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When you seek the professional services of a specialized offsite provider, virtual assistant, or freelance artist (rather than a generalist) you should be picky. Do you need specific skills? Do you want the best in the business? Then consider the following:

• Always require and check references. Check every single one.

• Dont hire a generalist. Outsourcing specialists are a benefit to your company only if they bring the specific skills you need. You can hire generalists for onsite work or use temp agencies as needed for general or clerical work.

• Ask if your potential specialist does outsourced work full-time. Part timers only dedicate a few hours a day or a week to your needs and you will split that with any other clients they may have.

• Get information. Ask about background and real-life experience in the areas you need and a history of delivering those services via digital means. Consider and weigh formal education, professional experience, longevity in business and client references.

• Investigate. Check into the certification requirements if you seek certified individuals. If everyone passes the "tests" -- do the tests indicate skill?

• Rates will vary, but your end cost is what matters. Recognize that specialists may accomplish in 15 minutes what it could take two hours or more for a beginner to accomplish and the pros will deliver a better end product.

• You get what you pay for. For instance, if a VA is charging less than $25 per hour, they probably arent seasoned. If they do not yet know the costs associated with running their own business, do you want them helping you run yours?

• Do they seem too eager? If so, you may not want them. Hungry often = new or less than experienced. Sometimes you strike gold with a wonderfully experienced newcomer, but often your projects are merely their training ground.

• Do they interview YOU? Most professional providers will. If they arent asking questions to help you define how you see their role in your business, you should be concerned. Excellent outsourcing providers ask excellent questions.

• Do they educate you about this way of working? If you are new to outsourcing, most professionals will take a few minutes to ascertain your level of comfort and will help to explain to you how it works, and how they (or someone they recommend) may help you.

• Are they busy? Most professional providers of a certain caliber have a full client load. You know the old saying, If you want something done, ask the person who is busy. You don't need the one just standing there. High-caliber providers accept only the "cream-of-the-crop" new clients -- and only those they believe they can help.

• Dont be offended if you are referred on. Most specialist professionals will send you to another provider if they dont have the time in their schedule or if they dont have the specialized services they feel you need.

• Professional referrals will help you find a good match. Someone in this business is careful about referring work to others. It puts their own reputation on the line. Not every referral is a perfect match, but your chances are improved when a professional outsourcing specialists makes a recommendation.

Angela Parker

Angela is a Kentucky writer and marketing specialist who embraces her life-long love affair with the English language. She enjoys finding new ways to bend and manipulate, tame and train words into useful service for her clients. She believes in the power of communication to shape perception and to improve productivity in business and quality in individual lives.

Specializing in writing services and Internet marketing consultation, she is on a mission to improve your success -- to help you put your best foot forward in traditional and Internet marketing venues, to improve the impact of your daily written communication, and enable you to seize the best words when you find yourself face-to-face or "online" with your target audience.

She has been in the professional outsourcing services business since 2000 and has served clients across the globe during that time. She specializes in helping entrepreneurs, outsourcing specialists and real estate professionals.