Be Sure To Ask These Questions When Hiring A Freelancer

Freelancers are the ideal solution for making sure you have all the help you need to take your business to the next level.

If you’re new to hiring freelancers, you might find yourself wondering how much experience they need, or what their rate should be. The truth is that it really depends on what kind of project you want them to work on and where you’re at in your business’s development.

But one thing holds true for every freelance hire: asking the right questions is essential. Finding someone who can do exactly what you need them to do is going to be a lot easier if you know what questions to ask.

Here are some of the top questions to ask a freelancer before hiring them:

Takeaways
Prepare a list of specific questions to ask freelancers during the interview process.
Assess the freelancer’s relevant experience and ask for examples of similar projects they have completed successfully.
Inquire about their preferred communication method and availability to ensure effective collaboration.
Discuss their approach to meeting project deadlines and ensuring timely delivery.
Evaluate their comfort level working independently or within a team environment.
Consider factors such as their portfolio, communication skills, and ability to meet project requirements when evaluating freelancers.
Establish clear expectations and milestones for the project to ensure quality work.
Request client references or testimonials to assess reliability and professionalism.
Address legal and contractual considerations, including project scope, payment terms, and intellectual property rights.
Seek clarity on confidentiality and non-disclosure agreements if necessary.

How Much Hours Can You Commit To This Project?

One of the biggest issues clients have with freelancers is that they’re not motivated enough to keep up with the workload. This is a major concern as you don’t want to waste your time hiring someone who can’t devote enough time to the project.

This question helps you figure out how much time the freelancer can spend on your project. It also shows whether they have other projects lined up, which could mean delays for yours.

So, ask about the number of hours per week or month that they can spend working for you.

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Can You Meet Deadlines?

Some projects demand strict adherence to schedule and deadlines. So, it’s important that the freelancer you hire can deliver work on time. You don’t want someone who won’t respect your deadlines and force you to delay delivery to your clients.

So, check whether they have any project deadlines coming up that might cause delays in your project. Ask them about their general policy on delivering work on time and if they have any problems meeting deadlines in the past. This way, you will get a good idea of whether

Can I See Some Of Your Previous Work?

If the freelancer is experienced and has worked on similar projects before, they should be able to provide samples of their work. If you like what you see and feel confident about their abilities, go ahead and hire them!

What Tools Do You Use?

This can help you understand what tools your freelancer is already familiar with, which may be useful if you are already using similar tools.

For example, if you’re hiring a writer and they’re already familiar with Hemingway App or Grammarly, this will make the editing process much easier. If they’re not comfortable with those tools, it could add a significant amount of time to their work as they get used to using them.

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How Many Projects Like This Have You Completed?

Different types of projects require different skill sets and experience levels. Just because someone’s worked on one type of project doesn’t mean they’ll be great at other types — even if they’re in the same general area. So it’s important to make sure the person you hire has plenty of experience doing the type of work you need done.

What Is Your Hourly Rate? 

This is an important question, but don’t make this the first thing you ask. The best way to approach it is to lead with value. Explain what you’re looking for and why it’s valuable to your company, and then ask what they charge per hour. Sure, they might be a little more expensive than some other freelancer, but if they are the right person for the job, it will be worth it in the long run.

Can I See Samples Of Your Work?

A good freelancer should have a portfolio that shows off their skills and past projects. You want to look for projects that are similar to yours so you’ll know how well they can handle your needs. If your project requires special skills or experience, look for relevant examples in their portfolio or at least ask them where they

What Do You Need From Me?

The freelancer needs to know all the details of the project in order to do the job right. This gives them a good idea of what their role will be and how they will be spending their time working with you.

What Areas Of Expertise Do You Have? 

Even if a freelancer has listed their area(s) of expertise on their profile, it doesn’t hurt to ask them in person or on the phone. This question gives you a chance to learn more about their experience in these areas. You can also use this question to find out if they have experience with other skills that may be helpful to your business.

What Skills Do You Have That Match My Requirements?

You’ll want to ensure that their past work is relevant to what you are looking for. You might want to share examples of content or designs that you like or dislike to see if they respond favorably or negatively. This can help avoid conflicts later on when your vision doesn’t align with reality.

