5 Tips for Hiring Help for Your Online Business

Online business can be very rewarding, but it can also be time-consuming and take up all of your attention if you’re not careful. In order to maximize your profits and keep your business growing, consider hiring help with certain aspects of it. There are several reasons why you might want to do this, including expanding your products and services, reaching new locations, or just to have more time to focus on other things like marketing or increasing your sales volume. Here are some tips to help you hire the right kind of help for your online business.

1) Understand the Different Types of Assistants

When you’re running an online business, there are a lot of different hats you have to wear. You’re the CEO, the CFO, the COO, and the list goes on. So it’s no wonder that you might need some help to get all of your work done. But before you start hiring, it’s important to understand the different types of assistants and what they can do for you. There are administrative assistants who handle scheduling, billing, payroll processing, travel arrangements and customer service. There are also operations or production assistants who manage inventory control, shipping & receiving or quality control tasks. And then there’s web design which is a specialty job that does not typically fall under the umbrella of an assistant position. It’s possible to hire more than one type of assistant at once if you’re working in more than one area of your business.

2) Know How Much Time You Need

If you don’t know how much time you need, you won’t be able to find the right person to help. Consider what tasks need to be done and how often they need to be completed. You may also want to consider your budget and whether or not you can afford to hire someone full-time or if you need someone part-time.

3) Know What You Need Done

Before you start your search for the perfect virtual assistant, take some time to sit down and figure out exactly what tasks you need help with. Once you have a good understanding of what needs to be done, you can start looking for someone who is qualified and experienced to help you with your specific needs.

4) Choose Your Candidate Carefully

When you’re hiring help for your online business, it’s important to take your time and choose the right candidate. After all, this person will be representing your company, so you want to make sure they have the right skills and attitude. Here are a few tips to help you choose the right person: 

  1. Ask if they have any other side jobs or if they work with other businesses. 
  2. Find out what their strengths are and what their weaknesses are, so that you can match them up with tasks that suit them best. 
  3. Ask how much experience they have in their field (for example: graphic design). The more experience someone has in their field, the better their knowledge of industry-specific terms, processes, rules and regulations.

5) Train Them Well

You’ve finally decided to take the plunge and hire some help for your online business. Congratulations! This is a big step that will free up your time so you can focus on other aspects of running your business. But before you hand over the keys to your virtual kingdom, there are a few things you need to do to set your new hire up for success. First, provide them with clear expectations and detailed instructions. Next, provide them with all the tools they’ll need to complete their tasks. Finally, have regular check-ins to make sure they’re getting it right and providing you with valuable feedback on how they feel about working for you.

What tips and tricks have you learned for the hiring process? Reach out and let us know!

 

 

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5 Ways to Get Your Team to Engage in Group Projects When Working Remotely

Working remotely on group projects can be challenging. There are fewer opportunities to connect with the rest of your team, so it can feel like you’re going it alone — which can make it harder to stay motivated and accountable to your goals. While working remotely doesn’t have to be lonely, there are ways to get your team to engage in group projects when working remotely — like these five tips!

1) Set up a collaborative platform

Before anything else, you need to set up a platform where your team can easily collaborate on projects. This could be something as simple as setting up a Google Doc or creating a Slack channel. Once you have a platform set up, make sure everyone knows how to use it and that they have access to it. To create an even more collaborative atmosphere, break up tasks so that different people are responsible for different parts of the project. If someone has questions about their part of the project, they should speak with the person who is assigned to their task instead of contacting someone who might not be working on their task at all. You may also want to designate some time for weekly meetings so people can discuss what’s been done since the last meeting and provide feedback if necessary.

2) Ask questions

Asking questions is a great way to get your team to engage in group projects. By doing this, you can get a better understanding of what your team members are thinking and feeling, and you can also get them to share their own ideas and thoughts. Additionally, connecting with your team in this way can help build rapport and trust within your team. As a leader, following up with your team will show that you are cultivating an open, accepting work space, and you can use it to find out where you can delegate tasks to make projects run smoother.

3) Create an easy way to share ideas

Brainstorming is a key part of any project, but it can be difficult to do when team members are working remotely. One way to make it easier is to create a shared document where everyone can contribute ideas. This could be a Google Doc, an online whiteboard, or even just a shared email thread. The point is that people can work on their own and then share what they’ve come up with with the rest of the group in a place where ideas are easy to reference.

4) Encourage honest feedback

One way to get your team to engage in group projects is by encouraging honest feedback. This way, team members will feel comfortable communicating with each other and won’t be afraid to voice their opinions. Furthermore, honest feedback will help the team identify areas that need improvement. For example, if someone on the team notices a teammate struggling with deadlines or something else related to work, they can offer assistance without feeling like they’re going out of their way. 

Once people are more confident in giving criticism, it will become easier for them to open up about things that are bothering them without being worried about seeming unhelpful or negative. After all, these things should be addressed so as not to have an impact on productivity!

5) Make it personal

Get to know your team on a personal level. What are their hobbies? What do they like to do for fun? Getting to know your team will help you find ways to encourage them to interact. Here at HireMyMom we have each of our team members fill out a fun survey so we can learn more about them; we ask them about their hobbies, favorite holidays, and even favorite foods!

What are ways you keep your remote team engaged? Contact us to let us know!

 

 

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How Often Should I Meet With My Remote Employees?

As a manager of remote employees, how often do you need to meet with your team? The answer isn’t always clear-cut and depends on the needs of your business and the success of your employees. Here are some guidelines to help you decide how often you should meet with your team and why it’s important to keep the lines of communication open.

