Have you ever wished for more hours in the day just to help you get through your workload? Most of us have been there. This kind of thinking leads to stress and general unhappiness.
To give yourself a little breathing room you might want to hire a VA. Your virtual assistant can help you respond to emails, provide customer support, conduct small marketing tasks, and more!
If it sounds like a VA could help you, consider these five tips to make the hiring process go smoothly:
1. Write Down a List of Qualifications
Before you begin searching for a virtual assistant you should write down a job description complete with a list of qualifications.
Approach the hiring of a virtual assistant the same way you would for any other position.
hiring qualification
Consider the qualities that you absolutely need your VA to possess and write them down in one list. Then make a separate list of the qualities that would be nice to have. Your goal is to find a virtual assistant that meets as many qualities on both lists as possible.
Be sure to consider things like which time zone the virtual assistant is in, which language(s) she or he is fluent in, and which software programs he or she is proficient using.
2. Do a Thorough Evaluation
Before hiring a virtual assistant you should vet each candidate to ensure he or she meets all of your qualifications and has a strong reputation for being reliable.
Ask your candidates to send you references just like you would when hiring a full-time employee. Review the resumes of each candidate and do a quick search online to see if anything questionable comes up.
3. Discuss Expectations
During the interview process, you should discuss what your expectations are and what the candidate's expectations are. Make sure the two are compatible.
time zones for VA work
For example, if your virtual assistant lives in a different time zone but you need work to be completed during your normal business hours, you should make that very clear.
Putting your expectations on the table will prevent many headaches down the line
4. Provide Training
Once you find a suitable candidate and your job offer is accepted you should be prepared to train your new virtual assistant. He or she will need to understand the background of your company and the guidelines for completing the work.
You or another employee should be available to answer questions early on and to provide a lot of help.
The type of training you provide a virtual assistant should be suitably comparable to that which you would give any new employee.
5. Consider Using a Virtual Assistant Company
If you don’t have the time to go through the process of hiring a virtual assistant (VA) individually, consider using an agency with a team of VAs (TaskBullet).
An agency will vet candidates for you ensuring that your virtual assistant meets all of your qualifications.
Here is how it works with TaskBullet:
With an agency like TaskBullet, you also get the added benefit of working with a US consultant who will help maintain the relationship between you and your virtual assistant to ensure success.
BUCKET SYSTEM vs. Employee
Sure, you could hire an ordinary employee to help grow your business, but do you really have enough small tasks to fill up 40 hours per week or even 20 hours per week every single week? If not, that employee will be spending downtime on your dime.
TaskBullet has eliminated this problem with what we call the BUCKET SYSTEM. Your remote employee will clock in when you need them and clock out when you don't. (Learn how it works here) With a remote personal assistant, you pay for the hours you need and nothing more. You'll save money on not having to provide employee benefits, office space, office supplies (computer, desk, coffee, etc.); oh, and did I mention downtime?
Your remote personal assistant will come with his or her own supplies, a strong education (TaskBullet virtual assistants have university degrees), and deep professional background. When you hire a virtual sales assistant from TaskBullet, you are also assigned a project manager to ensure that everything runs smoothly. What are you waiting for? Hire a remote personal assistant today and get your time back!
