Yudoozy

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Predictions for the future of freelancing in NZ

There’s a lot of hype and excitement about where freelancing is going, with heavyweights like Forbes and Fast Company weighing in with their predictions for the future of freelancing. These predictions are mostly for the US or UK, so as the future of freelancing in NZ, we thought we’d have a look at what it all means for New Zealand. 

The following is an excerpt from our eBook - Yudoozy’s Comprehensive Guide to hiring freelancers. Get your free copy here.

A number of reports on the future of work are quick to throw out bold statements like over 40% of the workforce will be freelancers by 2025, or that the full time job is a dying breed. While only time will tell for the long-term future, what about in the next few years, especially in New Zealand? 

Overseas trends indicate that freelancing will continue to steadily grow as big players like Google, Yahoo, Facebook and IBM expand their freelance workforces. Researchers think New Zealand will follow suit, particularly in the regions, as more people start working remotely from home in the next few years. The Government is getting behind this too, with amendments to the Employment Relations Act meaning that any employee has the right to request flexible working arrangements.

So what’s happening now?

While the industry disagrees over the percentage of the workforce that will be freelancing in the future, one thing they can agree on is that freelancing is set to grow. Freelancing will continue to grow as more people seek flexibility with their work - at all levels. While it’s well documented that younger workers want more flexibility, older and more experienced workers are moving to freelancing too for the change of pace it brings. Something we’ve noticed at Yudoozy is that seasoned creatives with multiple years of agency experience are trying their hand at freelancing because they want to try something new and work for a range of clients.

For businesses, freelancing is set to increase as more and more businesses look to grow their remote and agile workforces. With all the changes and disruptions that are happening in a number of industries, not just creative and digital, hiring freelancers can help businesses be more adaptable as by using skilled freelancers who can start ASAP, there is no lengthy recruitment process. Efficiency is another bonus for employers, as freelancers are only paid for the actual amount of hours they worked to get the job done.

Other Developments

There is also talk of policy changes to “normalise” the processes around freelancing, in terms of protection for freelancers and making payment more clear for both employers and freelancers. Introducing policies and regulations is a bonus for employers, as if some of the risks for freelancers are mitigated, then it will become a viable option for even more workers. More freelancers = a larger talent pool for employers to choose from. For any employers who are hesitant to take on freelancers, having a more formal process will also be a big benefit as with a clear process in place, everything becomes a little more clear.

Overall, it’s an exciting time for freelancing, with some big developments set to come in the next few years with changes to many industries and the nature of work itself.

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Your profile: How to get the most out of Yudoozy as a freelancer

Here at Yudoozy, profiles are key. Your profile is a potential employer's first point of contact with you – so we wanted to give you (our awesome freelancers) some advice on how to stand out on the Yudoozy platform. 

So what makes a good profile?

A good profile is succinct, easy to read and gives a potential employer all the information they want to know about you in one place. Our employers have told us that they’re more attracted to profiles that are filled out in detail. A ‘filled out’ profile has:

A quick bio highlighting your skills, experience and anything that makes you unique.

Your work history.

Examples of your work (very key).

Links to your portfolio, CV or LinkedIn.

Your skills, specialities and how long you’ve had them.

Any awards you’ve won.

Your education.

Of these profile sections, the three most important are your skills and specialities, work examples and bio. We’ll cover each of these sections more in-depth.

Your skills and specialities

Employers search the Yudoozy database based on the skills they require, so if you have the skills they’re searching for then your profile will show up in their search results. So as you can see, entering your skills and specialities is one of the most important aspects of  your profile!

Specialities expand on your roles to show employers your area of expertise within your role; they’re different from skills because they help to define the type of work you do. For example, some specialities for a Marketer may be Content or Social Media, a Developer’s specialties could be Frontend or Backend and a Designer’s speciality might be UX or Web Design.

Skills build on your specialities and let employers know exactly where your talents lie - they might be coding languages, programmes or platforms you're experienced in. You can enter up to ten skills, so our advice is to pick your ten best skills and highlight them. Your skills and specialities should work together, like so:

Role: Marketer Specialty: Content Skills: Copywriting, SEO and Blogging.

Role: Designer Specialty: UX Design Skills: Art Direction, Wireframing, User Experience.

Role: Account Services Specialty: Account Manager Skills: Strategy, Digital Marketing.

Our help guide has some more handy tips and a tutorial on how to add your skills and specialities to your profile.

Work examples

The idea of a Yudoozy profile is to have all your relevant info in one place, so even though you may also have a link to your portfolio, it’s in your best interest to upload some examples of your work.

Why are work examples so important? They help you stand out, show employers what you’re capable of and they add visual interest to your profile.