When to Meet

There’s no right answer to how often remote employees should meet, but there are a few situations in which you should be holding virtual staff meetings such as when your company first starts hiring remote workers. Meeting regularly (at least weekly) is an excellent way to keep everyone on track with their work. Plus, when people who work together aren’t in each other’s physical presence, it can be hard to know if and when work gets done. That’s why a weekly check-in for new hires is important, but it can be every other week too.

If it’s your established remote staff that needs attention, you might only need to schedule meetings monthly or bi-monthly. While meeting less frequently can be seen as a sign of neglect, keep in mind that regular meetings aren’t always productive. In fact, having them too often can actually make people less productive. If virtual employees are meeting more than once per month and nothing is getting done, then it may be time to revisit how you’re holding them accountable for their work.

Having Effective, Not Just Frequent, Meetings

Yes, it’s tempting to invite remote workers into every meeting you have. But even though your remote employees might be able to check in at any time and ask questions, these meetings are still valuable opportunities for them to make contributions and feel connected to your team. Aim for meetings that are effective, not just frequent. For example, you can have a weekly meeting on Mondays that is strictly about workflow updates and project planning.

Also, ensure that remote employees are present and active in your meetings. In a recent survey (which is probably not a shock to our audience), 50% of moms said they enjoyed working from home and planned on continuing to work from home, so working to establish a good remote workforce is important! Consider creating a culture where regular check-ins can happen via phone or video chat to offer these opportunities, and look into other tools that can help keep everyone on the same page.

When Not To Hold a Meeting

Don’t have a meeting to just have a meeting. Holding meetings that don’t have an outcome or purpose can be frustrating and unproductive, especially when you’re working with remote employees who aren’t in-office. Take time before each meeting to think about what you want to get out of it and jot down topics, action items, and follow-up plans so everyone knows what they need to take care of after the meeting.

So, How Often Do We Need To Touch Base?

The magical number is…it depends. That’s probably not the answer you were hoping for, but it’s the best one we can give you. We do have some guidelines we recommend in general:

  1. Check-in often with new hires. This helps the onboarding process, ensures work is being completed, and establishes a good working relationship. We recommend a regular check-in maximum of once per week and a minimum of every other week. Find what works for you, but make sure you are 100% available to help new hires as needed.

 

  1. Schedule meetings around project kick off, mid-project check-ins, and after projects are completed to review how it went. Now, we aren’t talking about every little project that comes across your desk — we’re talking about the BIG projects that require your entire team to complete.

 

  1. Check-in with your regulars. There is no set rule for this. We have seen companies that hold company-wide meetings weekly. We prefer to check-in with our entire team once per month, but we meet individually more often. Find what works for you, and remember that everyone works differently so some folks need more meetings than others to feel connected and productive — but some fall on the other end of that spectrum!

The takeaway is to find what works for you and your team. Meetings with everyone can be difficult with schedules and time zones, so individual meetings are easier to arrange…which might lead to one too many meetings for individual team members. Just keep the lines of communication open and honest to find what works, and go from there!

How often does your team meet? Reach out to let us know!

 

 

 

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A Checklist for Your Team Before Someone Leaves for Vacation

Besides managing the normal workflow, it’s that time of year when people head to the beach, the mountains, or wherever they want on vacations! While your team members are recharging at their favorite relaxation spots, vacation time for those that are still working can be very stressful.

Is your team ready for one of them to go on vacation? Even if it’s you as a manager and business owner (yes, you deserve time off too!)? Below is a checklist that should help you answer those questions with a resounding YES after you’ve completed it!

#1 Get the 411

As vacation time nears, schedule a time to sit down with your team. Discuss who is going on vacation, what they are working on, and what the plan is to handle that workload. Now is a great time to delegate tasks so that projects don’t slow down while employees are able to relax.

The sooner you do this, the better. That way small tasks can be handed off bit-by-bit rather than all at once in a mad dash on the final day before someone leaves for vacation. This allows your team to ask questions, get acquainted with new pieces of projects, and not feel so stressed.

#2 Get some ICE

We aren’t talking about the cold kind of ice; we’re talking about In Case of Emergency. Create an emergency vacation coverage plan just in case something goes wrong. What if a website you’re building for a client breaks in the middle of the night? What if in the middle of running an accounting report, the numbers just aren’t adding up? Don’t let it scare you. Run through those crazy what if scenarios. Come up with solutions on what to do so that (hopefully) you don’t have to disturb anyone’s vacation.

Also, get key contacts. If the website does go down, who do you call? Or, what if you normally manage a team of remote workers, do your other employees know how to get in contact with everyone else if it’s you going on vacation? Write it all down where everyone can get access to it. If you are working at a physical location, make sure people that need keys get them. You don’t want to wake up and realize your keys are on their way to the beach!

#3 Get out of the office

Besides literally getting out of the office, ask your employees to set out of office notifications on their emails, instant messages, calendars, and even voicemails. This will make sure that clients know what’s going on if they call; make sure to include who to contact while that employee is out of the office in the meantime!

#4 Get out of your head

A vacation is all about relaxing. If an employee is taking a break, make sure they stick to it. Everyone needs time to recharge, so they shouldn’t be worrying about work. The same goes for you as a manager! Don’t worry about work the whole time. Rest. Relax. Recharge. Get out of your head for a bit! Resist the urge to send that vacation email to your team.

By following this short checklist, vacation time should be a little more relaxing for everyone involved, but if your team is already stretched to the max, you can always look at outsourcing some of the work as well.

Now we need to know, did we miss anything on this checklist? Reach out to tell us about your procedures for employees taking a vacation!

 

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Do I need to respond to every applicant that applies for a job?

Are you familiar with the term ghosting? This refers to when someone just leaves a situation with absolutely no explanation. You may have experienced this when someone left you hanging and possibly puzzled you as to why.

