Successful Blog

Hiring Freelancers? Here’s How to Find the Right Ones

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By Kayla Matthews

If you’re a growing business, you can easily find yourself with more work than your team can handle.

While busy times may come and go, biting off more than you can chew can cause your work to suffer. If your team becomes overwhelmed, they could rush projects or make mistakes.

Outsourcing some of your work is a great way to take some of the pressure off your team without having to stunt the growth of your business. However, if you’re hiring freelancers, you want to make sure you’re working with the right individuals.

As a representation of your company and brand, you need to be sure you’re working with experts and professionals.

If you’re about to hire some freelancers, here are a few tips you should follow to ensure you’re only working with the best of the best.

1. Use Your Network

As a business owner, you’re probably in contact with at least a few other entrepreneurs in your space or area. When looking for a high-quality freelancer, your best bet in finding someone who will fit your needs and provide you with excellent service is to get a referral.

Ask around to see if anyone knows of freelancers in the area. Getting the stamp of approval from a trusted friend, family member or business connection can reduce some of the risk you take when hiring freelancers.

2. Check Your Expectations

One of the biggest struggles of working with freelancers is determining a rate you’re both happy with. As a small business, you may be a bit strapped for cash. However, when it comes to freelancing, you’re going to get what you pay for. Keep in mind that you’re saving money on payroll fees, healthcare and other costs that explain why many small organizations can’t afford to hire new team members.

Finding the right freelancer for your budget and needs will depend on your expectations. If you’re approaching freelancers with unrealistic expectations for the amount you’re willing to spend, you’re going to struggle to find someone you’re happy with. Instead, check your expectations to ensure you’re on the right path.

3. Know Your Needs

While you may know you need someone to take a project off your hands, you need to understand what expertise is needed to get that task completed. If you don’t know what you’re looking for in a freelance writer, you’re going to struggle to find someone who can get the job done.

Before reaching out to any potential freelancers, make a list of the skills you need to have in the freelancer you hire. Having this list of requirements will make it easier for you to know who’s right and wrong for you when you start interviewing.

4. Post a Gig Description

While you can turn to many gig websites to find freelancers, you’ll typically find the best quality workers through submitting a gig description of your own. However, you must craft your job description to ensure you’re only attracting qualified individuals.

Just as you would with a traditional job description, you need to make it clear what you’re looking for and what expectations you have. If you have any requirements for your freelancers, make them known in the description to weed out individuals who may not fit your needs.

5. Provide Clear Communication

When you’re talking with potential freelancers, communication is essential. Both you and the people you’re talking with need to understand what you’re looking for in this partnership. With the right communication, you can build a healthy relationship with your external worker.

Clearly explain what you’re looking for and what direction you hope the relationship goes. Whether you’re looking for a one-off project or someone you can keep on retainer, you need to ensure both you and your potential freelancers are looking for the same level of commitment. Clear communication can ensure this happens.

Hiring freelancers can be a great way to take some stress off your hands. However, if you hire the wrong external team, you may end up with even more stress than you thought.

You’ll save time and headaches by going through the appropriate processes to ensure you’re working with a high-quality individual.

Follow these five tips the next time you’re looking to hire a freelance team to make sure they complete your projects promptly and to your satisfaction.

 

About the Author: Kayla Matthews writes about communication and workplace productivity on her blog, Productivity Theory. Her work has also appeared on Talent Culture, MakeUseOf, The Muse and Fast Company.

 

Featured image by rawpixel.com on Unsplash

Are Your Employees the Best You Could Get?

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business-man-2452808_640Do you ever take a moment to look around your office at the hired help?

If things worked out the way you wanted them to, then there’s a good likelihood that you are happy with your team. In the event you are not, where do you think things may have gone wrong?

Hiring the right talent for your office isn’t always as easy as some may make it out to be.

For starters, what you see from someone in an interview and what they do once hired can be two different things. That said you oftentimes end up having to go with your gut when it comes to bringing someone on-board.

With that in mind, do you feel as if your employees are the best you could get?

Hiring and Managing Top-Notch Employees

To best improve your odds of getting the right talent time and time again, remember a few pointers:

  1. Resumes do matter

Be honest; do you pay attention to all the resumes coming across your desk?

