As your home business grows, you quickly realize that you can’t do it all. Initially, it was fine to do your own accounting, marketing, order processing, customer service, and other admin tasks. And you did such an effective job that you gained more regular clients. Soon, word got out, and demand for your products or services grew.
As much as you want to save money and continue to do everything on your own, you accept that you need help. However, you don’t want to hire a full-time employee or in-house staff because you want to keep your operations remote, and your business can’t make that commitment just yet. The solution is to outsource talent.
Outsourcing comes with many benefits, starting with lower costs. Outsourcing also gives you access to skills, allowing you to focus on core business competencies. Thanks to the internet and the popularity of remote work, you can outsource talent from just about any country – giving your company a global edge as it gains skills and experience that you may not find locally.
However, outsourcing isn’t just for home-based entrepreneurs that need highly skilled and experienced workers. You may need a virtual assistant that you can train and help you with mundane tasks so you can focus on high-value work. Here are tips on outsourcing talent for your home based business.
Define the skills and qualities you need
Whether you need to outsource an app developer, a social media marketing expert, a customer support agent, or a data-entry specialist, make sure you find the right fit for your company by asking the right questions. Before anything, have a clear understanding of the skills and experience the worker will need to accomplish tasks. If you’ll be providing training, you may just be looking for someone who meets basic requirements such as English competency and willingness to learn.
Insist on a video call for your first meeting
For the first meeting or interview, it’s ideal for you to establish identity. An honest virtual assistant should have no problem getting on a video call with you. It will also help ease their mind knowing that their potential employer is a real person. Also, interviewing via video will help you determine how well you can communicate with one another virtually. It would be best if you look for someone you can work with comfortably and with interpersonal qualities compatible with yours.
Adopt a communication platform and schedule
Communication is crucial when working with a virtual team. If hiring someone from another country, remember that the difference in time zones may be an issue. From the beginning, be clear about the communication platform you will use, the style of communication, and the hours. For example, will email or a messaging app be your primary tool for contact? Will you be flexible about the delivery of output and allow them to stick to their country’s normal hours? Or will you ask them to adjust and work the same hours as you?
If you need more advice on how to outsource talent for your home business, connect with me today.
