We know that hiring your first VA is a big step for your business. We want to help you make sure you get it right.
If you’ve never used a virtual assistant’s services before - or if you have and it wasn’t a match made in heaven! - you may have lots of questions about how to find a VA that suits your needs.
With this guide to finding your first VA, we hope to answer them. So sit tight and let us set you in the right direction.
Our guide to finding your first virtual assistant
1. Figure out if hiring a VA is the right choice for you
How do you know if a virtual assistant is the right choice? A virtual assistant can give you support without you having to make a commitment as an employer. If you are looking for full-time or dedicated support, and you have the budget, perhaps you are looking for an employee rather than a freelancer.
If you don’t have the need for full-time administrative support, and your needs are more sporadic or ad hoc, then it’s more likely that the flexibility offered by a VA will fit the bill.
Hire a VA if you need:
○ Help to relieve overwhelm.
○ Help to move forward by removing tasks from your to-do list.
○ Help to navigate growth during awkward transition periods where you lack capital or the ability to commit to a permanent employee.
○ Help dealing with fluctuating workloads, like a product launch or special occasion, covering staff absence or maternity leave or preparation for an awards entry or tender.
2. Know what kind of support you need
In an ideal world, what would your assistant be to you? What gap do you think they would fill in your business?
Realistically, you can expect your virtual assistant to provide you with the following services:
○ Administrative tasks
○ Bookkeeping
○ Executive/personal assistance
○ Marketing
○ Event management
○ Transcription, copy typing, virtual minute or note-taking
○ See our full list of services
If your needs are more specialised, an individual virtual assistant may have the experience to help, but you may require a more specific contractor. Always feel free to ask the question and most virtual assistants will be happy to signpost other professionals if they can’t help.
3. Do your research
Ask around your business contacts for recommendations. Search LinkedIn and Facebook for Virtual Assistants. Use search engines like Google and place paid advertisements on job boards.
Have a conversation with various virtual assistants to find out how they operate and get a feel for pricing structures. Be sure to ask about their individual experience with the tasks you need help with, gauge their knowledge of your industry and evaluate how you get on and communicate.
4. Get started
Sometimes, the best way to see how something works is to actually get on and try it. The very best thing about hiring a virtual assistant is that there are no long-term obligations or contracts. You can see how it works for you, and if it doesn’t, or if your needs change, you can move on. No hard feelings!
Find out if we will work well together. Contact us today.