Work examples aren’t just for designers either, if you’re a developer you can upload a screenshot of a website or app you’ve built. Never fear Marketers and data analysts, we’ve got you covered as well – many of our freelancers choose to upload the logo of a client they’ve worked for and add some notes about the project they worked on in the description section. Our help article covers work examples in more depth and has some advice on writing good descriptions.

Your bio

Think of your bio as your chance to add a bit more about yourself and tie all the sections of your profile together. In our experience, the best bios are:

No more than three paragraphs.

Outline your work history, experience and skills in a few quick sentences.

Describe any particular strength you have and how they would be beneficial to an employer.

Something else that we recommend is describing any particular industries you’ve worked in, for example, maybe you’re a designer with particular experience designing in the medical industry, or you’re a developer who has done a lot of work in the education sector. Things like this are of value to an employer and help your profile stand out, which is what it’s all about.  

The overall take away

Have a look at a test profile to see what it looks like all put together:

Based on employer feedback, we’ve found that freelancers who have taken the time to fill out all the sections of their profile, upload work examples and written a succinct but compelling bio are reaping the rewards. Employers have been impressed by the effort these freelancers have put in and they’ve appreciated being able to see a snapshot of everything a freelancer has to offer in one place. 

So, our final tip for making the most out of Yudoozy? Upload work examples, enter in your skills, take time to write your bio and keep your profile updated! You’re always polishing up on your skills and experience so your profile should reflect this! If you’re not sure where to get started, check out our help guides and ask us! We are more than happy to work with you to get your profile looking super fly.

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Hiring freelancers: Our tips & a free eBook

So we’ve covered why hiring freelancers is better for business - you can assemble project teams quicker, save money and access top quality talent without hiring a full timer. Sounds pretty good right?

If you’re on the fence about hiring freelancers or it’s a bit of a grey area for you, then we’ve prepared a little guide to get you started and make your experience with freelancers a success.

How do I find the right freelancer for my business?

This is a big concern for many employers, whether it’s their first freelancer or their hundredth. You need to find the right freelancer that can do the work you’re after and suits the style of your business. There are two easy things you can do to ensure you find the right freelancer for you:

Be specific about the project and what’s required of them

Be clear about what you’re looking for in a freelancer and what you’re wanting them to achieve. Are you wanting them to contribute to strategy and offer advice or are you after someone to knuckle down and complete tasks quickly? Are there any requirements that are non-optional like experience in a particular client’s industry? Do they need to be available for a Skype call at a specific time each day? Sounds simple but if you keep this in mind from the start, you’re more likely to find the exact freelancer that you need.

Check their work history

Request a portfolio, check Behance, Dribbble or GitHub and take a thorough look at their Linkedin or website. Have they worked for any clients you recognise? Does their style suit your business? Are their profiles up to date? 

This may all seem like common sense and it is! What we’re trying to say is don’t let the thought of searching for the right freelancer put you off - it’s a simple process. Consider where you’re finding your freelancers from too, are they a trustworthy resource? Do they do any form of vetting or work example checks? You can find out more about Yudoozy’s verification process and see what we do verify the quality of a freelancer’s work.

How do freelancers usually work?

As we covered in our post on Contractors vs Freelancers, there is a lot of flexibility with hiring freelancers so you can create working arrangements that work well for your business and the freelancer. For example, many freelancers work 100% remote and communicate via Skype, others come and work in-house or another common option is that a freelancer will remotely but comes in for fortnightly catchups. Freelancers can also work remotely on on-going projects such as developing a monthly brochure. 

Essentially, as long as both you and the freelancer agree to the terms, you can set up whichever working arrangement suits you best.

So, what else is there to know?

Our blog has a wealth of helpful info on hiring and working with freelancers or you could check out our eBook - it’s chockful of advice for employers on working with freelancers and covers pretty much everything you’d need to know.

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How to become a freelancer in NZ - A recap for newbies

So you’ve heard about the perks of freelancing and want to become a freelancer yourself? Great idea! All that flexibility and choice can seem a little daunting at first, so we’ve prepared a little recap of all the helpful info we’ve got to get you started in the freelance world.

Prepare for some hard work

The freelancing life takes some commitment but if you’re willing to put in the hard yards, you’ll eventually get a nice little system going - which is so, so worth it. Going freelance means all the things your employer used to worry about like expenses, tax and finding clients are now your responsibility. It can take time to build up a robust network that sends work flying your way but it’s completely possible - you just have to commit to a bit of learning.

Get your financials sorted

Tax and payments aren’t as exciting as the actual freelance work but they are necessary and getting them set up right will be a big help in the long run. Make the IRD website your bible as it has all the information you need in regards to tax, GST and working as a self-employed freelancer.

