Hiring a virtual assistant has become an increasingly popular resource for businesses of all sizes and industries. Virtual assistants can provide a wide range of services and monthly support including, but not limited to; data entry, making phone calls, email management, content writing, social media management and bookkeeping.
However, finding the right VA for your business can be both a daunting and challenging task. In this article, we cover off 5 things to look out for when hiring a virtual assistant for your business.
Things To Look Out For When Hiring A Virtual Assistant
Experience
The first thing to keep in mind when hiring a virtual assistant is experience. If you source someone who doesn’t have the right skills, knowledge and level of experience to meet your business needs, it can be hugely frustrating and can lead to mistakes, delays and ultimately wasted time.
To ensure you find the right virtual assistant who is capable of meeting the needs of your business, look for someone who has experience in your industry. For instance, if you are hiring someone to run your business social media accounts, search for someone who has experience with social media management. You can also ask for examples of similar work they have completed in the past.
This will allow you to see if you’re on the same page as your virtual assistant and that they are the right fit for your company.
Communication
One of the most important things to look out for when hiring a virtual assistant is their communication skills. Many virtual assistants are great communicators, as communication is crucial in a remote work environment where you may not have the opportunity to meet face-to-face.
When interviewing your virtual assistant, pay attention to how they interact with you and how quickly and reliably they come back to you. Make sure you look for clear and open lines of communication, for example active listening, being open to feedback, asking relevant questions, response time to emails etc.
You can also schedule a phone or video call to get a sense of their communication style as well as their emotional intelligence before taking them on. References from previous clients are also a great way to assess their communication skills in previous roles.
Cost
Cost is another important thing to consider when looking at virtual assistant services. While it may be tempting to hire the cheapest option for virtual support this can also lead to a range of problems later on.
Often, when hiring the cheapest option which is less than the industry standard, you might find they don’t have the necessary or high-quality skills and experience to complete your tasks effectively or efficiently. For instance, virtual assistants from other countries may be cheaper, but language barriers and different time zones can cause problems.
Looking for a virtual support service that charges a fair rate for their skills and provides you with value for your money is key when considering the right person.
Personality Fit
Another essential consideration when searching for the right virtual assistant is ensuring they are the right personality fit for you and your business. Keep in mind that a virtual assistant who does not share your values, work style or communication style may not be the right person for you.
Scheduling video or phone calls to get to know them better and how they work whilst gaining a sense of their personality before hiring them is key.
Attention To Detail
Attention to detail is vital to look for when hiring virtual personal assistants. When trusting someone with tasks for your business or client’s needs, it is crucial that your virtual assistant has excellent attention to detail.
Be aware of grammatical errors on their CV, how they respond to and communicate with you via email and if they respond in a timely manner.
You can also ask them to complete a short task within a set time frame to see how they respond and to gain examples of their work.
Hiring a virtual assistant can be a great resource to help you streamline, grow and support all your business needs, and will enable you to save money and time. Our team offers thebest virtual assistant services, and will help by pairing you with the perfect dedicated assistant, whether you are a small business, entrepreneur or larger business. For more information, please see our full range of services.
Time Management Skills
It is also important to look for a virtual assistant who has good time management skills. This is because most virtual assistants work from home. They don’t have to clock in at a certain time, and they don’t work around other people – so they must be motivated and organised. This allows the virtual assistant to meet deadlines without any problem.
If you want to hire a virtual assistant with good time management skills, find a virtual assistant or a virtual assistant agency who are happy to provide you with references from previous clients.
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We are a virtual assistant service based in Britain. All of our virtual assistants are highly trained in a wide range of sectors (including email marketing, social media management and data entry). Click here to find out more about the virtual assistant services that we provide.
