Deciding when and how to expand employees, operations, and clientele can seem daunting in any economic climate. In today’s market, it may feel downright nerve-wracking. However, knowing when it’s time to bring on help and having access to qualified professionals can help make the process smoother.

In this blog, we’re going to discuss how to hire the right help and 3 clear signs it is time to bring on a resource.

Finding the Right Help

Many business owners struggle to know what kind of help they need, and fewer know that there are readily available freelance talent solutions with the skills to step into a variety of projects, jobs, and roles on a short-term, long-term, or contract basis.

Sensibly utilizing freelancers enables businesses to access a pool of talent they might not attract as full-time employees or could not afford. In addition, freelancers bring new skills, dynamic marketplace experience and perspectives that can be very valuable.

Freelancers also enable a business to scale up and down on-demand as required by customer demand or project needs. This strategy provides some much-needed agility during unpredictable times.

3 Signs It’s Time to Hire a Freelancer

#1. Administrative Tasks Overwhelm Real Work.

When administrative tasks are beginning to fill the majority of a business owner’s time, that’s a definite sign it’s time to hire a freelancer to assist.

“Even the most successful businesses will begin to falter if the owners are spending more time in the minutia of the backend of the business than on the frontlines,” said Elizabeth Eiss, CEO and Founder of ResultsResourcing. “That simply isn’t what they do best. It’s a waste of their time.”

“Entrepreneurs go into business for themselves because they want to spend their time focused on what they’re passionate about,” she explained. “And that’s when they’re most successful —  doing the things that only they can do, like growing their offerings and expanding their audience. If they find they no longer have time to focus on the mission of their business, on that which got them into business in the first place, then their priorities are likely not in the right place and they need some support. A best practice is to start looking for that support as soon as feasible.”    

#2. Growth Feels Overwhelming.

Gradual growth is the general expectation for business owners. However, when that growth occurs rapidly instead (as it has in 2020 for small seed companies, grocery stores, and the hand sanitizer and toilet paper industries), it can threaten to overwhelm operations. Eiss advises business owners to take that feeling of overwhelm for what it is — an unmistakable sign it’s time to hire help.  

“Even when growth happens steadily, business owners can feel themselves getting caught up in the non-core areas of their business,” explained Eiss. “If they can recognize the earlier signs of growth and then come to us to start discussing plans for expanding and hiring, we have the flexibility to get crystal clear on their needs and expectations to find the perfect support person or team. More importantly, we have the time to get support in place well before the owner’s feeling of being overwhelmed starts to threaten their business.”

“Sometimes, however, early hiring discussions simply aren’t possible,” she added. “Whether that’s because of a novel circumstance like the COVID-19 pandemic creating unprecedented and rapid growth or because growth occurred so gradually it didn’t become overwhelming until the business was already in the midst of it. In either case, efficiently finding quality support in the shortest time possible becomes the task. A partnership with a freelance recruiting platform like ResultsResourcing enables business owners to hire quickly — without adding the additional time-consuming task of finding that help to an already overloaded plate.”

#3. Expansion Is a Must, but Money Is Tight.

Hiring a freelancer is the best option when businesses must expand to meet growing demand, but money is tight or growth is uncertain (such as in times of recession).

“Freelancers carry less overhead than employees, so they enable businesses to scale up or down as needed, without a large upfront investment or long-term financial commitment,” said Eiss. “In fact, as long as expectations are clear, it doesn’t hurt to hire a freelancer well before expansion happens and things get overwhelmingly busy. While most freelancers are ready to jump into action from day one, creating a trusting work relationship is key. So, starting out by working together even just a few hours a week enables both the business owner and the freelancer to familiarize themselves with working together. That way, when things really ramp up, the business owner can feel comfortable handing work to someone they already know and trust.”

ResultsResourcing is Ready to Find You the Right Freelancer

ResultsResourcing specializes in providing freelance and contract talent to small and medium-sized businesses. Our process is designed to simplify and solve the hiring process so organizations can hire and work with the best freelance talent available. If you’re ready to get matched with quality freelance resources, schedule a free job survey consultation and we'll help you get started by determining your needs.

‍