You’ll need to get yourself set up for tax which we look at here, as well as sorting out your invoicing, which we’ve handily already covered for you. A good accountant will also be a big help to you, so talk to one if you can. 

Dip your toes in freelancing on the side 

A good way to ease into freelancing is to start doing some freelance work around your 9-5 - you’ll find out if you like working freelance and there’s little risk to you. This is a common pathway taken by many full-time freelancers.

Leverage your networks to see if there is any freelance work out there for you by asking around and telling everyone you know that you’re going freelance - you never know where some freelance work will come from. Attending freelancing meetups (there are quite a few on Meetup.com) is also a good idea; you might find some work and you’ll definitely get some inspo from freelancing pros. And of course, you can always sign up to Yudoozy, with a well-crafted and thought out profile you’ll be on your way to becoming a freelancing pro in no time. 

Create an online presence

Start a blog, design a portfolio, sign up to Behance or Dribbble, get your Linkedin looking top notch - anything that will get your name out there online is something that you want to be doing. As a freelancer, you need to be proactive and seeking out work; by having an online presence it means people can discover you (without a lot of work on your part), view your work and see what you’re all about.

Any profile, blog or website you have should tell employers these three things:

Your work experience; employers are particularly interested in who you’ve worked for previously.

Work examples (preferably images) that show some of the best projects you’ve worked on; screenshots are great for this.

Specific skills you have; for instance you might be a content writer with specific experience writing B2B or a front end developer who specialises in Angular web platforms.

Sort out your time management

Keeping a record of the freelance hours you’ve worked is crucial, you can use time tracking software to record your time for you, while you carry out your all important projects. A few of our favs are Toggl and Harvest . Harvest allows you to create invoices based on your time recorded inside the app too. Having your hours calculated will assist you in creating consistency with invoicing, determining your future hourly rates and managing your various projects. As someone who is just starting out, knowing the exact hours you work will also help you determine if freelancing full time will work for you.

A big thing for all freelancers is managing your projects successfully. Software like Asana or Trello can be very useful for this, both of these platforms allow you to book in time to work on specific projects in a calendar format and visually track the priority of tasks, inviting team members in to collaborate as required. Remember, as a freelancer there’s no one to motivate you but yourself so you have to find a system that works for you, to get all your work done and still leave time for all those freelancing perks like waking up late, breaking up your day with a run, coffee dates and spending more time with your loved ones.

Just start

There’s never going to be a “perfect” time to go freelance, so our advice is to just start! Once you’re ready to start some freelance work, you can always check out Yudoozy - we’d love to have you! 

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Contractors vs Freelancers Explained

Freelancer, Contractor, Consultant, Freelance Consultant?

There are a lot of words thrown around to describe freelancers, so if you've had little to no direct experience with freelancers, it can be confusing.

While many employers and businesses are familiar with contract work, where an individual works for a business for a fixed term, the flexible nature of freelancing can seem less straightforward. It doesn't have to be though, because essentially, a freelancer is a contractor that works with more flexibility.

We've broken these terms down and had a look at some examples to make the distinction crystal clear.

Contractors

Generally, contractors are seen as temporary employees. They come in and work at a business’ office as a regular full-time or part-time employee for a fixed period - anywhere from 1-12 months.

Contractors will usually work for one employer at a time, often on a particular project or span of time, like so:

A marketer works on a one year contract to manage the requirements for on-going new product releases. A developer works for 6 months to upgrade a cloud-based software platform A project manager works for 8 months to oversee a long-term project in a digital agency A graphic designer works on a part time 3 month contract on logo design and branding.

Freelancers

Freelancers often do similar work to contractors but tend to have more flexible work arrangements - a freelancer may work remotely, work in office or a combination of the two. Unlike contractors, freelancers can also work for multiple clients at a time.

Work-wise, it's also common for freelancers to work on specific deliverables or projects, such as:

A freelance developer works remotely for 10 weeks to update a business intranet. A freelance animator works on-site for 4 weeks to create an animation for a particular advertising brief. A freelance marketer works remotely on an on-going contract to develop a monthly brochure for a business. A freelance UXer works remotely for 6 weeks on a specific project but visits the business office once a week.

So, as you can see the difference between contractors and freelancers is really the flexibility involved.

For freelancers, this flexibility is everything - the big drawcard for many freelancers is the freelance lifestyle of balance, individuality and flexibility. This means the freedom to choose when and where they work, the freedom to choose projects that align with their values and the freedom to arrange their work around their life - not the other way around.

