THE EMPLOYER S GUIDE TO HIRING FREELANCERS AND MANAGING OUTSOURCED PROJECTS Jim Coutu
GatorData Press THE EMPLOYER S GUIDE FOR HIRING FREELANCERS AND MANAGING OUTSOURCED PROJECTS Jim Coutu Copyright 2013 by Jim Coutu. All rights reserved. This book is self-published by the author Jim Coutu under GatorData Press. No parts of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission. This includes reprints, excerpts, photocopying, etc. If you would like to reproduce portions, please seek permission first by contacting us at http://www.theemployersguide.com Published in the United States by GatorData Press ISBN 978-0-9894203-0-3 Version 1.00 http://www.theemployersguide.com/updates
Table of Contents Introduction... 3 My Background... 3 Chapter 1: The Process of Outsourcing a Project... 10 Why Hire a Freelancer?... 10 What Work can be Outsourced?... 10 Overview of Outsourcing a Project... 11 1. How do you want to pay the freelancer (Project Type)... 11 2. Write the Project Summary... 12 3. Selecting the Freelancer... 12 4. Escrowing the Money (Optional)... 12 5. Setting the Deadline or Milestones... 12 6. Work Begins... 12 7. Work Submitted / Testing / Feedback Given / Changes Made... 13 8. Work is accepted and the freelancer is paid.... 13 What is your goal for hiring a freelancer?... 13 Chapter 2: Writing an Effective Project Summary... 15 What happens when these eight issues are not determined before work begins?... 16 Preventing Spam Bids... 18 A Much-Improved Project Summary... 19 Examples of Bad Project Summary Statements... 21 What if you don t know anything?... 22 Project Summary Tips for Common Project Types... 23 All Projects... 23 Websites... 23 Windows Software... 24 Server Applications... 24 Graphics... 24 Marketing... 24 Mobile Apps... 25
Writing... 25 Virtual Assistants... 25 Chapter 3: Posting the Project... 26 Choosing a Freelance Job Site... 26 Project Types... 27 Fixed Price... 27 Hourly... 27 Contest... 28 Combining Hourly and Fixed Price Projects... 28 Summary... 29 Attracting Quality Freelancers... 29 Length of Project... 30 Amount to Charge for the Project... 30 Escrow... 31 Chapter 4: Bidding - Recognizing Competent Freelancers Before You Hire Them... 32 What makes a good freelancer?... 32 Freelancer Profiles... 33 1. Overall Rating / Reviews / Reputation... 37 2. Number of Projects Completed... 38 3. Previous Work & Employer Feedback... 39 4. Number of Jobs in Progress... 39 5. Repeat Hire Rate... 39 6. Country of Origin... 39 7. Skills - Areas of Expertise... 40 8. Self-Assessed Skill Ratings... 40 9. Skill Assessments (Tests)... 40 10. Portfolios... 41 Additional Information... 41 The Bid Amount... 41 Bid Comments & Discussion... 41 Bid Selection Research... 42 Summary... 43
Hiring Tips... 44 Chapter 5: Working... 45 Once the Bid is Accepted... 45 The Work Cycle... 45 Testing... 46 Testing Tips... 47 Feedback... 49 Feedback Tips... 51 Milestones... 52 Deadlines... 52 Setting the Initial Deadline... 53 Why are Freelancer Deadline Estimates Often Wrong?... 53 What if changes need to be made to the project?... 54 Steps to Take for a Missed Deadline... 54 Implicit Deadlines and Zombie Projects... 54 Once Work is Completed... 55 Summary... 55 Chapter 6: Problems... 57 Contract Problems... 57 Contract Wording... 57 Changing the Contract... 58 Consideration... 59 Arbitration Examples... 59 Communication Difficulties... 60 Freelancer Not Following Directions... 61 Freelancer Not Responding... 61 Freelancer Not Uploading Work... 62 Communication Styles... 62 Deadline Problems... 63 Employer Contributions to Deadline Problems... 63 Tips to help avoid deadline problems... 64 Working with Different Cultures... 64
Language Issues... 64 Holidays... 65 Time Zones... 65 Stereotypes... 65 Source Files... 66 Copyright Issues... 66 Copyright Graphics Issues... 67 Copyright Issues for Software... 68 Copyright Issues for Writing Projects... 68 Other Copyright Issues... 68 Arbitrations... 69 Arbitrations at the Major Freelance job sites... 69 Self-Mediation... 70 General Strategies for Freelance Job Sites... 71 Chargebacks... 72 Strategies for Hourly Projects... 72 Strategies for Fixed Price Projects... 72 Arbitrations Outside the Freelance Job Sites... 73 Is arbitration worth it?... 73 Freelancer Types... 73 Full-Time Freelancers... 73 Part-Timers... 74 Teams or Agencies... 74 New Freelancers... 74 Middlemen... 75 Freelancer Issues with Employers... 75 Freelancers Stealing Work... 76 Blackmail Issues... 76 Going Offsite Instead of Using a Freelance Job Site... 77 Knowing When to Fire a Freelancer... 78 Before firing a freelancer... 79 Problems Summary Protect Yourself... 79
Chapter 7: Summary... 80 Acknowledgements... 81 Appendix A: Glossary of Terms... 82 Appendix B: The Arbitration Process at vworker... 85 Arbitration Process... 85 A Typical Arbitration... 87 The Arbitration Process at Other Freelance job sites... 91 Appendix C: Resources... 92 Freelance Job Websites... 92 Major Freelance Job Sites... 92 Specialized Freelance Job Sites... 92 Additional Resources... 92 Graphics Projects... 92 Writing Projects... 93 Project Planning... 93 Working... 93 Testing... 94 Licensing... 94 Arbitration... 95