Sure, you may not even be in on the hiring process until the very end or in some cases at all. At times, you may delegate that authority to the H.R. department or even a manager or two.

That said someone needs to go over those resumes with a fine tooth comb. To do otherwise would be negligence on the part of the company.

Did you proceed with background checks when you hired these people now employees? If not, you could be setting yourself and your company up for trouble.

By combing over resumes and background checks, you are more likely to get the right people on board.

  1. Tasks outside the office

As part of the checks of those you consider hiring, work activities outside the office matter.

What if you need to hire someone for deliveries or meeting with clients? Something as simple as their driving skills becomes a much bigger deal.

Like the background check one hopes you did on them, this is why in fact a license plate search matters.

Stop for a moment and ask yourself the following questions:

  • Would you consider hiring someone with a reckless driving record?
  • Would you consider hiring someone who has one or more DUI’s to their name?
  • Would you consider hiring someone with a vehicle that is unsafe to be on the roads?

When workers go on deliveries, networking, and to meet with clients, they represent you. As such, you want to make sure they’re responsible and have solid driving records.

  1. Character references

Although some potential hires will put down best friends or relatives to vouch for them, be smart.

The people you really want to talk to would be former or current co-workers and even a boss if at all possible. These types of individuals know how someone is to work with. Best of all, they more times than not will give you an honest opinion.

If you’ve not be one to ask for references in the past, change that moving forward.

To improve the odds of getting the best employees, character references can go a long way in that process.

Photo credit: Pixabay

About the Author: Dave Thomas covers business topics on the web.

 

 

 

 

3 Reasons Why Proper Project Management Can’t Be Overlooked

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checklist-2077023_640No matter your business size, you know that managing various aspects is crucial.

With that being the case, how would you assess your company’s project management skills?

If you’re running a one-person show, you know that the project decisions fall on your shoulders. While you may get a few wrong, it is imperative the bulk of project management decisions you make come out on top.

When you have many employees, finding the right one to direct project management is key. By having the right minds in the right places, you can make the right decisions time and time again.

So, is proper project management a staple in your business world?

Review Your Project Management Efforts Going Forward

So that your project management efforts are always moving forward, remember these keys:

  1. Knowing who to pass responsibilities to

Whether you make the final call or a manager does, make sure the right person or persons end up with the projects.

For instance, you have a big customer service initiative coming up that you’ve been waiting to unveil. The one catch is that the project is going to need some heavy marketing, especially in the area of social media. While the individual you’d like to head the campaign is great at many facets, he or she is not strong with social media.

So, do you still give them the keys to the project despite the social media shortcomings? Or, better yet, do you trust them to find the person who gets social media to collaborate on the initiative?

The answer depends on if you trust that lead person to do whatever it takes to promote the project. If you do, there should be no worries moving ahead. If you don’t, you may need to intervene at some point.

The bottom line is to know the strengths and weaknesses of those you put in charge to execute any project.

Some people can think on their own two feet and will not need guidance. Others, meantime, may need some extra nurturing to get the job done that you’ve entrusted them with. This can at times include finding the best product support.

  1. Prioritizing the Right Projects

Depending on the number of projects your business has on its plate at any given time, things can get quite busy. That said a busy company tends to be a healthy one.

With that in mind, always do your best to review each project and where it falls on the importance totem pole. To do otherwise is putting your company in a dicey position. Without the right project structure, you can end up with a free-for-all on your hands before you know it.

In prioritizing those projects, look at the following:

  • Customer needs and expectations
  • Which projects have the greatest potential for financial return?
  • Those projects your team can handle with nary a concern

The better you do at prioritizing projects, the faster you become a consumer favorite.

  1. Getting Customer Feedback

Although you make the final decisions, taking customer input is important.

For example, a new project you unveiled recently was a huge hit with the bulk of customers. In not resting on your laurels, get some feedback from customers on why they liked it and how it benefited them.

On the other end of the spectrum, another project you recently put in motion met with muted applause. Customer feedback is essential on why this project did not work as others have.

Once you have all your feedback, both positive and negative that is, be sure to meet with your staff and discuss it. In doing this, you are better prepared when you move on to upcoming projects.

