How To Hire a Virtual Assistant

How To Hire a Virtual Assistant

by A Team Overseas
Business

In today's fast-paced business world, the right support can mean the difference between staying afloat and achieving scalable growth. If you're finding yourself stretched thin, constantly putting out fires instead of focusing on strategic initiatives, it might be time to consider hiring a virtual assistant. About 78% of business owners say delegating tasks to a virtual assistant boosts their productivity, according to Time Etc. But for this to work, you need to know how to hire the right virtual assistant for your needs.

At A Team Overseas, we will walk you through every step of hiring a virtual assistant, from understanding their role and benefits to finding the right candidate. You'll learn how to find the best talent, including interviewing techniques, onboarding processes, and best practices for successful remote management.

Understanding Virtual Assistants

What is a Virtual Assistant?

A virtual assistant is more than just a remote worker you can get for a lower-cost – they're a strategic partner for business owners seeking to optimize their operations. Think of them as your remote right-hand person, capable of handling tasks from email management, customer service, social media management, to project management and more.

Types of Virtual Assistants

Today's virtual assistants do more than the basic administrative tasks — given their nature of work, virtual assistants’ skills can be quite flexible and work for different niches and fields. So when you hire a virtual assistant, you gain access to professionals who can specialize in different types of work:

  1. Administrative Support: Handle routine tasks such as scheduling, data entry, and document management, ensuring your day-to-day operations run smoothly.
  2. Customer Service: Managing client interactions, they excel at providing top-notch customer support through email, phone, and live chat.
  3. Social Media and Marketing: Often involved with managing your social media accounts by handling tasks such as content creation, scheduling, graphic design, and managing social media content or blog posts as well as engaging with your audience to drive brand loyalty.
  4. Executive Assistance: Offering high-level business support, they can help manage calendars, coordinate meetings, organize travel arrangements, and streamline email communication, allowing you to focus on strategic goals.
  5. Specialized Support: These virtual assistants bring expert support in niche areas such as bookkeeping, graphic design, content writing, SEO, or industry-specific knowledge tailored to your unique requirements.

Why Hire a Virtual Assistant?

When do you say ‘I need a VA’? When is the right time? Do you even need a Virtual Assistant?

The decision to hire a virtual assistant often comes at a crucial turning point in business growth. According to Google Workplace Analytics, executives spend 23 hours weekly on administrative tasks that could be handled by virtual assistant services. Time is your most valuable asset, and many entrepreneurs spend countless hours on tasks that, while necessary, don't directly contribute to revenue growth or business development.

benefits of hiring a VA

Virtual assistants offer a compelling solution to this challenge. By delegating routine tasks to a VA, you can save valuable time and focus on high-impact activities that drive business growth while keeping things from falling through the cracks. The financial benefits are also significant – you'll save on traditional employment costs such as office space, equipment, and benefits while gaining access to specialized skills that might be cost-prohibitive in a full-time employee.

Not only that but the best virtual assistants can operate in a level where they can drive their own growth. In A Team Overseas, we optimize our talent to not only execute on tasks but to also be proactive problem solvers. Overall, the main goal is to set up your VA for success and get to a level where they don’t need constant direction from you and also own their areas of the business. Here’s a visual of how we see this:

Contributor Growth Curve

Identifying Your Needs

Assessing Tasks to Delegate

Whenever you decide to start hiring your virtual assistant, it’s also crucial to identify the need for it. Take time to analyze your workflow. What tasks consume most of your time? Which daily tasks take much work but could be easily delegated? Any specific tasks that you need expert support in?

Create a comprehensive task list and consider things like urgency and complexity. You should also consider both the immediate impact of delegation and the long-term strategic value. What are your current priorities and what is the most valuable use of both of your times? A systematic approach to task delegation and resource allocation creates a foundation for finding the right person.

Determining Required Skills

Based on your task analysis, outline the essential skills your ideal VA should have. This should include both technical competencies and soft skills. For technical skills, be specific about the software and tools your virtual assistant needs to master. Aside that, soft skills are equally important in a remote working relationship. Strong written communication and time management skills are essential, as most interactions will occur through email or messaging platforms with your virtual assistant often working independently.

