How to pick the best when online outsourcing

Are you looking to outsource through eLance or oDesk, but not sure where to start?

Not sure if you will get ripped off or are you a bit suspect on the whole process?

Online outsourcing gives opportunity to get work done for you online – almost anything from web design, software development, graphic design and administration at a great price and super fast. This is amazing if you are starting a business, because using someone local to do small tasks can end up costing you a lot of money.

However, recently there have been issues with people having bad experiences with using online outsourcing sites such as these. I have heard horror stories of outsourcers charging hourly, but deliberately making sure things take much longer than first judged effectively drawing out the job and making as much money as possible.

I have also had personal experiences where I have had really bad quality work given back to me when the history of previous work looked really good.

So I am going to provide some tips on how to pick the best candidate when you are looking to outsource any type of work you might require.

First, when you post a job ask some questions specific to the job or a few things that are unrelated. Such as “What are the steps to get this job completed successfully?” “What type of computer do you have?”

The reason you want to do this is because many people just apply for jobs even when they don’t have the skills, they do it with a standard template message hoping to get work. Also at the same time quoting really cheap prices. So by doing this you know that the ones who actually take the time to answer your question are the real deal. This will knock out around 90% of all the candidates who apply for the job.

Second, don’t pick the cheapest! Like the old saying goes – you get what you pay for. Look for quality at a good price.

Third, look through the users portfolio of old work. Make sure it looks good and works properly.

Fourth, check the users feedback from other users. Make sure you read through all the feedback properly and only choose someone who has good feedback from a few different sources, read them properly and make sure they are not suspect feedback like fake reviews.

Fifth, Interview them on Skype and ask specific questions about the job they will do for you, their previous jobs and anything else you think might be relevant.

Finally, pick the one that feels right to you! If you pick a good candidate you might build a great relationship over the long term.. I have had great experiences and build some great networks who have helped me out in some sticky situations.

Just make sure you follow those few tips and good luck with your outsourcing adventure.

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