Employer tips for successful online outsourcing
When hiring or working with an online freelancer, there are certain things that you have to keep in mind as employers. Below are suggested best practices that you may want to implement when you hire an online freelancer.
* Make your job description as clear and concise as possible – When you hire an online freelancer, make sure that you outline his/her responsibilities clearly. If possible, make a list of the work you expect from your worker. Never expect something because it is implied. Remember, you are only connecting through the internet and you don’t have the luxury of using anything else but words to get your message across. Use screenshots and screencasts liberally. Jing is an excellent free service for creating and quickly uploading screenshots and screencasts.
* Agree to a payment plan and stick with it – If you agree to pay your contractor on a weekly, bi-monthly, or on a monthly basis, make sure that you stick with it. Do not pay weekly this month and then switch to a monthly payment scheme the next, unless agreed upon. It will be very difficult for your workers to manage their finances if you are inconsistent with your payment schedule. More importantly, if you agreed to pay a certain rate, make sure that you follow it. You cannot decide to pay your worker less this week because you just feel like it. It will be very unfair to them if you do this.
