Virtual assistants are the perfect solution for small business owners who need help with their workload but don’t have the budget for a full-time employee. These professionals can handle everything from scheduling appointments to answering emails and updating social media accounts.
Virtual assistants are also called virtual office assistants, remote assistants, freelancers, or independent contractors. Regardless of what they’re called, they have similar job duties and responsibilities.
If you’re thinking about hire a virtual assistant, this guide will help you understand what to look for in an assistant, what you can expect from them, and how much they cost.
How To Find A Virtual Assistant
There are many websites where you can find virtual assistants. Some of the most popular ones include Upwork and Fiverr. These websites have thousands of freelancers offering their services at different skill levels. You can also find a VA on Facebook by doing a simple search or asking your friends for recommendations on who they use for their business needs.
However, if you don’t have the time or energy to search for a new employee, one of the best ways to find a virtual assistant is to hire an outsourcing company. These companies specialize in finding qualified staff for clients who don’t want to do the hiring themselves. They can also provide training and support for your new hire, which frees you up to focus on other tasks.
What To Look For In a Good VA
When Hire A Virtual Assistant, you want to make sure they’re going to be a good fit for your business. This means that they’ll be able to handle the responsibilities you give them and work well with others in your organization. Here are some things to look for when vetting potential VAs:
- Availability
You want to make sure your VA is available when you need them. This includes being able to take calls at any time during the day or night (depending on where they live). It also means that they have access to email at all times, so they can respond quickly if needed.
- Multitasking Skills
A good VA is someone who can handle multiple tasks at once. They’ll be able to manage several projects at the same time, so you don’t have to worry about whether they can stay on top of everything.
- Organization
As much as possible, your VA should be able to organize their own time and work independently. The last thing you want is someone who needs constant micro-management or reminders about what needs to be done each day. If your VA has trouble keeping track of their own tasks, it could make managing them difficult or frustrating for both parties involved.
- Flexible & Adaptable
Virtual assistants don’t work 9-to-5 hours as most employees do; they can work around the clock if needed or take breaks whenever it’s convenient for them (unless there’s an emergency). Because of this flexibility, you’ll want someone who can jump into action at any time without hesitation or confusion about what needs doing next.
- Highly Skilled in Their Particular Field
This is important because they’ll be handling your most important projects and tasks. It’s better if they’re well-versed in the industry you operate in, but even if they aren’t, they should be able to learn quickly.
- Are They Punctual?
You don’t want someone who’s always late or who doesn’t show up at all. They need to be reliable and trustworthy if they’re going to work remotely.
- Do They Have Strong Communication Skills?
A VA should be able to communicate clearly with both clients and coworkers, either by phone or through email. If there are any issues with communication between parties, it will affect your entire team negatively.
Cost Of Hiring A Virtual Assistant
The cost of hiring a virtual assistant can vary greatly depending on the type of work you need to be done, your budget, and how much time you are willing to spend training your VA.
The average hourly rate for a virtual assistant is $20-30 per hour, but this can range from $10-50 per hour. Some VAs charge by project or by word count, which can make things even more complicated when trying to estimate your costs.
The first thing that you need to do before hiring a VA determines what tasks will be outsourced and how much time will be spent on each task. One option is to hire a VA for a few hours each week, and another is to hire one full-time. Another option is to start out part-time and then transition into full-time if things go well.
When deciding how much time should be spent training your new VA, keep in mind that it may take several weeks before they become proficient at the tasks they are being asked to complete. Therefore, you should consider the amount of time it would take for them to get up to speed and factor this into your budgeting process.
Conclusion:
If you’re looking to hire a virtual assistant, I hope that this information will help to you understand the types of assistants you can hire online and what to look for when you’re hiring one. Good luck with your search, and let us know how it goes. We’d love to hear from you in the comments section.