10 Characteristics of the Best Freelancers

Whether you are a solopreneur or a large company owner, hiring a freelancer is a great move. Choosing the right partner to your business is one of the vital tasks you need to do as a leader. The freelance industry is a big marketplace where you will meet and work with different kinds of contractors. Skill is one factor in bringing someone to help you in your business. However, there must be more to them than just being able to deliver.

Let’s do a rundown of the characteristics of the best freelancers, the kind that we have in the FreeUp marketplace.

1. Passionate about freelancing and their skill set

The freelancer you choose must have the passion and the skill set to do well at work. These freelancers have explored all their passions and focused on the areas that overlapped with their skills. Merging both results results in a confident, happy professional who makes money doing something they love to do.

Being passionate about your work doesn’t come without challenges. This is what makes this kind of freelancer admirable. They are the ones who submit only the best output to their clients even if it means staying up late or giving up a weekend to check things through.  The sacrifices they give for their work transcend self-interest because they believe in meaningful contributions to their clients’ businesses.

Given their skill set, these freelancers are good at what they do. But because they also enjoy what they’re doing, they find ways to improve. They are ready to embrace opportunities that will keep them enthusiastic and happy at work.

2. Years of experience

Raw talent is great, but when you are aiming for success, experience matters. Mastery comes with years of background in a given niche.

It is not to say that newcomers with entry-level skills are not worth it. As a leader, you will sometimes want to invest in a worker with great potential. After all, we all started from the bottom going up, didn’t we? Hiring fresh freelancers will cost you more time, but it will enable you to reap good profits in the future.

On the FreeUp Marketplace, we value our clients’ time, so the pool of workers available there are experts in their own fields, backed-up with years of work experience. If you are a startup entrepreneur or a solopreneur, you will want to hire someone who is more knowledgeable in a certain aspect of your business. You do not need someone who is just starting out like you. You want an experienced professional who can guide your business to success.

3. Positive attitude

Attitude towards work makes or breaks a freelancer. Output-wise, a worker with optimistic thinking accomplishes tasks faster and better. A positive attitude also helps establish good relationships with clients. This is the type of freelancer you would love to work with. They approach work with confidence and an upbeat attitude.

The competition on the marketplace is healthy, and this means that freelancers sometimes get declined by clients. However, this does not discourage them from trying again or enhancing their skills further to increase their chances of landing projects. They are the type of workers who love feedback and take criticism constructively. They use it to improve their work and contribute to the success of the business. More importantly, they are the ones who encourage you when you yourself doubt the success of a project. They tell you with confidence that it is possible, and they deliver.

Wouldn’t you love to take on a worker who shines and spreads positive vibes?

4. Problem solver

Being self-employed is challenging. You know this yourself because you run your own business. Most of the freelancers on the marketplace communicate with clients and deliver output remotely. Working from home is just more convenient, but not easy. The best freelancers must know how to solve problems on their own.

These freelancers can work independently without relying too much on your day-to-day instructions. If they encounter setbacks, they come up with solutions themselves. They show great collaborative effort! They look forward to the same goals as you have for your company and act upon it.

Another unique quality of problem solvers is that they do not make excuses. This is particularly applicable to remote workers who sometimes encounter issues in communication due to power outage, internet connection problems, emergencies, etc. You want someone who solves problems rather than creating them for you.

5. Amazing communicator

Communication is an important factor in all kinds of relationships. It is what makes everything work and is a big part of success. This is especially important when working with someone virtually.

The best freelancers have top-notch communication skills. This must be the foundation of their abilities. They are capable of expressing themselves, whether in presenting their work or in conveying their thoughts and ideas to clients. They have experience with different tools such as Skype, Slack, Zoom and other channels for a solid exchange of information between them and their clients.

Communication is a two-way street. As good as they talk, they should also be able to listen well and keep an open mind. Meetings, discussions, and brainstorming happen very often in this line of work. This is the kind of freelancer that you will be able to have productive meetings with and with whom you can get things done.

6. Great collaborator

Collaboration is one of the top soft skills that business owners look for in freelancers. The best collaborators are diplomats in the sense that they build their working relationships with mutual trust.