Have you, as an employer, ghosted job candidates?

Everyone here understands the struggles of being a business owner: there’s never enough time in the day, never enough help when you need it, or there are days where nothing goes right.

All of that plays into how you go about the hiring process. As a small business, sometimes you just don’t have the manpower to do it all. 

You’re probably asking, when is it considered ‘ghosting’ during the hiring process?

To be honest, there isn’t a clear cut line. What we can say is that the further someone makes it into the hiring process, the more they want to hear a response either way. Each company has its own steps to follow, but if you reach out to a candidate to express interest, it’s at this point that most job seekers start to experience ghosting.

77% of job applicants have been ghosted. That might be after an initial screening phone call, after one face-to-face interview, or after multiple interviews. In fact, some candidates have said they were ghosted by potential employers after a final job offer was submitted to them!

As an employer, ghosting comes down to a judgment call. There are lots of tools available to help you not leave job candidates out in the cold as to where their application stands. One thing we recommend is to write a generic template email saying thank you but no thank you. You can send this to all the candidates at once that aren’t moving to the next round, and that lets them know you aren’t ghosting them — which they will appreciate! You’ll appreciate it too because sometimes ghosting job seekers can lead to more of your time being eaten up when they reach out via phone and email to follow up on their application’s status.

But, what about the flip side?

What should you do as an employer if a candidate ghosts you?

In 2020, job seeker ghostings went up 18% from the previous year. The number one reason job seekers say they ghost employers is because they felt the job was not a good fit. Many applicants ghost early on in the process, but job seekers can wait until the last minute too. In fact, employers have reported that a quarter of new hires don’t show up for their first day on the job.

We’ve experienced this ourselves. We have even experienced new hires showing up for the first few days then ghosting with no explanation. In situations like this, what should employers do? Clearly communicate all expectations from day one. Do not close a job application (or, at least, do not stop the interview process) until a job seeker officially accepts a final offer from your company. Encourage applicants to ask questions. Once they are onboarded, schedule regular one-on-one meetings with them to continuously review expectations and allow them to voice how they are feeling. Be open, and they will follow your lead. If you’re looking for more tips, check out these 3 Mistakes to Avoid When Hiring.

We also suggest checking out these 10 Qualities to Look for When Hiring Team Members. Look for these qualities and their consistency through the interview process, and that will help you to not get ghosted once you’ve hired someone.

In a world of technology where we are all connected, we have never seemed further apart. Ghosting is happening on both sides of the aisle, but it’s for the same reason: either an applicant decided the job was not a good fit OR an employer decided the applicant was not a good fit. We suggest using tools available to send short notes to job candidates to let them know what is happening with their application, and be open and honest with your communication. 

Now we would love to know, do you send candidates something to inform them of your decision? How do you handle this process? Let us know!

 

 

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Five Strategies to Prevent Your Best Employees from Walking Out the Door

A stellar team can help move your business in the right direction. As a small business owner, you know that finding and keeping the right staff is critical for daily and long-term success. 

But, how do you hold on to your people when America is amid a “great resignation” that affects small and large businesses? 

As the pandemic wanes and people start to evaluate their lives and careers against a new backdrop, you want to ensure that your employees decide to stay with you. Understanding why people leave jobs and knowing a few key retention strategies can help keep your best employees on board, even when the job market is sizzling hot.

 

Understand Why People Leave Jobs

People leave jobs for as many different reasons as there are jobs. As an employer, some of the transitions are expected and outside of your control. For example, an employee who finishes a degree may decide to move on to a job in her field of study. Sometimes people have new family obligations–or family commitments change–and they choose to scale back or increase work obligations. Likewise, sometimes interests just change or curiosity drives people to try new things. 

 

In these cases, there’s not much you can do as an employer. Generally, the best option is to thank the employee for her service and end the relationship positively. Doing so means you are poised to continue a good relationship with that person. In some cases, the employee may return to you later or suggest an equally great friend as a resource.

 

However, some resignations are closely linked to employer actions and policies. Many times, employers are blind to the things that frustrate employees. For example, a lack of day-to-day flexibility or a strict vacation policy might send some employees packing. Employees who feel under-appreciated or sense conflict in the ranks also may leave.

 

The key is to know which issues are within your sphere of influence and which are not. If the problem is one you can control, proactive planning can prevent resignations and keep your all-star staff on board. 

 

Communicate Clearly with Your Team Members

Like so many aspects of life, communication is the key to a productive working relationship. To know what matters to your employees, keep the lines of communication open. It may feel awkward, but a simple call every few weeks to ask your team members what’s working and what’s not working can go a long way toward enhanced communication.

 

When you call, express that you are open to feedback and changes based on what you hear. Take input from employees in stride. When an employee is brave enough to share her thoughts and frustrations with you, respect the courage it took to speak up. If the feedback hurts or is contrary to what you expected, take a deep breath and vow to consider it.

 

When team members share frustrations, ask them to suggest ways to address concerns they have. An employee with a concern often has a solution in mind, which relieves you from solving the problem. If you hear the same feedback from several employees, encourage them to form a committee to address the issue and bring potential solutions to you.

 

In some cases, employees just want to be heard and know that you care. Making the call and asking the questions is an excellent step in that direction.

 

Share Feedback

One way to show your team love is to provide feedback on the regular. No need to wait for a performance review to talk about skill development. When employees see that you have taken the time to notice their work, provide feedback, and suggest new ways to grow, they know you care and feel valued.

 

When you see an employee struggling, encouraging feedback can make a huge difference. Likewise, when you see an employee thriving, mention that to her. Finally, if you sense an employee is bored or restless, finding a growth opportunity can help provide a challenge that keeps her engaged and highlights possibilities for future opportunities.

