I freely admit this is not an unbiased point of view. However, I have in the past worked as part of an in-house web team and as a freelancer, so feel I can look at this subject with some knowledge, if not total impartiality.
Here are my top 5 reasons why you should consider a freelancer for your next project.
1.Value for money
Hiring a freelancer is more cost effective than an In-house team or an expensive design agency. Freelancers don’t have the same overheads as an agency so can offer a more competitive price. Just hiring a new employee can be an expensive and lengthy process.
A freelancer can be hired with a minimum of fuss and get down to the job at hand. You may only need a high level of development and design at the beginning of a project. You are often hiring someone you could not afford as a full-time employee.
2. Fresh ideas and an unbiased outlook
Bringing in new blood can offer a different view-point without any internal politics. By the nature of their business, freelancers work on many different projects and in varied environments. All that expertise can be brought to your project. Their focus is the success of the project, rather than any long term internal distractions.
3. Highly skilled and ahead of the trends
It’s is a very competitive market so you will often find freelancers keep up with the latest technology and trends to keep their business profitable and competitive. In-house teams often have to concentrate on the daily workload. Freelancers have to have a wider focus on skill development to ensure they get the next job.
4. Flexibility
Freelancers can often be more flexible than larger design agencies both in timescales and willingness to work ‘out of hours’. If you need support outside the traditional 9 to 5 you will often receive faster response times and solutions.
5. Good customer service
To stay in business freelancers rely on good reputation and recommendations. They always want you to be happy and will meet promised deadlines to ensure this. You deal directly with the designer or developer and not a sales agents or project managers. This can save a lot of time and misunderstandings and get to the heart of your project much faster.
In the end you have to ask yourself can I afford not to hire with freelancers.
