I posted my first job to elance ... but could use some advice

[FrozenCanuck]

This is definitely a hot topic these days eh?

Anyway I posted my first job to elance and I'm anxious to see what comes back. My tasks will mostly involve doing web-based research on technology companies, so I would actually like to have a VA that has a university education to understand finance, and an interest in telecommunication technology. Have no idea if I'm asking too much.

I posted it under the category "administration", sub category "research". No idea if this is the best fit, but it *looked* like it was the best fit.

Has anyone else attempted to hire somebody to do fairly specialized web research, i.e, gathering market size forecasts, competitor product info, etc? What firms did you use?

Side note: Has anyone who is an "employee" actually expensed the cost of their VA back to their employer with luck yet? Just curious. But then again, probably best if it is my little secret right?

[FrozenCanuck]

As an update to this process, I can share the following info:

1) It looks like my research job was posted in the correct section (admin --> research). I got 5 bids so far.

2) Everyone is bidding $10/hr + in "public" but then I've gotten $5/hr bids over the private message board (pmb). The reason, as two firms explained, is that elance has a minimum official bid amount of $10/hr so they have to offer their "real" bid on the pmb.

3) I'm impressed with the two firms that have offered service at $5/hr. They appear to write in good english, and appear to be using university-educated people with the right skill set I need.

I'm likely going to pick one this wee and send some basic task as a test (with a 3-hr cap). $15 as a test ... an easy learning lesson for cheap.

FC

[Bippy]

Yeah, I got several for a random va gig for as little as $2/hr on the PMB. Those guys scared me, though, because I asked about their computer security for doing certain types of work and they basically said they could fake it till they make it...

I'm sorry, I'm not comfortable with someone "faking it till they make it" with my banking info, you know?

[FrozenCanuck]

Bippy - you mean that they admitted to you via PMB that they do not have any security with your data? Weird.

As for "banking info" I assume you are hoping to get a VA buy stuff for you with your credit card, etc? If that is the case then I would go with a reputable firm also. I don't blame you for your worry at $2/hr.

I ended up getting 2 quotes at $5/hr for what I deemed to be work that required some decent technical knowledge. I assigned my first task late last week with a deadline of today, and capped it at 3 hours. I had asked for a summary of an industry including vendors, market size forecast, etc. I got back a series of HTML links for me to look over. I'm not sure if the firm expected me to just check that they were on the right track, or what. I probably could have found all of those links (and read them) in 1.5 hours myself, but then again I make a lot more than $5 per hour and I'm highly trained in that area. So if it cost me $15 to get the links, that's an OK start. I have now replied to them saying "I expected a word document and I don't care for links that are from 2005 or older" and gave more explicit instructions with another 2-3 hour cap. i will see what this gets me. If I'm not happy (and I'll have invested about $30) then I will put this relationship on ice and find another firm to try out.

My view is that this is a lesson in delegating, as Tim said in his book. So far it is a pretty low-cost lesson.

[FrozenCanuck]

Ok here is another update on the first job I outsourced. I just realized this is the wrong message board for outsourcing so sorry about that.

I assigned the task of doing industry research on a particular market. I asked for results in text form, and I got back only HTML links following the completion of my 3-hour cap of work. 3 hours for a bunch of web links. I suppose it could have taken 2-3 hrs for someone who doesn't know that market, but I was disappointed that it was just a bunch of links. A waste of my time to have to look at them all and decide what is relevant.

My reply to them was very specific. I expected a summary in MS word format, and I wanted them to focus specifically on finding names of competitors, size of market. I gave them another cap of 2-3 hours.

The owner writes me back today, after spending what he said was 4 hours of additional time. He said he could not get it all done in the time I allotted. I figure "ok, let's see what he did". At least he said he was not going to bill for 4 hours (so he seems eager to please). I open the attachment and what do I have? Basically the text portions of each web page are pasted into a MS Word file and no summary work has been done at all. I feel like i'm looking at newspaper clippings.

Bottom line - it only cost me about $30, but it was not that useful.

I will try another firm next time. I am not giving up on this just because trial #1 was not successful.

FC

[MariaG]

Thanks for sharing your experiences, FC. You're certainly not the only one on the boards here realizing that the language and communication barriers are a problem in working with foreign VAs. I wrote about my initial experience on my blog: Do You Want to Work a Four Hour Workweek? (http://www.blog.neverthesamerivertwice.com/2007/09/12/4-hour-workweek-personal-experience/) Hope it's useful to you.

[outofbandii]

FC, I just wanted to say thanks for writing up your experience (correct board or no ;))

[webgal]

Yes, very interesting. Instead of using a VA, I'm leaning towards using a friend who is disabled due to a stroke. If he goes back to work full time, he'll lose disability and right now he would not qualify for a job that pays more than his disability.

So when the time comes that I need an assistant, I'll ask him first. I know he's super bored and would really like to feel productive. And I know that his family has taken a hit because of it.

Anyway, my message is maybe think of using a different type of person for the job--someone who will appreciate the opportunity. You might have to pay a bit more but they may get it done better and faster.

[outofbandii]

webgal: I agree. I'm currently paying a qualified, very educated and more expensive VA than the YMII guys, and the quality of work is superb - far lower cost per task and the VALUE is incredible because she's giving me business and marketing advice that I'd never thought of myself.

This VA is a VA cos she's a WAHM. If she wasn't, she'd be working fulltime at something technical or be a CEO somewhere.

[webgal]

What does WAHM mean? Woman at home mom?

[kingfish]

Work at home mom I believe

[Marcie]

^^ yes, work-at-home-mom.