 

Recognize, Recognize, Recognize

In the workplace, recognition can fuel your team through challenging projects and encourage them to keep up the excellent work. It also serves as a reminder that you see each employee and appreciate the work they are doing. 

 

Recognition can be as easy as a phone call or an email that says, “hey, I notice what a good job you are doing.” Another strategy is to thank people at the end of a workday or after a challenging meeting.

 

Recognition can also take additional forms. Having a wide range of recognition tools makes the practice easier for you. But, when you manage a team of remote workers, the traditional ways of thanking your team and showing appreciation may be more difficult. Team lunches, impromptu gatherings, or stops at the local cafe for a quick “well done” treat are tougher to pull off when your team is scattered all over the country. 

 

Check out this blog for tips to make recognition a habit and to find no and low-cost ways to recognize your team.

 

Keep Pay and Benefits Current 

At the end of the day, your employees are generally working to support families. So, keeping pay and benefits current is an essential factor in retaining staff. It’s easy to forget about pay adjustments when you are busy doing good work with a great team. But, if your employees have been receiving the same pay for a year or more, it’s time to do some research. Here’s how:

 

  • Ask around to find out what like-businesses are paying for similar jobs.
  • Inquire about benefit offerings, including vacation time and flexibility.
  • Compare the data you gathered to your pay structure.
  • Make adjustments as needed. 
  • Communicate the changes–and the thinking behind them–to your team.

 

Be open about pay and benefits as you talk to your team members. Explain the research you did and the cost pressures you are facing in discussing pay. If you can’t increase pay or change benefits, be open with your team about that and explore whether other forms of compensation might be mutually acceptable.

 

Be Flexible and Offer Flexibility

As the pandemic winds down, people (especially moms!) may need new and different types of schedules. Be open to looking at and discussing new options. Offering a little additional flexibility in the short term could help you retain a valuable staff member for years to come.

 

How Do You Retain Staff?

I’d love to hear your tricks for keeping staff on board. Drop me a line and share your best tips.

 

 

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Top Tips to Make Your Job Stand Out in a Crowded Market

As the job market heats up, you may be looking for new team members but finding it difficult to attract applicants. In this market, it’s essential that your job posting stands out for all the right reasons. Job seekers have more choices now than they have over the last few years, and with school and child care options still in flux in many places, job seekers are taking their time to find the right mix of pay, flexibility, opportunity, and work activities. 

But, that doesn’t mean you can’t find a great person to fill your open role. It simply means that you’ll want to make sure that your job posting stands out from the crowd and attracts quality applicants. With the right strategy and a few tricks of the trade, you can craft a job post that attracts applicants and results in a solid hire for your team. The key is knowing what’s most important to you, preparing a suitable job description and posting, and avoiding red flags that might make job seekers pass on your opportunity.

 

Know What You Need, Specifically

Once it’s clear that you need to hire someone, think carefully about what you need from the contractor or employee. 

Start by considering the desired skill set. Consider what you want this person to do and the skills needed to do it. Focusing on skills vs. experience is an important distinction because you may not find an experienced applicant in a hot job market. However, you may find people with transferable skills who can quickly come up to speed.

Then, think about how willing you are to spend time training. If you are willing to teach the job to a person with the right skillset and advertise that willingness, you will likely increase your applicant pool. 

Finally, as you consider skills, ask yourself if all the desired skills are essential or if you could work with someone who possesses 80% of the needed skills and teach the rest. You may find a gem in the rough, and with a bit of investment, could have a solid, long-term employee.

 

Flexibility Factors

Next, consider the hours you need and the working conditions. Candidates are often looking for flexible hours. But, the idea of flexible hours can mean a lot of different things. For example, it could mean part-time hours or a shared job. For some applicants, it’s the ability to work different hours on different days. And, in some cases, flexible hours can mean having a deadline and working toward it without set hours. Think about what you need and be clear in your posting about your flexibility. The more flexibility you have, the greater the number of candidates you will likely attract.

If you don’t think there’s much flexibility in your role, run your thinking by some others and see if you can’t find some wiggle room that may make the job more attractive to candidates. This is especially true if you are replacing an employee who worked a particular schedule. For example, you may have had someone who worked from noon to five every weekday. You may naturally think you want the replacement employee to work from noon to five. However, many mothers with school-age children won’t apply for that as the after-school hours tend to be very busy. But, maybe you could shift the hours from 10 to 3 each weekday. That’s a much more attractive schedule to busy mothers who could be an excellent fit for the role. Also, by being open to different hour configurations, you are expanding the pool of likely candidates to different time zones, increasing the number of applicants for your post.

 

Determine What You Can Pay

Pay is tricky, but generally, higher pay attracts stronger candidates. Be realistic about the skills you are looking for and what the market is paying for those skills. You can talk with the pros at HireMyMom to help you find the proper pay range for your job. Focus on the value the employee brings to your company and how having that person on board might increase your revenue or productivity.

When thinking about pay, it’s easy to focus on dollars and cents. While money is a huge part of the pay equation, it’s not everything. Employees consider flexibility, hours, personal time, stress levels, and working conditions when thinking about pay satisfaction.

As an employer, your role is to create a competitive pay package that balances your need for profitability with the desire to attract and retain your staff. When you are looking for team members, it’s essential to convey the total package you offer to attract applicants.

 

Consider a Signing Bonus

Another way to stand out from the crowd is to consider offering a signing bonus. Offering this one-time payment can help make your job stand out from the rest and encourage people to apply and give it a try. 

Even a modest signing bonus of $150 can move lookers to applicants because it shows that you are serious about moving quickly to fill the job and demonstrates a commitment to your team. You could even stipulate that the bonus will be paid out 30 (or 60) days after the hire to ensure it’s a good fit for both parties. 

