Thanks to a faltering economy, the online outsourcing industry has been inundated with an onslaught of "job boards" since 2010, which on the surface, sounds like a good thing. People lose jobs, the Internet gives them back. It's a sweet deal for those with skills easily transferrable to the electronic environment and those with resources needed to maintain a virtual working platform.

But there are some serious problems with these rising "opportunities" that are just too hard to ignore.

Problem #1: Job Boards Lack Regulation

Job boards, for the most part, run free of regulation. I say 'for the most part,' because a few legitimate ones, like vWorker, regulate themselves. Legitimate job boards operate under a registered business license for example, they exist in approved zones, they're bonded and insured, and they're registered with the Better Business Bureau.

On the Internet, things change. A "business" becomes a business the minute someone slaps up a website with its own domain name, and that unfortunately includes the job board business. There may be legal requirements to fulfill, but few fulfill them. There may be laws to obey, but few obey them. Even fewer comply with industry or ethical standards in this country or any other, which is what makes the web the touch-and-go situation that it is.

In fact, the only thing stopping "Jane" from giving "John" her credit card information in this environment, is her own common sense and savvy consumerism. In times of desperation however, even Jane can be swindled.

Problem #2: Employment Scams are on the Rise

According to recent news reports, recession-related scams flourished this past year, prompting consumer watch dogs to issue warnings non-stop. Of particular concern are warnings against employment scams, where jobless hopefuls pay a fee of some sort in an effort to find work that may never come. Below, you can see how those reports significantly increased within the last two years.

Data secured from a date-ranged Google news search

Problem #3: Anyone Can Run a Job Site

A significant interest in free job board scripts skyrocketed in a similar pattern. Anyone can run a job site and gain access to sensitive data (names, addresses, social security numbers, credit card numbers, etc.) with just a computer, internet connection, and a simple cgi or php job board script. That means the brand new job board you might have heard about, the one with the cute Web 2.0 name and hokey interface, could be in the hands of a snot-nosed 13 year old who can't even keep his room clean, but can surely wreak havoc with private info. 

Even worse, it could be in the hands of someone who's under no obligation, legally or ethically, to follow U.S. laws or accommodate your rights as a consumer.

I don't know about you, but to me, that's a bit concerning.

Look at how the interest in job board scripts shot up to almost double from 2009:

Admittedly, the implied correlation is drenched in speculation. I probably could have come up with a similar correlation between employment scams and babies born with alien-shaped birthmarks. But when I look at the number of search results that demonstrate interest in job board scams, I notice a dramatic jump within the last year as well. In a single decade, the number of searches for job board scams increased from 15,300 in 2000 to 396,000 in 2010. Compared to 2009, interest increased 32 times in 2010, while two years prior, it rose by just a small percentage in 2008 from 2007.

So just what does all of this mean, exactly?

Is it too presumptuous to suspect a relationship between the number of searches for job board scripts and scams? (Within the same year!) Would it be equally presumptuous to suspect a relationship between the number of searches for exploding cell phones and ear surgeries?  How about malfunctioning iPads and requests for refunds? Answers can be found in questions, and that's what this article tries to provide.

Solution

While you, the outsourcer, aren't perusing job boards for employment, you are perusing them for paid solutions. Don't throw caution into the wind -- not when we could be facing a trending scam. I strongly advise you to outsourcer your projects to a well-established outsourcing service only, and let all of these new pop-up job boards earn their keep the old-fashioned way, like their predecessors did.

When in doubt, match a job board's physical address and phone number with data supplied by Google maps. Google won't list a company that doesn't verify its address and phone number. Then hop over to the Better Business Bureau and note how a job board in question responds to complaints. If that isn't enough, wait 3 - 4 months before using a new job board while you search forums and complaint boards for more insight. While no business is perfect, these simple steps can prevent a very unfortunate experience.

This, in the midst of a recession!

Fueling the fire of course, were not only the benefits of outsourcing, but the increasing awareness of those benefits as well. I have never seen so many people inquire about online outsourcing than I did in the entire year of 2010.

People asked important questions, sought opinions, compared services, and shared experiences across a plethora of networked blogs, feeds, and updates -- furiously spreading word about anything and everything there is to share. And while there were oftentimes moments of information overload, I feel confident that two major feats were accomplished.

1. The truth about what outsourcing options are available surfaced among a deep sea of misleading information, miscommunication, and confusion.

2. Competition challenged the status quo (among some) and prompted a few beneficial changes for everyone involved.

So what does all this mean, and how does it affect you as an outsourcer?

