5 Crucial Factors to Consider while recruiting a Remote Virtual Assistant

The remote virtual assistant (VA) industry has experienced remarkable growth, especially in the wake of the global shift to remote work in 2020. As businesses and professionals adapted to the new remote work environment, the demand for VAs skyrocketed. Whether you're a small business owner or an executive at a large corporation, the benefits of delegating administrative tasks to a virtual assistant are evident.

If you're currently recognizing the need for remote administrative assistance, you're likely in search of your next VA.

With numerous options available for hiring a virtual assistant, it's imperative to pause and reflect before engaging a freelancer or VA service. Before taking that step, consider these five essential questions that can significantly impact your decision and the success of your working relationship.

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1> Defining Their Responsibilities

This is a crucial self-assessment to undertake. Before entering into an arrangement with a virtual assistant, whether it's a freelance individual or a company, it's imperative that you have a clear understanding of the tasks you want your assistant to handle. While this might seem obvious, many entrepreneurs underestimate the time they dedicate to specific tasks and find it challenging to effectively delegate their thoughts and responsibilities.

To avoid potential miscommunication and unmet expectations, precision is key. Specify the tasks and desired outcomes you anticipate. Common tasks performed by virtual assistants encompass:

Managing appointment scheduling and calls

Overseeing your calendar

Handling email correspondence

Conducting light bookkeeping

Pursuing sales follow-ups

Assisting with travel planning

Managing expense accounts

Handling invoicing and payment processing

It's worth noting that some of these responsibilities may involve customer interactions, necessitating a level of professionalism aligned with your brand. Additionally, defining outcomes entails setting clear expectations regarding the time commitment required for each task on a daily or weekly basis.

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2> How is Their Training and Onboarding Process?

Assessing the qualifications and training of a virtual assistant, particularly when dealing with freelancers, can be a daunting task. Unlike traditional professions, there are no degrees or official certifications to verify their skills. It's crucial to ascertain the following:

Familiarity with Your Tools: Do they possess experience in using the specific tools and software relevant to your tasks?

Adaptability to Your Processes: Can they quickly adapt to your established workflow and processes?

Effective Communication: Are they capable of understanding and translating your ideas and instructions accurately?

When collaborating with freelancers, you often have to rely on their assurances. They might provide references, but it's still a leap of faith. In contrast, some virtual assistant agencies function as intermediaries, presenting you with a selection of potential candidates. They may have conducted some preliminary vetting on your behalf.

Managed service providers, on the other hand, take a more proactive approach. They hire, train, and oversee virtual assistants, assuming a substantial portion of the risk regarding service quality. These managers ensure that virtual assistants are proficient in using your tools and are well-prepared before commencing their work, ensuring they are ready to contribute from day one.

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3> Who Oversees the Virtual Assistant?

Virtual assistants play a pivotal role in alleviating your workload by assuming responsibility for tasks such as scheduling, expense management, travel arrangements, data entry, and other essential yet time-consuming and repetitive functions. However, ensuring their proficiency and performance within your specific systems is paramount.

The question arises: Do you wish to shoulder the additional responsibility of directly managing another team member? When working with freelancers and virtual assistant agencies, the onus of managing the virtual assistants typically falls on your shoulders. Conversely, opting for a managed service can lighten this load significantly.

Under a managed service arrangement, you gain the advantage of having a dedicated account manager. This individual takes on the task of comprehending your work processes, overseeing the training of the virtual assistant, and managing their performance to align with your unique requirements.

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4> What's Your Time Requirement?

The billing structure for most virtual assistants is based on hourly rates, and it's uncommon for executives to require a full 40 hours of assistance per week. Nevertheless, there typically exists a minimum weekly or monthly hour commitment.

So, how much time do you actually need?

The reality is that many executives find it challenging to gauge the amount of time they dedicate to administrative tasks due to constant multitasking and a lack of time tracking. To address this, it's beneficial to document the specific processes you intend to delegate before embarking on interviews with potential VAs.

This documentation will provide you with valuable insights into the necessary hours and allow you to assess candidates' suitability by matching their skills and experience to the documented tasks. Additionally, understanding the VA's existing client workload and the time and attention they can dedicate to your needs is equally important.

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