 

Create a Compelling Job Posting

With questions about skills, flexibility, and pay settled, it’s time to write the actual job post. The key is to find the right level of detail–not too much, not too little. Aim to describe the job thoroughly, but not with so many details that job seekers are discouraged from applying. Focus on the big picture work; don’t include every task this job could include at some point in the future. 

Likewise, don’t go so light on details that job seekers aren’t sure what the job entails or what your business does. A good check is to show the post to a trusted friend who doesn’t know much about your business and ask her to explain to you what the job entails. This will give you a good sense of how job seekers may read your post.

As you draft your post, put your best foot forward and make a compelling argument that your opportunity is worth pursuing. Think of the post as a resume for the role and your business. When you finish the post, review it as you would a resume. Make sure it:

  • Highlights the results you want the new team member to produce and the critical skills needed to achieve desired results.
  • Describes the best features of the job and the company. 
  • Explains why the role is essential to the company.
  • Avoids a long list of every task that may be required at some point but aren’t central to the job.

Reviewing your job post like you would a resume can help you gauge if the tone is right. For example, if you read a resume that says, “I’m an all-star and only want to work with all-stars,” you’d likely put that resume in the trash bin. Yet, many job postings include that type of phrasing, and it turns off many job seekers. Instead, try something like: We strive to create a culture of success and support for our business and our team members. We think work should be fun and rewarding. 

 

Make Your Application Process Easy

The proper application strategy can increase your chances of attracting applicants. There are few key components to the application strategy:

  • Make sure your application directions are straightforward and easy to follow. 
  • Make it easy to apply. One way to do this is to simply request a resume and cover letter via email and skip the online application or additional forms at least for now. Quality job seekers have options and can be turned off by long job applications that require them to enter everything on their resume manually.  Once you’ve received some quality resumes, consider then having them complete additional forms. Once they know they’ve made the shortlist, they will be much more willing to spend the additional time completing additional steps. 
  • Skip the addition of attention-to-detail tests that are often time-consuming and stressful. For example, don’t ask job seekers to find the 40th word on a particular page of your website and respond with certain fonts and colors. Save those types of tests for later in the process when you have quality applicants and are choosing between them. The same goes for video responses. Many times applicants won’t take the time to apply if there are many steps or a lengthy process. However, if you narrow down your applicants to 5 or 10 then you can ask for those videos or other special requests once they know they’ve made it to the shortlist. 

 

Avoid Red Flags 

As you review resumes, you likely look for certain red flags-things that serve as automatic disqualifiers. Job seekers see red flags in job posts, too. Here are some red flags to avoid:

  • Listing too many skills in the requirements section. Including a laundry list of desired skills that includes everything the person may need to do to the job can be discouraging. Instead, focus on three to five essential skills that are critical for the job. During the interview process, you can probe for additional skills. Another strategy is to include a required and desired skill section in your job posting. Point out the areas where you are willing to train the right person.
  • Requiring strict scheduling. This is a tough needle to thread, because in some cases, schedules matter greatly, and it’s best to be honest. But, if you can find flexibility, look for it and note in your posting that you are open to discussing a mutually agreeable schedule.
  • Offering pay that’s low relative to the skills needed. Pay is tough. But, if you aren’t getting any nibbles on your post, you may need to up your pay range. Pay rate is especially important for jobs that require specific skills, if you are looking for experienced applicants or if you have particular hours requirements that may require people to pay for child care or incur other expenses that must be weighed against the pay rate.
  • Describing the opportunity or your business in absolute terms can turn off a job seeker. For example, saying that “everyone at the company is a rockstar” or that “we never make mistakes” may cause a conscientious applicant to pause and consider how difficult it could be to achieve rock star status on a learning curve or to think about the stress she might feel striving for complete perfection as a new team member. It’s more attractive to say that the company offers a supportive environment that values excellence. 
  • Letting typos or other errors stay in your post. While typos happen to everyone, seeing one in a job post is a red flag that perhaps you aren’t that serious about the job or the work. This rule is especially important if you are advertising that attention to detail is a key skill needed for the job. Be sure to have a trusted co-worker or friend review your post. Then, review it again. 

 

Keep Trying!

Great employees are out there and they are looking for work. Try not to be discouraged as you seek new team members. Like all relationships, it can take some time to find the right fit. But, investing the time to find a new team member will pay off in the long term.

 

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A Quarter of Businesses Fail for this Reason : How to Avoid this Trap

As a small business owner, you have the heart of an entrepreneur. You are passionate about your business, driven, and willing to do anything to see it succeed. But, the sad truth is that many companies fail. According to Business Insider, more than 50% of new businesses fail in the first five years.

The owners of the failed businesses were also dedicated, passionate and driven. But, about a quarter of them had one thing in common–they didn’t have the right team in place.

To be sure, businesses fail for a variety of reasons. Common issues include product concerns, cash flow issues, or lack of demand. And, indeed, many businesses have been ravaged by the economic fall out of COVID-19. But, statistics show that staffing issues are a leading cause of business failure.

While that figure may seem daunting, with the proper perspective, knowledge about staffing options, and the right plan, you can take steps to ensure that staffing issues don’t sink your business.

 

The Right Team Can Help Your Business Soar

As you launch your business, it’s tempting to want to do everything yourself. This instinct is understandable. After all, you are passionate about your business. You care deeply about its success, and you know you’ll work hard at any and all tasks. What’s more, it’s challenging to spend money on staff when your work is in the start-up phase.

But, even the most talented entrepreneur needs help and support with some tasks. It makes sense for you to focus on the things you do best and the things that will make your business succeed.

