There are a lot of places to find workers, but you can’t always hire them under the terms that you prefer. You really want to make sure that you are not going to sites where you have to bid on the contractor. That can be very time consuming, and you can end up paying more than the person is worth.
If you are going to look for a VA, I would recommend sites that you can negotiate prices with the contractor, maybe a site like craigslist. On sites like this you are negotiating with them directly rather than bidding on them on sites like e-lance.
Another way to find good workers is by asking for referrals from forums and chat rooms that are related to your niche. Chances are someone on that forum has some good experience with outsourcing and can recommend a someone they have used, or a friend or family member of a worker they are currently using. Good workers know other good workers that are often colleagues and friends.
Now, you want to make sure that you are asking these folks for references, and that you are verifying their work every time. You hate to think that people are dishonest, but the fact is that people lie about what they can do, and what they have done.
I have run into situations where someone has said that they were a graphic designer and programmer, then you ask them to create something for you, and it looks like total dog crap. When you ask them about it they tell you they are more of a programmer and not that good at designing. So that wastes a lot of time and money.
So make sure that you are doing your due diligence to get referrals and check references.
It’s a lot harder to lie about references, than it is to lie about the work. They could lie on their references, but chances are they are counting on you to check them, so its not likely that they will be dishonest about that.
Before you hire someone long term give them a week long trial period. You want to make sure that they are going to perform to your expectations. Never tell someone that you are hiring them full time right off the bat, you want to let them know that you are trying them out for a week to see how they do.
I would say this is especially important when you are hiring anyone that is doing any writing for you. Have them do some blog posting, or write some articles. If they are good at copywriting and that is the main reason you are hiring them, have them write you a sales letter for your product, and see how it turns out. IF it’s junk, then do not hire them. A lot of overseas workers tend to self assess their own English ability, and I would say they are way off base most of the time.
Most applicants expect to be tested especially when there’s long term work that’s involved. So it wont be a shock to them that you are putting them on a trial period. Most of these contract workers are used to being tested, and they are expecting it.
Give them the outcome you’re looking for but don’t go into detai.. In other words, let them know what you’re outcome is, but give them some freedom to make their own decisions, and figure things out on their own. Basically, let them use their own technique to get the result that you want. The purpose of outsourcing your work is so that you won’t have to micro-manage.
Next, give them a project that you really need done. That way, if it turns out great, you have something you can actually use, and it hardly cost you anything.
I want to emphasise something here that I think is really important, and you can do your own thing, but it’s just a matter of doing the right thing here. So when you are giving these workers sample tasks, make sure you are paying them for the work they are doing. Keep in mind that they are taking time away from potential work to work with you, and they already live on a very small budget. So, treat them right, and make sure you pay them for any work they do for you.
If you don’t have the it takes to find a good worker on your own, an option that I recommend would be to use sites that have package deals for multiple workers. Sites like UltimateVirtualEmployee.com allow you to buy a package of hours for a set price, and then you have access to several employees that will help you with whatever you need. I like this approach because they guarantee the work, and they are managed by someone that is keeping them on task. You don’t have to worry about paying several different people, and if you ever have a problem with anyone that is working for you, the company will replace them for you.
So think about these options before you go out in search for a virtual employee of your own.