Freelancing is becoming an attractive prospect for many workers, especially among the younger generation - tertiary students are starting to have an expectation of this flexibility from the get go. We saw this firsthand when we gave a series of talks at universities; students -the future workforce- were very keen to find out how they could get into freelancing and all the different businesses and clients they could work with.

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Up-skill into UX: How to get started

UX or User Experience is still high up there in the buzzwords category, with a number of companies and experts saying it’s crucial, integral and growing massively in NZ. We’ve found this too - UX appeared twice in our recent list of in-demand freelance skills.

So how do you get into this growing field? While there are tailored UX study paths, ask a lot of senior UXers and they’ll tell you that they fell into UX after working as a designer, developer or even as a marketer. Especially for designers, UX seems like a natural jump - you move from designing elements of a website to designing how someone uses the elements on the site.

This doesn’t limit others from moving to UX though, because at heart, UX is about research, empathy, and understanding people’s problems while guiding them to want or need your solution.

According to Careers NZ and Matt Gould, director of UX agency Lushai, a UXer needs:

An understanding of how people interact with computers and websites. Knowledge of design principles and how users respond to them. Good communication skills to liase with developers, designers, clients and other stakeholders. Technical skills to develop prototypes and wireframes. The empathy and imagination to solve problems for diverse groups of people.

Looking at these skills, it's easy to see how they link up to other skill sets. For instance, developers already have the technical skills and as a bonus, they know the limitations of bringing a wireframe to life which can help them design technically realistic websites. Another example is marketers, they already know how people interact with businesses and products - a very valuable skill for a UXer!

So if this is sounding a bit like you, the good news is that UX is very portfolio and case study based, so where possible, building up your portfolio by using UX principles in your current role is a great place to start. If you're more of a course person, there are a number of courses and events out there to help you develop your skillset into the UX space. There's the UX Gym which has practical courses all around New Zealand.

Udemy has a number of online courses to get you started in UX.

The UX New Zealand event is going down in Wellington in October.

Or, coming up really soon this week is UX Homegrown, a multi-day expo in Auckland featuring a ton of experienced UXers, many of them are signed up to Yudoozy ;).

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Simplify your freelancer search

So, we covered who you can hire as a freelancer but how about actually finding them?

The easiest way to find freelancers on Yudoozy is by posting a job. Fill out a few quick details and you’re away - we’ll let all of the freelancers with relevant skills (out of our 3000+ database) know you have posted a job, they get a summary of what the job entails via email as well as a notification on their freelancer dashboard. We’ll then notify you when a freelancer registers their interest in your job; you can see all of the interested freelancers on your Yudoozy dashboard.  

Freelancers are on the hunt

The freelance market in New Zealand is growing as employers are increasingly looking to hire freelancers with skills that their current employees lack. Especially for startups and SMEs, freelancers are becoming more popular as they give smaller businesses access to niche skills that they otherwise might not be able to afford. Project management, specific development languages and motion graphics design are some key areas for freelancing in NZ.

Freelance writers have been around since newspapers were using typewriters but recently there’s been a surge of freelancers in other areas, particularly design and development. More and more Kiwis are turning to freelance work for lifestyle reasons and a bit more freedom. They’ve developed their skills and expertise in agencies, corporates & other businesses for years and now they’re after some flexibility and want to try their hand at freelancing. Heaps of them have signed up to Yudoozy - we’ve got talented, creative freelancers coming out of our ears and they’re all looking for freelance jobs.

Basically, now is the perfect time to jump in there and find a freelancer!

A simple job board approach

A big problem for a number of employers is finding freelancers with the right skills who are available when they need them. It’s a real pain when you can’t find the person you need when you need them.

A great thing about freelancers is that they often wear a number of hats. If we had a dollar for every freelance developer who is also a designer, or every freelance marketer who is also a project manager, we could stop buying lotto tickets cause we’d be rolling in it.

What does that mean for employers though?

It means you’re getting

1. More bang for your buck

2. A wider pool of freelancers to choose from

3. A multi-talented freelancer with a range of experiences

As for finding these multi-talented freelancers?

Posting a freelance job on Yudoozy is the best way to reach a wider pool of freelancers - the perfect freelancer you might have missed on your search could register their interest for your job!

When you post a job on Yudoozy, the interested freelancers are brought to you - you get a collated list of interested freelancers to have a look at. It’s all about making it easy for you, so take advantage of us - that’s what we’re here for!

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Freelance Skills in Demand

The digital and creative world is always changing, with new skills, languages and platforms emerging all the time. Although you don't have to jump on every trend, as a freelancer, keeping your skillset relevant is really valuable - the more you can offer an employer the better.