It comes naturally to individuals who are collaborative players. They are the kind of people who always think of “we” rather than “I.” Collaborators show leadership capabilities and are willing to step up even if it doesn’t necessarily put them in the spotlight. They also have great communication skills. They listen attentively, they ask the right questions, and seek to find the right answers.

Remote freelancers who are great collaborators make use of tools that allow them to share all kinds of information within the group efficiently. Examples are Trello, Asana, Bitrix, and other management applications.

7. Puts clients before themselves

“Your success is my success” is their work life mantra. As a part of passion and commitment, the best freelancers put clients before themselves. What does this mean for you and the worker?

It means that when hiring a freelancer, you expect them to do great. You do not expect perfection yet, but you still hire them. The best freelancers strive hard to deliver high-quality work on time as part of fulfilling the expectations of a client. They don’t have to be the Yes-man just to please you. What’s more important is that they understand what your business means to you and do everything to take you one step closer to your goals every day.

Putting clients first takes on many forms such as meeting deadlines, attending a call conference that may be off hours for freelancers living in a different time zone, or as simple as showing honesty and humility when making mistakes.

8. Disciplined and dedicated

Working as a remote freelancer comes with big responsibilities. Time management and organization are some of the abilities clients look for when hiring a virtual worker.

It’s easy to give in to temptations of TV shows, the internet, or the bed on a cozy evening working at home. While it is true that freelancers control their own time, piled-up deadlines are just around the corner. Without proper discipline and dedication to work, this career choice can be a downfall.

As a client, it is important that you hire a freelancer that has a good work ethic. Most of the time, this is seen from experience and feedback from previous clients. You can also gauge the dedication of a freelancer during the planning stage. Work times and communication are important when working miles away from each other. Setting up a timetable and sticking to it is paramount to building a good relationship and working together towards success.

9. Creative and shares ideas

Anyone becomes an entrepreneur because he takes the initiative to start his own business. As the business owner, you would expect everyone to be working towards the same objectives for success.

Creativity and initiative are some of the characteristics of the best freelancers. They have a knack for being such experts in their own fields that they can innovate to fit the needs of their clients. They have plenty of ideas that they are willing to share with you during your weekly or monthly planning sessions.

These freelancers are unique. They think outside the box, they have an eye for task optimization and act upon it. When you acknowledge their true value to your business throughout the process, they become valuable contributors.

10. Always looking to improve and loves learning

Freelancers are self-employed entrepreneurs themselves, running their own business by providing services using their skills. They have the flexibility to choose the projects they want to work on — be it in the niche that they are already comfortable with or trying out a different kind of work that is in line with their abilities. They can be satisfied with where they are at present or they can strive for more.

Wouldn’t you want to work with someone who has the same vigor as you? Someone who has ambition and consistently strives for more to achieve?

These freelancers look for growth. They do not pass on a good opportunity for learning new things because they are afraid to be out of their comfort zone. They are excited at the word new, especially when it pertains to tasks and projects. They proactively ask for feedback from their clients and use it to improve their performance.

Conclusion

You can find many skilled freelancers out there, but only the select few are passionate and truly dedicated to their work. A great freelancer is someone who doesn’t only work for the client’s success but also for their own personal development. This is the best kind of freelancer.

You do not need a worker to have all of these characteristics. It is possible that they have it in them but simply haven’t fully blossomed yet. What’s important is that your goals are aligned and they have the important basics to make your work relationship efficient, successful, and smooth.

Your Time to Reflect & Take Action

Why don’t you take a few moments right now to list down your goals for your business. Revisit your organizational structure and check which aspects of your business you need help with. Among the characteristics of the best freelancers listed above, decide the type of worker you would want to take part and help you build your company.

Are you looking for the best freelancer to help you grow your business?

Sign up as a client today and get access to FreeeUp’s network of the top 1% of freelance applicants. They are freelance workers who are pre-vetted to save you the time of going through the entire hiring process yourself.

Lailah Paredes is an engineering student, creative entrepreneur, and a self-confessed island girl. As a travel junkie, she loves experiencing different cultures and sharing them through her writing. Read about her travels across the beautiful islands of the Philippines at her blog laieatsandtravels.tumblr.com.