Finding projects as freelancer / Finding the right freelancer?

[Rincewind]

Hi Fastlaners,

currently I'm in the research phase for my next business. I will solve one or more problems for (software) freelancers. I'm doing freelance software projects myself for several years now and I see marketing/positioning/finding GOOD projects is one of the hardest problems here. E.g. What is your ideal client and how do you find them.

Now I started talking to all the freelancers I met within the last years some time ago. I connect to high-profile freelancers via linkedin and Xing to interview them about their sales and marketing. I connect to freelancers I don't know to ask them about their biggest pains. And I ask people from companies with medium-large IT departments about their problems with finding and hiring freelancers.

And right now I realized that some people here talk either about being software developers themselves, or hiring and outsourcing software projects.

So if you would like to get your biggest problem as a freelancer / software developer or someone who hires freelancers solved, please tell me what your biggest problem is. And if you are a software freelancer and you are satisfied with the projects and clients you have, might I ask to interview you about your sales / marketing?

Thank you!

 

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[Harti]

As someone who hires freelancers:

Definitely finding the right mix between skill and price. I have to go through applications en masse and read between the lines whether someone is qualified for the job or not. That takes time.

 

[ApparentHorizon]

For hiring: asking the right questions in areas of ignorance.

 

[Rincewind]

Definitely finding the right mix between skill and price.

What kind of projects do have when you hire someone?

I have to go through applications en masse and read between the lines whether someone is qualified for the job or not. That takes time.

How do you do the screening process right now? What is your experience to make good decisions? And what would you like to change? The number of applications (e.g. better qualified applications) or a simplified screening/decision process?

Thank you, that is very interesting!

 

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[Rincewind]

For hiring: asking the right questions in areas of ignorance.

How do you mean "areas of ignorance"? Is it 'finding the blind spots' of the freelancer, or is it your own blind spots?

 

[ApparentHorizon]

How do you mean "areas of ignorance"? Is it 'finding the blind spots' of the freelancer, or is it your own blind spots?

Your own blind spots.

Think delegation: If you're an expert in area XYZ, then you know what's important, and ask questions accordingly.

But, if you want to extend your biz and fill gaps in operations, you may not know those core elements.

Ex: Looking to hire a logo designer?

Most people will ask:

Will you design a logo that matches my colors?
Will you make one that compliments my biz?
Do I (subjectively) like the design?​

Or should you really be asking:

Does it tap into the human brain's ability to recall simple patterns and colors?
Can the logo stand alone and remind people of my company?
Does it incorporate design elements found in the most successful companies in the world - and what are those elements specifically?​

The obvious answer to this is, look it up - but that takes time.

On the other hand, freelance sites have "tests" and "certifications." Those can be gamed very easily with answers just being blatantly posted online.

However, if you have the questions in hand, then it's obvious who the copy & pasters and the experts are.

Think high end jobs applied to freelancing:

- First you go through HR: psychology
- Then through specialist: can you actually do the task
- Then supervisors/execs: can you take orders​

Makes sense?

 

[Rincewind]

Your own blind spots.

Think delegation: If you're an expert in area XYZ, then you know what's important, and ask questions accordingly.

But, if you want to extend your biz and fill gaps in operations, you may not know those core elements.

Ex: Looking to hire a logo designer?

Most people will ask:

Will you design a logo that matches my colors?
Will you make one that compliments my biz?
Do I (subjectively) like the design?​

Or should you really be asking:

Does it tap into the human brain's ability to recall simple patterns and colors?
Can the logo stand alone and remind people of my company?
Does it incorporate design elements found in the most successful companies in the world - and what are those elements specifically?​

The obvious answer to this is, look it up - but that takes time.

On the other hand, freelance sites have "tests" and "certifications." Those can be gamed very easily with answers just being blatantly posted online.

However, if you have the questions in hand, then it's obvious who the copy & pasters and the experts are.

Think high end jobs applied to freelancing:

- First you go through HR: psychology
- Then through specialist: can you actually do the task
- Then supervisors/execs: can you take orders​

Makes sense?

Ok, I understand. This relates to the https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_stages_of_competence. When you are in level one (unconcious incompetence) the first challenge is realizing it.

How do you solve that problem for yourself when you hire someone in an area you don't know well? And did you have situations where you didn't realize it in the past?

 

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[devine]

1. The answer is in your question.
2. Your question is phrased incorrectly.
3. The idea is not in "solving the problem", it's in "finding the right way".

When I was searching for a right specialist for our most expensive project (currently pre-ipo, feel the scale), after 2 days of interviewing I realized how useless it is to ask questions. It's a waste of time.
What you do want to do is to let people talk about their vision of end picture. Otherwise you'll hire a wrong specialist, no matter how good he is.

 

[Rincewind]

1. The answer is in your question.
2. Your question is phrased incorrectly.
3. The idea is not in "solving the problem", it's in "finding the right way".

When I was searching for a right specialist for our most expensive project (currently pre-ipo, feel the scale), after 2 days of interviewing I realized how useless it is to ask questions. It's a waste of time.
What you do want to do is to let people talk about their vision of end picture. Otherwise you'll hire a wrong specialist, no matter how good he is.

Perhaps my last post was confusing. But I see your point.

The "problem" is, that you don't know you have a problem. The 'unconscious incompetence' is the moment when you don't know that you don't know something. In your situation you realized that after two days of asking questions and you were able to change your approach. In my case my illusion that anybody knows more than me helps me a lot

 

[LoadsOfMoney]

I am a freelance software developer and have been doing this for 17 years into my 18th year. The way it works for me is that agents contact me when they have a client who has a project and wants to source that project for a particular skill using LinkedIn.

Agents do not look to find work for contractors, they have work first then find contractors to fill that role.

Is your business plan to become and agent and place people on projects or are you talking about small projects for one man companies?

My experience is working for global brands and government organisations.

 

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[Rincewind]

Agents do not look to find work for contractors, they have work first then find contractors to fill that role.

Is your business plan to become and agent and place people on projects or are you talking about small projects for one man companies?

There is no business plan yet

I try to find the biggest pain points. And finding projects / hiring freelancers seems to be one of the biggest pains. I talk to freelancers and to the potential clients. And there are the big companies, as well as the one man companies.

Most people I talk to complain about the hiring agents and headhunters, since they often don't understand the technical side. They search on linkedin for projects and people and do simple pattern matching. For them there is no difference between Java and Javascript. Many of the bigger companies told be, that they would like to hire directly, but that they don't have the time to find the good prospects. And many of the small companies simply cannot afford to pay the hiring agent on top to the freelancer.

 

[LoadsOfMoney]

That is very true about agents searching LinkedIn for some keywords on a job spec and putting forward CV's without any idea.

You are right there is pain in the industry but I am not sure what the solution is or the business model?

I am sure there is money to be made once you work that out, good luck with it!

 

[Rincewind]

You are right there is pain in the industry but I am not sure what the solution is or the business model?

I am sure there is money to be made once you work that out, good luck with it!

Thank you

I'm sure I will find a solution, for now I'm glad I could confirm the problem in the first place. My last approach got me a solution for a problem that did only exist in my own head...

But to find a solution for this one, I will talk to more people:

• Freelancers who are satisfied with their projects (what did they do to get there)
• Small companies who search for freelancers (how and where do they search?)
• Big companies who search for contractors (same question, I expect different answers)

 

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