Hiring freelance developers has become an essential strategy for businesses looking for flexibility, specialized skills, and cost-effective solutions. However, the time spent finding the right developer can be surprisingly long. In this post, we will explore the challenges faced by businesses while hiring freelancers for their project and provide some practical strategies to streamline the hiring process.
The Growing Demand for Freelance Developers
The demand for freelance developers has skyrocketed over the past decade, driven by the rise of remote work, the need for niche skills, and the appeal of flexible, project-based engagements. According to Upwork’s 2023 Freelance Forward report, freelancers contributed $1.27 trillion to the U.S. economy in 2023, with 38% of the workforce engaged in freelance work.
Companies are increasingly relying on freelancers to fill skill gaps quickly, avoid the long-term commitment of full-time hires, and access a global talent pool. However, this surge in demand has made the hiring process highly competitive, contributing to longer search times and increased challenges in finding the right developer.
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Time Consuming Aspects of Finding the Right Freelance Developer
Hiring freelance developers often involves a complex, multi-step process that consumes significant time and resources.
Long Time to Find the Right Specialist
Finding the right freelance developer is not just about reviewing resumes. It involves multiple stages, including sourcing & vetting candidates, reviewing portfolios, negotiating terms and more. Each of these stages adds to the overall time to hire.
According to the 2023 Developer Skills Report by HackerRank, companies reported an average time to hire of about 66 days for technical roles. While these stats for tech industry hiring but it gives an idea how challenging it is to find a skilled software developer.
Freelancers are particularly challenging to vet due to the need for specific expertise tailored to short term projects. A study by Toptal found that it takes between days to months on average to find the right freelance developer, depending on the project complexity.
Repeatedly Explaining the Scope of Work
Hiring freelance developers requires considerable time and effort in communicating project needs and requirements. Each time a business considers a potential hire, it must explain the project scope, desired outcomes, and specific tasks involved in detail. This repetitive communication can quickly add up, leading to substantial delays in the hiring process.
This not only consumes valuable time but also disrupts the flow of other essential business activities, diverting attention from daily operations.
Moreover, each developer may have different levels of understanding and communication styles, which can lead to misalignment on project goals. This misalignment can necessitate additional meetings and clarifications, extending timelines and increasing costs.
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Hidden Costs of the Time Spent on Hiring Freelancers
The visible costs of delays in hiring are just the tip of the iceberg. The extended time spent on the hiring process also comes with hidden costs that can severely impact business performance.
Opportunity Cost
Every hour spent on sourcing, vetting, and onboarding freelance developers represents an opportunity cost. This is the cost of not being able to focus on strategic activities such as improving customer experiences, enhancing products, or expanding market reach. Research from Glassdoor found that the average cost of hiring a new employee is approximately $4,000. This figure accounts for direct expenses like job postings, but the true cost is much higher when lost productivity and delayed project timelines are considered.
For businesses operating in fast-paced markets, every day spent hiring instead of executing projects can result in missed opportunities and competitive disadvantages. This is particularly critical for startups and smaller companies that rely on rapid development cycles to stay ahead.
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Burnout
The ongoing process of vetting developers, clarifying project requirements, and managing communications can lead to significant burnout among small business owners. This fatigue often hinders their ability to make timely decisions, decreases productivity, and negatively affects their core business operations.
Moreover, in their urgency to complete the exhaustive search, businesses may end up hiring a less suitable developer, leading to further complications down the road. According to a study by the Harvard Business Review, poor hiring choices can significantly impact project outcomes and overall business performance.
For small business owners, the implications of burnout and hasty hiring decisions can be particularly severe, as they often lack the resources to recover from missteps.
How to Reduce Time Spent on Hiring Freelance Developers
Although some time investments in the hiring process are inevitable, businesses can take strategic steps to minimize these inefficiencies and improve the overall hiring experience.
Specialized Freelancing Platforms
Specialized freelance platforms such as Codeable and Toptal can significantly reduce the time Spent on hiring freelance developers. These platforms pre-screen developers based on their technical skills, communication abilities, and reliability, enabling businesses to connect with qualified professionals much more quickly. By thoroughly vetting freelancers, these platforms save businesses from the time-consuming task of assessing candidates’ expertise on their own.
Moreover, many freelance developers on these platforms possess high skill levels and extensive experience. This not only expedites the hiring process but also enhances communication efficiency, as these professionals can often identify necessary tasks and clarify project requirements independently. This proactive approach minimizes back-and-forth discussions, further saving valuable time for businesses.
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Agencies
Hiring an agency to meet your development needs can greatly simplify the process and improve project outcomes. Agencies generally possess a wide range of expertise, facilitating better team collaboration and more efficient project management. Their established procedures for onboarding, quality assurance, and communication help minimize the time and effort required from business owners. This is particularly advantageous for businesses without internal technical resources, as agencies can deliver comprehensive solutions while ensuring alignment with business objectives
However, for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), engaging a large agency can often be expensive, and they may not prioritize projects that are smaller in scale. This can lead to delays in the hiring process. Therefore, SMBs should seek out agencies that specifically cater to their size and challenges, like our WordPress agency, Lime Street. We focus exclusively on serving SMBs and have a deep understanding of the unique challenges that these owners face.
Build Long Term Relationships
One of the most effective strategies to reduce the time Spent on hiring freelance developers is to establish long-term relationships with agencies. Many agencies offer retainer plans, providing businesses with a set number of monthly hours based on the chosen plan. This arrangement allows agencies to function as technical partners, helping businesses avoid the repetitive onboarding process and the time-consuming explanations of project scopes. Developers who work with the same company over time become familiar with its work style, expectations, and technical needs, leading to faster project starts and smoother collaborations.
WordPress retainers not only save time but also ensure higher quality work, as developers who understand the company’s intricacies are more likely to deliver projects that align closely with business objectives. Research indicates that long-term relationships can enhance efficiency and reduce costs over time. WordPress agencies that are well-versed in a business’s goals and requirements can proactively contribute to project success, making retainers a smart choice for many organizations looking to streamline their development processes.
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Conclusion
Hiring freelance developers offers businesses the flexibility and expertise needed to drive projects forward, but the time and hidden costs involved in finding the right talent can be substantial. By forming technical partnership with agencies or using trusted freelancing platforms like Codeable businesses can simplify the hiring process and reduce these hidden time costs.