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What Does Success Look Like For This Project?

When you’re working with someone on a particular project, what does success look like? What does a positive client/contractor relationship look like? How will both of you know if the project is going well? Setting expectations early on can help avoid conflicts later and ensure that both parties are happy with the end result. If your freelancer is new to you, take the time to talk about these things up front to make sure they understand your expectations and that they feel comfortable meeting them.

Why Should We Hire You?

Well, this is one of the most common questions that gets asked during an interview and the freelancer should be able to answer it. If their answer is something like “because I have all the skills required for this job”, it’s time to move on to someone else. The freelancer must be able to show why they are different from other applicants and what makes them better.

Are You Available Full-Time, Part-Time Or For A Specific Project?

You need to know if the freelancer is around for the long haul, or if they are just here for a quick buck. Ask them how much time they’re willing to dedicate, and how heavily involved you’d like them to be in your project.

The best freelancers are those whose clients trust them with their projects, even when they’re not available full-time. A freelancer who has been working with a company for a year or two is likely to be more proficient than a new one, so look out for this as well.

This question also gives the freelancer an idea of the workload they can expect, and whether it meets their needs.

Can You Show Me Examples Of Your Work?

You want to know what kind of quality you can expect. If they don’t have anything they can show you, that’s a bad sign. Give them an idea of what type of work you’re looking for and ask if they’ve done anything similar in the past. Freelancers often have online portfolios that showcase their work in different categories — design, web development, writing, and more.

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Can You Tell Me A Little Bit About Your Experience?

This is a great way for freelancers to share some insight about themselves, their skills, and what they have done in the past. As freelancers often have many clients, it can be difficult for them to remember all of their past experiences off the top of their heads, so don’t be surprised if they need a minute or two to respond. However, if they have been keeping track of their work (as they should), then this should be easy for them to answer.

What’s The Best Way To Work With You?

This question is designed to gauge how a freelancer works best, and how they’d like to work with you. By asking this question, you can find out whether they want you to check in every day, or if they’d prefer that you give them a week or two to complete the project before having any communication. It will also let you know what their preferred method of communication is whether that be email, Skype, phone, or texting.

What’s The Overall Objective Of This Project?

Ask your freelancer what they think the overall objective is. They’ll give you a quick answer. Then ask why that’s the main goal. Ask them for examples of how they’ve met that goal in the past. Asking for this information will help you make sure your prospective freelancer has a good understanding of your goals and can help you get there.

What Are The Specific Deliverables?

This is an important question because it defines exactly what your freelancer will deliver when they’re finished. It also helps if there is anything that needs to be done in order for them to finish their work. For example, if you’re hiring someone to write blog posts for your company website, it might be helpful if they had access to some of the pages on your site so they can get a feel for your voice and audience. 

If you’re hiring someone to create an infographic, they may need access to information you have or previous infographics they can use as examples.

What was the highest level of education you completed?

How Many Years’ Experience Do You Have?

Freelancing is something that takes time to learn. A freelancer with less than a year’s experience probably isn’t going to have the skill that you need for your project. It’s best to look at freelancers who have been in the industry for at least five years as they will have more experience and more connections.

Have You Done This Kind Of Work Before?

There are many different types of freelance jobs available, including copywriting, graphic design, transcription and website development. When interviewing a prospective freelancer, ask them whether they have completed this kind of work before. If they haven’t done the exact type of job that you need, see if they’ve done something similar. 

For example, if they haven’t worked on website development but they have worked on graphic design, it could be useful because it shows that they understand

What Did You Like (Or Not Like) About Working With Your Last Client?

This question gives you an idea of the client-freelancer relationship they value most. When they give their answer, listen closely for any red flags that may indicate issues in the future. For example, if the answer is “they paid on time,” the freelancer may be a little too accommodating and willing to compromise when it comes to getting paid.

If their answer is something like “we had open communication and collaborated often,” then you know they value having a good relationship with their clients, which may be important for your project.

What Are Your Main Strengths?

