will definitely find skillful and affordable freelancers on Fiverr. Furthermore, joining Fiverr is free.
5. Guru
Guru is a freelance platform intended to connect companies with millions of accomplished freelancers around the world. Employers can easily create job posts, which allow them to pick freelancers with matching skill sets. There are various work specialization categories and employers can even limit their search to freelancers from specific countries. The unified, comprehensive dashboard of this platform streamlines all your communication and project management needs – from initiating work agreements to sharing work documents. Remarkably, posting a job on Guru is entirely free.
Get the freelancer benefits
Outsourcing a project to a freelancer or independent contractor may sound like a confusing and challenging process; however, it’s actually very straightforward. Like you have noticed, many websites have emerged where companies can connect with talented independent contractors. That said, if you need to add an independent contractor or a freelancer to your future project team, the above 5 websites are an excellent place to start.