To free up the time and headspace needed to do that, outsource tasks that aren’t central to your core business to specialists. For example, social media can be tough to do well. But, a social media manager can help. The same goes for bookkeeping or taxes. 

Other tasks just take time, and that’s time you could spend on your business. For example, routine administrative work like calendar management or travel booking can eat up large portions of your day, keeping you away from the work that will help your business succeed.

As you start your business, remember that you don’t need to focus on mastering every task. As the executive and founder, your focus belongs on the core business and making it succeed.

 

Build a Team

There are a lot of methods for building a team as you start and grow your business. You certainly don’t need to source a full-time, on-site staff right out of the gate.

Freelance specialists and virtual employees are an excellent resource for you. Here’s how each works:

 

Freelance Resources

A freelancer or contractor is someone with particular expertise who can join your team as an independent contractor. Businesses can use freelancers on an ongoing basis, for specific projects, or for a set amount of time. Some freelancers have several clients, and sometimes they just have one or two. 

Much of the available freelance talent is comprised of people–often mothers of young and school-age children–with deep business experience, extensive subject knowledge, and a need for flexibility. In many cases, a desire to better balance home and family life leads to a freelance career. These top-notch professionals can provide expertise and expertly fill your needs.

Freelancers are self-employed and work on a project-based basis. So, you don’t need to make long-term commitments as an employer. As contractors, freelancers pay their own payroll taxes and other expenses.

 

Virtual Employees

If you are looking for a more traditional team member, a virtual or remote employee might fit the bill. This is a good option if you are ready to take on an employee but not ready to rent office space or provide some of the other office life trappings. If your business is located in an area where it’s tough to find people with the right skill set, this is a great option. 

You can find virtual employees who are looking for full and part-time work. Generally, people looking for remote work opportunities are doing so to find a better work/life balance. 

When you hire employees, you cover payroll taxes and other associated expenses.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has set guidelines for determining if someone is an employee or an independent contractor. 

Both are excellent options and can help your business grow and thrive.

 

Top Reasons to Use Freelancers or Virtual Staff

There are several reasons that freelance and virtual talent are an excellent option for your growing business.

  • Quality. The quality of freelance and virtual talent that’s available is genuinely remarkable. Whatever your need, you can find a dedicated, driven, experienced person to help you on a freelance basis or as a virtual team member.
  • Flexibility. Freelancers and virtual staff are used to doing what it takes to get the job done and offer flexibility in skills, hours, and costs.
  • Logistics. Freelance and virtual staff often provide their own computers, office supplies, and space. 
  • Availability. When you hire freelance resources and virtual team members, you aren’t limited by geography to find expertise and support. You can find and hire a team member who’s located anywhere with good internet access. 

 

How to Get Started

The first step is to determine the type of help you need. To do this:

  • Consider the needs of your business and make a list of the tasks that must be done.
  • Put a star next to those activities where you have the expertise, time, and passion for doing the job well.
  • Draw a circle around those that don’t make sense for you to do. 
  • Make a list of the tasks you’d like to assign out and consider what type of help you need to accomplish them.

 

Find a Talent Partner

Using a platform like HireMyMom.com is a great way to source qualified candidates who are specifically looking for remote and contract work. HireMyMom has helped thousands of small businesses find the perfect candidate for their business while helping place thousands of mom professionals in their dream jobs. You can save time and money by turning to a site dedicated to connecting driven mom professionals with small businesses. 

When you post a job on HireMyMom, you’ll find a community of dedicated, professional women who are actively seeking opportunities with like-minded employers. When you post your job, you’ll quickly have access to a wide array of qualified candidates who will be dedicated to helping your business succeed and grow. The site attracts job seekers from across the country with various specialized skill sets and a desire to work hard for you.

If the prospect of a nationwide search daunts you, consider our concierge service to help reduce the amount of leg work you need to do. HireMyMom’s Concierge service was created for busy entrepreneurs and small business owners, like you, who need to hire help but don’t have the time or desire to go through the time-consuming process. With our full-service Concierge service, our HR Specialists will do it all for you from start to finish and present you with the top candidate(s). 

Visit HireMyMom.com/employers to start building your dream team.

 

 

 

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What is a Virtual Assistant? And Why Smart Business Owners Use Them

Imagine a world where you focus on growing your business, and all your administrative, technical, and customer service tasks are cared for by capable and dedicated hands. If this scenario sounds like an unachievable nirvana, you’ve likely never heard of a virtual assistant. Virtual assistants (VA) can save the day–and your sanity. Knowing how to find and use VAs can change your life as an entrepreneur and help you take your business to the next level.

 

Why Use a VA

As you start and grow your business, it’s easy to fall into the trap of doing it all. You manage your calendar, pitch products, book travel, invoice clients, monitor your social media–all of it. But that’s neither sustainable nor advisable. First of all, you can’t be an expert in everything. Even if you are an expert in things as varied as social media, accounting, and marketing, managing it all is too much for one person who is focused on launching and growing a business. 

Recognizing that you need help and finding it is not a failure. Rather, it’s a way to set yourself up for success. Recognizing the need to outsource tasks, such as those that are administrative, technical, or generally outside your wheelhouse, is a sign of growth and commitment to your business. By outsourcing tasks that distract you from the core work of growing your business, you are showing your commitment to success in the areas that matter by focusing on what’s important and the things that make your business great.

 

More about VAs

VA’s are a real game-changer for many entrepreneurs because they can save you so much time and hassle as you scale your business. Often, VA’s have their own computers and other office resources. Some VA’s work for more than one client on a part-time basis and others work for a single client.

And, they commonly participate in support networks to continue learning and growing. Many have extensive contacts within the VA world if you find you need additional or focused support. 

