Q. What should I be including in a post looking for freelancers?

Are you looking to hire a freelancer, and want to post on LinkedIn with a shout-out for people who might fit the bill?

We see way too many posts which don’t include the bare minimum information - which leads to freelancers who aren’t suitable sending you their details, and you having to waste hours sifting through endless comments of folk who aren’t right.

It takes just a few minutes to save everyone wasted time.

Here’s the bare minimum:

1/ What’s the job?

Please don’t just say you’re looking for a freelancer.

At the very least use a job title, but remember that not all organisations use the same terms.

Always better to describe the task at hand, rather than just the job title.

2/ What’s the pay?

Be transparent, and include a day rate or salary range.

It stops people who are too expensive applying, and levels the playing field for those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

If you don’t have a budget, you aren’t ready to hire someone.

3/ Where’s the project?

Even if its remote, please tell us where you are based, or where you’re expecting people to be based.

Timezone, country, region, city - whatever. But please tell us where things are.

Else, you’re wasting your time hearing from people in the wrong hemisphere.

4/ What’s the employment determination?

Is the way this individual will be working truly self-employment, or is it disguised employment?

It’ll depend on their status if that means IR35 or employment status - but if you’ve done a CEST, share it.

If you’ve not, check whether you need to.

5/ When does it start?

Tomorrow? Next week? Unconfirmed? Or are you just vaguely looking for people?

Be transparent, as availability changes rapidly.

Bear in mind, if you are asking for someone to start tomorrow, please don’t ask them to start work without a contract in place.

6/ What sort of organisation/category/sector is the project in?

Especially important if you’re being intentionally vague about the project or client you’re recruiting for.

A little bit of knowledge is helpful to help us self-select.

7/ Needs specific skills?

Like fluency in a language, software, audience or sector? Be clear, else, you’ll have 300 applicants who don’t know their 2FA from their IFA.

8/ Finally, what do you actually want them to do to get in touch to show interest?

Leave a comment? Send you a portfolio? Fill out a form? Do a little dance? Sell a kidney?

Tell us how to get in contact with you.

And PLEASE PLEASE edit your post once a role has been filled, so we know if we’re not going to hear back from you.

If you’re a freelancer responding to job posts which are missing this information - feel free to link people to this post, or ask them to include the information. The more we all collectively ask for the information, the more it will become a standard.

If you’re hiring freelancers, and not including this information - please take just a few minutes to think about adding some context to your post. It will save you HOURS of sifting through applications from people who are not right for the job.

Generally though, it’s not effectively to just put a shout-out and hope you find someone suitable to start working immediately.

I always suggest that you create a regular “open call” for a certain skills and people, have introductory conversations, and get people on your books before there’s a project.

This gives you time to vet people properly, sort out paperwork and contracts, and make sure you’re building a trusted network of fellow freelancers.