Here at Yudoozy, we've found this especially important since employers search for freelancers based on skills. We've been studying up on industry trends and talking to employers about the skills they're looking for in freelancers.

There's a lot of new skills coming through, particularly in design and development while other existing skills like UX and Digital Strategy are becoming more in demand.

Check out the full list below:

In Development or Design

AI AR UX VR 3D Java Silverstripe PHP

In Marketing & Data

Data Big Data Digital Strategy SEO Content

In Account Services & Testing

Project Management UX Strategy

If you've got any of these skills, get to it and update your profile now!

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Take action - Accelerate that burning idea!

Some game-changing tech startups have come out of NZ, the original darlings Xero, Vend & Timely and more recently Pushpay and 8i - but we reckon there’s a lot of innovation, or potential innovation, that goes unnoticed in New Zealand.

Innovation doesn’t always mean startups though, anyone with a good idea can innovate! Being a freelancer is innovative in itself; you’re out there for working for yourself, trying out new ideas and finding what works.

There’s a lot of support for innovators, so if you’ve got a good idea you’ve been sitting on, or you’re looking to develop yourself as a freelancing business, these programmes might be for you.

Mahuki is an innovation accelerator run by Te Papa, aiming to develop ideas into world-leading digital businesses for the cultural sector. A four-month programme based in Wellington, applications close on the 29th of May.

Akina Elevate works with a group of social enterprises across topics that are “fundamental to success”.The programme has a supportive learning environment, combining group learning, specialist knowledge and tools, and mentoring.

Creative HQ’s incubation programme brings entrepreneurs together to create a community with vital help and support. The programme assists entrepreneurs through the challenges and risks of developing a great idea into something more.

Ministry of Awesome’s startup activation programme facilitates informative workshops, events and educational labs where you can up-skill, accelerate your idea and connect with other entrepreneurs.

Biz Dojo specialise in activating spaces by curating robust, diverse communities and implementing activation programmes and events to plug their residents into the wider innovation ecosystem and help businesses succeed and grow.

Festival for the Future is an action-packed weekend featuring a range of speakers, workshops, performances and entertainment. It’s all about inspiring forward thinkers and developing skills for the future.

The H2 Accelerator is all about developing ideas in AI, fintech, digital security, data or marketplaces. However, if the programme likes your idea enough, they’ll accept you even if your idea isn’t in these spaces.

Lightning Lab, Vodafone Xone & Flux have filled their programmes for the year but keep an eye out for the demo days and pitch events in coming months to see the startups formed who are making it big.

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Who can you hire as a freelancer?

Every single business, and every single team for that matter, will complain at some point that they don’t have enough time or enough hands on deck to tick off everything on the list that needs doing. As well, the people currently there might not be able to do half the stuff that needs doing. This is where you should start thinking about freelancers. They will become your guardian angels.

So basically, who can you hire as a freelancer?  Well, in short, the answer is anyone, for anything. Could be a graphic designer, a front-end developer, could be a back-end developer, even a copywriter, a digital content strategist, basically anyone. However, let’s look at some of the things you need to consider.

Specialised vs broad skills

Everyone can do with a hand, but when you decide enough is enough and you’re bringing in a freelancer, take a moment to think about whether you need them for something very specific, say a particular project, or whether you need broader, generalised skills. You’ll need to find the right freelancer for the job, for example, knowing you want someone specifically to help design a brochure visually is a lot different to wanting someone to create the brochure from scratch in terms of look and feel and the written content.

Strategy vs implementation

One of the things you need to decide from the outset is whether you need someone to come in and guide a project from a strategic point of view, or whether you know what you want and you just need someone skilled to implement it. There’s nothing wrong with needing help with overall strategy, you can’t be amazing at everything. And there’s plenty of well-skilled, highly experienced people out there who can come in on a freelance or contract basis and literally help you figure out the solutions to your business problems. Conversely, if you’ve got it all sorted just don’t have the time or ability to make all your amazingness come to life, there are people for that too.

Written vs graphic, front-end vs back-end

Having just touched on this above, when you hire a freelancer you also need to know what you want. This can be tricky and you may need to do some research, but hiring the right person is crucial. You can’t really just say I need someone to “do my website” as there are so many different components to that project alone, be it back-end CMS implementation, front-end design and user experience, the actual written content that will go the site, the list goes on. You need to determine exactly what you need and hire accordingly, and it may be a case, like for a website, where you hire multiple freelancers to come together on the one project.

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Agency or corporate: Who would you rather freelance for?

As a freelancer, the world is your oyster in terms of who you want to work for. And just because you may have worked for one type of company in your “previous life” it doesn’t mean that has to be the way going forward. You have options. 

