| Great news, your company was awarded the | | | | manager the ability to manage your virtual team |
| contract for that million-dollar deal. Unfortunately, | | | | when away from your computer. |
| your business does not have the staff required to | | | | I recently hired a copy editor from oDesk. I was |
| complete the project. It is necessary to hire a | | | | able to quickly setup my account and post my |
| team of highly trained professionals, fast. | | | | first position. Within hours, there were some |
| In the past, if businesses needed to hire staff and | | | | excellent candidates from around the world |
| build a team, it was customary to post an ad to | | | | applying for the job. I evaluated each candidate |
| the local newspaper. Unfortunately, this limited the | | | | based on skill set, ratings on past performance, |
| talent pool to the professionals in the area. Your | | | | and past projects. After identifying the three |
| ability to build an effective team was in jeopardy | | | | most qualified people, I had the opportunity to |
| when there was no one in your city that had the | | | | examine them via email. I selected my candidate |
| skills required. Once the team is ready to start | | | | and hired her immediately. I emailed her the |
| working, adequate office space is needed. What if | | | | instructions along with the documents that |
| your business is in a small town? What if your | | | | required the editing. A few days later, I was able |
| office is in your living room? What if the ideal | | | | to evaluate the work. Once satisfied, I released |
| candidate lives in Moscow? | | | | payment for the job. Overall it was a fantastic |
| Old industrial age staffing problems are now a | | | | experience and one I will be sure to repeat. |
| thing of the past with development of freelance | | | | Some tasks may not be suited for this. |
| web sites such as oDesk, Elance, and These web | | | | Occasionally the project will require an actual |
| sites attract thousands of talented freelancers | | | | person be present. For instance, it is difficult to |
| direct to your doorstep. Businesses are no longer | | | | build a house virtually over the Internet. However, |
| limited to the talent pool in the area. Your | | | | could it be possible to hire a virtual assistant to |
| company can now hire that rock star | | | | help with other tasks? |
| programmer, even if he or she lives in Dubai. | | | | With the advent of the Internet and high-speed |
| The web site I recently used to solve my staffing | | | | telecommunications, geographically dispersed |
| need was oDesk. It is easy to open an account | | | | teams and virtual work are the natural |
| and free for employers to start a project. Once | | | | progression. With it brings significant changes but |
| the project begins, the employer pays only for | | | | also tremendous opportunities for small business. I |
| verified work. They also offer a free iPhone app. | | | | highly recommend setting up an account and |
| This app is a powerful extension of your existing | | | | posting your first job. |
| oDesk account. The app provides a project | | | | |