Conducting interviews can be one of the most challenging parts of hiring online because you cannot meet the candidates in person, yet you have to judge their abilities accurately. All you can do is trust your gut and hope that you get the best freelancer. If you have been wondering how to interview online freelancers effectively, you need to master the art of asking the right questions.

Asking the right questions will help you determine if you want to work with a particular freelancer. In this short article you will learn how to interview freelancers online and which questions to ask.

Ask for samples and portfolio

This should be the first thing you ask when interviewing a potential freelancer. You need to be sure that you are hiring a serious person who can prove that they can do the job. The best proof for any freelancer is a sample of their past work and portfolio.

For instance, if you want to hire a content writer, they should have a proper functioning website where they showcase their sample work and content. If a freelancer cannot provide samples and portfolio then they are probably not worth hiring.

Conduct a phone interview

Phone interviews are important before hiring any freelancer, especially if you have a long-term project. A phone interview will give you the opportunity to hear from the freelancer, and you can learn a lot about them.

You can either organize a Skype phone interview or a cell phone interview. When conducting a phone interview, be alert and learn more about the freelancer. In a phone interview, you will determine the freelancers listening skills and level of professionalism.

Ask how they work and their daily schedule

A good freelancer should have they own way of doing the job. This involves detailed processes and working hours. There are freelancers who work full time, but there are also others who work on part time, so you need to be aware of this. If you ask about their work process and they tell you they have none, then this is a red flag. A good freelancer should always have a schedule or a way of doing things.

Give them a chance to ask questions

After explaining your work and expectations, it is important that you give the freelancer an opportunity to ask questions. By asking questions, it means that they have an interest in the job and they have an understanding of the job. Lack of questions may be a sign of lack of interest or poor understanding of the job.

People often complain that finding talented people online is very difficult but this is not true. If you keep your eyes and ears open while conducting interviews you can find someone amazing in no time.