I have been outsourcing tasks for several years now. It was a steep learning curve, and it did not always work out as I expected. At times it even got frustrating.

But I kept trying to outsource tasks and grow my business. And, over time, I got better at it. This article describes my “system” for effective outsourcing.

Who Should You Hire?

• If I’m looking for someone to write on a particular subject on a regular basis, I usually hire a freelance writer on CraigsList.
• If I’m looking for someone to perform a unique one-time task that requires specific technical skills, I hire someone on eLance.
• When I identify tasks that I want someone to do on a regular basis, I use my virtual assistant.
• My virtual assistant performs all other general one-time tasks that do not require niche technical skills. Most tasks fall into this group.

I will go over some tips for doing each of these in the rest of this article.

How To Hire Writers On CraigsList

I have personally had the best luck hiring writers on CraigsList. This is what I do:

1. Place an ad on an active CraigsList site. (Not every city has lots of writing jobs. The more job postings, the more writers will be checking the site.)
2. Write a paragraph or two about what you are looking for, i.e. general niche/description of site and what you want them to do (i.e. write 3 x 500 word articles about widgets per week, etc.) I usually do not list the URL in the CraigsList ad.
3. Ask them to describe their background in the niche/subject area.
4. Ask for a writing sample that is relevant to what you want. Be specific. If you are going to hire someone to write 3 x 500 word articles per week about widgets, then have them send you a 500 word writing sample article about widgets.
5. I always include a note saying that if they do not provide the writing sample I requested, their email will be deleted without a response. (If they can’t follow your directions now, how do you know they will follow directions when you are paying them?)
6. If you have any criteria for location, language, etc., be sure to state that.
7. If you intend to hire them as a 1099 independent contractor, be sure to mention that. (If you pay them more than $600 in a calendar year you are required to send them IRS Form 1099-MISC.)
8. Be sure to mention that they can work from home, with no set working hours, as long as they meet all required deadlines.
9. Try to be as specific as possible about the rate of pay and your budget. Also be sure to mention when they will get paid and how they will get paid. (If I am hiring them as an independent contractor, I usually require writers to send me an invoice bi-weekly or monthly to receive payment. Then I have something for our records.)
10. Check your email, and delete any emails that do not meet your criteria.
11. Review writing samples and select writers.
12. Email the writer(s) and confirm that they are still interested. Provide site URL and anything else they need to know. If you have any writing or style guidelines you want them to follow, provide those too.
13. Provide them what they need to get started (site login, etc.). If they are not familiar with your blog or CMS you may need to explain how they can write articles on your web site.
14. Profit!

Hiring On eLance

I have hired several folks on eLance for one time tasks. I have had a mixed experience with the contractors and the eLance site in general. While I like the general concept and the platform, there are some fundamental flaws in the system and I don’t know if there is an easy way to fix it.

Tips for hiring someone on eLance:

• Define your project as specifically as you can. The more detail the better. It will help you understand what you want, and make it easier to communicate what you want to the contractor.
• If you are trying to hire someone to build a web site or a software application, provide sketches or wireframe drawings of what you want and what each link/button will do. This will help you explain what you want to the contractor. It will also help you more clearly define what you want, which will make it easier to communicate with the programmer. It will probably save you money too.
• Search for qualified contractors and invite them to bid on your project. There are many contractors and not all of them will bid, but you will have a wider array of options if you invite contractors to bid. Look at their feedback, the jobs they have performed, and their areas of expertise. Find contractors that look like they can do what you want, within your budget.
• The cheapest bid will probably be the lowest quality of work, and may not be completed to your standards. While this is not necessarily true, my experience has been that it can be true. For example, a bad writer will butcher articles for you no matter how many rewrites you have them do. Eventually the experience just gets painful. You may decide to throw in the towel rather than keep working with them.

Disadvantages of eLance

• Once you put money in escrow, the contractor must give permission for you to get it back. Some contractors will require that you fund the escrow before they complete the task. However, if the contractor does not perform the work to your satisfaction, and you cannot reach an agreement with the contractor in order to achieve that, you will have to go to arbirtation. Even if the contractor did not complete the work or you have proof they are plagiarizing someone else’s work. (I had really hoped to get a better answer than that when I called eLance to learn about my options a few months ago, but that is what they told me.)
• Some contractors can be unethical. This is more often the case on the lower priced bids, which tend to be lower quality work. Some contractors will plagiarize code or writing from another source, and even go as far as to vehemently deny they did so (sometimes even when you show them proof!).
• Contractors may misrepresent themselves. I doubt this happens very often, but it happened to us. We hired a company in Australia to perform work on one of our sites, and found that they were just a “middle man” that re-outsourced to someone in China. (We first thought someone in China was hacking our web site, and then realized what was happening.)

