Through a combination of old school best practices and tapping into new, tech-driven innovations, you can vastly simplify the process for finding the right on-demand talent for the job at hand. Below are five recommendations for sourcing contractors and freelancers with greater speed and precision, as well as reduced risk.

1. Clearly and thoroughly define your needs. This is certainly an oldie but goodie. Make sure to get started on the right foot with these basics:

• Create a detailed job description that outlines the scope, deliverables, deadlines, and necessary skills or qualifications to get the job done.

• Prioritize skills as must-have for success in the job vs. nice-to-have skills to attract the right candidates.

• Be transparent about compensation, whether the role is eligible for benefits, and if the nature of the job requires a W2 classification or is appropriate as an independent contractor/1099.

2. Use platforms to find the right candidates. You are no longer limited to costly recruiters or your professional/personal network. Platforms open amazing possibilities:

• Freelance marketplaces provide access to a wide range of freelancers with dedicated expertise. They offer detailed profiles, ratings, and in some cases client success support to help you with the selection and hiring process, e.g., Upwork, Fiverr.

• There are also platforms that can match you with specialized talent to address your most niche needs, e.g., Wripple for marketing and creative, Toptal for tech, 99designs for graphic design, WriterAccess for content.

• Social media and industry-specific forums can also provide access to talent who can fill your priority roles.  

3. Use tools/automation to streamline the selection process. Talent platforms, candidate tracking systems, and other tech can help you find the right talent faster.  Key features to consider:

• Real-time matching that uses AI to surface the best matches based on your requirements.  No more sifting through hundreds of resumes or online profiles!

• Automated scheduling and communications (e.g., follow-up emails) through a talent platform, or tools such as workflow software, Calendly, etc.

• Online tests to validate candidates’ skills and capabilities. Some options to check out are:
  • ‍TestGorilla ‍
  • TestDome
  • ‍Testlify
  • Criteria
• ‍Other tools worth considering to simplify and automate the selection process include:some text‍
  • Loxo – ATS, CRM, outbound recruitment, data, and sourcing tools ‍‍
  • Seekout – AI-powered candidate searching for specialized roles ‍‍
  • Beamery – Talent lifecycle management ‍‍
  • Juicebox AI – AI-powered talent sourcing

4. One aspect of the talent sourcing process that is not typically easy is ensuring workplace compliance. The good news is there are some straightforward measures to take that will keep you in line with federal, state, and local regulations.  

• Use legally binding contracts to outline expectations and protect both parties.  Templates can be easily obtained from your internal HR/legal team or an outside lawyer.

• Make sure to address Intellectual Property (IP) Rights in your standard contracts by clarifying ownership of deliverables upfront. This simple step can save you lots of downstream frustration.

• Partner with your HR team to address worker classification as part of the hiring process. Based on how talent is classified, HR will ensure compliance with regulations regarding payment, taxes, and benefits. If you don’t have someone internally to help with worker classification, you can simply outsource this completely to talent platforms or staffing firms.

5. Build an online Talent Pool to manage freelancers as ongoing valued members of your workforce. This makes it easy to:

• Rehire freelancers who perform well for future projects.

• Maintain a record of trusted freelancers, including their skills, availability, and past performance.

• Engage talent on an ongoing basis to build valuable relationships and source potential referrals for other work.

Following these five recommendations will result in better talent matches, increased efficiencies, and minimized risk associated with building a successful on-demand talent workforce.