If you need a boost of flexibility in your business, hiring a virtual personal assistant is the best way to go. Although you are always best at what you do for your business, you need someone to assist you to do the everyday administrative tasks, so as you will be free to do the important ones to build your business. And employing a professional virtual assistant is the perfect cost-effective solution.
What is a Virtual Assistant?
Technically, a Virtual Assistants or VA is an independent professional who works remotely for an employer, utilizing modern technology and advance communication. The real meaning of a virtual personal assistant is this: she or he is the person who can make things in your company easier and smoother, taking off your hands those mundane repetitive tasks that have been keeping you from succeeding.
Where is the best place to find the right VA?
The Internet is the obvious place to go to when searching for a VA. With a quick search through a search engine, you can find a list of websites offering services that you look for. But that may take a lot of your time. Another option is to visit job advertisement boards and post your requirements. After receiving responses, you can just shortlist the applicants, interview each one, check references, and hire the best one that fits to your job requirements. Other best place to go is those websites which focus on providing a service for clients who look for a professional virtual assistant.
How to find a skilled and qualified VA?
To determine whether a VA applicant has the skill sets and truly qualified for the job, here are some important things to keep in mind as you go about selecting the best candidate:
- Visit your VA’s Website
Since you are hiring an employee virtually, he or she will work for you in a remote place and his or her website would serve as a virtual office. Here you will find contents that can help you know about the years of experience, level of professionalism, testimonials from previous clients, and more about the person you have considered for the job.
- Do an Interview Online
This can help you know the applicant’s communication skills and how she or he handles conversations. You can use Skype or live chat to learn about the person’s verbal and written skills. You can then make an assessment of your impressions after the interview.
- Check the VA’s References
This is very important and can help a lot to avoid headaches. Just ask your VA about his or her previous projects or clients in the past. You may want to keep in touch with one of the clients, if that is possible.
These are some of the most important things to know about hiring a virtual personal assistant. Just like hiring a person to work with you in your office, extra caution is very much necessary to make sure that you get the best benefits of virtual assistant services.