Often, top business owners and project managers learn from yesterday and act today.

In dealing with many projects and people at once, you have your hands full as the company owner.

Step back for a few moments and assess how things are going.

If you’ve for the most part made the right hires and the correct decisions, your company should be doing fine.

So, does that sound like you and your business?

Photo credit: Pixabay

About the Author: Dave Thomas writes about business topics on the web.

Should You Sell Your Business?

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open-sign-1617495_640There will come a time in most cases where small business owners have to make a difficult decision. Should they sell their business or if possible, keep it within the family?

If you find yourself in such a situation, you may find yourself dealing with some restless nights.

Of most importance, making the right call can set you up for years of stability if all goes well. If you make the wrong decision, all that hard work up to this point could go away.

So, what factors should go into whether you sell your business?

What Makes for the Right Sale?

In considering selling your small business, note these thoughts:

  1. Who are they?

If you ponder selling your small business, will you find the best person available for the deal?

There is a lot that goes into such a decision, so expect to do some soul-searching and of course research.

One of the reasons why background searches can make a difference is the information.

Given all the information that is floating around the worldwide web these days, one can learn a lot of details about others. From potential business sales to whether or not the person you are dating is who they say they are, the Internet can be your best go-to information source.

For instance, what if a prospective buyer has past money issues?

Although once you sell any problems are those of the new owner, you likely don’t want a negative impact on clients. Another potential issue is what if the prospective buyer’s money issues kill the deal at the last minute?

By going online and researching, you can get a full dossier in the person who might be buying your company.

  1. Is it time to sell?

Before you look at potential buyers, there is of course the need to decide if selling now is the right decision.

Depending on your age, you may be thinking about calling it career. But, this decision to sell might be you wanting to do something else in the business world.

Among the possibilities:

  • Starting a new small business venture
  • Going to work for someone else
  • Investing your money in other businesses

No matter what path you choose, know that selling your business isn’t something you need to make a rush decision on.

Take your time to weigh the pros and cons of unloading your business. Over a period of time, you might come to the conclusion that selling now is not in your best interests.

  1. Being financially sound

In the event you do sell, will you be alright with financial stability moving forward?

Keep in mind that the age you decide to sell out can very well have an impact on financial health down the road.

If you sell later in life, the money you receive in return can likely set you up for a nice retirement. In the event you sell earlier, will that money last? Remember, you still have personal expenses to handle. You also might have the need to go out and work again or look for another business venture.

Yes, you are likely to have much to think about when deciding if selling your small business is the right call or not.

Photo credit: Pixabay

About the Author: Dave Thomas covers business topics on the web.

 

Run Your Small Business without Interruptions

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call-15758_640In running your small business operation, you have a lot on your plate. That said the last thing you want to deal with on an on-going basis is interruptions.

While some of those interruptions are all but unavoidable, others are preventable.

Take for instance when you are being bombarded with phone calls on a daily basis. Yes, many of those can be customer calls ranging from questions to comments on your brand. Others, meantime, can be nothing short of a nuisance.

If you’re wondering how to find out who’s calling you on a regular basis, it is actually easier than you may think.

There are services out there that allow you to track down where the call is coming from. In doing so, you can determine if it is worthy of your time or not.

In the event you continue to receive calls from the same number or numbers, you can end up blocking them. By doing so, you remove one more obstacle to avoiding daily interruptions

Calls Are Not the Only Issue

While unwanted phone calls can put a crimp in your daily plans, they are not the only issue you must deal with.

Whether in business for years or getting started in the small business world, keep it moving.

Among some of the interruptions to best try and avoid:

  • Email overload – Have you ever stopped to count how many emails fill your inbox on a daily basis? If you did, there’s a good chance you would be quite surprised by the volume. It is best when you have some down time to go through and sort those that you need to receive on a regular basis.
  • Customers coming in – In a business where customers come in on a regular basis, you have a fine line to balance. On one hand, you want to make sure customers feel welcome when they enter your business. On the other side, you can’t afford to have disruptions that keep you from doing your duties as head of the business. Make sure you find that happy medium.
  • Employee distractions – Though you don’t want to babysit, some workers need more direction. In such cases, stress to those individuals the importance of time management. It only takes one or two employees to throw off the production schedule for a small business. If this occurs, some customers may become upset that they’re not getting what they want on time.

