How to Hire the Best Freelancers - 5 Tips to Avoid Disaster - Part 2

If you're an internet marketer considering hiring ayour freelancers with this staged approach in mind, you
freelance programmer or designer for the first time,can pay for your project in stages, releasing portions
you've probably heard at least one horror story aboutof the owing funds once you're satisfied, before
a freelance job gone terribly wrong. There's a lot tomoving on to the next task.
know when hiring a freelancer and the process can be5. Only Outsource What You Know
very intimidating. In this article, we'll show you how toFreelancers offshore in places like India and the
find and hire the best freelance programmers andPhilippines can be much more affordable than their
web designers to make the process as painless asNorth American counter parts. For example, a local
possible.freelance programmer might cost $15 per hour where
In Part 1 of this article, we reviewed the 5 Tips Toas one from India could cost as little as $4 to $10
Avoid Disaster when hiring freelance programmersdepending on their skill level.
and developers to help you find quality people whoAs a rule of thumb, you should only outsource projects
can deliver on their promises and will meet youroffshore that you're knowledgeable about. So if you
project deadlines, and went into detail on the first 3 tips.don't know the first thing about programming - and
Before we move on, here again is a review of thenobody else you work with does - it's best to keep
complete list of 5 tips:that project with a local freelancer. It will help avoid the
1. Be clear and specific with your instructionsheartache and frustration that invariably follows as a
2. Insist their skills be testedresult of misinterpretations and misunderstandings due
3. Keep them 'on their toes' by asking questionsto either language barriers or lack of technical
4. Use milestones to divide your projectknowledge on either party's part.
5. Only outsource what you knowHiring a freelancer can be intimidating, but its not
Here in Part 2 of this article, we continue our discussionimpossible to find good people if you go about it
with detailed explanations for tips number 4 and 5...carefully and know what to look for. Following the
4. Break The Project Into Milestonesadvice that these 5 Tips provide should keep you out
To make sure your project stays on track, set multipleof most hot water, and on your way to finding reliable
milestones that lead to your ultimate deadline. Dividingpeople for almost any project you decide to
the work into stages not only allows you to manageoutsource. It may take a little more time, but the
your time and your freelancer's performance better, itheadaches it can save you is worth every minute you
gives you more control over your cash flow. If you hirespend.