There are two main types of VA’s. General VA’s can help in a wide variety of areas and those with a specialty within an industry or specific tasks. 

 

General VAs

A general VA is often a jack-of-all-trades who can help you with various tasks across categories. Think of this person as your day-to-day go-to resource to get things done. 

If you think of a traditional office, the general VA is like an executive assistant. The person who functions as the nerve center of the office, keeping people and projects on track. They can offer on-demand support, just how and when you need it. For example, general virtual assistants often perform:

  • Administrative tasks, including:
    • Managing your email and calendar
    • Arranging travel 
    • Performing receptionist duties (including answers calls, which are easily transferred to any phone in the world)
    • Managing files (including creating a file management system)
    • Taking minutes in meetings
    • Planning  events 
    • Issuing invitations
    • Entering data 
    • Creating reports and slideshows for presentations
    • Running personal errands, such as online shopping for holiday and birthday gifts
    • Answering support tickets
    • Transcribing voicemails, podcasts, or video content
    • Building databases
    • Maintaining mailing lists
    • Booking appointments
    • Entering CRM updates
    • Creating and managing spreadsheets
    • Updating web site pages
    • Creating PDFs, forms, and templates
    • Conducting basic research
    • Recruiting other resources, as needed
    • Serving as a liaison between you and other team members
  • Technology services, including:
    • Training team members to use new and existing software
    • Managing software
  • Customer Service tasks, including
    • Responding to customer emails and calls
    • Sending routine messages, like birthday wishes and reminders
    • Identifying trends from customer emails and calls and bringing them to your attention
  • Marketing and Social Media activities, including
    • Setting up, managing, and updating social media accounts
    • Creating large email lists
    • Testing and sending email blasts
    • Setting up Autoresponders
    • Publishing blog posts, managing comments, and replying to comments
  • Basic Financial tasks, including:
    • Bookkeeping
    • Invoicing
    • Entering receipts
    • Managing accounts receivable

 

Speciality VAs

A specialized VA possesses specific skills and know-how in a distinct area or industry. A specialist VA is more of a resource for particular projects or elements of your business. If you think of a general VA as an executive assistant or office manager, the specialty VA is more like a department head–the person with deep knowledge about a specific function or area.

Some Specialty VAs often focus on an industry, like real estate. However, many have deep expertise in a specific area, such as:

  • Social media
  • Research
  • eCommerce
  • Marketing 
  • Accounting/bookkeeping
  • Content creation and editing (written, audio, and video) 
  • Graphics (Design and photography)
  • Project management services
  • Mobile app development

Specialized assistants can complete more complicated and in-depth tasks within the specialized area. For example, a general VA can post a Tweet or update Instagram. A specialist can help with more in-depth work, such as embedding SEO words into posts.

Sometimes a general VA and a specialist work together. For example, a specialized VA with a background in web development or graphic design can create new material that a general VA can update and tweak over time.

 

Can One VA Do it All?

No. As you can see from the lists above, one VA–even the best VA available–can’t do all of these things. So, the trick is knowing what you need in a VA, writing the job description that covers your needs, and finding the person–or people–that you need.

VAs are so flexible. It’s easy to staff up and down, based on your needs. 

 

How to Get Started

VA’s can be remote employees or independent contractors who work from home. Both models work well depending on your needs. 

The first step is to determine the work you want the VA to complete. This thinking creates a scope of work and helps clarify what you’d like to have completed, outlines the timeframe, and estimates the number of hours needed to complete the project. 

Once you assess the scope of work, consider the type of VA you need, a contractor or an employee. If you have several needs, you may need a combination of resources to fill your needs.

For example, depending on your workload, you may want to bring a general VA on as an employee. You may also want to find a specialized VA to create your website and another specialized VA to build out your marketing plan. Because these are both shorter-term needs, a freelance resource may make more sense for those roles.

If you aren’t sure who qualifies as an employee and who qualifies as a contractor, here’s a handy rule of thumb: 

  • You pay independent contractors for the result of their work. You don’t have control over how, when, or where they do the job.
  • You pay employees for the result of the work and the ability to control how the job is done.

Usually, independent contractors are in a different business than your own. For example, freelancers, like artists, editors, and writers, are often independent contractors. Independent contractors can also include outside companies doing work for you on an ongoing basis. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has set guidelines for determining if someone is an employee or an independent contractor. 

 

How to Find Your VA

With a good handle on what type of support you need, the next step is to create a job that highlights the skill set you need. Outline the tasks you want the VA to perform, detail the working conditions (onsite, virtual), and clarify your expectations for hours.

Expect to pay between $15 and $45 an hour, depending on the skills and experience you need to complete your tasks. 

Then, post your job on HireMyMom and relax while resumes for good candidates arrive in your inbox. Once you’ve narrowed the field, set up interviews, choose a candidate, check references and make a job offer. 

 

Why Use HireMy Mom

HireMyMom.com is a great place to find a VA that is right for all your needs for three reasons:

  • HireMyMom has exclusive partnerships with three top-rated VA training programs, creating a deep bench of talented professionals who visit the site looking for opportunities.
  • When you post your job, you’ll quickly have access to a wide array of qualified candidates who will be dedicated to helping your business succeed and grow. The site attracts job seekers from across the country with various specialized skill sets and a desire to work hard for you.
  •  HireMyMom’s Concierge service can streamline the process for you. The service was created for busy entrepreneurs and small business owners, like you, who need to hire help but don’t have the time or desire to go through the time-consuming process. With our full-service Concierge service, our HR Specialists will do it all for you from start to finish and present you with the top candidate(s). 

 

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Which Time Tracking Software is Right for You and Your Remote Team?