Sourcing Virtual Assistants

Freelance Websites

Online platforms like UpworkFiverr, and Freelancer are a popular choice for finding virtual assistants as a direct hire. These sites allow you to post job listings, review candidate profiles, and read feedback from previous clients. According to a recent Upwork report, 59 million Americans freelanced through the platform in 2020, making it a great resource for hiring independent contractors. However, keep in mind that these marketplace-style platforms will take a cut out of your VA’s pay, so rates might be higher than expected.

Online Platforms

Social media platforms and professional networks are also a viable resource for finding skilled professionals. Despite no longer being the shiny new tool, LinkedIn is still a valuable resource for finding remote employees. You can post job openings, join professional groups, and connect directly with potential candidates on this platform. Now, if you want to go a little bit more old-school, you can find Facebook groups dedicated to virtual assistants and remote work - even better if you manage to find country-specific groups - where virtual assistants will surely respond to your job posting.

Virtual Assistant Agencies

Virtual assistant agencies provide pre-vetted professionals ready to start working immediately, agilizing the recruiting process and handling not only the recruitment work but also the onboarding procedures. Thanks to their recruiters and support teams, they make it easier to find a qualified assistant. A Clutch survey found that 72% of businesses that use agencies are satisfied with the quality of service provided, so there’s a good chance you’ll be happy if you decide to partner with one. Still, at A Team Overseas, we strive to be more than your typical EA agency by offering continuous founder-led support and dedicated EA coaching to ensure a successful long-term partnership.

Crafting a Job Description

Now that you’ve got all the overview you need to decide if you’re hiring a VA, let’s start breaking down the actual process of getting one. First off: a job description. A clear job description attracts qualified job seekers who align with your specific needs. This helps outline important requirements through specific details around responsibilities, qualifications, and expectations.

Key Elements to Include

Your job posting should be clear and comprehensive. List both technical such as level of proficiency in specific tools, platforms, and CRM systems. Essential soft skills are equally important: set the tone on what the ideal candidate should be like. For example, the ideal candidate should demonstrate clear written and verbal communication, independent problem-solving abilities, strong time management skills, a detail-oriented work approach, and self-motivation with a proactive mindset. Laying down these elements will help you identify if a candidate has the right qualities you’re looking for.

Communicating Expectations

Defining specific parameters for the working relationship is also helpful in setting up the partnership for success. Being upfront and setting the tone helps keep you and your virtual aligned especially during the start. That is why it helps to identify what guardrails you should set and what metrics matter to you most.

Communicate things like: schedule, whether the position is full-time or part-time, and specify the hourly rate you're offering. Your expectations should also be explicit regarding response times and availability during specific business hours. Additionally, communicate requirements for response times, availability during business hours, attendance, and standards in quality of work.

The Hiring Process

The virtual assistant hiring process combines a mix of traditional recruitment methods with specialized remote work considerations. This approach helps you select candidates who align best with your business needs.

Reviewing Resumes and Portfolios

The first step of the screening process is carefully reviewing their resumes and portfolios. When examining these, consider the following factors:

  • Relevant Experience: Does their experience align with the tasks you need help with? For instance, if you’re hiring a VA to assist with marketing efforts, ensure their resume reflects previous roles in marketing and sales.
  • Consistent Work History: A stable work history can indicate reliability and commitment. Be cautious if a candidate has frequent job changes unless there’s a valid explanation.
  • Professional Presentation: A well-organized, error-free resume and portfolio reflect professionalism and attention to detail. This can show their attention to detail.
  • Portfolio Quality: Check for real, verifiable work samples. Are they relevant to the tasks you need help with, and do they demonstrate high-quality output?
  • Client Testimonials: Testimonials are a great way to assess a candidate’s reputation. Look for positive feedback that speaks to their work ethic, problem-solving skills, and ability to meet deadlines.

