Hire Web Designer: How and Where to Find Talent

The typical route for web design requirements is having a full-time staff, especially when there is a lot of work in the pipeline. However, there are cases where you want to hire a web designer online for projects that do not require a complete commitment.

You can hire a web designer to finish a particular design task only, or a complete site overhaul if you feel that your website needs an upgraded layout to match current trends. You might wonder if there’s a web designer who you can hire for a non-full-time arrangement.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 55 million people in the United States are gig workers. They account for approximately 34% of the U.S. workforce. That’s just one country alone; there are more workers you can hire from other countries who are also willing to lend their talent to your business.

Should I hire a web designer?

It’s easy to see why you would be skeptical about hiring full-time. Glassdoor indicates that the average base pay for a web designer is around $50,000 per year in the United States. Aside from the salary, you also need to pay taxes, insurance, health coverage, and several other benefits. These can cost an additional $12,500 to $20,000 per employee. Not to mention overhead costs and equipment, having to hire a web designer full time may not be fit for your business.

However, there are other options available if having to hire personnel is an additional expense. You can choose to either hire a web designer for temporary work or do it yourself with easy-to-use platforms. On the other hand, you may subcontract it to third-party companies.

Website Builders

If you know how to plot a website layout or prefer to have a more hands-on approach, these platforms can be a convenient choice. They cost anywhere from a free plan to a range of $20-$500 fee. The cost depends on the features you require for your website.

• Wix
  The drag-and-drop site builder has templates for you to choose from with flexible elements. There’s an app market with several tools you can add to your website and even automatic site backup for you to restore any design points.
• Squarespace
  Stylized themes with customizable designs, fonts, and images are available in this builder. It has a blogging feature, live chat support, and mobile apps that allow you to edit your website or blog while on the go.
• Weebly
  A straightforward “what you see is what you get” editor makes it easy to craft a website in this builder. It has a built-in coding editor as well if you want to come up with a more dynamic functional page.
• Webflow
  Even without knowing how to code, the platform provides a visual editor that you can use to come up with a website design. It provides the same tools that a front-end web designer may require, but without having to write a line of code.

Web Design Companies

Another option when you’re hesitant to hire a designer is to outsource it to agencies providing web design services. It may be more expensive, depending on your desired website form and functionality.

The cost of creating a website ranges from $1000 to more than $100,000 for full development. Other firms have upfront costs at around $500 and ongoing payments of less than $200 for maintenance. You don’t need to bind a contract with an employee that you hire. You only pay for the services rendered, no need for a rolling monthly salary that a full-time worker entails.

How do I hire a web designer?

When you need a designer to be responsible for a web design project, you may choose a part-time arrangement. There are web designers who prefer to have a more flexible undertaking. You only need to find freelance web designers where they’re usually looking for a gig: job posting sites and online services.

Job Posting Websites

While the majority of job sites cater to those looking for full-time employment, other portals have adapted to flexible working arrangements. They let you specify details such as whether the position is part-time, remote, or contractual. There are several options for these, such as the following:

• Indeed
  From contract positions, temporary jobs, and even internships, you can choose to classify your job posting. This makes it easy for you to connect to part-timers seeking a post. Adapting to new ways of working, Indeed also lets you define if it’s remote work.
• SimplyHired
  Several types of jobs are available in SimplyHired. You can opt for commission-based projects aside from the regular working arrangement. Hourly compensation is visible to brief applicants about the wage.
• Craigslist Jobs Section
  Selected cities and states each have a Craigslist portal with a jobs section, which is where you can post details about your design requirements. The concealed email reply is one way to avoid spam communication, so you can only speak to legitimate candidates.

Online Freelancer Services

Administrative tasks related to hiring a web designer may be time-consuming for you. Instead of looking to hire, you want to focus on running your business rather than managing the billing or counting the hours.

These services act as middlemen between you as the client and the freelance web designers to hire. Think of them as an outsourced, even automated human resource service. Some of them provide the tools necessary for seamless integration between your web design projects and organizing the part-time employee’s commitment.

• Toptal
  Claiming to have the top 3% of freelancers, Toptal provides a rigid screening process, so you know you’re hiring highly qualified web designers. Toptal also handles legal and invoicing matters on behalf of the client.
• 99designs
  Purely dedicated to custom designs and illustrations, 99designs lets you start a contest where designers submit their entries. You’ll then pick from one of them and work with the designer whose output matches your needs.
• PeoplePerHour
  Work with independent web designers on the specific tasks at hand. PeoplePerHour indicates the particular skills of an employee. This is an easy way for you to assess if they’re the right hire for the project.
• Upwork
  Connecting with self-employed designers seeking out a gig is possible with Upwork. The service confirms the identity of a person working for you. It has built-in time management that takes screenshots for you to review how the worker is doing the job.
• Fiverr
  Previously known for 5-dollar jobs, Fiverr has become a general freelancing portal. You can access independent contractors willing to assist in your design needs with per-project pricing.
• Freelancer
  The namesake service allows you to post projects and have freelancers bid for design work. Payment only comes after the task is completed and you’re satisfied with the output.

Web Designer Services

Each of the choices mentioned lets you get the job done. For recurring and maintenance tasks, however, it’s not sustainable to post a job ad and hire now and then.

Maintaining a website or doing a revamp is necessary nowadays. Stanford’s web credibility research states that 75% of online visitors judge a company’s credibility based on a website design. Having an outdated look on your website may make potential consumers leave.

Your business needs to adapt to evolving website trends. Conversely, design may not be your core operation. This will only drive away focus on running your business instead. From image updates, minor web page tweaks, and a whole lot more, you may find yourself taking more time to hire than needed for your design projects.

This is where Delesign comes as an alternative. No need to explain the details of each design project, post it, then hire web designer applicants. A monthly subscription allows you to gain access to designers who will commit to your project. You don’t have to monitor per hour or how much a design job is worth, as Delesign provides unlimited tasks and revisions. Delesign assists in your web design demands without clocking in unnecessary expenses of hiring a web designer.