Freelancers are now an integral part of how organizations work. Whether it's handling a temporary peak, specific expertise, or a project that needs to be quickly addressed. Companies are increasingly hiring external professionals. But one question remains challenging: how do you find the best match?

Many traditional platforms display endless lists of profiles. In practice, it often turns out that the most successful collaborations usually begin with a personal recommendation, not a search query. Let's see why.

1. Recommendations enhance the quality from the start

A recommendation almost always comes from someone who knows the freelancer personally, has worked with them, or has seen their work up close. This makes it not a gamble, but a choice based on something. A colleague or connection will only recommend a freelancer if that person:

• delivers quality,

• is reliable,

• keeps promises,

• and fits the assignment.

As a result, you actually already have a first quality check before sitting down together.

2. You save a lot of time

Manually searching for freelancers takes time. Screening profiles, viewing portfolios, checking references, scheduling interviews, etc. A large part of this work is already eliminated with recommendations. You spend less time searching, can start faster, and there is less risk of a mismatch.

3. Recommendations increase the likelihood of a good fit

Successful projects are not only about hard skills. Personality, communication style, and work attitude also determine whether a collaboration will work. Because recommendations often come from direct experiences, they are much better able to say, "This person works well with your type of team" or "This freelancer communicates exactly how you like," greatly increasing the chance of a sustainable collaboration.

4. Your network is bigger and more valuable than you think

Everyone in your organization has a network: former colleagues, clients, students, freelancers they previously worked with. This means that as a company, you have access to many potential matches without even realizing it. Leveraging that network is often one of the most underestimated recruitment strategies, while also being one of the most effective.

This is how Eleanor helps companies find better freelance matches

Recommendations work excellently, but... it still takes a lot of time. You need to call, text, and send reminders yourself. Fine for one assignment, but not feasible if you want to scale. And that's exactly where Eleanor comes in.

Eleanor combines the power of personal recommendations with smart technology:

1. A network that works for you

Freelancers can recommend former colleagues and experts from their own network for your assignment. Not just random profiles, but people they know you can rely on.

2. Smart matching based on content, experience, and connections

Eleanor's matching algorithm looks beyond a simple list of keywords. It combines knowledge, experience, and relevant network connections so that you immediately receive candidates that fit your needs. 

3. Build your own freelance pool

With Eleanor, you build your own high-quality freelance pool. A central, growing, and reliable network that gives you maximum autonomy and speed in finding exactly the people who will advance your company.

4. Transparent and completely by the rules

All agreements, documents, and contracts (DBA-proof) are neatly and automatically recorded. This provides peace of mind and prevents issues later on.

5. Quality over quantity

Because matches come from real relationships and relevant experience, there is a natural selection of freelancers that suit your assignment and your way of working.

Conclusion: The best matches start with real connections

Recommendations are still one of the most reliable ways to find good freelancers. They provide you with quality, trust, and speed. Exactly what organizations need in a constantly changing market.

With Eleanor, the power of the network is not only accessible but also scalable and super practical. You quickly get the right people in view, automatically build your own freelance pool, and collaborate in a way that is clear and well-organized.

Experience it yourself. Create your company profile for free on www.eleanor.tech. 
Good people know good people. And that's where the best matches start!