Obviously your two key choices are to go either with agencies or corporates. You certainly don’t have to pigeonhole yourself but a lot of freelancers do tend to end up one way or the other. And we love them all so it’s totally up to you. 

However, with all that in mind, let’s look at a few questions that may pop up in that crowded brain of yours if you're finding your way with it all.

Who is going to excite you the most?

No this isn’t a dating app, but if a client, be it corporate or agency, doesn’t float your boat you can happily swipe left. You’re a freelancer no doubt because you want excitement, variety maybe, and projects that actually interest you. So which client is likely to give you that? Agencies, given they themselves have a mix of clients, may be able to offer more variety over a corporate that is solely focussed within a certain industry.

Where can you stamp your mark?

Following on from the opportunity for some cool work, you’ll need to think about where you’ll actually be able to make your mark. Where can you totally get creative? With both agencies and corporates, there may be a tendency to get you to work the way they’ve always done it, or you may have to conform to some strict brand guidelines. However, both have the potential for ideation and letting your imagination run wild. Agencies are there for that very reason, but a corporate may be turning to you for a bit of a fresh perspective as well.

Who will give you more regular work?

This is a tough question to answer as it can very heavily depend on the company and the seasonality of the work. Given agencies have multiple clients, normally, you’d expect they would have a higher workload. However, some big corporates can throw loads of work your way if they like you too.

Agencies have staff on hand so you may find they only tend to bring freelancers in when they are overrun for short contracts, so they may not have regular, ongoing projects to send your way. If heading down the corporate line, you can try and get a feel for the likelihood of ongoing work, the length of projects and what not before you set out which will allow you to make more long-term decisions.

Who will pay more?

Some will say it doesn’t matter so long as you’re enjoying your work, but quite often it does matter, especially if you’re new to the freelancing world. Agencies may deal with freelancers more often and as a result, have more standardised rates they are willing to pay. Corporates aren’t stupid, they won’t pay over the odds, but some may be more flexible and willing to negotiate if they really like your work. If they’re big too, what may seem like an amazing hourly rate for you may be chump change to them.

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Developers: To specialise or not specialise

Given the landscape of today’s digital world, you devs are in hot demand. And for good reason, I mean you can make or break a site with your coding. But with all the different types of developers out there and with all the different types of languages when you go freelance, do you stick to a niche or do you go all in and try and cover it all?

Let’s look at it a bit from both sides of the argument.

To specialise

The argument for specialising is quite a strong one, especially in a time where there are so many different types of developers. To try and do it all could prove near on impossible.

Specialising allows you to really hone your skills and become an expert in your specific field. Whether it be that you’re a front end developer and you want to stick to just UI or UX design or you’re a back end developer and you’re particularly proficient at .Net, PHP or Java, by sticking to one area or a specific coding language you’ll really be able to put your hand up should a client need that skill set.

When you specialise you also naturally spend more time in that job and as a result, get to learn and grow as a developer quicker. It would be so hard to keep up with all the different trends and developments in all areas; whereas if you spend your entire working week on one defined job type - boom you’ll be a self-professed guru in no time!

To generalise

When it comes to some jobs, being the jack-of-all-trades is a good thing. And in development, the ability to do both front and back end development ultimately led to the full-stack developer. So there’s something to be said for being able to work your magic across different areas.

But it can be your demise, and that’s where you need to be careful as a freelancer especially. Clients obviously expect that you can do the job they employ you for and to the highest of standards.  So the last thing you want is to be undercooked at certain points within the project and either,

a) have to rely on someone else to come in and help, or b) not be able to do the job to the fullest. 

Quite often a job you’ll be employed for will escalate into something way beyond what you thought and your clients still expect you to be able to deliver if they believe you to be proficient in all skills.

[yudoozy]

Why Hire Freelancers? When to take the leap

Freelancers can be a sweet asset to your team, but you may think we’re biased given our whole business is based around their work. So, what better way to convince you then going through all the basics and helping you decide for yourself.

Here we go, a few key things to think about when you’re umming and ahhing over whether to leap in and hire a freelancer.

Why?

It would hardly be a good business decision if you didn’t ask yourself why you want to hire a freelancer. Generally though it’s because you’ve got work that you can’t do yourself. It could be because you simply don’t have enough time to get it done or that you don’t have the specialist skills to get it done. We can’t all be perfect, so you may need a helping hand for sure. The beauty of freelancers is that you can give them an hours worth of work or a whole shed load, it’s up to you. And it doesn’t have to be an ongoing thing, so you can simply tap into their resources and time as and when you need them. Much better than potentially hiring in a full-time contractor where you have to make a business case to justify having them.

When?

