How Outsourcing Works Assistant vs. Freelancer - What’s the Difference?
It’s important to know the difference between a freelancer, who works with you once, or on an ad hoc basis, and then moves on, and an assistant, who is tied to your real estate agency more closely. Keeping in mind the distinction between freelancers and virtual assistants will help you decide which types of jobs to outsource to a freelancer and which jobs require a personal virtual assistant. Consider job security. A freelancer works for many people at the same time. Freelancers aren’t quite concerned about job security; they want to be paid for the job done and move on to the next assignment. Because of this, they usually work very fast, and are more than efficient in their jobs. Generally, they are experts in their areas. Freelancers are excellent for one-off creative tasks. Their priority, however, is naturally the client who pays them the most and the most quickly. In a situation in which freelancers have several jobs and get pressed for time, they are likely to focus on the work given to them by the client who’s going to pay the most money the most quickly. That’s just natural. When do I hire a freelancer? I have found that if I have a very detailed job that needs to be done, but I’m not paying much money to the freelancer doing it, odds are that the freelancer will bid on other jobs even while working on my job. Because of this, your work may sometimes be delayed, or take a little while longer than you expect. That’s the mentality and process of how freelancers make a living. Why I Prefer an Assistant Personally, I prefer the assistant relationship. The goal of a VA is to work for someone who’s willing to consistently provide employment. Whether it’s an hourly wage or a set salary per month or per week, VAs want job security. I find it best that virtual assistants work exclusively for me. When I hire VAs, I don’t like them working for me and for somebody else part-time. When they do, they’re often spread too thin and might not prioritize my work. Let’s move on to experience. The freelancer is at an advantage here. The task for which you’re hiring a freelancer — graphic design, online marketing, proofreading, etc. — is what he/she professionally does for a living. Freelancers will have experience and expertise in the area of work you plan on having them do.
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