How to hire effectively?

I've hired a couple of people over the last couple of months. I'm looking for someone reliable and trustworthy. Because of that I've been looking to hire someone I knew personally or was a personal offline recommendation. Both of the guys I've hired have not worked out as I had hoped. Both of them had prior commitments and/or didn't like the work.

Any tips on effectively hiring someone so I don't spend a day training someone who leaves a week later? I started them both off with easy writing tasks to see how they managed their time and to gauge their abilities. These are sub-contractors, working remotely from home. I guess the next step is CL?

Thanks!

I had the same trouble as you way back. In one of my businesses we went through 30 staff in 2 years. I realised that friends, family and personal recommendations dont work out.

When it came to hiring virtual team members working from home, its hard to gauge how its going to work unless you either see some reviews from a freelancing site or professional recommendations on there background. It doesnt hurt to set a small task to test out there enthusiasm.

I found success through hiring people who want to work who need a break and want to learn something new. By providing my knowledge and giving them training, and regularly asking for feedback on a daily basis, you can nip any issues in the bud quickly.

In the interview stages where i speak to them over skype, i ask lots of questions and when hired i state exactly what is needed on a daily, weekly basis in a plan with goals and tick through them so that the person can see progress and has the correct expectations.

Communication is key and it will help the home worker feel a part of your team and if you give responsibility slowly and reward them for doing a good job by giving them some more.

So instead of training them in everything in the beginning, do smaller chunks and tasks to check what they have learnt and not overloading them with all your training.

As you said they have prior commitments or they dont like the work, you will find this gets smaller the more you get practiced with the above e.g. from the beginning i make sure the recruit knows that they can tell me at any time whether they are not happy and can come to me at any time should they need to leave, i would need notice if possible but would understand.

Thats a start for you. Message me if you want anything else. i am actually looking for work myself, what is the work you need done?

what sort of tasks? its hard to find good solid remote workers for low skilled grunt work.

The only way to hire is tell them what you want, tell them the timescale, and tell them you will pay when you are happy.

I tried the various websites for hiring people, I had Indian Men dressing up as women telling me they could write a book for me, Lol its so much easier doing it yourself. I have people working for me, but its through working and meeting people online, gaining the trust and finding out what they are good at.

Example: i had a mad man talking all day long on skype, wasting my time, but he liked to talk.

I gave him my product to talk about and bingo, he would talk for ever to people I could not be arsed with.

Yes I did get sales.....

Trying to hire good help sure does bring out human nature in society. Trust me I have dealt with this
scenario for a long time and basically I have a process to try and find the best people without wasting my time.

1. I like to pay on performance instead of hourly. When you pay hourly their incentive to work
decreases and since their remote you can't push them but so much.

2. Hire people who think they know tech, but are actually formidable and not head strong. Some of
the best employees come from stay at home moms who want to make money instead of freelancers online.

I would rather take a day or two to train someone who loves the idea of working from home than hire someone
who knows a little something but are spoiled by the IM lifestyle. College students can be a good option but they
of course have commitments. Pay them based on performance and hire on a bunch of them so when one drops
out for a bit another one can fulfill that task.

Hope that helped in some way.

Just Do it Yourself it so much easier