Growing a Business & Outsourcing as a Parent

Growing a Business & Outsourcing as a Parent

The act of growing a business while being a parent takes some serious juggling. Even if your children are angels that sleep and offer you calm nights in you are still going to have more to do than seems possible in a mere 24 hours. Growing a business while struggling with the minutiae of everyday life as a parent might seem impossible but it can be done If I could do it, anyone can! if growing a business is something you’re determined to do you need to consider outsourcing. 

Outsourcing Saves You Having To Learn New Skills

These days, we have to be hot on our marketing, and there are numerous companies out there like Herdl that can help with web design, or even freelance websites like PeoplePerHour, where you can get the right people on board. Outsourcing tasks to someone who is skilled bypasses you having to upskill yourself. This is vital when you are trying to free up time for work life balance and to work on your business. You can, of course,  invest in personal development down the road if you think it will benefit you and your business long term.

Does Outsourcing Work In A Home Environment?

Running a business from home can be a challenge, just ask this gentleman being interviewed on the news, where his children were trying to break into the room and say hello. Outsourcing work when you work from a home environment should be just as easy, if not more so, than in an office setup. The beauty of outsourcing is that you are able to hand off tasks to someone else. Usually these tasks including admin, bookkeeping and a whole host of jobs that can be done virtually. I work from home and remote work. I outsource numerous tasks. As a freelance copywriter I work for many types of clients. Some run their own home-based businesses and outsource their content-related work to me. 

Growing A Business & Outsourcing As A Self-Employed Parent

It is important not to tie yourself in knots trying to be everything to everyone and to do everything “right”. I’ve been a parent and self-employed for thirteen years. I still find the juggle hard work some times but outsourcing really can help, as can being realistic about the time you have available. Prioritise family time and “you” time, outsourcing when you can and you’ll see that growing a business while balancing parenting is absolutely possible, and maybe even enjoyable.

Hiring Process Know How

Hiring Process Know How

When you start a business of your own, the idea of hiring your first employee is definitely exciting. While most entrepreneurs launch their ventures alone, before long, you will hopefully have a high enough workload that you need this extra help. I am now in the position of having to outsource more and this might include to a junior copywriter or a VA, therefore, I will shortly be utilising the hiring process again soon. The last time I interviewed was in another life and before self-employment. The decisions that you make during the hiring process will affect your organization as a whole. This is why you must ensure that you make the right ones. With that in mind, here are six killer ways to improve your hiring process. 

Write Accurate Job Descriptions

Anyone that applies for a position within your company or with you will do so based on the description of it that you provide. If you’re experiencing an influx of applications from people poorly suited to the job, then the problem likely lies with that description. Although there isn’t such a thing as a perfect job description, you can improve yours by being clear about the job requirements. 

Shorten The Hiring Process Application Process

Job seekers hate filling out lengthy applications. In fact, many dislike the experience so much that choose not to apply rather than spend lots of time doing so. For this reason, you should shorten your application process as much as you can. Instead of asking candidates a long list of questions, you could have them upload their CV and cover letter. This requires a lot less work. 

Ask Only Relevant Questions

The questions that you ask throughout an interview are crucial. After all, it’s the answers that applicants give you that will separate the good from the bad. Avoid any “magic” questions, therefore, and focus on finding out whether or not the candidate in front of you can do the job. If you start asking people how they would use three wishes, you won’t make a good impression. 

Test The Best Applicants

 Make sure that you do your due diligence and check out candidates properly before hiring. It is your responsibility to ensure that their references are sound and that they do have the qualifications they say that they do. You can find out more checking out applicants if you click here. Some hiring managers also ask that candidates take a written test about the position. 

Get Your Team Involved in the Hiring Process

Since your team will be the ones working closely with any new hires, it makes sense to involve them in the interview process. You want everyone that you employ to get along with one another, after all. You could invite a few of your employees into the interview and let them ask a question or two of their own. They can also provide feedback afterwards to help you make a decision.

Throw In A Survey

After all of the interviews have ended, you could ask the candidates to fill out a survey. This should contain questions about the hiring process as a whole, giving applicants an opportunity to give feedback. While you likely want positive comments, negative opinions can be very useful. They inform you of any potential issues, providing an opportunity to make changes. 

Finding the right employees, colleagues and people to outsource to can be difficult, but improving the hiring process should make it easier.