Clarity is the foundation of success. You must know what you want before you can ask for it or achieve it yourself. This applies to successful outsourcing as well.

Before you hire outsourced help, get really clear about what you want from the outsourcing company and the employees they will supply you with. What specific qualities are you looking for in your workers?

This might be a bit uncomfortable at first. As Americans we’ve been culturally programmed that it’s not appropriate, or even legal in some cases, to devise a very restricted set of criteria for your employees.

I’m not advising you to be unethical in your exercise of discrimination. Rather, I’m suggesting that you consider business-needs-based reasons why you might need outsourced employees of a certain age or gender. These are legitimately acceptable considerations overseas, so take advantage of the fact.

Remember, you are in charge. These people will be your workforce, and you can ask the outsourcing company for whatever kind of employees you want. If you need a phone bank of all females, not a problem. If you need the energized attitude of an all-under-25 workforce, you can have it.

Also consider the following criteria. What time do you need your outsourced employees to be available for work? What specific kinds of experience and skills do you need your employees to have? What level of English speaking, comprehension, and reading ability do you need your employees to have? Do you need workers with proficiency in Microsoft Word and Excel? Are you looking for payroll and accounting experts? Get very clear about what qualities will bring you the biggest success for your particular business.

You are in control. You decide exactly what type of outsourced employees you want. As a fellow American businessman myself, I understand that you may have grown accustomed to accepting what’s available in the stateside workforce, or that you may fear the legal implications of asking for what you want. But have no fear. With an overseas outsourcer, you can confidently ask for and get precisely the kind of worker your business really needs.

So, when you are considering prospective outsourcing companies, make sure you are very clear about what you want. What you ask for is what you get!

You can find outsourcing tips in my new book “Outsource This!” Check it out.