What types of projects are best suited to freelancers?

So you want to hire a freelancer. But, is your project something you can even hire a freelancer to do? Some projects are better suited to freelancers than others. So is it best to hire a freelancer or in house for your next project?

Two things to bear in mind about freelancers. 1. A lot of freelancers work remotely. 2. You may only hire them for a short period of time. If you need someone to build a relationship with your customers, or have a comprehensive knowledge of your product, your project isn’t best suited to a freelancer.

Projects that suit freelancers are ones that need little contact from you or a manager. They may be in another time zone, or choose not to work during office hours. Freelancers tend to prefer work that’s deadline driven. This allows them to be flexible about when and where they work. They also work best on projects that need niche skills. They’ll specialise in one small area, rather than being a jack-of-all-trades.

So what kind of projects are best suited to freelancers? Here’s a run-down of the top most in-demand skills for freelancers:

marketing-projects

Marketing projects:

Lots of marketing projects are perfect for remote freelancers. Improvements in technology mean it’s now easier than ever for a marketer to be a work-at-home freelancer. Some roles you can expect to be able to hire are:

SEO specialists

Search engine marketers

Social media marketers

Email marketers

Marketing specialists

Telemarketers/lead generation specialists and more.

web-development-projects

Web Development projects:

If you need something built for the web, you need a web developer. Web development has got to be one of the most common freelance trades. That’s because it’s perfect for remote working. All you need is a laptop and wifi and you’re away:

Web developers

Mobile developers

Desktop app developers

Software engineers

Product managers

Software QA testers and more.

writer-projects

Writing projects:

Professional writers and editors are well suited to the freelance lifestyle. Again, all they need is a word processor and a wifi connection. You can hire:

Blog and article writers

Web content writers

Technical writers

Creative writers

Copywriters

Editors and more.

accounting-projects

Accounting projects:

Some of the classic ‘desk jobs’ shift easily into the world of freelancing. Anyone from an accounting background will find they suit the freelance life. You can hire:

Freelance accountants

Consultants

Financial planners

Bookkeepers

Project managers

Legal advisors and more.

tutor-projects

Teaching and Tutoring projects:

Tutoring is one of the oldest freelance professions going. Usually, it needs both tutor and student to be in the same location. But, more and more online tutors are springing up. And, with better video calling and vlogging software, this number is growing. You can hire a tutor for pretty much any subject.

creative-projects

Creative projects:

A lot of creative careers are suited to freelancing. There’s never been a better time to be a creative freelancer. Advances in technology means that good creative tools are available to everyone. You can hire a creative freelancer for a wide variety of projects:

Graphic designers

Logo designers

UX/UI designers

Web designers

3D modelers

Illustrators

Music producers

Composers

Film producers and more.

admin-projects

Admin projects:

Most people assume that if you need admin done, you need to hire someone in-house. But this is not the case. There’s a growing market of online administrators and office assistants. This offers flexible working for both clients and freelancers. Search for ‘freelance virtual assistant’ and you’ll see just how many pros there are on offer. They can take care of anything including:

Transcribing

Virtual office assistants

Data entry

Web researchers

Project managers

Recruiters and more.


Want to learn more about working with freelancers? Download our free Ebook. 

Vicky

After studying English Literature at university, Vicky decided she didn’t want to be either a teacher or whoever it is that writes those interminable mash-up novels about Jane Austen and pirates, so sensibly moved into graphic design.

She worked freelance for some time on various projects before starting at Twine and giving the site its unique, colourful look.

Despite having studied in Manchester and spent some years in Cheshire, she’s originally from Cumbria and stubbornly refuses to pick up a Mancunian accent. A keen hiker, Vicky also shows her geographic preferences by preferring the Cumbrian landscape to anything more local.