By: Alan Saltz
Submitted: 2010-10-23 11:48:36 | Word Count: 773
Curious how to outsource a project to a virtual assistant, either in the United States or abroad?
You're not alone.
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Outsourcing assignments to freelance workers, or virtual workers as some refer to it, doesn't often seem like an easy thing to do. That's especially true the first time you set out to do it.
There are a lot of questions that you wonder about.
1. What kind of tasks do I outsource?
2. Who should I hire?
3. Where do I go about finding virtual assistants?
4. How do I go about hiring a freelance worker?
5. How do I communicate with my freelancer?
6. How do I make sure my projects are being done correctly?
7. How do I really know what I'm paying for?
8. How do I pay a freelancer?
Determining how to outsource seems daunting, and it was questions like these that led me away from outsourcing for quite some time. Of course I wish they hadn't. Now that I have successfully done it, I can see incredible value in it - as a saver of time, money, and hassle.
These 3 tips can be very helpful in getting you started.
1. Look to ONLINE freelance communities!
I used to think that job boards and classified sites like Craigslist were the best ways to find a freelancer to outsource work to. Boy was I wrong. I discovered that these were good ways to collect lots of resumes… but ultimately I had hardly any idea who these applicants were, or the kind of work they were capable of. People who looked great on paper were often awful in reality. It was an expensive lesson.
Then one day I found what I'll term "freelance hubs" - sites such as oDesk and Scriptlance - whose SOLE purpose is to bring together employers and freelancers, from all over the world.
These websites can have tens of thousands of graphic designers, programmers, web developers, writers, editors, SEO experts, and other virtual assistants ready to bid on projects. Beyond qualifications, you can see the projectsthey've completed, the amount of hours they've logged, tests they've taken, language proficiency, and (best of all) REVIEWS they've received from other companies who have hired them.
So before you hire someone you can have a great confidence in the person you choose.
These sites also make it easy to post a project, search for candidates, get applications, hire, communicate your project, and even pay your worker.
That's a lot of benefit.
2. Start SMALL!
Really, finding a freelancer seems a lot more difficult than it really is.
What IS difficult is trying to outsource a big assignment, with a lot of moving pieces, all before you've done it once. Besides, every freelancer is unique. So it really pays to see how well you work with someone and how they run a project, before you try to figure everything out for yourself. The less major the task, the less pressure there'll be to micromanage and the more relaxed you'll be. It will be a great learning experience.
3. Have a Well DEFINED Project!
Before you do anything, make sure that you have your project well planned out. Know what you want done, what skills are required, and an idea of how much work it should take.
The better you know what you're looking for, the easier it is to find good candidates, and the easier time you'll have communicating your project. A well-defined project also matches your expectations with your freelancer's, paving the way to a smooth and successful completion.
Then, when you have a bigger assignment to outsource, many of your initial questions will be answered already. For example, you may already have a freelancer you liketrust, you'll have an idea of the best way to communicate with them (whether it's phone, email, instant messenger, web conferencing, etc.), you'll know how to pay them, etc.
To conclude...
Outsourcing may seem like a scary task, but it really gets easier as you go through the steps. When you start small, you will reduce the risk of wasting time and money, and improve your odds of finding a freelancer you can work with for a very long time to come!
Author Resource:-
An EASY way to outsource? ---> Read thisoDesk review.
oDesk matches employers with freelancers all over the world and can help you easily find freelancers that are capable and trustworthy.