Which time tracking software is right for you and your remote team?

Having an accurate time tracking system in place is crucial in order to successfully manage remote work. It’s one of the best ways to monitor your team’s progress, understand your productivity rates, and properly measure your KPI’s (Key Performance Indicators).

The three main reasons for time tracking are to gauge client work, to manage your remote team, and to help improve productivity and profitability.

This article covers the benefits of having a time tracking system in place plus our top 5 recommendations for time tracking software.

 

Benefits of Time Tracking For Remote Teams

Accountability

With remote work, it’s easy to become distracted. The freedom, though wonderful – can become a playground for bad habits to be developed (like going on your social media accounts when you should be working).

By using a time tracking software, you’ll be able to monitor your team’s time on and time off each task and catch any issues early on before they become much bigger ones. 

From the worker’s perspective, time tracking is a great way to help you keep to your schedule, stay on track with tasks from start to completion, and it gives you the chance to celebrate the wins and milestones of your job performance. 

It also gives you the confidence so that if your work were to ever come into question, you have a track record to explain the situation to the management department.

 

Project Management

The many offers of time tracking software make it easy to manage any project from virtually anywhere (or any device). Time tracking software contains many features that help you keep track of projects. From quick reports to visual dashboards that provide you with real-time project views, it’s easy to see everything in one place. 

It helps team leaders manage the projects within their team and provides the opportunity to make decisions about priorities, tasks, and project shifting at-a-glance.

 

Less Stress

Tight deadlines, misplaced files, uncertainty with team progress, and miscommunication can contribute to stress. Stress on the workers, the employer, and overall health of the company.

Time tracking software can do a pretty great job dealing with all of the above pain points. It helps you keep on track with due dates, can act as a hub for file tracking, provides team progress in a visual snapshot, and allows for stronger communication and clarity.

 

Cost-Efficient

There are many ways that a time tracking software can help the productivity and cost-efficiency of a company’s operations. It can eliminate wasted time that takes place in an office environment where employee socialization can steal from productivity. It can help monitor project progress and once completed, can help determine the baseline of tasks and their costs to create a better pricing structure for future clients/projects. Finally, because time tracking is automated, this can free up time on your management teams end which you can use towards other aspects of running your business.

 

5 Time Tracking Software for Remote Teams

Review our picks for time tracking software and evaluate (include pricing): 

Time Doctor

  • What it is: Time Doctor is a Software As A Service (also known as SaaS) platform which provides time tracking and productivity tools. It’s owned by the team at Staff.com and was founded in 2012. It has the ability to easily integrate with the most commonly used CRM systems.
  • What it does: Time Doctor provides time tracking and employee monitoring, online timesheets and payroll, project budgeting and management, distraction alerts, allows for screenshots, website and app monitoring, client login access, and more.
  • What it costs: Time Doctor offers a FREE 14-Day Trial with no credit card required. Packages range on a per user basis between $7 – $20 per month.

Wrike

  • What it is: Wrike is an online project management platform that provides a simple way to plan projects, streamline communication, and workflow. The company was founded in 2006 and has accomplished some noteworthy “street cred” including; 2020 TrustRadius Top Rated Award, 2019 and 2018 Customer’s Choice Awards, and is also mentioned as one of the Top Places to Work between from 2015 – 2019 consecutively.
  • What it does: Wrike offers task management, Gantt Charts, workflow management, task prioritization, workload views, custom reports, real-time activity, shareable dashboards, document collaboration, file sharing, real-time activity, custom calendar, and integration with calendars, dropbox, Google Docs and more.
  • What it costs: Wrike offers a Free Trial and plans ranging from $0 to $10/month per user. 

Clockify

  • What it is: Clockify is an attractive time tracking software because it’s the only software that is entirely FREE. There are no user restrictions, it’s simply free. But there must be a catch right? Clockify does charge to upgrade and allow for additional features. The additional features do make it hard to resist. Clockify was founded in 2009 and has over 2 million users, over 100 employees, and a substantial amount of glowing reviews.
  • What it does: Some features that Clockify offers include timesheets, time-off tracking, hourly rates, real-time tracking, time reports, multiple users, exports and share reports, and more.
  • What it costs: Clockify is FREE and their plans start at $0 per month and range up to $29.99/month with a combination of user and/or flat-fee pricing depending on the package you select.

Toggl

  • What it is: Toggl is an app for time tracking. It allows you to track your activities on a daily basis across different platforms. It gives you detailed insights so you can identify the areas you need to improve on.
  • What it does: Toggl offers a way to easily organize your team through their 3-Stage Hierarchy, provide a continuous backup of data, offer no signup or termination fees, allows for easy integration with FreshBooks, Basecamp and more. It provides real-time synchronization between web apps, desktop apps, phone apps, and more. Because Toggl is open source, it allows accessibility users need to build different third party integrations into it.
  • What it costs: Just like it’s competitors, Toggl provides a Free Trial with plans ranging from $10 to $20/month per user with Enterprise Packages for more complex situations.

Harvest

  • What it is: Harvest is a cloud-based time tracking software. It is built to handle small to large-scale businesses. It has invoicing and timesheet features. Harvest was founded in 2006 by Danny Wen and Shawn Liu who were looking for their own ways to solve some of their growing web design studio pain points. 
  • What it does: Harvest features time and expense tracking, invoicing, expense tracking, time-based reporting, and more.
  • What it costs: Harvest is free to try with no credit card required. The free trial includes 1 user and 2 projects. After the Free Trial, Harvest is $12 per user. 

 

We hope you’ve found this article helpful. You also might like our “How To Effectively and Successfully Manage Your Remote Team” here

 

This site contains affiliate links to courses and resources. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links.

 

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