Choosing a Freelancer is mostly about reducing uncertainty. You want to know three things before you hire: can this person do the work, will they communicate well, and is the price fair for what you get? None of these can be known for certain in advance, but you can get a good picture from the information in front of you.
This guide covers what to look at, what questions to ask and how to make the final decision.
1. Be clear about what you need first
It is hard to choose well if you are not sure what “right” looks like. Before you look at any profiles, write down:
- The result you need, in one or two sentences.
- The skills or tools the work requires, such as WordPress, Figma or video editing.
- Your budget range and deadline.
- Anything that is essential, such as a language, a time zone overlap or experience in your industry.
This short list becomes your filter. It stops you being swayed by an impressive profile that does not actually match your Project.
If you have not written your brief yet, our guide on writing a Project brief will help, and our guide on how much it costs to hire a freelancer explains how to set a realistic budget range. For role-specific advice, see our guides to hiring a web developer or a virtual assistant.
2. Narrow the field with filters
On Find Talent, you can search by keywords and location, then filter Freelancers by category, skills, rating and orders completed. If you are browsing Services, you can filter by category, skills, price, type, delivery time and rating.
Use filters to get to a shortlist of five to ten people, not to find one perfect match straight away.
3. Read the profile properly
A Freelancer’s profile tells you more than their headline. Look at:
Their description
Does it explain what they do and who they do it for, in plain language? A focused description, such as “I build Shopify stores for small fashion brands”, is usually a better sign than a long list of every skill imaginable.
Their Services
The Services a Freelancer offers show what they are confident delivering. Check whether any of them are close to what you need, and read how they describe the scope of each package.
Languages and location
If you need to work closely together, check the languages they list and whether your working hours overlap enough for your needs.
Reviews and completed orders
Profiles show reviews, completed orders and a success rate. These are useful, but read them in context. A Freelancer who is new to Tasksyy may have no reviews yet and still be very capable. In that case, their portfolio, certificates and the quality of their communication matter more.
4. Look at relevant work, not just good work
A beautiful portfolio is encouraging, but what matters is whether they have done something similar to your Project. When you look at examples, ask yourself:
- Is this the same type of work?
- Is it at a similar scale?
- Is it for a similar kind of audience?
If you are unsure whether an example is relevant, ask the Freelancer what their role was and what problem the work solved.
5. Judge the Proposal, not just the price
If you posted a Project, the Proposals you receive are one of your best sources of information. A strong Proposal usually:
- Refers to details from your brief, which shows they read it.
- Explains how they would approach the work, step by step.
- Gives a clear price and timeline, and says what is included.
- Asks sensible questions about anything unclear.
Be careful with Proposals that are much cheaper than the rest. Sometimes a lower price is fair, but it can also mean the Freelancer has misunderstood the scope. Ask what is included before you decide.
6. Ask a few good questions
Before hiring, it is reasonable to ask a small number of questions. Keep them practical:
- “What would you need from me to get started?”
- “How will you keep me updated during the work?”
- “What happens if I need changes after the first draft?”
- “Is there anything in my brief you would do differently?”
The answers matter, but so does how they answer. Clear, prompt and specific replies are a good sign of how the rest of the work will go.
7. Check that the terms match
Before you commit, make sure you and the Freelancer agree on:
- Deliverables: exactly what you will receive.
- Timeline: the delivery date and any milestones.
- Revisions: how many are included. For Services, this is shown in the package.
- Price: the total, and what would cost extra.
Writing this down avoids most disagreements later.
Warning signs to watch for
- A Proposal that could have been sent to any Project, with no reference to your brief.
- Promises that sound too good, such as guaranteed search rankings or instant results.
- Requests to pay or communicate outside Tasksyy. Keeping payments on Tasksyy keeps the order record in one place. See our Trust & Safety page for more.
- Vague answers when you ask what is included.
Making the final decision
If you are stuck between two or three people, compare them against your original list of needs rather than going with your first impression. It can help to score each one simply on fit, communication and value.
For larger work, consider starting with a smaller first piece. It lets you see how you work together before you commit to more.
Summary
- Define what you need before you browse.
- Use filters to build a shortlist.
- Read profiles and look for relevant work.
- Judge Proposals on understanding, not just price.
- Ask a few practical questions.
- Agree deliverables, timeline, revisions and price before you start.
