Virtual executive assistants are one of the most undervalued sectors in business but an area that businesses should pay better attention to.
Like any new hire, vetting a remote freelancer or knowing the criteria for employing a virtual assistant is vital in order to streamline business and take it to the next level. Most business owners forget that they have a higher value proposition.
Virtual executive assistant has the ability to handle mundane or tedious-but-necessary tasks, allowing business owners more free time to develop new ventures and improve or expand their services. It makes sense to delegate those things to qualified workers.
Services that virtual assistants provide include, but are not limited to:
- Accounting and bookkeeping
- Customer service and phone support
- Database management
- Graphic design
- Internet and market research
- Public relations
- Social media management
- Transcription services
- Travel planning and booking
- Website maintenance
- Writing (emails, proposals, web content, etc.)
7 Tips for Recruiting a Proper Virtual Executive Assistant
1.Careful with Budget Constraints
There is an old saying: “You get what you paid for.” Carefully consider how much money can be budgeted to hire quality candidates. Really good virtual assistants will command a higher wage. On the other hand, there are capable workers who do not have a wealth of experience so they will take less pay and get the job done.
2.Job Hiring Sites
Executive virtual assistants are often found on legitimate job hiring sites. Those sites often give assessment tests or have ranking systems for businesses to find quality job candidates.
3.Qualifications of a Virtual Assistant
It can be very easy to pad a resume but there are early flags concerning a good candidate. If part of the delegated work requires typing, bookkeeping, or transcription services, their application and resume should not have any spelling errors. Remember to utilize the assessments and ranking reports from the job hiring sites.
4.Interviews with the Virtual Assistant
The interview is very important. As more companies hire remote workers, the interview process is often done through Zoom, Facetime, or Skype. That face to face interaction, even through a screen, helps in determining if the candidate is a good fit, especially if they are filling a position for direct line communication. One other reason why a virtual interview is important is to see if the candidate has the proper equipment to do the work assignments and communicate effectively.
5.References from previous customers
Applications often have a spot for references, but hiring managers rarely call the provided numbers. As an employer, the information provided by a previous employer will help determine if a VA candidate is dependable.
6.Always Delegating Work
When it’s time to consider a virtual assistant, one must know exactly what tasks are being delegated. This eliminates any questions as to the responsibilities that are expected.
7.Building Trust with Each Other
Remote work is not easy. Building trust with an executive virtual assistant means assigning tasks with the expectation that it will be done. For the VA, they want to know that their work is appreciated and that they will get paid on time. Building trust is a two-way street.
