You want to find a freelancer, but you’re not quite sure where to start. 

I’ve undertaken two Zoom interviews since the pandemic hit.  How did they compare to your traditional, in person interview?  The two words that come to mind are ‘overwhelming’ and a bit ‘awkward’.

You want to find a talented writer, graphic designer or photographer for your next project but you're not quite sure how to conduct an interview with a freelancer.  While there’s lots of advice available online to help candidates perform well during interviews, I’ve rarely come across any pieces with tips and tricks that benefit interviewers.  Like freelancers, interviewers can under prepare and hence underperform during interviews. At what cost, you ask? Well, letting talented freelancers pass them by, making poor hiring decisions and wasting lots of time.

Now more than ever, freelancers are in demand.  Before the pandemic hit, there was often tough competition among freelancers to land the best jobs. However, the tables have turned over the past few months and businesses are now competing for the top freelancers amongst a pool of super talented professionals.  What has caused this change? 

If you’ve read any of my past articles, you might know that I’m a fan of freelancer welcome packs. I think they're an invaluable resource for freelancers when they join a new startup. Not only do they provide freelancers with a better understanding of the client, their brand, values and the assets they'll need to do the job but they also save startups so much time onboarding new freelancers. 

I’ve always been interested in the startup journey and how entrepreneurs navigate each stage differently.  Furthermore, I’m forever curious as to how much work founders take on themselves versus how much they outsource to others throughout their respective journeys. 

When lockdown began, working from home seemed like a novelty to many full time employees who were used to working in offices. Long commutes were suddenly replaced with dreamy sleep-ins and stiff office attire with comfy PJ’s. However, the novelty of this new reality was short lived by many of these employees.

I don’t like the term ‘soft skills’. It gives the impression of something rather vague, fluffy and...well, weak. In reality, soft skills are crucial for building a successful freelance career.