The COVID-19 pandemic has affected global markets in ways that the world has not experienced in generations — if ever. Many workers have lost their full-time positions, hiring freezes have kept jobs unfilled, and it’s left many people looking into hiring freelancers and part-time work opportunities.
Many employers are still bursting at the seams with work to do. According to a recent Forbes article, the “freelance revolution is large and growing, and COVID-19 and the shift to remote has been an accelerant.”
Translation: while freelance work is not necessarily new, the speed of change happening in the world of work is now happening extremely quickly right now. So, employers need to be ready when hiring freelancers by being able to write a great freelance job description.
So, how can companies best market their freelance work to jobseekers? In this article, we will outline the best strategies for attracting freelance workers and hiring freelancers efficiently and effectively.
The freelance revolution is large and growing, and COVID-19 and the shift to remote has been an accelerant.
Hiring Freelancers: Where Are They Looking?
Workers tend to gravitate towards certain job listing websites, depending on what type of freelance work they are looking to find. For example, it’s less likely that a software developer will be looking for attractive job listings in their local small town newspaper, and more likely to be looking at the internet’s top job posting platforms.
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So where would freelancers look for vetted and quality work? In recent years, companies have arisen specifically built to connect freelance workers with businesses. And with even more growth seen since the beginning of the global pandemic, we could see these freelancer-focused job platforms claim a significant stake in the online job market space.
Companies like Upwork, Fiverr, and Freelancer.com have all reported very healthy quarterly growth from Q1-Q2 of 2020, and they’re all predicted to have great years ahead.
So what is happening here? Well, there is a confluence of circumstances that are causing growth in the freelance job posting market. But, it is largely dependent on the continued use of SMBs and now more large companies (including a few fortune 500 companies) have begun using these platforms to source quality freelance talent.
Larger companies are also hiring out staffing agencies to fill remote or contract work specifically for them. These are job postings frequently seen on regular job boards such as Google for Jobs, Indeed, etc. That work can still be done in-house, though.
Writing The Perfect Freelance Job Description
The perfect freelance job description needs to be both well-written and very clear with its job description details, including the freelancing details. But, it’s not enough to be an excellent post soliciting attention from freelance workers. It needs to be optimized and have great visibility to be considered “perfect.”
Crafting The Description
It’s very important to follow particular guidelines to ensure they know the position is not full time.
Many jobseekers in the new “freelance revolution” are coming from difficult circumstances, such as losing their previous full time employment. So, it’s very important to follow particular guidelines to ensure they know the position they are applying for is not full time.
A freelance job post should include transparent information, including:
- Clear messaging within the job description stating the position is strictly freelance/contract
- The estimated hours needed to complete the work
- The hourly rate of pay and compensation
- The potential (if any) for the freelancer to eventually be considered for full time opportunities
And, most importantly — the freelance job description needs to be well optimized for job hosting platforms, like Google for Jobs.
Opportunity with Google for Jobs and Freelance Descriptions
Google for Jobs is one of the most accessible and all-inclusive job posting platforms on the web. As long as the schema is aligned with the Google for Jobs ranking signals that Google is looking for when it indexes online job postings, that job has a significantly better chance of gaining visibility.
Align job schema with job description = rank better on Google for Jobs
Just recently, Google for Jobs has taken into account remote hiring trends, offering additional schema opportunities for employers to include when posting jobs. Since most freelance jobs are remote, that is worth including in the job post.
We feel that Google will only continue to get more involved with freelance job descriptions and incorporate that further into the structure of Google for Jobs.
To learn more about Google for Jobs or to optimize freelance job descriptions, please contact us.
