How to Build a Team of Remote Freelancers You Can Rely On

Building a team of freelancers you can rely on is not always cut and dry. After all, sifting through a large talent pool to select only the best talent could feel like you’re looking for a needle in a haystack, so to speak. Nevertheless, there are a few things you can look out for so that you build a team you can rely on.

Register your business with the state

When hiring employees, even if they’re working in a freelance capacity, you should protect yourself legally by registering your business with the state. Thoroughly research the different types of legal structures to choose the right fit for your company. A New Hampshire LLC, for example, protects your personal assets from being liable in legal issues involving your business, while a NH S corporation offers liability protection and the added bonus of self-employment tax savings.

Identifying your skills shortage

In order to find out what talent you require, you first need to assess what your company's requirements are. Once you have a more accurate idea of what this is, then you’ll be better equipped to find freelancers with the matching skill set that’s going to complement your business’s needs accordingly.   

Where to look

There’s a simplicity that comes with using the internet; all you have to do to find the appropriate talent and peruse the many job boards online to find suitable candidates. Social media is also quite helpful in finding reputable freelancers. So, if your business is not up to speed with all things social media-related, it’s best to get on board with social media marketing best practices so that you can laser in on the talent you’re looking for.

Different types of freelancers

The world of freelancing is certainly varied, making it that much more challenging to choose the right freelancer for your business.

Contractors

Contractors are usually independent workers that work on a project basis or contractually until a project has been completed. 

Moonlighters

Moonlighters are freelancers who have stable full-time jobs but work part-time to help supplement their income.

Freelance businesses

Freelance businesses usually have the capacity to handle large quantities of work because these freelancers usually have their own staff complement that can offer various types of expertise across a wide range of areas depending on what you need.

Communication is essential

Communication is key when it comes to managing your team of freelancers properly. And since the majority of your freelancers will probably be dispersed around the world, communication will have to be kept up with regularly. However, this should be easy enough to accomplish with the various communication tools you can find online such as Slack and Asana.

If you’re working with a freelancer in a creative field like graphic design, you may need to email images back and forth. Instead of compressing JPG files to make them easier to email (which can harm the image quality), a JPG to PDF converter can turn these files into PDFs. You’ll also be able to save all your JPG files on one PDF so you’ll only have to send one file. 

Payment methods

The way you pay your team of freelancers will have to be looked at too. Therefore, you may want to consider using an international transfer service like PayPal or Payoneer to transfer payments quickly and seamlessly.

Working with talented freelancers can benefit your business immensely. Identify which types of freelancers you should hire, learn where to find them, have a plan for effective communication, and determine how you’ll pay them. 

Connect with resources and other small business owners in our community by joining the Upper Valley Business Alliance.