In an age of digital connections, social media, and virtual transactions, the idea of freelance or at home team members is becoming more and more commonplace Finding the best writers can be a challenge and getting the right contractor to join your team to handle blogging, advertising, social media promotion, web content creation, SEO articles, marketing content, and great general content takes a lot of careful planning and consideration.
If you are thinking about adding a freelancer or two to your content creation team, it is important to find someone who is a good fit for your company. Here at WriterAccess, we specialize in matching up businesses with the best writers and content creators that are available in their market or niche area. To get you started on the process, here are ten things you need to look for to determine if a freelancer is a good fit for your outsourcing needs:
1. The writer’s portfolio is comprehensive and updated.
A complete and up-to-date portfolio means everything to a small business looking to bring a freelancer to their writing or marketing team. Writing samples of past work show what the writer is capable of producing. It also offers a quick and easy way for a manager or business owner to see if they have the tone and style that would make them a good fit for the team. It is the first thing many hiring managers look for when hiring freelancers, so be sure to check the writer’s portfolio and samples to see the kind of work they are able to deliver.
2. They have initiative and ask questions.
There are so many freelancers out there, especially today when a global pandemic has forced many professionals to look for contract work they can do from home. One thing that can distinguish a good freelancer from a great one is initiative and proactively. Productive and effective freelancers take the initiative to get out and be proactive rather than just waiting for something to happen. When a freelancer asks questions about your company or about a job, this shows the potential employer that they are taking things seriously. A freelancer who doesn’t ask questions or seem interested often will not care about the work they deliver to you.
3. They demonstrate good communication skills.
For any position, but especially one based on a remote working relationship, communication is essential. Your chosen writer or content creator must be able to respond to questions, communicate needs, and stay in touch with you at all times. Even when things go wrong or there are issues, good freelance writers will be upfront and keep you in the loop. Lapses in communication or difficulty getting in touch can cost time and money, and that is something no business owner wants.
4. The freelance writer shows an interest in your company.
Make sure your prospective team member is someone who shows a genuine interest in your company or, at the very least, the project you are hiring them for. They will be more likely to invest themselves and deliver their best possible work if they feel some kind of connection to what they are doing. When interviewing or vetting potential freelancers, ask questions that will help you determine whether they are willing to invest as much time for your company as you are willing to invest for them.
5. The new writer is able to take constructive criticism.
Any job will come with its fair share of mistakes, missed marks, and criticism. The freelancing world is no place for someone who is thin-skinned and who cannot take constructive criticism or review. A good team member will take feedback, apply it as needed, and work to improve their performance in order to better themselves and the company as a whole. Working with an overly sensitive writer who doesn’t respond to feedback well is often a waste of time and money in the long run.
6. They are comfortable with collaboration tools.
Many businesses are moving away from traditional face-to-face meetings and conferences as many now see them as old and outdated. This means collaborative tools and virtual sharing platforms like Slack and Google Docs are becoming more and more prevalent and mainstream. A good addition to your writing team will be someone who is familiar and comfortable using popular collaborative tools and file sharing sites. It’s great if you are willing to train a good match on a particular platform, but if they already know the tools, it will make the onboarding and collaboration process much smoother upfront.
7. The writer is a motivated individual.
The best independent contractors are those who are truly searching for more than a one-off gig. Many content writers take these “one and done” jobs as needed, but a truly motivated freelancer is one who desires to form a long-lasting relationship with their clients. They are driven by the desire to find good honest work and to contribute to the success of an organization they care about. This kind of commitment can be hard to find, but it is worth the invested effort to find the perfect writer for your team.
8. They have high standards for quality.
It usually does not take long to tell if a contractor is simply looking for a job for the sake of getting paid. It is also usually easy to tell if they are trying to get by with the bare minimum that is required to get the job done and get their payment. The best freelancers are those that go above and beyond and deliver the best work that they can for their clients every single time. You can get a feel for their standard by looking at their portfolio, samples, reviews, and interview responses.
9. They can bring something to the project.
You should strive to bring on freelance writers who can relate to the project in some way, preferably on a personal level. If they have a genuine interest in the topic or already care about your theme or share your end goal, they will be more likely to deliver quality work. Not to mention, if they are passionate about the topic, that passion will come through in their writing. They will also likely have an easier time responding to feedback, suggestions, and guidelines too if they view the job as more than just something they are doing out of necessity for a paycheck.
10. The freelancer is open for longer commitments.
While it is true that freelance writers generally operate on short-term job arrangements or a job by job basis, it can be helpful to look for a contractor who is open to longer commitments. Having someone to work on a blog now and then is good, but it can also be beneficial to have someone available to handle regular content creation and ongoing writing projects. That is what makes independent contractors such an asset- they can fulfill multiple roles as your needs change.
Let WriterAccess Help You Find Freelancers Today
If you have been thinking about hiring freelance writers to create quality content for your brand or have been looking for an independent contractor to join your marketing team, the writer you have been looking for may be on WriterAccess. WriterAccess is a platform-as-a-service that has a proven reputation for quality and excellence for both freelance writers and businesses large and small.
Our focus is on helping agencies, SMBs, and enterprise companies from a wide array of industry niches maintain access to high-quality copywriters, editors, proofreaders, and other skilled contractors who can meet nearly any content creation or content strategy need. WriterAccess is proud to be seen as the go-to resource for content marketing across the board, and we invite you to come and see for yourself how we can help you with any type of content that requires great writers.
Contact us today for a free demo and to see what difference we can make for your ROI and production levels today.
Sarah Jo R L
has over twelve years of experience writing about a range of topics across academic, professional, business, and creative fields. With a wide range of skills and experiences writing content, she enjoys working on a range of projects from creative and fun to serious and professional. Though she can write about nearly anything, Sarah Jo specializes in writing content for the Garden, Personal Finance, Marketing, and Home Living industries.