Keeping Your Focus Too

In owning a company, you have to make sure your time management skills are exemplary for others under you.

This means making sure you delegate responsibility when necessary.

For some small business owners, they try and do everything under the sun on their own. As a result, they can end up dropping the ball more times than not.

Your best bet is to hire the right people, responsible individuals that is. When you do, you will feel better about assigning tasks that you can’t do or have time for.

Last, don’t be afraid to make mistakes.

Remember, some of the best small business leaders out there have made their share of gaffes over time. What separates them from the losers is they learned from their mistakes.

So, are you ready to become an even better small business owner today?

Photo credit: Pixabay

About the Author: Dave Thomas covers business topics on the web.

 

 

 

 

8 Key Traits of Fantastic Project Managers

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project-management-2061635_640The key to successful project portfolio management revolves around dynamic project managers.

The pivotal role of the project manager is to plan and execute a project from start to finish, overseeing (and motivating!) a team of people in the meantime to set all the pieces in motion at the right time.

Successful project managers are a rare breed.

If you’re curious about making a career move to project management or you are trying to pick out the best match from a slew of candidates, these 8 key traits set the good project managers apart from the lousy:

  1. The Ability to Delegate. Good project managers know that their role is to manage, not do, the project. The project manager should have a high-level overview of the project and the tasks that need to be accomplished in order to achieve the end goal. Then, he or she should delegate those tasks to the best employee for the job.
  2. Motivational and Coaching Skills. A poor project manager might get frustrated after delegating tasks and seeing that the work has been done substandard. Such a project manager might say, “Never mind, I’ll just do it myself!” But in the long run, this strategy will backfire over and over again. The same problem will crop up until the project manager coaches the employee(s) in how to do the work to meet expectations. Good project managers recognize weak areas and bolster their employees to help them grow, not tear them down for their honest mistakes.
  3. Enthusiasm for the Project. Enthusiasm is contagious, and a positive attitude has to start with the project manager. If the manager is bored with the project, the employees will be too. If, on the other hand, the manager exudes optimism and fully supports the work of his or her team, then employee satisfaction is more likely to be high.
  4. Excellent Communication Skills. There’s no room for a wishy-washy or vague project manager in businesses that value efficiency. Managers need to communicate well not only with the employees they manage, but also the higher-ups. Frequent and very specific communication is key. Action items should have clear due-dates and assignees, for example, and negative feedback should be delivered with tact but never avoided altogether.
  5. A Knack for Organization. This is where a project portfolio management tool can make all the difference. When there are multiple ideas and projects that require attention, project managers need to know what’s happening at all times. Even the most focused and organized individual can lose track of important information. Successful project portfolio management hinges on a dynamic organizational system and an ability to use such a tool to its maximum potential.
  6. The Ability to Stay Level-Headed. When conflicts or problems inevitably arise, it falls to the project manager to work out a solution. Knee-jerk reactions have no place in the meeting room. A level-headed response to challenges helps keep projects moving ahead while also maintaining employee morale.
  7. Persistence and Perseverance. As the saying goes, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going!” A project manager should be the last person to back down to a challenge. When emails are ignored, the manager should pick up the phone or arrange to speak in person. When product testing feedback is negative, a solution-oriented mindset is necessary to revitalize the project. In short, a good project manager naturally has a “never say die” attitude.
  8. The Ability to Creatively Problem Solve. A persistent and persevering person is also a problem solver. When a bump occurs in the project’s original road map, the project manager smoothes it out. It does not matter if this problem relates to funding, human resources or any other aspect of the project; the manager’s mission is to see the project to completion (and to uphold the highest standards possible).

Being surprisingly hard to come by, successful project managers are worth their weight in gold.

They have a track record of high-quality projects on their roster and are respected by the people who work with them—both above and below them on the corporate ladder.

If you’re looking to promote a current employee to the position of project manager, their leadership skills may have already bubbled up to the surface; if not, look for these 8 traits to pick a great candidate.

Photo credit: Pixabay