It means that in 2011, online outsourcing will become an integral part of your business activities whether you want it to or not -- if it hasn't already. The buzz is out there thanks to the passing year, and no one in their right mind is going to let it dissipate into thin air.

Microsoft's push toward cloud development, for example, will compel you to exploit outsourcing just as commonly and as frequently as you currently exploit online shopping, Google, or any other computer-based commodity. A definite cloud infrastructure isn't here yet, but it's philosophy is hitting home. And that's a philosophy drenched with the principles of outsourcing.

I won't dare try to detail what 2011 will present. What I will do instead, is bid the 5th anniversary of my services as a provider farewell, and welcome 2011's new inventions, technologies, procedures, and adjustments. We live in interesting times, and I believe 2011 will adequately demonstrate just how far we're able to push that interest.

Join me as I talk more about online outsourcing through SitePoint’s up and coming sister site, “Learnable,” and stick around. "You ain't seen nuthin' yet."

-Nicole

Risks To Schedule Estimates

• Action to take if you discover your project can't be completed in the specified time:
• Action to take if a delay in one task delays other tasks:
• Action to take if marketing results in development decisions that lengthen the schedule:
• Action to take if budget cuts occur:
• Action to take if equipment is not available, or, is available - but inadequate:
• Action to take if development tools do not work as expected:

Risks To End-User Involvement

• Action to take if end-user input is not solicited:
• Action to take if end-user refuses to participate:
• Action to take if end-user is unable to participate due to incompatibly issues:
• Action to take if end-user's feedback response time is slower than anticipated:
• Action to take if end-user insists on new requirements:
• Action to take if end-user has expectations you can't meet:
• Action to take if end-user finds project to be unsatisfactory:

Risks To Using Contracted Work

• Action to take if qualified service provider is not available:
• Action to take if qualified service provider does not want the job:
• Action to take if qualified service provider is available only part-time:
• Action to take if qualified service provider works slower than expected:
• Action to take if qualified service provider delivers components of low quality:
• Action to take if qualified service provider delivers components that have to be improved:
• Action to take if qualified service provider does not deliver components on time:
• Action to take if qualified service provider quits:
• Action to take if qualified service provider is hired late in project:

Risks To Requirements/Development

• Action to take if additional requirements are added:
• Action to take if requirements continue to change:
• Action to take if project will run in an unfamiliar environment:
• Action to take if multiple compatibility routines are required:
• Action to take if development tools are not in place on time:
• Action to take if project is dependent upon technology still under development:
• Action to take if development tools need work-arounds, or if new tools are needed:
• Action to take if technology repeatedly causes errors:

• heddesheimer in Luebeck, n/a, Germany
• George Ciubotaru in Timisoara, Timis, Romania
• sanisoft in Nagpur, Maharashtra, India
• javieryep in Geneve, Geneve, Switzerland
• Invitratech in Pune, Maharashtra, India
• falcan in Lahost, Czech Republic, Czech Republic
• jparga in Champaign, Illinois, United States
• joblesspoet in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan
• Hamman Samuel in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
• hackman_3 in Manchester, England, United Kingdom
• digital web sol in Ishwar bhuvan Road, Navrangpura, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India
• Nordlogic in Cluj-Napoca, Cluj, Romania
• ExpandOnline UK in Royston, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom
• Duketown in 's-Hertogenbosch, NB, Netherlands
• Chris Adams in Richmond, North Yorkshire, United Kingdom
• Laurent1979 in Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
• Eric Muyser in Mission, British Columbia, Canada
• Bill Stavroulakis in Athens, Attiki, Greece
• Emblem in Bahawalpur, Punjab, Pakistan
• Mustang1478 in rawalpindi, punjab, Pakistan
• alexphpjs in Sibiu, Sibiu, Romania
• another smith in McLean, Virginia, United States
• Chris Santala in London, Ontario, Canada
• Usman -Halal IT in Sylhet, Sylhet, Bangladesh
• TheGraphicChick in Doylestown, Ohio, United States
• Alex Tudor in Bucharest, Sector 3, Romania
• Szilard Mihaly in Szentegyhaza, Hargita county, Romania
• Mike Griffin in Esher, UK, United Kingdom
• Pixiders in Sargodha, Punjab, Pakistan
• Chris-at-Netronix-Media in Qu??bec, Quebec, Canada
• Shup in Lodz, Lodz, Poland
• ProximateSolutions in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan
• MM Web Solutions in Ankara, Dikimevi, Turkey
• SB Solutions in Barcelona, Catalu??a, Spain
• tsocks in Madrid, Madrid, Spain
• crazyphp in Asansol, West Bengal, India
• joelfrens in Panaji, Goa, India
• jondaley in Valencia, Pennsylvania, United States
• divya.aradhya in Goa, Goa, India
• Coder Emran in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
• Intaglica in Iloilo City, Iloilo, Philippines
• anandagr in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
• rajasaur in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
• iT Gurus Software in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
• Yusuf SAHIN in Bursa, Bursa, Turkey
• chocofries in Valenzuela City, Metro Manila, Philippines
• Bog Imp
• esplindia in Manjalpur, Vadodara, Vadodara, India
• thang dai ca in Ha Noi, Cau Giay, Vietnam
• Rohandi Media Consulting in Berlin, Berlin, Germany

