We have all had to decide when to hire freelancers. This decision could be either in capacities as employers or as clients. Here is one question we probably don’t feel comfortable answering. Do you readily hire female freelancers?
The Skeptic
Indications are that people express general skepticism towards female entrepreneurs. The problem manifests among clients and employers alike. These doubts have multiple foundations. Some of the concerns include that they may not be proficient in their jobs. Others fear inconsistency in the quality of work. However, the main issue seems to be a general pattern of misogyny that perpetuates views that women are simply not as good as men in their work.
Female-Oriented Tasks
However, there is an alternative pattern surrounding freelancing and women. There have been clients who prefer to hire female freelancers for specific roles. For instance, people hiring digital marketing service providers or social media managers have shown inclinations towards the gender. Event planners, wedding organizers, and similar roles also elicit more amicable reactions towards female freelancers.
Pricing
There have been assumptions that women demand lower prices for their services. People, both clients and employers, tend towards hiring female freelancers under these assumptions. If you can get a lower price for a similar service, you will definitely seek it. Therefore, these underlying views perpetuate the hiring decision. Notably, it also means that when a female freelancer presents a specific ask, clients, and employers may be unwilling to hire them under the illusion that they overcharge for their services.
Confronting the Myths
The limitations confronting female freelancers inherently reflect the role of multiple myths surrounding female freelancers. You are losing a dearth of talent out there from the persistent gendered prejudice. Some of the most proficient programmers we have in the country are female. Photographers and writers produce quality based on their eye, experience, and insights, not their gender. It is time that clients and employers alike introspected and recognized the sources of their external biases. Only in realizing these issues is it possible to objectively select your freelancers, without consideration for what their gender may imply.