Outsourcing allows businesses to access the expertise they need at a lower cost. From administrative work to marketing, many businesses can contract third parties outside their organisation to carry out work that cannot be effectively done within. Here are some tips on how to effectively outsource and avoid making hiring mistakes that could harm the business.
Plan Ahead
Before you go into outsourcing, you need to carefully define what services you want to be rendered. Be as detailed as possible so you can get the best possible match for your needs. This is not quite the same as when hiring internally where you typically get to train your staff up to the level you need. When outsourcing, you will want someone who is already trained and experienced in the areas you want so they can immediately get to work fulfilling tasks. No orientation or additional training is required.
You also need to figure out how much you are willing to pay for this service. Outsourcing is going to be cost-saving as these are not permanent employees entitled to salaries and benefits. However, depending on where you are outsourcing from and the level of expertise you are seeking, the rates can also vary.
Screen Carefully
Even when you are intending to outsource temporarily, the work that will be done by this outsider will have the potential to impact the performance of your business. It is common for some to relax hiring conditions when it comes to outsourcing, but this is a mistake. You need to be as diligent in screening these hires as you would with your internal staff.
This is even more important as the outsourced staff will be less subject to your supervision and monitoring compared to those that work within your premises. The last thing you want is to hire someone incompetent whose work will need to be redone by someone internally, making for a waste of money and time. It will also add pressure on your internal team to make up for this mistake.
Ask for a resume and references. If relevant, you can also request samples of work. This will all help ascertain their competency and learning what to expect when you engage them. This is more easily accomplished if you are using a remote or freelance work platform where previous employers will likely have left reviews.
Test First
To ensure you are going to get quality work from the person you hire, you need to test their capability. More so if the work involved is highly technical and mistakes can prove costly for the business. When screening potential candidates for the job, you should try out a test task that ensures they not only have the expertise you require but are effective communicators.
Overseas outsourcing can be particularly problematic as language and other nuances can lead to miscommunication. However, going this route can mean huge savings for the business and access to an excellent talent pool. You however need to be able to understand each other for work to be carried out effectively. A test task or project will help identify the best talent that will lead to a profitable association for all.