Digital assistants can be anything from a personal virtual assistant to manage your schedule, a social media management assistant or even an administrative assistant to handle your paperwork. The concept of having an online assistant is not new and has been adopted by businesses for years. But now, with the power of modern technology and access to artificial intelligence, this type of assistance has become more accessible and affordable than ever before. Here’s everything you need to know about hiring virtual assistants, plus tips on how to hire one if that’s something you’re interested in doing.
What is an Online Assistant?
An online assistant is typically a low-to-mid-level employee who works remotely. They primarily focus on administrative tasks and are often hired to help with a company’s specific needs. Depending on the type of work you need to be done, an online assistant can help you with anything from scheduling appointments to data entry. Digital assistants are almost always hired on a freelance basis and typically don’t have any type of employment contract with your business. That said, there are a few common types of virtual assistants you might come across when hiring for your business. - Personal Assistant – Are you looking to hire a full-time assistant to help manage your schedule and streamline your work-life balance? Working with a personal assistant can be incredibly helpful, but it’s also a much different experience than hiring a social media assistant. - Administrative Assistant – This type of assistant is great for handling a company’s administrative needs, including payroll and human resources. - Content Creation Assistant – Hiring a content creation assistant can help you scale your marketing efforts by outsourcing certain tasks, such as creating compelling blog posts or video scripts.
Hiring a Virtual Assistant – What to Look For
The first thing you’ll need to do when hiring a virtual assistant is decided which type of assistant you want to hire. Once you’ve identified the type of assistant you need, the next step is to look for the right person for the job. You’ll want to make sure you’re thorough during the hiring process to ensure you select the best possible candidate for the job. Here are a few things you should look for when hiring your next virtual assistant. - Experience - Since you’re not hiring someone from within your company, it’s important to assess their level of experience. If you’re hiring someone to create content for your business, for example, you don’t want to hire someone brand-new to content creation. - Personality Fit - While experience is important, don’t discount the importance of personality fit. This will help you tremendously as you work to select the best candidate for the job. - Communication - No matter what type of assistant you’re hiring, you’ll want to make sure they have strong communication skills. - Work Ethic - Make sure you understand what your potential virtual assistant expects from their job, as well as how they intend to accomplish it.
How to Find and Hire a Virtual Assistant
The first thing you’ll need to do when looking for a virtual assistant is decided where you want to find your candidates. Tons of websites host virtual assistant job postings, but which one is the best for you? Here are a few places to consider. - Online Job Boards - If you decide to post your job opening on an online job board, you should receive a wide variety of applicants. That said, you’ll want to make sure you find a reputable site that actively monitors job postings to keep them spam-free. - Professional Networks - Professional networks like LinkedIn are a great place to find virtual assistants. Many VAs list themselves as such in their professional bios. - Referrals - If you know someone who has hired a VA, ask them where they found their candidate. This is a great way to jump-start your search.
What to Expect When Hiring a Virtual Assistant
Once you’ve found the perfect candidate and they’ve accepted your job offer, what can you expect? VAs work remotely, so you won’t see them in an office daily, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t set up some ground rules. Here are a few things you should do when bringing on a new VA. - Set Goals - Before the candidate starts working for you, make sure you clearly outline what you want them to achieve. This will help them better understand what you expect from them and help you stay organized as you work to complete your daily tasks. - Set Regular Deadlines - Deadlines are important in any industry, but even more so if you’re working remotely. You should set regular deadlines for your VA, as well as yourself. - Set Regular Meetings - Don’t neglect regular meetings with your VA. Meeting with them on a monthly or bi-monthly basis is a great way to stay on top of their progress and make sure they’re meeting your expectations.
Wrapping up
As you can see, hiring a virtual assistant can be an incredibly helpful addition to your business. That said, it’s important to remember the goals of hiring a VA and know when to say no. If you find yourself taking on too much work, or it becomes clear that you need to hire someone to take on some of your tasks, don’t be afraid to bring on another employee. Hiring a VA can help you reduce the amount of time you spend on administrative tasks so that you can focus more on strategic and creative endeavors.