Forming a team to research and solve a problem is the right thing to do in the face of a challenge, but it isn???t always the right approach to every situation.

To get the best possible results, individuals must ask themselves, ???Is a team appropriate at this time????

Unfortunately, when people assume the answer to that question is yes, without thoroughly considering things like requirements, goals, resources, and time, they start the team building process right away ??? ultimately planning an imperfect strategy before they even get started.

This article poses five questions you should ask before creating a team.

Requirements

Does your project really require a team? This is perhaps the most important question you???ll ask.?? We all value collaboration and teamwork ??? but they don???t have to go together. There???s a big difference between putting people on a team, and asking them to help on an as-needed basis. Perhaps the latter strategy could be a better fit for your problem.??

Goals

Is the goal clear? Never form a team when a goal isn???t crystal clear. A team can develop a problem statement and solve a problem, but they can???t apply that statement or solution to a goal that isn???t clearly defined.?? Once a goal is clear, you can continue on.

Resources

Will the team have the resources they need to succeed? If not, will you be the person to provide those resources? Teams are effective when they know what they have to work with. That includes skills, budget, time, support and more. A lack of resources could push teams toward creative, out-of-the-box solutions, however it???s a risk. A lack of resources could contribute to frustration and low productivity as well.

Importance

How important is your problem? Not all projects or problems are created equal, so you might want to consider your situation???s importance before dedicating those resources.?? Think about your overall plan and see where the problem fits into your big picture. Then ask yourself, ???Does this problem have to be solved now? What would happen if its solution were delayed????

Time

Is there time? It can take a lot of time to form a team, especially if you???re working on a large project.?? Is there time for all that, relative to the need for a solution or answer? To get an idea of just how much time it takes to form an outsourcing team, check out ???Preparing the Outsourcing Team.??? Through that link, you???ll learn even more about the team building process and whether or not it???s a feasible strategy for you. Then check out our Outsourcing Collaboration Tool for a database management approach should you decide the answer is, ???yes.???

There are now three ways to access outsource2documaker on your mobile phone.

The first way is through your phone???s default RSS reader (if you have one installed). Use http://feeds.feedburner.com/Outsource2documaker to import current blog posts into your reader.

The second way is through http://m.justoutsourcing.com or http://mobile.justoutsourcing.com. Both links will display current posts in a format appropriate for your device.

If you???d rather access recent posts through an existing RSS enabled Facebook app, use http://www.facebook.com/feeds/notes.php?id=226787006190&viewer=1493919161&key=6dca7ad675&format=rss20 instead. Twitter fanatics may use http://twitter.com/statuses/user_timeline/19519463.rss.

Spend the same amount of time in the same places, you???ll come to acknowledge there???s always more to learn about how the outsourcing industry operates.

It???s a confounding phenomenon that rings true from either perspective.

Outsourcing online isn???t rocket science after all, but the industry manages to continuously bring forth innovations which topple what we think is carved into stone.

Did you know...

Did you know, for instance, that there???s a way to verify a service provider???s skills? I don???t mean by looking at a degree or certificate of some sort. I mean by checking out actual test scores...

Did you know there???s a way to guarantee originality in your outsourced project and completely obliterate the chance for plagiarism? (There is!)

What about knowing the difference between outsourcing and outtasking? One of those activities dictates a job???s ???what??? and ???how??? (and the other shouldn???t). And labor arbitrage? Did you know there???s a way to get the same quality out of an inexpensively priced project as if you had paid hundreds or even thousands of dollars for it?

Using outsourcing can be a little bit like using computers. At one moment, you can think it???s so easy, a child could master it. Then when a unique problem or situation arises, you suddenly realize you might not know as much as you once thought you did.