This question will allow you to gauge the freelancer’s confidence and self-awareness. A good freelancer will know their strengths and weaknesses and will be happy to talk about them with you. It’s important to find out whether their strengths are a good match for your specific project by discussing your goals and asking questions about how they plan to meet them.

What Are Your Main Weaknesses?

This question can be tricky, but it’s a great way to find out what kind of worker a freelancer really is. If he or she doesn’t have any weaknesses, then it may be time to move on. On the other hand, if a freelancer does have weaknesses and is willing to talk about them openly, then he or she will probably be honest with you in other ways as well. Don’t be afraid to ask this question; just make sure you listen carefully to the response!

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How Do You Feel About Working For Someone Who Knows Less Than You Do About The Job?

I would feel happy to work with anyone who is knowledgeable in their field. I can always learn from them as well as they can learn from me. It is important that others are open to learning and I am always open to learning new things. 

Can You Work Under Pressure? 

Give an example from a previous job where this was the case of course. My last job required me to meet many deadlines. For example, we had weekly reports due on Fridays, and one time I worked until 3 AM on Thursday night just to make sure that all of the data was correct. That was a stressful day, but in the end we made our deadline.

Do You Have Any Questions For Me?

If your freelancer misses a deadline, what happens? Is there another deadline they have to meet? Will they charge extra? Knowing this ahead of time helps manage expectations, and lets your freelancer know that you take their work seriously.

What Does Your Current Schedule Look Like?

This is an important question simply because it will tell you a lot about the work style of each candidate. If they are booked solid it could mean that they aren’t organized enough to make time for new clients, or it could mean that they have too many clients and won’t be able to give their best effort. On the other hand, if they are always available, this could indicate that they don’t have enough work or aren’t good at finding and keeping customers. You want someone who has a healthy balance between work and free time so they can give your project their full attention.

Are There Any Jobs In Your Life That Were Not Satisfying And Why?

This gives you a good insight on their personality, passion and if they have an entrepreneurial spirit. If they answer this question with enthusiasm, then that’s probably a good sign. You can also get a good idea of what they are passionate about and what they find interesting. This will also give you an idea of how much experience they have in different job roles and if you can learn from them or teach them something new.

What Was The Best Job You’ve Ever Done And Why?

This question will help you determine whether or not this freelancer is interested in what your company does. It’s also a good way to get a sense of their work style and work ethic. A good freelancer will have plenty of examples of previous jobs that didn’t go well and will be able to explain why those jobs didn’t go well.

What happens if I’m not happy with your work?

This is important to know because it can affect how much risk you take on by hiring a freelancer. Some freelancers offer money-back guarantees if their clients aren’t satisfied with their work. Other freelancers only do touch-ups, while others are confident they can get it right the first time. Find out what type of guarantee is provided before you sign a contract.

What are your expectations for working with me?

The answer will vary depending on the project, but you want to know how much involvement they expect from you. Will they need daily updates? Is the project on-site or remote? How long will it take them to complete their work? Do they have availability to get it done in the short term? The more information you can gather about their work habits, the better.

Will there be any additional charges or expenses?

Asking your potential freelancer about additional charges is important because it will let you know exactly what your upfront costs will be, as well as any hidden expenses that may pop up later. This will help you avoid surprise expenses and stay within your budget.

How many clients are you working with at the moment?

The more clients someone has worked with, the more experience he or she will have handling different types of projects and working with different people. The number of clients can also speak volumes about someone’s reputation; if they have had many clients, it is likely due to their reliability, quality of work and customer satisfaction.

Can you tell me about a time when you failed in a previous job and what you learned from it?

Every professional has a backstory and their previous failures are often the things that have led them to success. Asking freelancers to share what they’ve learned from their past mistakes demonstrates that you’re ready to put in the work to make sure your relationship is built on trust, understanding and respect — all of which are essential ingredients for a high-functioning team.

What inspired you to become a freelancer?

You’re not just getting a set of skills with a freelancer—you’re getting their real interest and passion for the work. When you hire someone who’s passionate about their craft, you can be sure that they care about the quality of the end product.

I dreamt big and wanted to excel in my own ways. I also wanted to work with some of the best and innovative minds on earth but started facing a lot of discrimination, because I had no degree. That made me go independent, where no one could judge me, based on my educational background.

