How to hire a freelance web designer

How to hire a freelance web designer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step freelance web designer hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a freelance web designer job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new freelance web designer
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The freelance web designer hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A freelance web designer's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, freelance web designers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list presents freelance web designer salaries for various positions.

   Type of Freelance Web Designer	Description	Hourly rate
   Freelance Web Designer	Graphic designers create visual concepts, using computer software or by hand, to communicate ideas that inspire, inform, and captivate consumers. They develop the overall layout and production design for various applications such as advertisements, brochures, magazines, and corporate reports.	$23-37
   Webmaster	A webmaster is responsible for monitoring website activities for the operating systems and browser database of an organization. Webmasters analyze website traffics and visits and create strategic plans on search optimizations of web servers... Show more	$21-41
   Web Design/Development	A web design/development is responsible for creating a high-performing website by utilizing programming skills and languages and digital expertise. This job requires working closely with the clients for the progress and updates, carefully analyzing their specifications and requirements, including the submission timeframe... Show more	$23-48

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Client Websites
   • WordPress
   • HTML
   • CSS
   • Adobe Photoshop
   • Html Css
   • JavaScript
   • Graphic Design
   • PHP
   • Adobe Illustrator
   • Logo Design
   • JQuery
   • Email Blasts
   • Custom Websites

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Provide consultation and support for on how to manage website through Drupal CMS.
   • Manage Linux server hosting websites, email accounts and SSL certificates for clients.
   • Manage and develop a stream line Intranet site for better communication purposes and quicker access to documents and company information
   • Design websites base on client specifications using HTML, CSS, WordPress, JavaScript, PHP, among other technologies.
   • Develop a product used as an outlet for unique expression and creativity by hand coding with HTML5, CSS3 and JavaScript.
   • Exemplify high energy by adapting to new software programs and languages such as HTML5 and CSS3.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your freelance web designer job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A freelance web designer salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, freelance web designers' average salary in south dakota is 52% less than in washington.
   • Seniority. Entry-level freelance web designers earn 38% less than senior-level freelance web designers.
   • Certifications. A freelance web designer with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a freelance web designer's salary.

   Average freelance web designer salary

   $61,732yearly

   $29.68 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level freelance web designer salary

   $48,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

4. Writing a freelance web designer job description

   A job description for a freelance web designer role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a freelance web designer job description:

   Freelance web designer job description example

   Freelance Web and Digital Designer
   
   We are seeking a senior-level web designer to join our growing freelance network!
   
   Do you get fired up about the opportunity to transform a company's web presence through
   functional, creative and user-friendly design?
   Are you passionate about how design can draw a customer to a page and lead them to convert?
   Do you thrive most when you have the freedom to do what you do best without
   micromanagement?
   
   If you answered yes to these questions, this may be the opportunity for you!
   
   Position Overview
   
   RedRover Sales & Marketing Strategy is an internationally award-winning, growing Memphis
   agency - named by the Greater Memphis Chamber of Commerce as one of the "Top 10
   Companies to Watch" in 2014 and the "Best Places to Work" by the Memphis Business Journal
   in 2021.
   
   This freelance web and digital designer will be responsible for designing for a variety of projects
   - meeting the requirements of the creative brief - to develop assets with high visual impact.
   Successful candidates will have a proven track record of measurably moving the needle for B2B
   companies through digital branding and design.
   
   Activities May Include:
   

   • Building webpages and landing pages for WordPress and other popular CMS platforms
   • Designing eye-catching emails and newsletters
   • Creating display ads for Google, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram
   • Making templates for organic social media use in Canva
   • And much more!

   
   
   Qualifications:
   

   • Must be based in the United States
   • Highly skilled in Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, etc.)
   • Proven experience in cross-platform and responsive website design
   • Knowledgeable about UX, UI and SEO practices for web design
   • Solid understanding of various CMS platforms, especially WordPress
   • Some experience with Java, HTML, CSS and JavaScript preferred
   • Ability to meet firm monthly deadlines and milestones

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find freelance web designers for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any freelance web designers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level freelance web designers with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   To find freelance web designer candidates, you can consider the following options:

   • Post your job opening on Zippia or other job search websites.
   • Use niche websites that focus on engineering and technology jobs, such as dribbble, authentic jobs, working not working, coroflot.
   • Post your job on free job posting websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting freelance web designers requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new freelance web designer

   Once you've found the freelance web designer candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new freelance web designer. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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