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Top 11 sites to find and hire Creative Directors

Based on facts publicly available as of 01.01.2024

1. Toptal

Toptal is a premier freelance network that provides access to fully vetted professionals with in-demand skills. Each applicant to the network goes through a rigorous screening process, with Toptal only approving the top 3%. The Toptal talent pool allows large and small businesses to quickly identify and hire creative directors who can develop your company’s creative vision and brand.

Pricing:

  • An initial $500 deposit secures your job listing.
  • Toptal invoices for time twice monthly.

Key points:

  • Toptal offers a risk-free trial period, so you can try the platform to see if it is a good fit for your HR needs.
  • With over 60,000 completed projects for over 25,000 satisfied clients, the Toptal talent network has a strong history of delivering excellent results.
  • A 4.8 Trustpilot rating shows the company’s commitment to superior quality and service.

“Toptal team was very helpful in scoping up our project and recommending the right professionals to help with it. I appreciated the support throughout the process and the variety of skillsets presented! Our selected professional was incredibly helpful and did exactly what we were hoping for. Communication on all sides was stellar!” - Hana Tisserand via Trustpilot

Toptal
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2. Upwork

Upwork offers a quick and simple way to hire creative directors by posting job openings to its vast global talent pool. Upwork does not prescreen freelance creative directors or agencies, so you must manage each step of the hiring process. An AI algorithm helps filter applicants so you see those that most closely match your post. Upwork also offers a project catalog where you can select pre-planned projects.

Pricing:

  • There is no cost to post a job to Upwork.
  • The platform charges a 5% Client Marketplace Fee on all payments and a Contract Initiation Fee of up to $14.95 for each new contract or project.
  • Expect to pay freelancer creative directors between $14 and $40 on the platform.

Key points:

  • The Upwork talent pool includes creative directors for hire from around the world, encouraging diverse viewpoints.
  • Upwork does not screen talent and instead uses algorithms to filter applicants for each project.
  • Upwork is a quick and affordable way to bring new talent into your organization.
Upwork
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3. Guru

The Guru platform boasts serving over 800,000 employers with over 1 million paid invoices, so it has plenty of experience connecting hiring managers with freelancers. That makes it a good place to hire creative directors for short- or long-term projects. Guru lists over 1,900 creative professionals available on its platform, so you can browse a deep talent pool with no obligation. It recommends reviewing each freelancer’s all-time transaction data to get a feel for their qualifications, credibility, and suitability before making a hiring decision.

Pricing:

  • Guru does not charge to post a job or interview freelancers on its site.
  • Clients pay a 2.9% handling fee on each invoice paid through the site.

Key points:

  • Guru’s low handling fee makes it an affordable option for budget-conscious businesses.
  • A dedicated support team is available 24 hours a day to help with any issues that might arise.
  • The WorkRooms feature allows you to manage multiple freelancers.
Guru
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4. 24 Seven Talent

24 Seven describes itself as a high-touch recruitment agency with wide-reaching creative industry connections. Its recruiters maintain a talent pool ready to work on new projects. They handle the entire hiring process, from creating a job description to searching for and vetting candidates to onboarding, freeing up your staff for other tasks. Whether you want to hire a creative director full-time or for a contract project, 24 Seven Talent Solutions can streamline the process.

Pricing:

  • 24 Seven works with each client to develop a custom hiring budget.

Key points:

  • 24 Seven offers a fully customized hiring process.
  • The agency maintains a talent pipeline to help with fast turnaround for open roles.
24 Seven Talent
Visit 24 Seven Talent

5. Braintrust

Braintrust can connect you with three highly qualified creative directors within minutes. It is a fast and flexible way to find creative experts for projects. It offers support for onboarding, invoicing, and compliance to minimize strain on your HR department. Braintrust backs each hire with a 30-day satisfaction guarantee.

Pricing:

  • There is no charge to post a job on Braintrust.
  • You pay a flat fee of 15% of project costs once you hire a candidate.

