Pros and Cons of Hiring a Distant Assistant Full Time vs Part Time

Almost everyone thinks that outsourcing jobs will pay off in terms of expense, time, and energy. Business owners often get excited with the thought of having to work less and earn more. But, how exactly can it be achieved? What are the things to be considered? And, when it comes to choosing the perfect employment for the right person, what are the pros and cons of hiring a distant assistant full time vs part time?

Meet the Distant Assistant

In essence, distant assistants are remote workers. They perform important business functions in the convenience of their own home, workplace, or other such places they prefer. Hiring one would spare you the cost and effort of putting up an office and paying employee benefits. They can work independently and proficiently as well.

A far cry from the typical employees, distant assistants work as independent contractors. A 2007 survey shows that many of them seek flexibility and independence. And, majority of them have college or vocational backgrounds.

Whatever industry or type of business you’re in, these independent contractors can do specific tasks for you. Their desire for independence often means they are confidently proficient in doing something they can. Well, confidence may not be enough when it comes to actual work. But, with sufficient experience and knowledge, who wouldn’t want to hire someone who can complete a job at a minimal pay?

Here are some of the tasks that a distant assistant can do for your business:

• Website Design, Development, Maintenance
• Writing, Editing, Proofreading
• Purchasing and Supply Procurement
• Bookkeeping
• Event Planning
• Email Services

Things to Consider When Outsourcing

Outsourcing jobs may not work well for you if you fail to consider the basics in doing it. This includes the amount of money you invest, the profile of your ideal worker, and the business environment that the worker is in.

1) How much would Outsourcing cost?

Compensation

The fact that you want to outsource jobs basically means that you want to spend less in running your business. This mainly concerns how much you are willing to pay a promising worker.

You can choose to outsource jobs within or outside the country. Countries, like the Philippines, India, and Indonesia, can be financially attractive since they have low basic salary and cost of living in contrast to highly developed nations.

The Philippines, for example, has a minimum wage of $9.70 per day. Well, of course, this is just for the common laborer. However, we find that hiring someone specialized would not be as expensive in contrast to other nations. The living conditions in the country are much less inexpensive, and paying someone for at least $5 an hour would be beneficial for both business owner and worker. This is just a practical consideration of the outsourcing opportunity, and is not meant to devaluate individuals in any way.

Taxes and Business Requirements

Another thing to consider when it comes to finances is the tax or regulatory costs. This can be a tedious matter to consider. Countries can have different rules and regulations, and it is best to seek legal experts for advice especially when specific issues arise.
In any case, you would want to avoid risks in misclassification. Carefully determine whether you want an employee or an independent contractor. Under the law in the United States, you could be liable to a number of taxes, benefits, wage, and other usual business requirements when you treat your worker as an employee.

“The more control you have over how the work is done, the more likely this person is your employee.” -Elizabeth Potts Weinstein, business lawyer

So, closely consider how you want the person to work for you. Create a work system that will be efficient enough to carry out your goals. A wrong move could come expensive.

2) Is the person proficient and available to complete the job?

The internet teems with a huge number of potential workers, and it can be difficult to look for the perfect match. But, if you know what you want, that should make it easy for you to find the right one. Who is your ideal worker? What are his skills and background?

You may find that a lot of people who are out looking for a job in the internet are actually looking for better work opportunities. Remember the 2007 survey? Many of the distant assistants seek independence.

This could mean several things:

First, the person wants a life that is better than he already has. He is out looking for a greener pasture. This could mean that his current job or means of living isn’t allowing him to get the things he wants in life. Seeing that he has the potential, he looks for a better paying job that he knows he can perform well.

Second, the person wants more time with the things or people he cares about. He is out looking for a job that would allow him to work anytime he wants. It could be that he is a parent who needs to look after his children. He could be a passionate person with a lot of interests which aren’t financially profitable, so he goes looking for a job that can support him regularly.

Third, the person simply wants a job. He could be a student who needs money to support him in his studies. He could be a fresh college graduate who couldn’t find a job in his locality because he’s either overqualified or not qualified at all.

Having an online job can mean a lot of things to a lot of people. Independence comes with the freedom to choose and do what you want.

Both business owner and worker have their own issues to deal with. They have their own desires as well. For this, it would be beneficial for both parties to come up with a great strategy for the business. After all, you will be working together. And, it’s always great to have someone that you can agree with.

3) What are the economic risks available?

Issues on corruption, politics, and security can come into play. The place where you decide to outsource a job can be facing tough issues that could hurt your business if you don’t take time to consider them.

The person to whom you outsource the job could suffer as well. When the problem comes up, he will be the first person to experience its effect. The issue could disrupt his internet connection, eat up his motivation, or worse take his life. Well, we’re just trying to see the possibilities here though.

Still, whatever issue there is, your business will be affected in the end. How will you face it? What will be your strategy? Any alternatives in mind?

Distant Assistant Nightmares

Just like any other type of business, outsourcing has its own share of stories.

Business owner. Caroline tried to outsource some easy tasks offshore. She wanted to see what would happen if someone decides to outsource a job for a minimal pay. Among the tasks that she sent out was logo design. The result, however, proved disappointing. She did not get what she expected.

Distant assistant. Steve found a job online from a corporate employer. His work involved basic administrative tasks, which included sending out emails and answering product reviews. He did really well. But, one day his employer suddenly went missing. Unfortunately for Steve, he didn’t get fully compensated. His employer left him with the hopes of paying him anytime within the month. Worst thing was, he just realized that they didn’t have any form of contract to start with—nothing he can do to chase after what’s due him.

Part Time vs Full Time

Business owners get to decide the minimum number of hours that would define an employment. You can outsource tasks by project, or you can send them out to someone who can commit to completing projects successively.

“I just don’t feel like that I have enough things for them to do. And it might just be me who was thinking that, you know I’m not willing to give up certain parts of my business here.” -Eric, entrepreneur

Many entrepreneurs can feel like they don’t have a lot of tasks to outsource if they choose to have a full-time worker. Well, it is one thing to want to be highly involved in your business and it is another thing when you want to outsource jobs to free up time.

To avoid getting confused, ask yourself this question: Why do you want to outsource jobs? Also, what is your business about? What do you want to achieve?

You might be someone who likes the notion of earning while not doing a lot of tasks. Or, you could be someone who likes to get in the game and make sure your business stands out. Either way, you would not want your business to suffer for lack of vision. You can invest on brand strategists to help you out.

In getting things done, think of the best amount that you can give to compensate your worker. Apparently, having a part-time distant assistant would cost you less than a full-time worker. Once you get things—your vision, needs, strategies—planned, you’d be able to determine the type of employment you want for that promising worker.

The Perfect Employment for the Right Person

Everyone wants security. Everyone wants assurance as well as liberty. And when it comes to work and other areas that require us to deal with others—whether they be people or tasks, we all want our situation to be clearly understood.

In business, we all want everyone to be on the right page. And, we all want that “other” to care. The same applies when determining the pros and cons of hiring a distant assistant full time vs part time. For this, it’ll be helpful to identify the finances, the person, and the risks involved.

Know what your business is about. Give the perfect type of employment to the best individual that can complete important functions for your business. Know what’s necessary, and stand out.

Tell us what you think! Feel free to comment with any ideas or suggestions about the Pros and Cons of Hiring a Distant Assistant Full Time vs Part Time. We love hearing from you!