When To Consider A Virtual Assistant Service

• If you have a lot of recurring tasks (other than writing) that you want to “offload”
• If you want a single point of contact that can deal with everything.
• If you want someone that could make phone calls on your behalf.
• If you want someone that can handle a wide variety of tasks.
• If you want someone that can think on their feet if necessary.

Tasks Your Virtual Assistant Should Do

• Tasks that I do on a regular basis (weekly or monthly or whatever)
• Tasks that I have been performing myself, but don’t necessarily need to be done by me
• Tasks that I don’t like to do (and would rather not do any more if I can help it)

How To Hire A Virtual Assistant

1. Research virtual assistant agencies to find one that works for you.
2. Sign up for their free trial or “pay as you go” type of plan.
3. Prepare a list of three tasks, ideally various types of tasks that you would have them do. (such as research, making phone calls for you, etc.)
4. Try to avoid tasks that, if performed poorly, would embarrass you. For example, resist having them phone your boss or an important business contact until you are more confident in their abilities.
5. If one of the tasks is technically complex, send them that one first. If they are all relatively straightforward, send them all at once.
6. Be sure to specify a deadline for each task.
7. Evaluate the results.

Tips For Hiring a Virtual Assistant

• It is best if you can have the actual VA do your trial tasks. If you’re not sure, ask. (Some agencies may assign you to someone else who acts as a “filter”, then assign you to a different VA when you sign on as a client. The quality of work may differ.)
• Cheaper is not necessarily better.
• More expensive is not necessarily better, either. (I fired a more expensive USA-based service and am extremely satisfied with an overseas service that is less than half the price. For the same tasks. And they are doing a better job than the more expensive service.)
• Evaluate their output. Focus on the potential for a long term working relationship.
• Most people overestimate how many hours they will need. So if you can, you should start with a “pay as you go” plan and then upgrade as needed.

How To Train Your Virtual Assistant

I use Google Docs a lot because it lets me share files in a standard format quickly and easily. No weird file formats, and no need to send file attachments. For each task, I use a standard template that includes the following:

• Summary of the task.
• How often the task needs to be done, and when it needs to be done.
• Any setup that is required for this task, such as installing programs on their computer, etc.
• Objective of the task.
• The step by step process for doing the task.
• Any other details they might need to perform the task.

Tips For Working With Your Virtual Assistant

• Transfer recurring tasks over to them one at a time, making sure they understand each task. If they don’t understand, they should email or call you to get clarification.
• Observe and evaluate their work as carefully as possible in the first month. By then you should have a better feel for the potential of your working relationship.
• Periodically check on things on their work in various areas to ensure work quality has remained consistent.
• Provide deadlines for every task. If the task does not have a deadline, provide an approximate timeframe when you would like it completed. (This helps your assistant manage their time most effectively.)

When To Fire

Most people have not fired someone before. It is not something I take pride in, but sometimes it must be done. Focus on making an objective un-emotional decision that is best course of action for your business.

My evaluation process includes questions such as:

• Is their output/productivity providing us enough value, given their input/cost?
• Do they follow instructions?
• Do they cut corners?
• Do they meet deadlines?
• Do they have to re-do work often?
• Do they require extra oversight/supervision in order to complete tasks?
• Do they communicate effectively when they have a question or they don’t understand something?
• Do we have a good working relationship?
• Have I explained my concerns to them? How did they handle it? Has anything changed?

How To Fire

• Make it clean.
• Make it quick.
• Tell them why you are letting them go.
• Don’t argue/debate the reasoning behind your decision.
• Stick to your decision, unless there is a significant extenuating circumstance (that you were not aware of) which may justify giving them one more chance. (This happened to me on one occasion. They made me aware of the circumstances and gave us a financial incentive to keep working with them. That person still works for us today.)

Conclusion

Outsourcing is a way that you can build your business one step at a time. While it may be hard to let go, once you get started it can be quite addictive. Please feel free to ask any questions you might have and/or share your experiences as well. Good luck!