How to Hire a Virtual Assistant for Your Small Business
If you are starting a small business, here is one thing you should know: you do not have to be an expert from the beginning to get the ball rolling. One of the best advantages you can have is to hire a virtual assistant to help your small business start on the right foot!
However, you have to make sure to hire the right one or else your small business will have trouble finding its footing and you might just not see it become successful.
Tips to Help You Make Sure You Pick the Right Virtual Assistant:
1. Make the Job Description Clear
One thing applicants appreciate is the clarity of the details that go along with the job. Since you are hiring a virtual assistant, you need to be specific with the following things:
hours per week you need for the VA to work
specific tasks to work on
skillset you are looking for
what software does he/she needs to have
best way to communicate
The clearer this information is, the better candidates you’ll be able to get!
2. Post Job Opening Strategically
There are a lot of Facebook groups now that have become a great avenue to look for applicants, especially for virtual assistants. Start with your network and fish for leads. There are also other platforms with great opportunities for you, such as UpWork and oDesk to name a few. Do a lot of research and it will surely help!
3. Follow a Budget and Consider Time Zone Difference
Some small business owners simply hire virtual assistants that are in the same time zone to simplify things, but others are more willing to hire someone in a different country if that person has the best skillset out there.
As a business owner, do consider the time zone difference if that will work for you because you still need to communicate with your virtual assistant on a consistent level. Plus, if you have a certain budget you are strict with, eliminate candidates you cannot afford to help you narrow down your choices.
4. Go Through Applications Thoroughly and Conduct Interviews
During the application process, make it a point to already cut down based on what you see in their resumes/CVs. There are so many things to observe – credentials, cover letters, and portfolio or sample works. From here, you can already shortlist candidates whom you should interview. Yes, interviewing candidates for a virtual job opening is crucial.
Do make time to really talk to them over a phone or video call and gauge if that person is someone you can work with. Make sure you ask all the questions you need to ask because if you forget something crucial to the opening, you might just make a mistake!
5. Clarify Payment Process from the Start
If you have a certain system in place on how to pay your virtual assistant, discuss this with the person you want to hire. This is for transparency purposes and to make sure that the working relationship is honest from the start. Here is where negotiations could take place so be prepared for that as well but at the end of the day, if you as a business owner can make a final decision which the virtual assistant can submit and respect concerning payment processes, then have the integrity to make sure these processes are done as you promised.
Believe me, if you will be known for your integrity, the people who will work for you will surely appreciate it.
6. Be Smart and Start Small
Do not get ahead of yourself. Start small when it comes to handing over responsibilities to the virtual assistant you will hire. This is where you will be able to gauge the performance. If small tasks look easy, take it up a notch and give multiple tasks. This is the more responsible way to see if the person can adapt to change and deliver effectively in the process.
Conclusions:
Being a responsible small business owner is crucial in picking the right virtual assistant for the job. If you follow the steps I just shared with you, you will be able to see your small business grow by investing your money in the right person for the job.
If you do not have the flexibility of time to hire a virtual assistant and would need extra help in hiring and choosing the right one, contact us today and let us chat further!