Listen, we can’t be good at everything and as a business owner, one of the most important things you can do is accept this.
Nobody expects Mary Berry to be able to make waves with her mind, in the same way you’d never ask Aquaman to bake you a birthday cake. We’ve all got our own skills and superpowers but it’s crucial that we also accept our limits. One of the many myths of outsourcing is that the quality won’t be as good as doing it yourself, but this isn’t always the case.
We’ll share some tips on how to hire an expert if you need to outsource tasks from your business or as part of a project.
Decide where to look
The first step in looking for an expert? Look in the right place! For example, you might go to a freelancing platform like Fiverr if you need a content writer, or use Checkatrade for a roofing contractor.
It will help focus your search, which is a starting point.
Describe what problem you’re trying to solve
Giving the solution to the problem you’re hiring someone for can suggest you already have a very particular goal in mind. If this isn’t the case, and you need their expertise to work out what the best outcome could be, describe what you’re trying to achieve and any constraints instead.
That way, it becomes their responsibility to design the solution – which is exactly what you’re hiring an expert for!
How do you know you’re hiring an expert?
So, you’ve acknowledged a gap in your skillset, and recognised you need help from somebody more qualified or experienced. How can you identify a field expert when you aren’t one yourself? As a business owner or employer, this can become a bit of a stumbling block when it comes to finding the right person.
A common example of this is SEO. You know you need it to climb the search ranks and boost your small business marketing, but you don’t know where to start. When something feels like one big mystery or a foreign language, it can then be hard to work out whether the person you’re hiring knows what they’re talking about.
Fortunately there are several steps you can take to make sure you’re hiring the right person.
Ask for references and a portfolio
This is where it’s so important to do some research! Check out their portfolio, reviews, and reputation in as much detail as you can. You might not become an expert in the field within the hour but you will at least have a better understanding of the basics.
The best way to build a character profile and get a good idea about whether somebody is the expert they claim to be is to experience what they do first hand. Ask to see some examples of past work, case studies and testimonials from previous clients or employers before committing to anything. This is particularly useful for creatives like marketing experts.
Check their qualifications and professional memberships
In some cases it’s a legal requirement that the person carrying out a particular task is accredited or qualified by a professional body. For instance, gas appliances can only be installed by a gas safe engineer.
Some professions, such as accounting, aren’t a protected industry. Unfortunately this means that anyone provide accountancy services, so make sure they have the type of qualifications, accreditations, and experience that you need. Read our guide to hiring a qualified accountant.
Get a second opinion if you need one
Outsourcing doesn’t tie you to using one firm or person forever after. If you need to get a second opinion or several quotes, then you’re well within your rights to do so!
If you do end up using someone for a larger project, why not split the job up into smaller milestones – each with their own milestone payment? That way you can get out of there if you need to, without committing too much upfront or getting tied up in a contract.
Beware of sales patter
Most genuinely experienced and knowledgeable experts will be very honest that they don’t know everything – how could they? With that in mind a few potential red flags could include:
- An aversion of “not sure but I can find out”. This raises all sorts of questions about whether they actually know what they’re looking for, or what sort of value they might be able to offer you.
- Not giving you options, or explaining what the trade-offs might be to reach a particular outcome
- They use a lot of jargon without explaining what any of it means. Okay, so you’re hiring an expert – it’s their job to understand this stuff! They don’t need to dazzle you with science.
- They don’t ask any questions at all. You might have given a supremely detailed brief, but if they jump straight into sales mode rather than asking about your own unique circumstances, then they might be selling something more formulaic than the expertise they’re claiming to have.
Find more business guides and resources in our information centre, including help with finding a cheap accountant.
