The 3 Types of Freelancers

The traditional workforce is rapidly changing. While there are still many who prefer a 9-to-5 gig, there’s a new kind of workforce emerging in the shadows.

freelancer
Freelancing. 
Many say we’re now in the golden age of freelancing. What was once done “in house” is now being given to a third-party person who may never step foot in your office.

So, what’s the low-down on hiring a freelancer? 

Freelancers come in all shapes and sizes and their skill sets vary. Here are just a few reasons why your company might consider hiring a freelancer:

  • No one on staff has the skill set to perform the task at hand
  • You’re working on a budget and can’t afford to hire a full-time employee
  • You need a quick turn-around on a project
  • You need someone with flexible work hours

Once you’ve decided that you’re going to use a freelancer, here are the three main types of freelancers you will likely choose from.

1. The local freelancer

The local freelancer is someone you might know through a friend, or an individual who has freelanced for someone else in your field or perhaps a competitor. This type of freelancer usually works on a small scale and might have an LLC. The benefit of working with this type of freelancer is the ability to meet with them personally to discuss a project. They’re also more likely to grab a cup of coffee with you and get to know your company on a more personal level. Because they’re likely a small fish in a big pond, however, they might not have the equipment or software to perform certain tasks.

2. The remote freelancer

This type of freelancer has gained popularity recently with the introduction of sites like Fiverr , People Per Hour and UpWork. These sites curate freelancers from around the world, giving your company access to a wide range of skills. The biggest benefit of using a freelancer from an online marketplace is efficiency. Most of these freelancers can turn around a project in a short amount of time. They also come stacked with reviews so you can see how they measure up against others on the site. The obvious disadvantage is the lack of face-to-face communication. If you’re working on a logo, or anything else that is extremely personal to your business, you might want to take time to develop that idea with someone one-on-one.

3. The company freelancer

Nowadays there are countless companies out there who specifically specialize in creative/web assets (such as us!) These companies make it their job — literally — to stay on top of trends and the latest innovations. If you choose to partner up with a company for creative needs, then you’ll get the benefit of working with a highly knowledgable team.