This might seem a tad obvious but quite often people start looking to employ freelancers and temporary workers when it’s getting to the stage of being too late. If you’re under the pump it’s probably too late. You need to start recognising when you need help well before it becomes critical. Yes freelancers can pump out some awesome work in record time, but you can’t expect this to happen all the time. You need to give them time to work their magic. Plus, if you need a different type of freelancer that you have never used before you need to give yourself time to find the right one. It’s less stress all round.

Who?

The next question you need to ask yourself is who do you need? What are the skills you need to tap into? You may just need someone that can do a bit of everything, a bit of a generalist, and there are those people around. But more often you will need some specialist skills, so really understand what you need before you go down the path of finding someone. For example, don’t just necessarily look for a developer, but understand what kind you may need.

Where?

There are loads of places you can find a freelancer once you’ve decided it could be the way to go. We even took the time to list out a few of them. Generally though we wouldn’t be human if we didn’t say to use us, Yudoozy. You’re already here reading the blog anyway so just pop on over here to see for yourself why you would. Cut through the masses and get vetted, top of the line freelancers at the click of a button. Easy peasy.

[yudoozy]

Freelance videographers vs in-house

No doubt you’re already clued up about the need for video in your marketing strategy. If not, get onto it, trust us. But we know it doesn’t come cheap, especially if you’re looking for a super good brand video or something where production value will be high. But do you go freelance or do you simply bite the bullet and get someone in-house?

Weigh up the costs

With this one you need to decide and seriously look at how many videos you want to produce. In-house people might bring you cost efficiencies in some areas like labour/salary costs over an entire year but it can also mean some heavy upfront costs like having to buy all your own equipment. One of the benefits of freelancers is that they come with all their gear. They’ve already made the investment for you and they use it every day so they know what they’re doing.

Once you find a good freelancer, don’t be afraid to negotiate for some better rates too. If you lock them in or multiple projects across the year the majority will thank you for the extra and secured business by giving you a better rate. Winning!

In saying that, if you’re a big brand and cost isn’t an issue maybe having someone on hand, in the building all the time for your work is the better option.

Tone and style

Having in-house videographers is a huge advantage when it comes to knowing the business, its values, tone, style, etc etc. They will also be on board with the objectives and be able to clearly understand the business case behind the video.

Freelancers on the other hand may not have this insight. That’s not to say they won’t learn though. A big advantage they bring however is creativity. Don’t get me wrong in-house peeps will still be creative but freelancers will be working with multiple companies in different styles and using different production methods. That means they will be able to bring a different perspective to your project and potentially offer something you haven’t thought of.

Getting it done

Having someone sitting in the same building can be a massive benefit when you have strict deadlines to meet. You will likely have their sole attention and if you’re getting a bit nervous about it all you can just walk over and ask where everything is at.

Freelancers might be a little further away in locality but you need to remember they rely on your business, and hopefully your repeat business. Meeting your deadlines is an absolute must for them or else they’ll be out of pocket.

[yudoozy]

Pitching yourself as a freelance content marketer

Content marketers, you’re a bit of a new breed but you’re certainly proving your worth when it comes to this new-fangled digital age everyone keeps on talking about. With your ability to look across different platforms, devise new and interesting content to draw your customers in and hopefully then convert eyeballs into dollerinos, we think you are one of the cool kids on the block for sure.

But at a time when some people literally don’t know what you do, what are some of the upsides you can pitch to clients when they’re thinking about taking on a freelance content marketer?

They get all the best bits

Freelance content marketers (that’s you guys) get the benefit of working across multiple platforms and multiple clients, so you can try and test a heck of a lot of different variables and see what delivers the best results. Once all is said and done, your clients will get the benefit of all your other client’s trial and errors and end up with all the knowledge you have banked and applied to their content and campaigns. Sometimes it’s even the little things, like you might have already discovered the best platforms to spread the word for a B2B company as opposed to B2C, or you may be able to offer some pretty sound advice on where to start if a business is thinking of getting into the blogging world. Basically, you’re probably on your way to being a genius.

You don’t have all that BAU bizzo to drag you down

Given the fact you’re a freelancer, you get to swap hats and switch mindsets because of the nature of your work and due to the fact you’re working on multiple projects all the time. The benefit to your clients of course is that you never get stuck in that business as usual (BAU) mindset where it’s easier to tick along with the safety of what you know. You’re a bit of a risk taker and more inclined to challenge the status quo.

You bring a fresh approach to the table

Similar to the fact you don’t get bogged down with the same old stuff everyday, sell yourself on the fact that you are able to take a unique and refreshing look at your clients content and strategy. Because you sit outside the walls of the company, you can cut through all the jargon and bull some companies forget about when they’re immersed in it everyday. Frankly, you can get a better perspective on what the customer actually will respond to and deliver it in a way you know will perform. Just because the boss has discovered “the Facebook” for the first time doesn’t mean they should go gung-ho ahead with it – and you can tell them that.

