How do I choose which VA to work with?
Things to consider when hiring your Virtual Assistant
You’ve been thinking about this for a while, thinking about it whilst you’re working into the small hours, thinking about how this just might be the right time.
Hiring a Virtual Assistant is a big leap of faith particularly if you are your whole business. Letting go of some of the tasks that are bogging you down, however small, is a big deal. After all, this business is something you’ve created and nurtured. Finding the right VA to support you will be really important in making this work.
Top Tips - To help you make the right choice for you.
Decide what you need help with
Once you have the list you will be able to see the skills you need to find in your Virtual Assistant. Make sure you are clear about the work you would like them to do for you. What needs to be done, when you expect it to be done by, and any other expectations you have.
Research
Not all Virtual Assistants have the same area of expertise. I specialise in email and diary management, data entry, typing and drafting documents, and administrative support. Whereas others will be able to support you with things like social media posts content, website updates, and minute-taking.
Look for reviews and references
These are normally shown on the website of the Virtual Assistant or their LinkedIn profile.
Decide when you will need them
Do you need someone to work during your working day or could they work out of hours? Will there be times you need in-person support at a meeting or an event?
Think about how you prefer to communicate
There are many tools to help you and your Virtual Assistant work together. The obvious are phone, email, text messages, and WhatsApp, but there are other ways of working together too. Trello, Asana, Monday, or Google Spaces are all great ways for you to communicate what you need actioning and for your VA to keep you updated on progress and ask any questions.
Cultural fit
Your VA should understand and mirror your values and expectations. This is really important so that you get off on the right foot and will thrive as a partnership.
Money
Your VA will likely have packages, retained hours, and ad-hoc hours available for you to choose from. They will also have payment terms that they expect. It’s worth getting this subject out early so there are no surprises.
Trust your gut
You know when you can’t put your finger on it but something is off, or you just know that it will be amazing. Pay attention to these feelings. I’m in no way “woo-woo” but I have learned over the years that the gut feels are often right.
If after reading this, (and thank you if you’ve got this far - it was a long one!) and you think my skills and values align with yours, I’d love to chat and see if we can make your dream of “more” a reality.