What’s the worst thing about being a freelancer?

It’s great to ask these questions because it’ll help you make sure that the person is passionate about what they do, and they are totally committed. You don’t want to hire someone who just treats their freelance career as a side gig, or something they do on the weekends. It’s important that you find someone who is in it for the long haul. If they just started doing this recently or they haven’t taken a vacation in a while, they probably aren’t fully committed to making this their career.

When did you start freelancing?

You’ll want to know how long they’ve been freelancing and what their experience level is. Someone who’s been doing it for a long time has probably worked with all kinds of clients, which means they are more equipped to handle your needs, no matter how complex they are. They are also more likely to have a network of other freelancers they can work with if your project requires more people than just one.

If you’re hiring someone who is relatively new to freelancing, ask them why they started freelancing, and what kind of experience they have working in their field.

What is your experience in this industry?

This question will give you an idea of whether or not this freelancer has worked with clients like you before. He may have worked with companies in the same industry as you, or he may have worked with clients in similar situations, such as launching new products or services. You want to know that he has worked on projects similar to yours so he knows what to expect and can help guide you if needed. Plus, his previous experience should give him insights into how your target audience thinks, which can help him do his job better.

How many hours do you work per week?

Some freelancers will jump into any opportunity without thinking about whether they have the time to take it on. Some will figure out if they have time and then take the job. And some will be very clear that they already have enough clients and aren’t taking on any new ones.

There are freelancers who won’t tell you how many hours they work, but this can be risky. What if your freelancer has a lot of other clients? They may not be able to handle all those clients and your projects at the same time. Or, what if your freelancer is looking for full-time employment? They may only want to do this freelance gig until they get a full-time job again.

I always tell people that I spend 40 hours per week as a freelancer (which is true). This has worked out well because people know that I can handle their projects on top of my other ones — but it’s also not so much that I start cutting corners or dropping

What happens if we don’t get along?

While having an effective working relationship is great, sometimes personalities clash unexpectedly. Discuss with your freelancer what would happen in that event so the both of you are on the same page. This can also help prevent problems down the line, especially if you’re not happy with the service or if they are unable or unwilling to complete their side of the deal.

What happens if I don’t like the work?

It’s not uncommon to feel uncertain about whether you’re going to be happy with the final product. The best way to avoid this is by having a detailed contract in place that clearly outlines expectations from both parties and how progress will be reviewed. Still, it’s important to understand what recourse you have if it becomes clear that the project is not a good fit for your business.

First, understand that most contracts give the freelancer a certain number of revisions or edits as part of their service. If this isn’t enough time to work through issues, discuss extending this deadline and scheduling additional reviews with your freelancer.

If you still aren’t satisfied with the deliverables after that point, find out what other options you have. Can you give them additional feedback? Can they start over with a new concept or approach? Again, this should be outlined in your contract. You can also ask them if they’ll provide a full 

What would be the first step in this project?

This one is more of an answer question. Listen carefully to their response and see if it matches your goals for the project. The approach could be anything from starting off with a questionnaire to understand your business, or diving right into researching the best solution for your problem. Either way, you should have a clear idea of how they plan on tackling this project.

Which skills do you specialize in?

You wouldn’t hire an engineer to build a website or commission a portrait artist for a logo design. So, ask every potential candidate about their specialties. Any freelancers worth hiring will be able to describe their expertise in detail and provide examples of past projects.

What was your last project?

This is the easiest way to see if your freelancer has done anything like the project you have in mind for them and how it turned out. If your freelancer has done something similar, hopefully they will be able to show you the results from it and how well it did. If they’ve been successful before, chances are they’ll be successful again.

Do You Have Any Testimonials From Your Last Jobs?

Working as a freelancer is different from working as an employee. Freelancers are their own bosses and they’re responsible for their work, but they also manage their time and how much work they get.

You should ask them if they have any testimonials of their last jobs. This way, you’ll know if they’ve worked with anyone before and what kind of feedback they got from that job. This will tell you what others think about them and if there are any things that need your attention before hiring them.

