Finding a virtual assistant can be a time-saving, cost-effective solution for many businesses. Virtual assistants can help out with administrative tasks, help with specific tasks and report to you if needed. Some work for as little as $10 an hour while others can cost up to $40,000 a year!
If you’ve ever tried to hire someone before, you know there are a lot of headaches involved—scams, bad hires, high turnover, etc. How do you know if you have the best virtual assistant? Hiring a virtual assistant is not easy. There’s a lot that goes into finding the right person and we hope this blog can help you avoid some of the pitfalls!
How to Find a Virtual Assistant
Finding the right virtual assistant to help you out with your business is key to making sure you aren’t wasting time or money hiring someone off the street. Virtual assistants can be used in a number of different ways for small businesses. They can make scheduling easier and help with research and writing tasks. Some can also be useful for overhauling your website or marketing strategies if you feel your current strategy isn’t producing results.
We are no stranger to the fact that this is a crucial decision to make for your business. It will let you avoid costly overtime and save hours of your time, whilst also allowing you to reap the benefits of their skills. You need to figure out how much you are willing to invest in keeping them on staff and how much flexibility you are willing to give them. Are you willing to give them full-time responsibility for your most pressing tasks? Or are you more interested in working with them on smaller tasks, such as researching potential clients or creating content for your website?
Working with contractors, or virtual assistants, is nothing new. Writers, drivers, graphic designers and even SEO professionals are some of the most popular types of contractors used by businesses large and small.
Whether you need help with social media, customer service, or data entry, sites like UpWork make it really easy to hire people online.
Hiring a Virtual Assistant
You’re working your tail off trying to build your business, so why not hire yourself a personal assistant? Whether you need someone for marketing, social media or just basic administrative help for everyday tasks such as booking travel or expense reports, virtual assistants (or VAs) can add tremendous value.
We understand that a virtual assistant is no small task. Making sure you're getting the right person for the job is the single most important part of the process. Here's how to get started:
- Fiverr
- getproffer.com
- Freelancer.com
- Magic
- PeoplePerHour
- WoodBows
- Handy
- Virtual Staff Finder
- Indeed
- The Concierge VA
- Upwork
- BELAY
- VA Networking
- Virtalent
- Prialto
- UAssist.Me
- HelloRache
- Boldly
- Virtual Employee
- Virtual Staff Finder
- Fancy Hands
- Time Etc
- TaskRabbit
- MyOutDesk
- Vasumo
- VaVa Virtual
Sites like Upwork, Fiverr and freelancer.com are all good places to gather a list of potential candidates. You just have to keep in mind that the best virtual assistants will probably have their own websites and won’t post their availability on these marketplaces. Whether you're looking for a specialist like an SEO expert or just someone to help you with repetitive tasks, get more help about leveraging VAs by reading more from our post here.
Who should you hire?
Who should you hire? Hiring your first VA right can make a huge difference in the success of your business. Hiring someone clueless or passive can send you into a downward spiral. What do you look for when hiring, and what should you watch out for? You might want someone with extensive experience in retail and someone who has listened to your complaints about the VA benefits system for years. Add to this the experience in the field of healthcare IT and you have a recipe for disaster.
Hiring your first VA right can make a huge difference in the success of your business. Hiring someone clueless or passive can send you into a downward spiral. What do you look for when hiring, and what should you watch out for?
The first thing to look at when hiring a VA is their attitude and experience. Are they positive and energetic? Do they have a positive outlook on life and work? If they seem like they're going to undercut you or sabotage your efforts, then they probably aren't the right person for the job. The second thing to look at is their credentials. Are they board-certified? Have they been through a background check? Are they an active member in the community? The third thing to look at is their hiring process - does it include an offer letter, interview, and a full medical exam? If the VA won't come to the job interview with you, but they insist on sending an offer letter along with their résumé - read it carefully!
Hiring the best VA is not easy. It takes considerable research and careful consideration of their performance history, all while sifting through piles of resumes and reading countless stories of people who've hired them. When looking for a professional, you should consider several factors: previous experience, current qualifications, underlying capabilities, office arrangement, specialize or domain expertise, and temperament/ disposition (how easy they are to work with).
Good VAs are hard to find.
Hiring a virtual assistant can be incredibly helpful when you're overwhelmed by bills and struggling to care for yourself. Or, it can be a tedious, time-consuming task — because it usually is. You can hire an assistant for tasks that are simple and independent — like taking care of household duties or sending out emails — but don't require a lot of planning or resource usage. You should also evaluate whether an assistant is worth the money. If they're going to waste your time, they're not worth the investment.
Before finding the right person, consider what type of work you want to outsource and how much money you need to spend. Do some digging around and make sure that the VA is trustworthy.
If you’ve never used a VA before, or if you’ve tried one and they didn’t work out, it’s important to note that no two VAs are alike. Some have more experience than others, some like technical work and others don’t. Some are very good communicators and others are great with people but lack in the communication area. Different VAs require different skill sets.
One of the most effective ways to find a virtual assistant is to ask around. Network with other business owners and see if any of them use or know someone who does freelance online. This method is also great because you can ask questions specific to what you are looking for in a virtual assistant
Virtual assistants are usually independent contractors or employees hired to do specific tasks for a business. Many of them will be referred by a client to another service provider. While there are benefits to working with a virtual assistant such as saving time and money on salaries and expenses that you would otherwise have to pay, there are also some disadvantages. You are likely working with an individual who does not share your values or outlook on life. You may not get the loyalty or attention from your current employees that you desire as part of an employer-employee relationship.
What you need to know about your responsibilities
Before you hire a VA, set yourself up for success
The most important thing to remember when hiring a virtual assistant is that they work for you. This means they will be answering you and spend a large amount of time working on tasks – some of which may not be the most interesting jobs. It is important that these tasks are relevant to your business and project, so it is vital that they work closely with you and understand what is required and why
In order for your VA to provide the best service possible, you need to make sure that they are a good fit for your business. So make sure that you properly vet your short list of candidates before making a decision. Everything you need to know about working alongside a Virtual Assistant can be found here.
getproffer.com offers an end-to-end VA solution specifically designed for busy entrepreneurs.
How do I find a virtual assistant? This is the question that first appeared when I was searching for a VA to help me with my business. I found that there are plenty of online sites that provide this service. They can connect you with a VA and on top of that, they will manage your relationship.