Conducting Interviews

According to a study by Robert Half, 91% of managers believe asking behavioral interview questions is essential to hiring success. Preparing a list of questions that cover both technical skills and personality traits to avoid only interviewing them about skills can make all the difference. Ultimately, it’s more valuable to focus on figuring out if they’re aligned with your mission, vision, and values, as well as if they actually care about what your business is doing. If you want to know more about our favorite interview questions for hiring virtual assistants, feel free to check out our recent article about it!  

Assessing Technical Skills

If you’re hiring a virtual assistant to handle specific tools or work on specialized roles. Another thing you should consider is if the candidate can perform the technical aspects of the role. One way to check for this is to offer a trial period or to implement a practical test. Test for their knowledge of the essential tools used for your business, this will allow you to evaluate their level of expertise and whether they know how to work around a tool comfortable versus just using things once.

Making the Decision

Hiring a virtual assistant (VA) is a strategic move that can transform your day-to-day work dynamics. There could be a lot noise from reviewing different candidates, figuring out what you want, and all the little details so… How do you ensure you’re picking the right one? The decision-making process boils down to careful evaluation, clear comparisons, and thorough vetting.

Comparing Candidates

To make an informed choice, it’s essential to evaluate each candidate objectively. Here’s where a scoring system comes in handy. Here are five critical factors that you can consider:

  • Skills Match: Do they have the specific abilities you’re looking for, such as proficiency in project management tools or experience with email marketing campaigns?
  • Experience Level: How long have they worked as a VA or in a similar capacity? Experience can often mean they’ll hit the ground running.
  • Communication Style: Do they respond promptly, clearly, and professionally? Effective communication is the backbone of any remote working relationship.
  • Cultural Fit: Do their work values align with your company’s? This aspect becomes particularly important when integrating a VA into your team.
  • Rate Compatibility: Does their rate align with your budget, considering the value they’ll provide?

As always, customize your ratings based on your specific needs. What matters to you and what’s best for the business? Pro tip: Assign weights to each category to prioritize what matters most to your business. For instance, if communication is critical, make it worth 40% of the total score.

Checking References

Once you've shortlisted candidates, thorough reference checking becomes invaluable for confirming a VA's credentials and reliability. When verifying past work experience, reach out to previous clients and ask specific questions about their work ethic, ability to meet deadlines, and overall performance. Take time to review online testimonials, looking for consistent praise or recurring concerns in reviews to get a clearer picture of their strengths and potential weaknesses. Additionally, verify that the work samples they've provided are genuinely theirs by cross-checking details with former employers when possible.

Why this matters: A stellar resume or interview might not tell the full story. References provide an unfiltered view of a candidate’s abilities and professionalism.

Onboarding Your Virtual Assistant

Now you've got your new hire! Onboarding your virtual assistant is crucial to ensure they’re set up for success from Day One. A smooth onboarding process can help them integrate into your team, understand expectations, and become productive faster. Here are some of the best practices to keep in mind to make onboarding seamless.

Setting Up Tools and Systems

Effective collaboration starts with the right tools and systems. Ensure your virtual assistant has access to everything they need to do their job efficiently.

  • Providing access to necessary software: Share the software tools you use for project management, communication, and file sharing. Tools like Trello, Slack, or Google Workspace should be set up and accessible right from the start.
  • Setting up communication channels: Define how you will stay in touch. Set up channels for regular communication (e.g., Slack, email, or Zoom) and make sure your VA knows the best way to reach you for quick questions or urgent matters.
  • Creating shared documentation: Centralize important documents in a cloud-based system like Google Drive or Dropbox. This allows both you and your VA to collaborate on important documents in real time.
  • Establishing file sharing systems: If your work requires sending and receiving large files, set up shared folders or cloud-based file management systems. Ensure your VA knows how to organize and upload files efficiently.

Establishing Communication Protocols

Clear communication is the backbone of a successful remote working relationship. Establish protocols to keep things running smoothly. Regular touch points are important - from daily or weekly check-ins discussing priorities and challenges, to structured progress updates through email or Slack that track completed and upcoming work. Your meeting cadence should align with your specific needs, starting from team meetings, one-on-one sessions, and project discussions. It’s also crucial to have a well-defined emergency protocol to define how urgent situations will be handled. For example, if a task deadline is at risk, ensure there’s a system in place for quick problem-solving.