What’s Your Full Name?

This is an important question to ask because it gives you a chance to research the person online. You can find out more about their work history, skills, and experience. Many freelancers create profiles on sites like LinkedIn or other social media platforms so that clients can learn more about their background and education. You’ll have a better sense of whether or not they’re qualified for the job after doing this research.

Do You Have Any Hobbies Outside Of Work?

This is a great question to ask because it will show the freelancer’s personal side. A person’s hobbies can say a lot about their interests, passions and personality. This question will help you get to know the freelancer better and develop a stronger working relationship with them.

Do You Work As A Team Or Individually?

Some freelancers work on their own, but others may outsource part of the work to other freelancers, including family members and friends. For example, if you hire a freelance developer, they might work with a friend who specializes in graphic design for the project.

If your freelancer works as part of a team, make sure you know who will be involved in your project and how much each person charges. This should be made clear when you sign the contract so there won’t be any surprises later on.

How Do You Keep Track Of Time And Expenses? 

Some freelancers use online tools and apps like Harvest, Toggl, and FreshBooks. Others will want to send invoices via Paypal, Venmo or another platform. Asking about their process will help eliminate any misunderstandings about how your payments will be handled in the future.

How Much Time Do You Need For This Project?

Give your freelancer some time to think about this one. The answer will depend on the complexity of the project, how much work they’re already committed to, and how busy they are generally. If they need more time than expected, don’t be afraid to reschedule, especially if you want things done right.

How Do You Handle Criticism From Clients? 

Freelancers are used to working independently. While this can be an overarching strength, it can sometimes be challenging for a freelancer to receive input from a client who doesn’t understand the ins-and-outs of the freelance field. The best freelancers will be able to handle any feedback constructively, and won’t get too defensive if their work is criticized.

Describe your ideal client and ideal project.

How Do You Handle Urgent Work?

Because freelancers don’t have the same level of commitment as an in-house employee, you need to know how they handle urgent work requests.

If your freelancer is on vacation, sick or busy with other projects, you need to know how long it will take for them to get back to you with answers on urgent matters. If your project isn’t their number one priority and it’s not worth their time, they’ll be quick to tell you and find someone else who will make it a priority.

If you’re hiring a freelancer, you can’t expect them to drop everything if something comes up. But the best ones are willing to bend the rules and make your project their top priority.

Final Thoughts 

When you’re looking to hire a freelancer, you should always obtain proof of their skills and abilities before hiring them. This is true whether they’re a writer, designer, developer, or something else. In our list of questions above, you’ll see that we made sure to cover the basics for each sector, which will give you the information necessary to make an informed decision about the freelancer’s skills. Of course, your own needs as a client may be different from ours. If that’s the case, then adjustments may need to be made; however, the same general principles apply—you definitely want to make sure that you have all of your bases covered before moving forward with any freelancer arrangement.

Further Reading

Here are some additional resources that provide further insights on interviewing and hiring freelancers:

15 Interview Questions to Ask Your Next Freelancer: This article offers a comprehensive list of interview questions specifically tailored for hiring freelancers, helping you make informed decisions when selecting the right candidate for your project.

Freelancer Interview: Tips and Questions: Indeed provides valuable advice on conducting freelancer interviews, including tips for preparation and a list of key questions to ask during the interview process.

Interview Questions for Freelancers: StartupTalky presents an extensive list of interview questions designed to evaluate freelancers across various industries and skill sets. These questions can assist you in assessing a freelancer’s qualifications and compatibility with your project.

Frequently Asked Questions

How would you describe your work style?

I am a fast worker and like to get things done in a timely manner. I prefer to work independently, but also enjoy being part of a team.

How long have you been freelancing?

For 3 years now. I have experience in producing content for friends and family members who own small businesses. I have also run my own freelance business for 2 years!

What do you love most about freelance writing?

Being able to choose when and where I work, as well as what clients I work with. There are so many benefits to working as a freelancer, one of the best parts being that it allows me to travel.

Are you willing to help us grow if that means extra work?

Yes! As long as the compensation is fair and we both agree on the terms, I’m more than happy to help out in any way possible!