Outsourced work is helping these 5 industries cut costs and grow
When Jean left her job as an FBI special agent, to start her own small business, she knew she couldn’t do it all by herself. The owner of Hire Served – a military talent acquisition agency – Jean decided early on to outsource certain back-end tasks that didn’t require her personal attention. One of her first hires was Sara, a social media manager, who creates brand awareness and exposure for Hire Served. Sara’s work frees Jean to focus on growing her business. A wise decision that has helped Jean reach her annual revenue goals early.
Outsourcing use to be reserved for large companies with big budgets. Thanks to technological advancements, skilled professionals can work from anywhere in the world. This freedom has sparked a rise in freelance services. In fact, 35% of the US population are freelancers today. That means, people like Jean, can leverage global talent without the expense of overhead or benefits.
Saving money seems to be the most prominent advantage to outsourcing. But, there’s a whole host of other benefits, too. Here are five industries successfully utilizing outsourced workers to speed past the competition.
Large Corporations
Large companies typically have in-house staff to cover most of their daily needs. But, on occasion, they need specialized help for projects that don’t warrant a full-time hire. In this case, it’s cheaper and easier to contract with an expert. Common examples include IT functions, CIO services, HR management, and data analysts.
Entrepreneurs/Small Business Owners
While talented, most entrepreneurs and small business owners can’t do it all alone. Thankfully, many have recognized this and outsource their day-to-day tasks. This time frees them up to focus on core competencies like growth and income strategies. Most start with a bookkeeper and virtual assistant. Additional team members, like customer service and copywriters, are added as needed. This extra help has business owners experiencing cost savings and improved efficiency.
Startups
Startups are generally strapped for cash and thus have limited funds to hire talent. They need developers, but even entry-level salaries start at $60,000+ a year. Spending this type of money can blow a budget fast. So, a lot of startups – including big names like GitHub, Slack, and UpWork – contract these positions out to skilled professionals instead. It’s a brilliant way to get talent at a fraction of the cost of a full-time employee.
Personal Brands
Today, everyone’s an expert in something. Thus, authors and speakers are on the rise. Staying top-of-mind through social media, email marketing, and blogging is vital to their success. But, it’s also a ton of work. Therefore, many are outsourcing to expert writers, editors, graphic/web designers, and PR professionals. These specialized tasks don’t require full-time staff, just the right skill set on an as-needed-basis.
Nonprofits
Nonprofits are mission based, so finding cheap ways to keep their organization afloat is essential. They also need qualified professionals to get the job done right. It’s a hard balancing act. But the rise in freelance workers has opened them up to a whole new talent pool. They now have access to freelance web developers, graphic designers, digital marketers, and accountants. None of which require payroll taxes, health insurance, or worker’s compensation. Outsourcing these services saves them tons of money. Plus, it gets them access to industry professionals who they normally couldn’t afford.
Are you ready to build a team of skilled professionals? Access talent you can trust. Outsource to a military spouse. They are untapped resources who are highly educated, multi-cultural, and self-motivated. You can find qualified applicants at hiremadskills.com.
MadSkills is a one-stop source for military spouse talent. The interface is easy to use, and the applicants I’ve received are highly qualified.
Jean South