The beauty of contracting freelancers is in getting your job done without the hassle, and you can get it done by the best from anywhere in the world. There is an ocean of experts in a myriad of professional fields that you can fish from. However, there is no rule that restricts employers to hiring experts from foreign countries. In fact, there are some assignments that are best suited for local freelancers. Outsourcing locally is gradually picking up because more experts are choosing to work independently as opposed to employment, and choosing to work with local freelancers can be very beneficial to both the contractor and the employer.
High Level of Accuracy
A competent local freelancer stands a high chance of delivering superior quality work compared to an offshore one, especially on local-related topics like travel. The contractor can always verify facts from various sources like the local authority, friends or relatives. Assuming you are reviewing hotels and tourism destinations of a certain country, it is better to use a local freelancer who can give first-hand experience as opposed to someone who will just rely on online sources whose accuracy can be questionable.
Verify Qualifications
In as much as there are various ways through which you can verify a freelancer’s qualifications, a face-to-face interview is still highly recommended. A one-on-one talk will not only enable you to confirm that the expert is conversant with the topic, but also allow you to cross-check the references. There are some costly projects that shouldn’t be left to people with questionable competencies. You can then closely monitor the work progress, even if it means having a monthly review meeting just to ensure that the work is done according to the expectations.
Payment
Most freelancers have a problem receiving payment online. A majority of reputable online marketplaces support a number of currencies that can be withdrawn straight to a local bank account. If this is not the case, you may have to convert the funds into local currencies to make the payments, but currency conversion attracts a charge that will definitely reduce the net income for the contractor.
Timezone
One of the biggest challenges of working with offshore contractors is the difference in time zones. There are times when the freelancer might be needed for urgent assignments. Some countries have up to a 12-hour difference between them, which makes it difficult for the client and contractor to work hand-in-hand at the same time. In this regard, a local freelancer works better because you can choose flexible working hours without having to inconvenience anyone.
Language
Some people have had issues with the quality of work delivered because of language barriers between the two parties. When assigning a freelancer any task, it is important to ensure that the instructions are well understood and expectations and project outcomes are clear. Any form of miscommunication might lead to poor quality work, wasted time, and financial losses. Instructions shared in a local language will definitely be best understood than in a second or even third language.
In as much as hiring local freelancers should be encouraged, there are some challenges that some clients might want to avoid. If you operate in a country with stringent labor laws, minimum wages, requirements for everyone you contract to fill a dozen of forms and such like, you might want to speed up the process by going for a contractor from a country where the chances of contravening the laws of the land are slim. If price is the issue, then you can always try offshore providers that charge a fraction of the local cost.
