We’ve talked often on this blog about the need for organizations to consider contingent workers in their staffing strategy. The contingent workforce includes on-call, temporary, freelancers, consultants, and contractors (just to name a few). But even within these titles, there are differences.
Take freelancers for example. If you Google the definition of freelancer, it says “working for different companies at different times rather than being permanently employed by one company.” By this definition, I’m a freelancer. A full-time freelancer.
But I believe many people would say that a person with a full-time job and a side-hustle does freelancing. Our friends at LinkedIn recently shared this infographic on the five different types of freelancers in today’s workplace.
Organizations are not only going to want to make decisions about hiring freelancers for their business, but they are going to have to decide what kind of freelancer will fit with their operation. I’m not just talking about culture fit – although that is important. Freelancers have to be able to work within the structure of the organization. So, if the company needs their freelancer to stop by occasionally for meeting, can a “side gigger” make themselves available? Or if the organization would like to engage a freelancer for a year, is the “substitute” going to bail on them once they find a job? These are things organizations need to consider. Here are a couple of tips to consider when hiring freelancers:
Think about the type of work that needs to be done. When considering a freelancer for an assignment, think about more than just the task. Will phone calls or meetings be required? Is there the possibility you will want to engage the freelancer again? It might help you decide the best type of freelancer to consider.
Consider short-term and long-term arrangements. Build a relationship with freelancers. It’s a win for everyone. The freelancer gets some semi-steady income. The company gets a person who knows them. That’s beneficial when it comes to getting the work done.
Once organizations understand the type of freelancer they’re looking for, it will make it easier to find the right person. Hiring the wrong freelancer is like hiring the wrong employee. The company will constantly be in hiring mode and training people to do the work.
Andrea Torti says
Since most of us are probably going to be freelancers from time to time in the near future, I welcome such sensible discussion about this new forms of work 🙂
Dr Gary Dumais says
Thank you so much for writing this article – very informative and pertinent to today’s marketplace for talent. Freelancers, contractors, or however you want to term them, are an important resource to keep in mind from a Human Resource professional or hiring manager’s perspective. Not having to hire someone full time can save organizations considerable money. It also allows flexibility (e.g., staffing-up for big projects, and staffing down when business is slow). Truly a win-win, as you mentioned, yet an underutilized resource for many companies.
Ronald says
If you ask me, I’d most likely hire career freelancers and passionistas for an ambitious project, a side gigger for a routine kind of work, subtituters for short and temporary needs and finally, business builders for expanding my current business. Well, it’s good to know that you have many options and choices for hiring freelancers in this day and age… But that gives companies flexibility in terms of finding the next right candidate for a certain position that they need. (P.S. It’s my first time seeing animated infographic)
Sharlyn Lauby says
Totally agree! Hiring the right freelancer – both in terms of qualifications and availability – is important. And I love the animated infographic – it’s not too busy. Very fun looking. Thanks for the comment.
Susan says
I’d love to see some statistics on full time freelancers–those who depend on freelancing for 100% of their income. I think we’ll see more of this group in the future as millennials strike out on their own either because they can’t find a job they love or because they want the added flexibility of working on their own schedule. As a full-time freelancer myself, I am encouraged by the increasingly favorable outlook for freelancers in B2B markets.
Sharlyn Lauby says
Thanks for sharing Susan. I don’t know the exact numbers, but I recently discovered a Freelancer Union, designed to help freelancers with health insurance, taxes, etc. You can Google it for more info. Personally, I don’t believe this is a Millennial thing. I believe individuals of all ages are making the conscious decision to freelance.