Diamonds in the Rough

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, don’t overlook the new folks. You may need to dig a little deeper, but the key is new contractors need you as much as you need them. They’re on Elance because they want to grow their freelancing business. Good feedback and ratings are key to this and many will tell you that right up front.

BEST PRACTICES

A great way to filter new contractors is to simply outright ask them, “Why should I hire you over these other, more experienced contractors?” They will then tell you in detail the advantages they bring to the table. Try it, you might just be impressed.

New contractors have the incentive to work harder and to make sure you’re happy. Obviously, not all will succeed in their freelancing careers, and some may just be testing the online waters. This is where your hiring selection process, as discussed previously, comes into play. But don’t automatically delete someone from your proposal list because they’re new. Look for those diamonds in the rough.