Outsourcing is a growing industry, and while its entirety may not be mastered within a week, month, or even a year, it can be understood and manipulated in advantageous ways without having to secure a four-year management degree.

One way to do just that is to attend an outsourcing seminar.

You Gotta 'Know Someone'

Through an outsourcing seminar, you can get answers to questions you always had, but didn???t know who to ask or perhaps weren???t too comfortable asking. You can learn how to avoid critical mistakes, enforce contracts, and reduce risks while building a team of professional online service providers in half the time it would take to vet just one, offline.

And because seminars are small, you get to enjoy an intimate setting in which everyone participates, ultimately expanding knowledge from different points of view.

To find an outsourcing seminar nearest you, you can pour through your local classified ads, college bulletin boards, or even Craigslist for leads. Chances are, unfortunately, you won't find what you're looking for. Seminars of this genre are typically plugged in high-end business circles. You gotta "know someone who knows someone" in other words.

This Outsourcing Seminar is Online

Lucky for you, you already "know someone," and that someone is Nicole Miller, author of 'Outsourcing Through RentACoder.' In January 2011, Nicole will teach an online class about outsourcing over the Internet through SitePoint's up and coming sister site ???Learnable.???

Through this course, you'll have access to everything a traditional, offline seminar offers and more: informative videos, handouts, downloads, and an opportunity to chat live with the instructor plus other students. To pre-register for this course, visit http://www.justoutsourcing.com/wp.

Many times, outsourcing???s rewards can escape us when we???re consumed with a myriad of business tasks. But this only means we need to investigate it further. Nicole???s seminar is your pathway to exploit those rewards, so sign up and reserve your seat today.

Outsourcing and cheap labor are often linked as though they were bread and butter, particularly when outsourcing goes offshore to ???less developed??? areas of the world.

They???re linked so often, it???s hard not to find people attesting to offshore savings despite the fact they???re often followed by a well-endowed ???but.???

Not the ???but??? acquainted with our esteemed Sir Mix-A Lot of course??? I???m talking about the other one... the one that raises doubt:

??????But you know, cheap labor always accompanies poor work.???
??????But you know the saying, ???You get what you pay for.???

It???s hard to convince the consumer-conscious American otherwise. But as my off-and-on again virtual boss, Ian Ippolito, explained, there???s a discrepancy behind those claims that warrants attention... even for the $3.21 dollar-an-hour job.

But $3.21 Dollars an Hour Is Nothing

That???s true in the United States. It???s also an illegal pay rate here. But it???s not an illegal pay rate in a country like India. $3.21 US dollars is roughly equal to 145 Indian rupees¹. A short, three hour programming job² at $3.21/hour yields a sweet 435 Indian rupees ??? more than enough to spend a night out at one of the country???s fanciest restaurants or buy a 160GB iPod on sale.

$3.21 dollars an hour is nothing to Americans. But it is something to some foreigners ??? something that many are willing to work hard for.

But What About Quality?

That???s a good question even if it???s the wrong one. As an outsourcer, you should always be concerned with quality. The right question is ???What should I expect for that amount???? because a $3.21 dollar-an-hour job holds just as much weight as a 145 rupee-an-hour job, abroad. And if an Indian employer expects quality results from a 145 rupee-an-hour job, there???s no reason why an American employer shouldn???t expect the same. 

Price has never predicated quality with any consistency and it probably never will. You could, after all, spend several thousands of dollars and still end up with unsatisfactory results. What you have to learn are ways to ensure your standards are enforced in the work that you hire out at any price. Doing anything else simply lowers the bar.

??????But as they say, ???Blessed is he who expects nothing, for he shall never be disappointed.???

I was surprised to learn that the word ???outsourcer??? wasn???t a common part of speech, so I set out on a short venture to make it so.

I contacted the editors of some of the most popular dictionaries and made a plea.

So far, my effort to get the word ???outsourcer??? into OED, the Oxford English Dictionary, was for naught, as the word is already in that dictionary.¹ Doh!

However, I???m pleased to announce the word will be added to the Merriam-Webster dictionary thanks to Benjamin Korzec and yours truly.

Mr. Korzec said, ???Judging by the usage evidence in our citation files, the word is definitely a good candidate for entry when we next update our dictionary.???

What's Now

Here???s a copy of the email received this morning:

What's Next

This page will be updated with further news, as I???ve been scouring dictionaries across the Internet in an effort to make you, the ???outsourcer,??? a common part of the English language .

-Nicole