They only pay for what they need

Even though you do an amazing job and every company should be lining up to take you on, you’re a freelancer for a reason. And the biggest benefit of that is that clients don’t have to pay you for full-time hours. Especially small start-ups where money is tight, or businesses where content marketing may only make up a small part of their marketing strategy, they can engage you when and how they need you. They don’t have to get their other marketers to take a crack at this content stuff, and nor do they have spend money on wasted hours.

[yudoozy]

Freelancing Summer Essentials

Woooo summer’s here. It might not feel like it just yet but it’s nearly time to grab the jandals and head off down to the beach for some well-earned relaxation time. But before you do, given you’re your own boss now, there’s a few things to consider when it comes to that little thing called your business. Here’s our list of things you need to remember before you jet off into the sun.

Make sure you save for a rainy day

Summer will probably be one of your leanest periods when it comes to work. A lot of businesses shut down for a few weeks and no doubt your clients will be on a go-slow for a wee bit as well, so there might not be a lot of work coming through.

So, this is the rainy day you’ve been saving for. Make sure you have some contingency in place to see you through. And, if needed, maybe try to pick up a bit of extra work now while it’s available so you can get through comfortably.

Tell your clients if you’re taking a break

You’ve worked hard this year and you deserve a break. So don’t be afraid to tell your clients when you’re on holiday and that you’re a no-go zone when it comes to work. They won’t mind, trust us, and will appreciate they everyone needs some time off.

Similarly, if you are working through or do want some work let them know too.

Set yourself up for next year

Hit the ground running next year by taking the time now to sort work and go for contracts that may be around already. Most companies will already be planning their 2017 so it’s not a bad time to start having those chats around what they need to start the year and how you can help. That way you’re not having to start from scratch come January.

Say thank you

Christmas and the holiday period are always a good time to take stock of the year and maybe say thank you to those that have basically paid your wages for the year. Have a think about how you can say Merry Christmas, it may be as simple as popping in a drink, coffee catch up or a lunch with your clients.

Hit the beach

You’re a freelancer for a reason, so go hit the beach, or take some time to hang out with your family – whatever you want. Use the flexibility your job allows you to maximise the warm weather and enjoy it. It could even be something as little as working outside. I mean this is why you became a freelancer right? So make the most of it – everyone else will be super jealous for sure.

[yudoozy]

Top 5 tips when negotiating your rates

Dealing with money can be a bit of a tricky subject, especially when you’ve come from a working background where service and employee rates are set by others. But when you go it alone, there’s no reason why you have to go in blind to any negotiations or chats about rates.

Here’s a few pointers that may help you out when talking cash money with any clients.

1.       Have a starting point

As with any negotiation you have to come into any client meeting with a figure in mind. This will probably be your normal hourly rate or project rate, and will give you a base from which to start from. Nearly every client meeting you have, you’ll get the inevitable “so how much do you charge?” question. And you need to have an answer. Yes, you can negotiate from there but not having a figure will leave you looking a little amateur.

2.       Know your bottom dollar

Just as important as knowing your starting figure, you need to know your rock bottom. This is basically the rate you won’t go below or else the project or work just won’t be worth your time. It can be hard, especially if some clients push and push (and they will, everyone wants something for next to nothing), but you need to stand strong or else you’ll be running your business at a loss.

3.       Don’t be afraid to discount

Discounts are always welcome, especially on the client side. So when you get a project come in really evaluate what you are getting out of it. If it’s likely to lead to something bigger, your client is giving you ongoing work as opposed to one-off bits, or if it’s going to be a good jump into other industries or companies don’t be afraid to discount your rate. Of course you don’t want to be crazy low but your clients will appreciate it if you come to the table with something more competitive.

4.       Don’t be afraid to negotiate

Similarly, if you think your clients are offering a figure that is on the low side, don’t be afraid to negotiate with them. Whether they simply don’t know market rates, or they’re just being a little cheeky, have an open discussion with them to ensure you don’t sell yourself short. In the end, it will mean everyone is happy.

5.       Don’t hesitate to renegotiate

Renegotiating is a must, especially if you have been working with a client for a decent period of time. The market doesn’t stand still and neither should your rates, you have to factor in increasing costs and market inflation. You can be smart and make small incremental changes, it doesn’t have to be a whopping leap in price. Just make sure you outline the reasons why and re-sell yourself to your client. Make them understand why you’re worth that little bit extra now.