A Step-By-Step Guide to Finding the Perfect Virtual Assistant

Where to Find a Virtual Assistant? 

There are a lot of unique and talented humans out there. However, not every person will be suitable for the job or your business needs. Also, some of them might not be up to the task.

That said, there are still many great sources online. The most obvious solution is to find your virtual assistant from reputable sources such as virtual assistant companies. This will help you avoid the hassle of finding the right person, but it might take some time to come across a provider in your area. However, once you find a company that suits your needs, it’s best to work with them exclusively to get the best service possible. This will ensure your VA is always available when you need them most, and it will help save you time and money in the long run.Those online agencies for virtual assistants can help you choose the perfect VA for your enterprise.

On the other hand, there are many job postings on freelance websites like Fiverr and Upwork, with thousands of postings daily. But that said, you need to prepare to sift through hundreds of replies on a posting and be ready for some unreliable applicants.

Still, thanks to the digital revolution, it’s never been easier to build the perfect team for your business. Even if some of its members work remotely. You just need to follow a few steps to get there.

So, here goes.

Decide on Your Business Plan

You can’t really find the perfect VA if you don’t know your business’s exact needs. So, the first step is to put up your business plan with the essential requirements your new virtual assistants can help you with.

Once you have a business plan, you will know what organizational needs will have to be addressed the most. Then, you will have a clearer image of what you need from your virtual assistant.

Know the Tasks You Need to Outsource

If administration eats up too much of your precious time, you already know what to look for. Or, suppose you need a content writer.

Hiring the right person from the vast pool of candidates can be challenging, but knowing what will help you be productive will shine a light on precisely the VA you need. That is why it is important to know first what you need so the hiring process will not be difficult.

Figure Out What You Need Your VA to Do for You

Decide on the tasks, priorities, and timeline for your virtual assistant. That way, you will be able to choose from the candidates with different skills to find one suitable to help you scale your business.

Be Crystal Clear on the VA Job Description

This is one of the critical steps in finding the perfect virtual assistant. The key here is to be very clear about the job and tasks you need your VA to handle and be realistic about your own expectations.

Your job here is to be loud and clear on those. Do it by writing what you expect of your virtual assistant daily, weekly, or monthly. This is crucial to both you and the VA so expectations are met and the tasks are handled well.

Decide on Your Ideal Virtual Assistant

Once you decide on your ideal VA skills, you should also look for a person you will like working with. For example, some business owners need strong communicators, meticulous organizers, or other VA types.

Be clear on what you want and need, but also be aware of two things:

1. Whatever kind of business you lead, you want someone who will be a long-term fit.
2. No less important, you need someone who learns quickly and has a growth mindset.

Although it’s not critical, hiring a virtual assistant with experience in your specific niche is wise. However, choose the right person with the right mindset, and you could be very positively surprised. As Simon Sinek said “You don’t hire for skills, you hire for attitude. you can always teach skills.” It is always good to consider people who have the right attitude and mindset when hiring someone and not just base things on experience and skills.

Conduct Interviews and Tests Projects

There is no better way to pick out the perfect virtual assistant than to assess their skills. So conducting appropriate tests and comprehensive interviews is a sure-fire way.

Coming up with some test projects depending on the candidate you need is an even better solution. By testing your potential VA, you will get valuable insight into how they process their tasks and what they can come up with.

Find Out Referrals and Testimonials

If you can get a recommendation, that’s excellent. However, the simple truth is, client testimonials are the best way to gauge your potential virtual assistant skills, strengths and weaknesses, and personality. Recommendations from previous clients are a good basis on how to pick the best VA for your business.

Define Your Pricing

Typically, most virtual assistants are paid hourly or by subscription. Before defining your pricing structure, do market research to get a clearer idea of setting your own prices.

The best thing to do is opt for subscription-based pricing with several packages for various levels of services.

The Bottom Line

Virtual assistants can be a tremendous help to businesses, whether large or small. Those versatile people can help you manage many challenges on your path. So, finding the right one is critical to grow and scale your business.

Make sure you follow the guidelines listed above, and with a bit of effort and some luck, I’m positive you will find the perfect virtual assistant. 

Good luck!