For many companies – particularly startups – contractors offer a vital resource for keeping things running smoothly. If you have a job that requires a specific set of skills, but can’t offer enough work to constitute a full-time, in-house position, freelancers offer the perfect solution.
But when looking for a provider, often it isn’t practical to go through the same rigorous interview and assessment process as you would for a permanent employee, so how do you get quality work without the HR headache?
In my opinion, word of mouth recommendations are great when you can get them, but otherwise, advertising online (via your website or a job site) is the way to go, and then it’s all in the job description:
Make the title count
The first step to attracting quality bids is to make the most of your post title. Whether it’s on a general job site like Reed.co.uk or a site specifically for freelancers like People Per Hour, front page listings tend truncate titles to around 30 characters, so it’s wise to keep your title below this mark and get straight to the point. For example, rather than writing ‘Help needed with sales letter for accountancy firm’, you could write ‘Sales letter (accountancy)’.
Write clearly
As a provider on several freelance job sites, I read dozens of job listings per week where the project description is so vague, it’s almost impossible to fathom what the advertiser is looking for.
While this might present a challenge to the service provider looking to place a bid, the main victim of the vaguely worded project listing is the buyer themselves, who not only risks receiving dozens of irrelevant bids, but might even go so far as to accept a bid from a provider who has a false notion of what is required.
Be specific
When it comes to the project description, bidders will find it much easier to price up a project if you are explicit about what’s involved. So, for a web design project, for example, aim to explain how many pages are needed, what functionality the site must have, whether you will need a logo and so on.
Outline required skills
If you any specific skills requirements, such as being able to work with a particular piece of software, you should list them and state whether they are essential or preferred. It is also worth mentioning what industry your company operates in, as this can attract bidders with useful experience. For example, an accountant who already understands the typical transactions of a firm in your sector might be better placed to give industry specific tax advice.
Sell yourself
To attract strong bids, you should also consider giving some details about your company’s achievements and reputation. Just as with any job, people may be more inclined to apply if the company has an appealing profile.
Set a realistic budget
It is also important to be as realistic as possible about your project’s budget. If your budget range is very low, you may not attract the standard of provider you are looking for, and if it is unnecessarily high, you might find people bid higher than they otherwise would. If you have time, research what constitutes a realistic budget before submitting your listing. Alternatively, mark the rate as ‘negotiable’ and judge what constitutes a reasonable price based on the bids you receive.
Clarify with bidders
Finally, remember that you are not bound to agree to work with someone based on their initial bid alone. If a bid looks great, but doesn’t answer those last minute questions that have arisen since you posted the project, ask them. A good provider will be happy to discuss your requirements in more detail before asking you to accept their bid.
