2026-09-04 · 8 min
How do I know if a freelancer is actually qualified?
A practical Australian checklist: relevant samples, named stack, Australian hours, a countable brief, and escrow — not star ratings from a different timezone.
Star ratings are not a qualification. A freelancer can have 4.9 stars for logo gigs and still wreck your Shopify checkout.
Qualified, for an Australian small-business job, means: they have done this job, in this stack, in your hours, and they can describe the first three steps without a pitch deck.
A checklist that actually filters people
- Two samples that match the job. WordPress for WordPress. Xero for Xero. Not a Dribbble shot of an app they did not ship.
- They name the constraint. “Your theme is blocking the form” is more qualified than “we specialise in digital excellence.”
- Australian overlap. If your customers call at 4pm AEST, the person doing the work should be awake.
- A countable brief comes back countable. Pages, SKUs, redirects, hours. If they will not estimate against a list, they are guessing.
- They will work in escrow. People who need the full fee on day one are not more senior. They are less protected.
What is not proof
Certificates from a weekend course. A 40-page proposal. Screenshots of other people’s sites. “We have a team in three countries.” None of that tells you they can fix *your* page.
Marketplace vs package
If you already know the job, hire from /hire and keep escrow until you approve. If you do not want to vet a specialist, buy a locked Tech Aid package: website + AI chat at $2,000, or monthly digital support at $350/mo (10 hours, onboard in 2 business days).
How-to: Hire a freelancer in Australia · Escrow explained
If you want this scoped without assembling a stack yourself, start here or call 1800 953 243.
FAQs
How do I know if a freelancer is actually qualified?
Ask for two samples in the same stack as your job, a written approach for your brief, and Australian hours. Star ratings from unrelated gigs do not count. On Tech Aid you fund escrow and release when the brief is met.
Should I ask for qualifications or a portfolio?
For web, SEO and design, recent work in your tools beats a certificate. For bookkeeping, Xero or MYOB listing matters. For NDIS or defence writing, ask what they have shipped for that audience.
Is a video call necessary?
A short call in Australian hours is the fastest filter. If they cannot explain the first three steps of your job without jargon, keep looking.
What if they are cheaper offshore?
Price is not qualification. A $40/hour file that comes back wrong on Monday costs more than a $150/hour cleanup that finishes Thursday. Extra approved Tech Aid package work is $150/hr for a reason.
How does Tech Aid reduce the risk?
Escrow, Australian profiles, Messages on the job, and locked packages when you do not want to hire at all. Start at /hire or /start.