Finding the right Virtual Assistant (VA) is not an easy task, but knowing that you can delegate time-consuming tasks to another person with the right skillset, makes it worth it. You gain a lot more freedom with your time and you can work on other things that can benefit you more. They are also often the first person that clients speak to and manage their day-to-day affairs.
In fact, hiring virtual assistants rather than full-time staff is getting increasingly popular amongst many businesses as it is a cheaper and more viable option to choose. Thus, here are some tips to help you find the right that is perfect for your business:
Be specific:
Before you go on a hunt and hire VA’s you first have to know exactly are the skillsets that you are looking for. Do you need someone to help you build your website? Do you need someone to help you with your blogs? Or perhaps do you need someone to do your secretarial tasks such as scheduling? Make a list of every skillset that you need, and you can be sure to encounter many VA’s who have exactly what you are looking for.
Virtual Assistant Agency
You might want to consider asking for help from an accredited virtual assistant agency. This can save you the time, effort, and resources that you need in hiring a new VA. These agencies have an accurate collection of data about the VA’s skillset and can recommend to you the best VA suited for what you are looking for. This saves you the trouble of having to look for, screen, and interview every single applicant.
Get the right tools and the right VA
You might also find that not all VA’s can complement your schedule and working style. Hence, you need to look for someone who has the appropriate amount of flexibility that you need. You wouldn’t want to hire someone who gives all sorts of excuses when hired to do a task. You might also want to hire them as a team of assistants because, in this way, someone would always be available to answer you.
Prescribing the right tools for your VA’s is also a good idea to save effort on both of your sides. Knowing the best platform to use and synchronizing the files that you need makes it easier for the two of you to work more efficiently. Of course, this includes giving them access and permission to do certain tasks and files that you need for them to work on.
Make a contract
A contract makes it clear what each party can expect from the other. It also helps protect not only the VA but also yourself. Many business owners fall into the bad habit of changing their VA’s way too often and end up with no one who can truly match up to their pace. Some also get into arguments because the terms of payment and service in their contracts weren’t clear enough for both parties. Remember that VA’s are commonly self-employed, so contracts are the only way that you can bind each other to a mutual agreement. This is also where the importance of virtual assistant agencies can come in. They help you get into a proper contract with a VA and establish a common point of communication between the two of you.
