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Working with Freelancers
This article gives you tips on how to work with Freelancers to protect your interests and get your job done smoothly.

Clearly define the project's scope and schedule. To avoid any confusion, especially if your freelancer will be working remotely, it's critical to outline the project's scope, provide clear guidelines, and set deadlines for its completion.

Negotiate ownership of the work upfront. Draft a legal document stating that all work completed belongs to you, the business owner, and have the freelancer sign it. A good guideline is to pay no more than 20 to 30 percent of the total project price upfront, with the rest of the payments awarded based on the completion of three or four key project milestones.

Critique their work thoroughly and often. Just because your freelancer is a hired gun doesn't mean they'll do a good job. Evaluate freelancers as you would any full-time employee. That means reviewing portfolios and samples thoroughly prior to contracting them, and reviewing their work in stages to avoid being disappointed if they turn in poor work at the project's end.

Match your needs to their experience. You want freelancers who have concrete experience that fits your needs. Look for those freelancers who have worked on projects in the past that are similar to what they will be doing for you.

Don't make a decision based on price alone. Don't choose a freelancer based solely on price. Sure, you may find a designer willing to build your Web site for half the price of a more experienced person, but odds are the finished project will also be noticeably less professional.

Know your tax obligations. If a worker is classified as an independent contractor or freelancer, that person is considered to be in business for himself. You are not responsible for withholding taxes from their wages nor are you responsible for paying certain payroll taxes on their behalf. (However, be extremely careful to follow the law regarding how you treat an independent contractor, as failure to properly classify a contractor can end up costing you money.

Realize you are not the only client. One of the disadvantages of independent contractors is that they aren't dedicated solely to you and your project. If they have a deadline on another client's project or need to travel for business, they may not be immediately accessible.

Protect your assets. Another disadvantage to hiring talented freelancers is the risk of them cutting out the middleman (you) and absconding with your clients. Protect your assets by making all freelancers sign a non-competition agreement that prohibits them from soliciting similar work from the same client for a specific period of time.