How to hire a reliable VA

Introduction

Hiring a virtual assistant can be an excellent choice. It's a way to get work done without having to hire someone full-time or pay for a service you don't necessarily need.

But how do you know whether the person you're hiring is going to be good at their job?

How do you even start looking for a VA in the first place?

The word "VA" is short for virtual assistant.

VA is short for virtual assistant.

A VA helps you out with tasks that can be done remotely, like research or writing.

While some VAs work from home and others work from coffee shops around the world, they all do their work online, so hiring one doesn't require you to be in the same place as them.

A reliable VA is a trustworthy, experienced, and professional individual who cares about their work and the well-being of their client.

To hire a quality VA, you need to find someone who is experienced and trustworthy. They should be able to communicate with you well and meet your needs. A good VA can also work with you in a professional manner, which means they will be able to adapt as necessary.

Many VAs specialize in different areas.

When hiring a VA, it's important to find someone who has the experience and skills you need.

Because VAs can specialize in different areas, you'll want to make sure that your VA has experience in the area of business that interests you most.

For example, some common areas of specialization include:

social media management and marketing
administrative tasks like scheduling appointments or emailing clients
accounting and bookkeeping
graphic design work (logos, brochures)
market research
list building and email campaigns -- the list goes on!

If your business needs help with any of these tasks then hiring someone who specializes in those tasks will help ensure that they get done properly.

Not all VAs are reliable

When you hire a VA, you want to get the best person possible. That's why it's important to know the difference between a reliable VA and a bad one.

A great VA will:

Have relevant skills: You want someone who has experience in the specific areas that need help—ideally, this will be someone who has already proven themselves at their job. For example, if you're looking for an editor and proofreader for your website copy, look for someone with editing experience instead of just anyone with good grammar.
Be available when needed: The best VAs are always on call when issues arise or deadlines are approaching quickly; they understand how important timeliness is to keeping things running smoothly with your business or project.
Communicate effectively: Your VA should respond promptly whenever they receive questions or requests from you and any other team members involved in completing projects together (such as web designers). This means responding within 24 hours at most but ideally much sooner than that! The best VAs should be able to communicate with you through the fastest available communication tools like WhatsApp, Slack and others.

Where to find a reliable VA?

You can find quality VAs through freelance marketplaces.

Freelance marketplaces are a good place to find quality VAs, as they offer the following benefits:

A large pool of talent from which to choose from.
Review and rating systems that allow you to see past clients' experiences with each VA before hiring them yourself (this is especially important if you're trying a new marketplace).

Identifying your needs will help you find a VA that specializes in the right area.

You should take the time to consider what you need from a VA.

Do you want someone who can handle all of your tasks, or do you want a personal assistant that can help with specific projects? Are there any tasks or responsibilities that are particularly time-consuming for you right now? If so, make sure to hire someone who can handle those things in addition to other work.

Also consider how long and often you would like your VA available for work. A full-time assistant will be able to complete more tasks than one who works part time.

Once you've identified these needs, it's easier to figure out which kinds of VAs are best suited for your role as an entrepreneur or business owner.

VA proposals

Consider asking potential VAs to submit a proposal with a clear description of what they can do and what they will charge.

Asking a potential VA to submit a proposal is a great way of understanding what you can expect from them. In addition to the information below, it will also give you insight into their availability, skill level, and experience working with other clients.

The more information provided in your job posting, the better. Make sure to include:

What tasks do you want the VA to complete?
How many hours per week would they be working on this project?
Other information that candidates should know about the project

Test VAs. Don't hire simply based on their proposal or promise.

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This is the most important step in this process. If done right, this will guarantee a successfull hire.

One of the most important factors to consider when hiring a VA is their ability to follow instructions. There are many things that can go wrong during the hiring process, but one of them is not testing your VA before you hire them.

You might think that because they're applying for a job, they'll be able to complete simple tasks on their own. However, this isn't always the case.

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In our experience, the ratio of reliable VAs vs. not so reliable VAs is about 9 to 1. This means that only one candidate from ten will most likely be the right person.

So, it's important that you test VAs prior to hiring them so you know how well they follow instructions and how quickly they complete tasks.

The best way to do this is by giving small assignments first—for example: proofreading an email or writing up some social media posts—then tracking their progress along with other candidates who have applied for the same position (a great way of finding quality talent!).

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It’s important to give the same test task to all candidates, so you can compare their work properly (comparing apples to apples, not apples to oranges).

If you're happy with their work and/or response time compared to others who have applied for your job posting(s), then go ahead and offer them employment! But if not...

Don't hire them. This will save everyone time.

A reliable VA means saved time and resources

Hiring a trustworthy VA with experience in the right area can help free up time and energy for business owners

VA’s can help you save time, money and energy by taking on some of your tasks.

This can free up time for business owners to focus on the important things that only they can do, like strategizing, managing employees and working with clients.

Conclusion

A quality VA is an asset to your business. They can help you grow your company and save time so that you can focus more on what matters most. It’s important to know how to hire one who is right for your needs, so we hope our tips help guide you through the process!