Key points:

  • A flat fee makes it easy to budget for Braintrust’s comprehensive hiring services.
  • The platform offers job description templates, sample interview questions, and other support powered by AI.

Testimonial:

Designing a Roadmap “Expedia had an ambitious roadmap in 2022, but needed design talent. Braintrust trimmed hiring time to 2-4 weeks, and helped them hire 12 designers in under 6 months.”

Braintrust
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6. icreatives

icreatives is a niche talent agency with a focus on sourcing creative talent. It offers four ways to hire creatives: freelance, full-time employee, contract to full-time, and assemble a team and screen every candidate to ensure access to top talent. It guarantees a response within 25 minutes of each request made during regular business hours, or your first four hours are free.

Pricing:

  • No pricing information available

Key points:

  • icreatives specializes in connecting companies with creative talent.
  • The platform uses a four-step process that handles every aspect of the hiring process.
icreatives
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7. Insight Global

Insight Global maintains a database with over 5 million pre-screened professionals, giving you access to top talent when you want to hire creative directors. When you create a job description on the Insight Global platform, it also goes on other popular job boards for extra reach. As a full-service hiring partner, Insight Global staff can help with screening, interviewing, and hiring candidates.

Pricing:

  • Insight Global designs a recruitment plan based on your hiring budget.
  • You only pay once you hire and onboard a candidate.

Key points:

  • Insight Global is a full-service creative staffing agency that can connect you with freelancers or permanent employees.
  • Onboarding can happen in as few as three days but typically takes one to three weeks.
Insight Global
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8. Onward Search

Onward Search offers multiple ways to hire creative directors. You can hire individual talent, build entire creative teams, or work with skilled creative consultants through the platform. After an initial consultation call, the Onward Search team will provide contact information for a vetted creative director for hire. You can approve the selection or keep searching.

Pricing:

  • No pricing information available

Key points:

  • The Onward Search team offers flexible services to help you find individual creative directors or an entire creative team.
  • Over 15 years of experience connecting more than 3,000 clients with professionals from its vast talent pool.
Onward Search
Visit Onward Search

9. HireQuotient

HireQuotient provides comprehensive hiring services to help you hire creative directors. It offers candidate searches, skills assessments, and video interviews. Its EasySource’s Candidate Discovery Module automatically searches databases to find suitable candidate profiles. HireQuotient caters to mid-market and enterprise businesses.

Pricing:

  • HireQuotient offers a free demo to give you a first-hand look at the technology.

Key points:

  • HireQuotient uses technology to uncover hidden talent pools.
  • EasySource prescreens candidates based on profile information to find suitable matches for your open creative director role.
HireQuotient
Visit HireQuotient

10. Passion Fruit

The Passion Fruit platform aims to help companies fill vacancies with fast, flexible hiring practices. It matches companies with prescreened talent in as few as 72 hours. Passion Fruit works with businesses ranging from startups to Fortune 500 companies. It is a great way to find an experienced freelance creative director.

Pricing:

  • Passion Fruit charges a 25% surcharge on all projects.
  • Total fees vary depending on project cost.

Key points:

  • Passion Fruit offers fast and flexible connections with vetted freelance talent.
  • You pay ahead of each project month, with the payment released to freelancers upon approval of work.
Passion Fruit
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honorable mention

Contra

Contra is an all-in-one platform that connects companies to top talent. It is simple to use and can help you hire creative directors quickly to scale your creative team. The platform allows you to connect with talent, send commission-free payments, and manage projects in one place.

Pricing:

  • Contra charges a $29 contract fee per project for short-term assignments or per month per contractor for long-term ones.

Key points:

  • Contra provides an all-in-one platform where you can post jobs, review candidates, and manage projects.
  • The platform only coordinates contract work, so it is not a good choice for companies looking to bring on a permanent creative director.

“Love, love, love. Contra is an amazing place to find flexible, creative talent. The process of getting to know independents through their profiles was incredibly easy and fast.”  Almanac.io

Contra
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