How do I make my company attractive to freelancers?
The market for highly qualified freelancers is highly competitive. Many freelancers have a free choice of which projects they would like to realise. In order to win top candidates for your company, you should consider a few points. We've put together an overview of exactly which ones for you here.
Clear communication of corporate values and digital strategy
You're already setting the course with your public appearance and the call for projects. Freelancers inform themselves in advance about your company. As part of a stringent employer branding in your corporate identity and in your tenders, make it clear what you are doing with regard to digitization and how.
Identify your strong points and give the freelancer a sense of why a position in your company can pay off on his CV.
Open and profound formulation of tasks and goals
It's not only important for your personal search, but also for the freelancer himself to be able to get a clear picture of your expectations in advance. Illustrate in detail what tasks are involved and what objectives you have for your project. Define as precisely as possible what skills you expect from your freelancer. Ideally, your future freelancer will already have several reference projects in a similar environment on his CV and can therefore immediately assess whether an application is worthwhile for both sides.
The optimal use of personnel consulting companies
Recruiting firms specializing in the recruitment of highly qualified experts can be a great help in your search. The recruiting firm knows what's important and is ideally already familiar with your company and your future freelancer. This saves valuable time and avoids losses due to sticking points. The recruiting agency's expert database can provide good access to high potential freelancers, especially if you haven't worked with them so often, or if you don't have an in-depth knowledge of the skills required.
A clear and open initial discussion
Provide details about what you expect from a freelancer, what tasks await him and how you view an ideal collaboration with your team. Not only the technical aspects play a role, but above all the soft skills. Give as realistic an insight into the future working environment as possible in order to weigh whether or not there will be a cultural fit for both sides in advance.
Comparing expectations in advance
Remember: Freelancers are self-employed entrepreneurs. A good freelancer will always have a successful completion of the project in mind and will do everything to achieve his tasks in your interest. However, a freelancer should not be integrated too much into the work organization. Keeping to company requirements such as working hours, attendance obligations or certain work processes, if these are not absolutely necessary for the project, are rather counterproductive when using freelancers. If in doubt, you should check your expectations regarding these aspects with your freelancer in advance.
Recommendation for a successful project conclusion
Every project reaches completion at some point. Define clear milestones and goals, and what can be achieved in what amount of time. Pay particular attention to keeping clean project documentation, as the freelancer will eventually leave your company. The documentation should already be part of the scope of work at the beginning of the project. For complex projects, it can also be very advantageous to book a few hours with your freelancer even after the project has been completed, should questions still arise afterwards.