by Renee Ruby

Created on: May 03, 2009

Paid employees come can come with a host of issues. You not only must provide software, hardware, tech equipment and furniture for them, you also have state and federal obligations, and employer compliance and unemployment liabilities. Then there are the benefits packages - sick leave, vacation time. It is estimated that the true cost of an employee is over double and sometimes triple the cost of their annual salary in terms of benefits and liabilities.

Who Are Freelance Workers?

Freelance workers may be between jobs, permanent full-time freelancers, stay-at-home parents looking for flexible work options or any combination of the three. They usually will work from their own home or office space. Freelancers may have specific specialties or areas of expertise. According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), in 2005 there were 10.3 million independent contractors in the U.S., representing about 7.5 percent of the total labor force.

VAs are already computer trained, and can assist with your specific needs from traditional office support services to highly specialized areas including presentations, marketing or graphic & web design. Freelancers also already have or have access to specialized software applications saving you money by not having to purchase them.

Although the occupation gives a degree of independence, work is on a contractual basis, and a long-lasting cooperation is standard. What Freelance Workers Do: As your business opportunities grow, you may want to consider hiring independent contractors or other "alternative" workers for projects that don't require the labor of a full-time employee. This includes long-term projects or a more labor-intensive project that might last only a few weeks.

Creative fields such as writing, graphic design and Web design are often full of freelance workers, and freelance labor is likewise common in computer programming, consulting and office administration. You can call upon your VA for basic word processing, phone answering, bill paying, appointment scheduling and calendar maintenance.

You can train your virtual assistant to go beyond administrative support to client development and marketing support. Work assignments are communicated through IM, e-mail, phone, fax, "snail mail," or Web-based tools. Schedule changes, project reports, or customer-service alerts can be performed immediately.

Why Hire a Freelancer or Virtual Assistant Save Money!

Hiring a freelancer means your company gets the finished product

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