Deciding to hire your first virtual assistant is a huge step as a solopreneur. There are some key things to think about to ensure you are hiring the right virtual assistant for your business and yourself. In this post, I’m sharing the best tips to help you find the right virtual assistant and how you can make the relationship run a little smoother.
First, it’s important to know who a virtual assistant is and what they can do. The term virtual assistant is pretty broad and generalized. Some virtual assistants may specialize and offer specific services, so it’s essential to pick the right person based on their skill set and your business needs. Some virtual assistants love administrative work; others might be considered Tech VA’s and love all things systems, set up, and automation.
The first and most important step when finding the right virtual assistant is knowing what tasks you need help with the most. If the top tasks you want to outsource are tech-related, you need to make sure your virtual assistant loves that type of task.
You also want to decide if you are open to training a virtual assistant on any tasks or programs they don’t have experience with. If you don’t want to spend the time training, make sure you find someone already familiar with the majority of your systems or a very quick learner.
When it comes to hiring a new virtual assistant, one of the most important steps is to figure out what’s most important to you when it comes to your team. Do you prioritize communication and love someone who brings ideas to the table? Do you want someone who has a quick turnaround time? Asking yourself these key questions will help you make sure you are hiring the right virtual assistant.
Another essential thing to think about is personality. Your virtual assistant will be working in your business a lot, so you want someone who is also a fit personality-wise.
The last step to making sure you find the right virtual assistant is to map out clear guidelines and expectations around their role and the work involved. Most client and virtual assistant relationships fail if there aren’t clearly laid out expectations and defined roles.
Your virtual assistant’s goal is to work with you and take those tasks off your plate that aren’t in your zone of genius (or you just don’t enjoy doing). But, they won’t be able to work effectively if they don’t have clear processes, expectations, and communication from you, especially at the start.
Hiring a virtual assistant is an exciting next step for any entrepreneur, but it can be stressful and overwhelming to make sure you find the right fit. If you’re looking for your perfect fit, let’s book a quick discovery call and see if we’d be a good fit to work together!