As 2023 swings into full gear, you’re most likely solidifying your game plan for the year by ensuring that you have the right people within your organization. For many, that includes the addition of a freelancer or virtual assistant. But which is best for your business?
Freelancer
A freelancer isn’t working under the employment of a service provider, offering their skills as a solo professional. They’re independent of any organization and free to find work as they see fit. They aren’t held to any specific standards of conduct because they’re technically unemployed and working for themselves.
Skills
The typical skills one should hope to find in a freelancer begin with the ability to work autonomously. Freelancers also need to be able to manage their time appropriately to meet deadlines while handling tasks with little to no peer support or supervision. Other skills often include being tech-savvy with a strong attention to detail and good interpersonal skills.
Availability
Because they aren’t technically employed by any higher organization, with no manager to report to, freelancers are essentially a wild card. A freelancer may make promises about their availability, but ultimately, no one holds them accountable. The silver lining is that a freelancer isn’t bound to any organization’s work hours. Technically, they can clock in and work on an assignment for you at any time of the day or night. This includes weekends, if needed and agreed upon.
Virtual assistants
A virtual assistant is a remote working professional under the employment of a service provider. They’re paid hourly by their primary employer and complete tasks given by the third-party business they’re assigned to.
Skills
A virtual assistant is often adept at a variety of skills. When seeking an assistant from a service provider, they typically have a pool of professionals with varying areas of expertise. The most common skills one can expect from a hired virtual assistant include word processing proficiency, strong communication, customer service experience, attention to detail and thoroughness. They are also typically self-motivated, autonomous and very tech-savvy.
Availability
The availability of a virtual assistant under a service provider is much more structured and controlled than that of a freelancer. At the time of hiring, the expected hours of availability are discussed and agreed upon. When utilizing a virtual assistant from a service like MyOutDesk, you’re getting a professional overseas whose hours of availability come with much more flexibility. They can typically work their nights for your days—or your days for their nights—if you need someone after-hours. And thanks to proprietary applications like MyTimeIn, you always have transparency regarding where your assistant is and what they’re working on.
To learn more, visit www.myoutdesk.com/services.
