Stuck with the Difficulties in Outsourcing Your Business?
Stuck with the Difficulties in Outsourcing Your Business?
You are not alone. Delegating projects to offshore individuals does come with benefits, but it also has its own share of difficulties to overcome.
This is true whether you’re still starting out or whether you’ve already spent some years in the industry. Join us as we explore 3 difficulties in outsourcing.
1. Dedication to the Process
The first challenge that business owners face revolves around the candidate’s dedication to the recruitment process.
Many times they apply to a specific position only for you to find out later on that they are no longer available. You may have found them qualified or most suitable for the post when suddenly you receive news that they are no longer interested. This is what we discussed previously in “Why Aspiring Distant Assistants Quit in the Recruitment Process.”
The thing is every applicant is unique. Each has his own set of goals, skills, and personality.
“Sometimes it’s all about the money,” said one distant assistant recruitment officer. “They become hoppers. They keep on applying outside of the company. And when they find a better opportunity, they jump right into it and leave the current opportunity they have.”
Furthermore, she said, “You cannot blame them because they can be kicked out anytime [in a virtual workplace]. The company’s offer could be fair enough, but it is impossible for them to commit if they are not totally interested.”
2. Few Applicants for a Job Opening
Although working as a distant assistant has become popular in different parts of the world, there are still individuals who prefer freelance work online.
“Many prefer freelance because they earn more per project than when they do from a full time position,” said the recruitment officer.
As a result, specialized distant assistant services tend to receive fewer applications from promising individuals. Such services include graphic design, web development, writing, and video editing.
What should business owners and recruiters do?
According to Glassdoor for Employers, there are basically five things that job applicants consider in an open position:
- Salary or compensation
- Benefits
- Basic company information
- What makes the company an attractive place to work
- Company mission, vision, and values
Applicants with experience know their value and are confident with their skills. And a number of them do not hesitate to transfer to another company when they know that they will receive more benefits.
Unfortunately for recruiters, the problem arises when the need for a distant assistant is urgent. The fewer the applicants, the fewer the chances of finding the right hire.
3. Competition in the Market
One of the reasons why it is sometimes extremely difficult to find the right DA is the candidate’s demands regarding his pay rate and/or work schedule.
Sure, Red Adair once said…
“If you think it’s expensive to hire a professional, wait until you hire an amateur.”
The problem with professional and experienced applicants, however, is that they tend to exact a higher amount for their services. Well, not all business owners have enough budget to retain them in the long run.
What is the recruitment officer’s advice to the applicants?
“You need to prove yourself first before you can demand for something.”
The market itself is enough to pressure both applicant and business owner or recruiter. Whether in a Facebook group, in chatrooms, in freelance platforms — almost anywhere that presents opportunities to DAs, there are stories that shed light on some concerns. Consequently, comparison is inevitable and is almost always used to decide on a job offer.
There’s competition on:
- Work schedule – Many are looking after jobs that allow them to work at their own pace without sacrificing the regular hours that they could enjoy spending with the things and people they love.
- Pay rate – Many are inspired by the ability of other freelancers and distant assistants to earn more than the average pay in the country.
- Company benefits – A survey revealed that an astounding 75 percent of employers were able to retain their employees because of the various benefits they gave them. Needless to say, benefits encourage both loyalty and quality services.
Who does not want to receive the same good benefits that others enjoy? Or, find greener pastures?
The good news is there are aspiring distant assistants who are willing to work at a given amount and time. They provide quality services and understand the responsibilities expected from them.
Training is always helpful during the first few weeks of work. And it applies to both experienced distant assistants and those new to the world online.
Final Thoughts
Considering these difficulties in outsourcing, one may ask: What do potential distant assistants need? And how do you attract the right person?
“I think what is needed among applicants is a better understanding and an increased awareness of the distinction between self-employment, freelance, and working as an employee,” said a distant assistant in the creative industry.
Furthermore, she said, “From what I’ve observed, many are unsure as to how things work or how they should advance in their respective careers. Sadly, some even don’t know what they are good in — they are still in the state of discovering their passion or of finding their life’s purpose. Add to these the fact that a lot of bogus entities thrive on the internet.
“Aspiring distant assistants hop from one job to another most likely because:
- They do not have a clear understanding of where to take their career
- Their areas of expertise are still uncertain and so they try to work on different projects with different employers to discover which area they should pursue in the long run
- They are simply being careful with the offers they receive
“Many of them have experienced or at least have heard of stories from other freelancers and distant assistants who suffered getting unpaid from the projects they completed.
“They — or should I say we — have invested much of their time trying to find a good job. They’ve invested much of their resources just to put up an internet connection. Or, perhaps they left their stable jobs in the corporate world.
“Whatever the case, for them to go through all of these for nothing or for an opportunity that cannot guarantee them a good future is — I believe — enough for them to continue looking for other offers. Clients cannot blame them if a better opportunity does arrive.”
Do you know of other difficulties in outsourcing your business? Let us know what you think in the comments below. We would love to hear from you!
Other Articles You May Like:
- Distant Assistant Story: Mike Duruin Your Podcast Audio Engineer
- Top Reasons Why People Decide to Work from Home
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*Bottleneck Distant Assistants reserves the right to protect the identities of the individuals who shared their views in this post titled Stuck with the Difficulties in Outsourcing Your Business?
About Jaime Jay
Meet Jaime Jay – a man who wears many hats, and wears them all admirably. He's a master connector, an entrepreneur extraordinaire, and a published author who knows how to get things done.
Before he found his way to the business world, Jaime served his country as a brave paratrooper in the U.S. Army. But that's just the beginning of his many accomplishments.
He's the founder of the renowned Bottleneck Distant Assistant Services firm, and his book "Quit Repeating Yourself" has become a must-read for entrepreneurs everywhere.
When he's not busy building his empire, you can find him on his beloved Harley Davidson, cruising through the countryside and taking in the invigorating effects of Uitwaaien – a Dutch practice that involves facing the wind to boost health and relieve stress.
He enjoys spending his free time outside building stuff with his wife, Nikita the dog and their two kittens (for now at least) Tommy and Tater.
He is ‘over-the-moon’ happily married to his wonderful wife Sara, his amazing daughter, Jessica, who is serving our country as a United States Army soldier. Jaime and Sara are the proud grand parents of two beautiful little girls.
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