How to hire a self-employed

How to hire a self-employed, step by step

Here's a step-by-step self-employed hiring guide:

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the self-employed you need to hire. Certain self-employed roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect self-employed also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   This list shows salaries for various types of self-employeds.

   Type of Self-Employed	Description	Hourly rate
   Self-Employed	Human resources specialists recruit, screen, interview, and place workers. They often handle other human resources work, such as those related to employee relations, compensation and benefits, and training... Show more	$12-21
   Human Resources Generalist	A human resources generalist is responsible for monitoring the human resources policies and procedures, making adjustments as needed to align with the company's goals and objectives. Duties of a human resources generalist also include improving employee relations system, organizing compliance and knowledge training, reviewing benefit plans, managing compensation inquiries, assisting in recruitment and staffing needs, communicating with department heads in employees' performance reviews, and storing employees' files for reference... Show more	$19-36
   Recruiting Internship	A recruiting intern is responsible for assisting the human resources department on recruiting processes, identifying potential candidates, and supporting on onboarding procedures. Recruiting interns create job postings on the organization's job boards and other online platforms under the guidance of their supervisor or tenured recruitment staff, ensuring the accuracy of qualifications and requirements based on the guidelines set by hiring managers of different departments... Show more	$12-24

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Windows
   • Mowing
   • Customer Service
   • Financial Statements
   • Payroll
   • Real Estate
   • Lawn Care
   • Child Care
   • Photography
   • HVAC
   • Snow Removal
   • QuickBooks
   • EBay

   Responsibilities:

   • Develop and manage the in-store informational PowerPoint presentations that run on multiple televisions to answer questions and provide information to customers.
   • Generate monthly, quarterly and yearly sales reports, correspondence, & PowerPoint presentations.
   • Complete jobs (lawn mowing, lawn cleaning, edging, trimmings bushes and trees) any aspect of lawn care.
   • Work with traditional video cameras and DSLR cameras.
   • Develop a website and Facebook page to increase networking.
   • Equip with a full-frame Nikon D600 and multiple lenses.

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, self-employeds' average salary in arkansas is 51% less than in district of columbia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level self-employeds earn 39% less than senior-level self-employeds.
   • Certifications. A self-employed 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 self-employed's salary.

   Average self-employed salary

   $16.70hourly

   $34,734 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level self-employed salary

   $27,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 22, 2025

4. Writing a self-employed job description

   A good self-employed job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a self-employed job description:

   Self-employed job description example

   • Signup in Seconds : Get started today, and we’ll provide support along the way.
   • Get Paid Fast : Cash out up to 5X a day with Instant Pay.
   • Flexible Schedule : You control when and where you drive.
   • 24/7 Support : The app gives you turn-by-turn directions and access to 24/7 support if you need help.
     
     

   What you need to get started?

   • 21 years old or older
   • A 4-door vehicle
   • A valid U.S. driver’s license and vehicle insurance
   • At least one year of driving experience in the U.S. (3 years if you’re under 23 years old)

   Additional Information

   • If you have previous employment experience in transportation (such as a delivery driver, driver, professional driver, driving job, truck driver, heavy and tractor-trailer driver, CDL truck driver, class a or class b driver, local truck driver, company truck driver, taxi driver, taxi chauffeur, cab driver, cab chauffeur, taxi cab driver, transit bus driver, bus driver, coach bus driver, bus operator, shuttle driver, bus chauffeur) you might also consider driving with our client and earn extra money.
   • We also welcome drivers who have worked with any other peer-to-peer ridesharing or driving networks.
   • Drivers come from all backgrounds and industries ranging from traditional driving and transportation industries to other industries.
   • Driving is a great way to supplement your part-time or full-time income.

   Ready to get started? Sign up today and start earning!

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find self-employeds for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your self-employed job on Zippia to find and recruit self-employed candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting self-employeds 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.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   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 self-employed

   Once you have selected a candidate for the self-employed position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new self-employed. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

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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How much does it cost to hire a self-employed?