Hiring your first virtual assistant is a big step towards building your business, but it can also be intimidating. Let’s take a look at 10 tips to help you hire your first virtual assistant.
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Start small
You don’t have to hire someone for everything. Alternatively, you can start with one project or task, and once they are familiar with that, you can give them more responsibilities. You might even want to try out multiple assistants on the same projects until you find the right fit for your company culture.
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Ensure they have the skills you require
Ensuring new hires are fully trained allows for increased production efficiency, lower turnover rates, and better-quality work output. It can be time-consuming and tedious if you have to teach them all the basic skills required to complete a task. Therefore, this will make everyone happier in the long run and will reduce your stress.
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Test their work ethic
You don’t want somebody who has no interest in working for you. One way to test this is by giving them a small but difficult assignment that takes some time to complete. This will tell you if they are willing to follow through with tasks or not. You can then continue with smaller daily assignments or stop there if it doesn’t make sense for both of you.
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Trust them with confidential information/projects
Never give out personal information, trade secrets, etc., when hiring your first virtual assistant. If the person you hire ends up being dishonest or someone who cannot be trusted with any type of confidential material, it would be unfair to all parties involved, so it’s best to keep that lid closed on that relationship early.
Also, having them sign a non-disclosure agreement may help.
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If they are not what you are looking for, then get rid of them
Don’t hold onto people that aren’t right for your company just because you don’t want to deal with firing them. It will only cause tension and stress if you’re working with someone who is not in alignment with the company’s goals, so don’t be afraid to let go.
Most VA’s work with multiple companies on an hourly rate anyway, so there is no need to worry about hurting their feelings.
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Make sure they understand they are an extension of you (not another employee)
Virtual assistants know that they work directly for their clients, not another team or department in a larger organization. This allows virtual assistants to act fully autonomously in executing projects. One way to ensure this happens is to give them access to all necessary online accounts and assets.
Related Article: 6 Ways Virtual Assistants can Help Grow your Business
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Don’t micromanage them
Self-managing virtual assistants will not only boost efficiency but also boost morale. Let them handle how they work best, give feedback on what you like (and don’t like), and provide any training or guidance that may be needed. This approach leads to more successful results with no room for confusion about the details involved in achieving those results.
For best results, I recommend a working calendar, including all that needs to be done. Also, add by when so you can both be kept accountable without any miscommunication.
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Don’t assume anything
When working with a remote team, you have to assume everything will take longer than expected since there’s an increase in the communication time lag between the client/boss and the person being supervised by said/boss. For example, most VA’s are not based in your country. So, the time difference can cause a delay. Also, when it comes to communication, you may generally take 10 minutes to explain something then your VA might not understand and may need another 5-10 minutes to ask clarifying questions. If you don’t allow that time lag, no one will be happy with the results.
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Know how much you’re willing to pay
Many people go into hiring their first virtual assistant, expecting them to work for below market value because they are just starting out or are in desperate need of help. Because of this, there are a ton of VA’s who are willing to take these jobs because it’s better than their rate at other companies. So, know what your budget is before beginning the hunt! Also, consider ALL fees when planning out your project costs. For example, if your VA needs access to specific software to do their work like Microsoft Teams, Canva, or Tailwind, then you should factor that into your budget.
Related Article: How to Make Realistic Financial Projections for Your Small Business
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Be flexible
Being open-minded and flexible is the best way to ensure you have an efficient team environment with your virtual assistants. They are much more likely to be willing to help you out when there are different types of tasks being completed since part of their job description includes “other duties as assigned.” By allowing them to work on what they are interested in or skilled at, they become happier overall, which leads to better working relationships. This will allow for everyone involved, including yourself, to avoid burnout due to stress caused by strict adherence to rules set in stone without any wiggle room for creativity or growth.
Overall conclusion
To have the best over experience when hiring your first VA, remember to:
- start small
- ensure they have the required skills
- test their work ethic
- don’t trust them with confidential information until they have been proven trustworthy
- if they don’t fit what you are looking for, be willing to let go
- understand they are an extension of you to help you
- give them space to do what needs to be done
- understand the budget required to hire a VA
- be flexible, so no stringent rules
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