The key criteria for choosing a contractor
Imagine you need a contractor to write landing page copy, manage targeted ads, analyze business processes, or optimize product delivery. How do you choose?
The usual way is to request work samples, compare prices, and read reviews about their skills and responsiveness. It's a standard approach — everyone does it.
But there's a smarter way: choose based on attitude.
While price, portfolio, and speed are important, they shouldn't be your only focus. Savvy managers know that contractors fall into two categories:
Hands
These folks follow the brief, deliver the work, get paid, and that's all the relationship.
Heads
These are partner-level contractors who dive deep into the project, help develop solutions, analyze the context, and share responsibility for results.
This doesn't mean that 'heads' are inherently better or that 'hands' are useless. Both can be great or terrible, cheap or expensive, fast or slow. The key is to know which type suits your needs, depending on the task.
'Hands' are perfect for labor-intensive tasks with clear instructions and predictable results. For example: you already have a blog strategy and an illustration concept, and the art director has already approved guidelines. All that remains is to draw the picture. All you need here is skilled execution.
'Head' is the choice for tasks with medium or high levels of uncertainty. For example: starting a blog from scratch. This type of contractor won't just write posts and create illustrations — they'll help design a distribution strategy, develop editorial guidelines, and define the tone of voice.
The right choice won't guarantee a perfect working relationship, but it will greatly reduce the risk of misunderstanding and conflict. Match contractors' mindsets to the nature of your work, and you'll be on your way to a smoother collaboration.