Having creatives as part of your team is always a wise decision. If you have a great product but can’t communicate its value to your audience, then you might miss out on big opportunities to show the world what you’ve got. Creatives know what they’re doing, and they’ve trained hard to get your message across with wit, style, and skills. Thankfully, there’s never been an easier time to hire them than now. While there are a lot of creatives out there, here are some qualities you might want to look for when hiring one in your team.

First, a note to hirers: There are different types of creative freelancers. There are writers, editors, graphic designers, animators, photographers, stylists, musicians, web designers, and a lot more. But whatever type of creative you’re dealing with, make sure that you also have a clear “project brief” before you begin tapping them. This will make the work process faster, and your partnership a more fruitful one.

Now, when you’ve told them what your project is, what it entails, and what the goals are, here are things you should look for before deciding to hire them:

1. A great communicator

Someone might be very skilled, but very poor in communicating. Notice if they ask questions when you give them the brief. Ask them if they are the type to give updates, and how they deal with issues should they come across some of them along the way. You don’t want to be stuck in the middle of a project with someone who, apparently, doesn’t know the goal of the project or who is lost and is unable to ask for help. Make sure you are on the same page at all times.

2. Shares their expertise/A good collaborator

You are hiring someone not just because they can pull some tricks on Photoshop. Most great creatives are great because they understand the theories behind why some things work and why others do not. While you might know what you want for your project, they must be able to give input and suggestions because of the specific training that they got for it. If they just keep giving in to what you want, the whole project will lean towards your biases instead of coming up with something objectively effective. Be open to good advice. You will, of course, still be the ultimate decision-maker in the end. But you’ll rest easier knowing you got advice from an expert.

3. Can take criticism

One of the most important things in hiring a creative is if they are able to take criticism. While they may be the expert at being creative, ultimately, it is still your project and only you know the very essence of it. Make sure to be clear with your criticism, too. Avoid giving vague or blanket statements. Give them time to address and change the issues, and things will go smoothly between you.

4. Meets deadlines

Of course, they have to be able to meet the deadlines. This is also given that you are clear and fair when giving the deadlines. In the case of having to ask for rush work, make sure to give them the proper compensation.

When dealing with creatives, always remember to be fair, as you would with any other type of professional. It takes hard work and dedication to be good at what they do.

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