In today’s increasingly digital and tech-savvy world, more and more companies are choosing to hire freelancers on an ad hoc basis instead of employing additional full-time staff to carry out the same tasks.
The nature of freelance work is that it’s flexible, meaning it affords businesses a certain level of freedom when it comes to making new hires. If it doesn’t quite work out with a particular freelancer, then the company simply won’t hire them again in the future. It’s also useful if you only need someone temporarily.
More broadly, hiring freelancers gives you access to a large range of skills, and this is where an online marketplace proves invaluable. So where do you start?
Access to a larger pool of available freelancers
While a lot of people like to bemoan the so-called digital age, it does mean we’re more connected than ever. Perhaps the most obvious advantage of using an online freelance marketplace is that it provides access to thousands – if not millions – of available freelancers looking for work.
This makes these online marketplaces ideal for quickly finding freelancers to complete one-time or rarely occurring tasks, and, again, you have the flexibility to trial as many people as you wish without being locked into anything long-term.
It usually won’t cost you, though some sites might charge a fee and/or charge the freelancer a percentage of their earnings.
Larger sites like Upwork and Guru will have the widest possible selection, though you might find there’s actually too much choice.
Access to a diverse range of talent
Not only do online freelance marketplaces give you access to many freelancers, but also to a huge range of valuable skills – skills which would probably be difficult for you to source locally, or even elsewhere online.
The majority of freelance marketplaces even allow you to filter your search for freelancers with the exact skills and experience level you need, meaning you can be sure you’ve got the right person for the job.
Ranking system
Another major advantage of hiring through an online marketplace is that it will most likely have some kind of internal ranking system. This is typically based on a number of key factors, including:
- Feedback score
- Reliability
- Successful/timely task completion
- Onsite tests
- Money earned
Gone are the days of working your way through a mountain of CVs to try and (hopefully) find a half-decent candidate. With an online marketplace, the boring bit is taken care of, and you can focus on choosing the absolute best person for the role on offer.
You also don’t need to spend money on an agency which may not even do a good job.
After all, no one knows what you’re looking for better than you, and an online freelance marketplace enables you to take matters into your own hands and find reliable candidates with great reputations.
Simplified payment process
A common theme here is that online freelance marketplaces make things quick and easy, and the same is true when it comes to making payments.
There’s no need for an array of different payment methods (talk about confusing), as you can quickly and easily pay all of your freelancers via the online marketplace.
Most online marketplaces will allow you to bring over any existing freelancers you may use, so you won’t have the hassle of having to pay them the old way – or even potentially losing them for good in the process of switching to online.
Streamlined admin and communication
In the same way an online marketplace can simplify the payment process, it can help you manage both communication and work submission through its online workstreams and messaging systems. This can be helpful if you’re currently working through WhatsApp, and having to transfer work to a different device.
A lot of sites also feature inbuilt terms and conditions, which ensure you and your freelancers are on the same page when it comes to general expectations, as well as things like deadlines.
In addition to making your life as an employer easier, these terms give you a kind of safety net should anything go wrong, as you’ll have recourse to a third party (the marketplace itself).
Head over to our information hub for more guides, news and advice on navigating life as a professional freelancer, from finance to tech and more.
