Outsourcing is a powerful innovation of today’s world of business, and when done properly, it can be incredibly helpful to both small businesses and Fortune 500 companies. Hiring virtual employees does have its share of challenges though. This article will help you learn how to hire the right virtual contractor so that you stay within budget, save time, and get the work done.

Step 1: Create an engaging company profile

Setup a company profile on any of the major outsourcing sites like oDesk.com, ELance.com or Guru.com.

Add your business info, be specific about the work your company does, and don’t be afraid to make your business idea sound exciting.

Include testimonials of past and current members of your team. Some outsourcing sites don’t show the hiring company’s feedback, but the best …

Managing a virtual team has become a popular practice for many businesses. It provides a variety of advantages including lower costs, flexible capacity, and access to worldwide talent. This article focuses on managing remote contractor from sites like oDesk, Elance, Guru.com and Freelancer.com. First, we’ll offer some guidelines before suggesting the best tools for managing your remote team.

Set clear expectations

This sounds easy, but if you’re in a rush, this can often be overlooked. Your outsourcers should know exactly what needs to be done for each milestone. Use project management software (recommended below) so that your team has a written record to refer to when you’re not around.

Hold your team accountable

Set strict deadlines and hold contractors accountable.

For example, if you schedule a meeting at 1:00pm and …