My Experience with Virtual Assistants and outsourcing
I have used outsourcing as a method to get more work done for a while now.
While I do not call those who work for me virtual assistants (I just call them writers) I have seen the pros and cons of hiring others who live far away to work for you.
Some of the pros:
Others can get stuff done while you’re at work asleep or playing video games.
If your writing sucks then it is worth your time to get someone else to do it for you.
Others may have a better knowledge base with which to write on the requested topic.
Some of the cons:
You have to be very clear and very precise in what you are requesting.
There is some truth to the phrase you get what you pay for. If you don’t have a lot of money to spend it may be difficult to find a writer who meets your expectation of quality.
Typically, a 300 to 400 word article will cost me anywhere from $10-$25 depending on the writer and the topic that is being written on.
I have started also hiring others to perform other simple tasks such as:
posting relevant comments on other people’s blogs
posting responses on Yahoo answers
submitting articles that I have written to article directories
I have found these other services to be quite affordable.
Whenever you are looking to hire a virtual assistant be sure you start small. Only give them more responsibility when they fulfill their current responsibility with the accuracy and precision that you desire.
For more information on hiring writers (and honestly this applies to virtual assistants too) check out my blog post: 4 Tips for Hiring Writers
Hey, Nick… nice post! I like better what you wrote in your Tips for “hiring” writers, as you talk about nurturing relationships. I think that’s something most people considering working with virtuals don’t at all get.
So, to all that you’ve said, and because you’ve said that you don’t work with VAs, but writers, I’d like to add (to make sure YOUR readers know) that while all Virtual Assistants are virtual professionals, not all virtual workers are Virtual Assistants.
In truth, for someone wanting to really get the biggest bang–for the buck, for the time investment, for the emotional investment (and we’re ALL invested emotionally in what we do in our businesses)–the best use of VA is in finding one and choosing one to be a right hand person, rather than looking for task-based people to do specific project/piecework. And in that shift, the way to choose him/her changes dramatically, as does how a client would delegate to him/her.
The project/piecework outsourcing model is really commodity-based. There’s a task, someone has the skill, between two seemingly samely qualified people, the one with the lowest price for task wins the work. It’s the same way people buy cans of tomatoes, or gas.
Because no time is spent in getting to know the person whose work is being retained, first, there can be no trust going in. Also, there’s no expectation of longevity of relationship, or collaboration, or anything beyond the transaction. As a result, what you speak of with giving small tasks and gauging success before moving forward, becomes necessary.
But…when wanting to work with a Virtual Assistant–a *professional* Virtual Assistant, rather than someone working in an offshored version of a sweat shop, a client should choose for fit (of personality, nature, meshing with one’s own company’s culture, work ethic, sense of humor–and several other ways of fitting) first, and foremost. Skills…*any* skills, can be gained/taught/learned.? Finding the right person to serve a person and his business long-term and collaboratively–a knowledge worker who can get handled the tasks of today (*whatever* them may be–quite literally!) *and* help him look out at the big picture and plan/strategize for the future–is where the magic happens.
And those people? They don’t audition. They don’t do trials. They don’t start small. They aren’t begging for work–from anyone. They probably charge in excess of $50 per hour (the best VAs I know are easily earning closer to $100/hour). They are fabulous professionals who are better than their clients at the things they’re going to be taking off their clients’ plates, and that makes them leaders (among other things) worthy of respect, and in many, many cases, deference to their suggestions for their clients’ businesses.
I’d caution your readers: Instead of looking for cheap labor, look for relationships with professionals. There’s so much more to be gained, there.