VA TIPS - How to hire your perfect Virtual Assistant
Posted on 19th April 2021 at 19:44
“I know I need help! I just don’t know how or with what”.
It's not uncommon. We very often get calls and emails in a similar vein...
Let’s be honest, being a small business owner is overwhelming at times and it can feel quite lonely. Hiring a Virtual Assistant can seem like the obvious choice for so many reasons. But, it’s wise to still apply the same degree of care and consideration when hiring a Virtual Assistant as you would if you were recruiting the ‘traditional’ way.
Here’s a round up of our top tips for selecting your perfect Virtual Assistant and how to start letting go of things to them successfully…
Let’s start with the practical things that need covering off.
registration with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO)
registration with HMRC for anti-money laundering, if applicable
privacy/data protection policy
adequate professional insurances
contract, service agreement and/or terms and conditions
Other practical aspects to consider when selecting a Virtual Assistant include their:
capacity
working hours
turnaround times
skills and knowledge with software and systems
industry or sector specific understanding and experience
Here’s a big Virtual Assistant benefit that is often overlooked…
The best Virtual Assistants are well networked. They’re resourceful and work hard to develop profitable professional relationships with suppliers as well as their clients. A VA’s professional network, client base and industry experience should all be considered.
Will they be able to help you source and vet new suppliers?
In addition, do they work with people or industries you want to get involved with. Perhaps they might be able to help you with an introduction or two?
So now you know what you should be looking for in a Virtual Assistant.
Let’s take a look a how to start to decipher what you'd like them to take off your plate...
It’s crucial to take the time to invest in a relationship with your Virtual Assistant - it doesn’t matter how good they are, they aren’t going to fix your problems overnight without your input, instruction and support.
Here are some of Alchemy VA’s top tips on how to figure out what you need your Virtual Assistant to do which will all help you make it a profitable and productive relationship:
A good old fashioned to do list! Keep a list (or log on your task manager or project management software) throughout your working week of what you do and how long it takes. It’s a good idea to review this list at the end of the week and ask yourself – could someone else do these tasks? This exercise will help you identify any huge time ‘vampire’ tasks but it also will form the start of your Virtual Assistant’s ‘to do’ list
The next step is a little more involved but very worthwhile. With the tasks you’ve identified as possible work for your Virtual Assistant, start writing or recording audio instructions or perhaps even prepare a video tutorial of yourself performing these jobs - whatever floats your boat.
Once you have a list of jobs, you know how long they take and you’ve got some sort of instructions - you’re almost ready to go!
Last but by no means least, always remember that communication is key!
No matter how much experience your perfect Virtual Assistant has, they won’t be able to read your mind. At the start of the relationship be sure to agree your preferred methods of communication and how often you need to speak. The more you communicate with your Virtual Assistant the more value they’ll be able to bring.
If you found this helpful, you also might like to check out our past post on getting the maximum impact from your new Virtual Assistant.
If you'd like more tips and ideas on how to work smarter not harder, why not pop your email down on our newsletter list. We'll send you a free copy of our Ultimate Guide to Hiring a Virtual Assistant too.
Or please pop the Alchemy VA team a quick email, we would love to learn more about you and your business.
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