Training and Orientation

A thorough training process is essential to ensure your virtual assistant understands your business and the tools they’ll use. Here’s how we can ensure we set them up for success:

  • Company overview: Give your VA a comprehensive understanding of your company, including your mission, values, and overall workflow. This will help them feel more connected to your team and understand their role in the bigger picture.
  • Standard operating procedures (SOPs): Provide detailed guidelines and procedures for their tasks. SOPs ensure consistency and efficiency, allowing your VA to complete tasks with minimal supervision.
  • Tool tutorials: Offer training on any software or systems your business relies on, whether that’s project management tools, communication platforms, or industry-specific software.
  • Expected deliverables: Set clear expectations regarding the quality and timeliness of their work. Let them know the kind of deliverables you expect, and the timelines for each task or project.

Pro tip: Onboarding doesn’t always have to be as structured. When you decide to hire a virtual assistant, it’s important for you to spend time closely. This means being exposed to each another often especially during the start so they can learn how you work. During this, they can also understand the rationale or “why”s of your decision and apply that to their own approach.

Managing a Virtual Assistant

After your virtual assistant has successfully onboarded, the next step is to ensure they stay aligned with your business goals and values, and are continuously iterating on their performance.

Setting Clear Objectives and KPIs

Establishing measurable goals helps you and your VA stay on track. Create key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure progress and outcomes. Performance metrics could encompass various aspects of their role, from basic task completion rates to comprehensive quality assessments. Breaking larger projects into smaller, trackable milestones ensures steady progress while maintaining high standards. These metrics not only provide clear benchmarks for success but also help identify areas for improvement and growth.

Monitoring Performance and Progress

Monitor your virtual assistant’s performance regularly to ensure they’re meeting expectations. Having frequent touchpoints ensure that you are all aligned. You can do weekly progress meetings and monthly performance evaluations to check on ongoing tasks, address any roadblocks, and assess overall alignment. To take it another level, you can also create score cards that outline the KPIs that matter and set a cadence to review it with your VA.

Providing Feedback and Support

Finally, fostering an environment of continuous growth is key to maximizing your VA’s potential. Giving them specific and actionable constructive feedback helps them understand their strengths and areas of improvement. Also, making space for them to upskill or master their current expertise through courses or other methods are a great way to stimulate continuous learning. These help lay down clear development plans that help your VA improve which is both valuable to them and the business.

Legal and Financial Considerations

When working with a virtual assistant, you’re guaranteed to be working with contractors from different countries around the world. That is why it’s also important to make sure you understand the legal and financial aspects of working with a remote employee. This is especially true when hiring direct as you will likely have to set this up yourself as compared to an agency that already have some structures in place.

Contract and Agreements

Protect both parties by establishing clear contracts and agreements before starting the working relationship. Some important documents that you should consider setting up:

  • Clear service agreements: Outline the terms of the engagement, including job responsibilities, working hours, and deliverables.
  • Confidentiality clauses: Add a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) to protect sensitive business information.
  • Intellectual property rights: Clearly define ownership of any work produced by your VA, particularly if it involves creative content or intellectual property.
  • Termination conditions: Include terms about contract termination, such as notice periods or grounds for termination to avoid any misunderstandings.

Payment Methods and Frequencies

Another thing that you should set up as soon as possible is a payment structure that both parties can agree to. This will help avoid confusion and issues down the road. Discuss the following with your VA:

  • Payment schedule: Decide whether you’ll pay your VA weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly, and make it clear from the outset.
  • Accepted payment methods: Specify what payment methods are acceptable (e.g., Wise, PayPal, direct bank transfer, or other international platforms).
  • Rate calculations: Ensure both parties agree on hourly or project-based rates and any additional costs, like bonuses or reimbursements.
  • Overtime policies: Clarify how overtime will be handled if your VA works more than agreed hours.

Understanding Taxes and Regulations

Finally, when hiring a virtual assistant, it’s important to understand the legal and tax implications.

  • Knowing contractor regulations: Ensure you are compliant with your local laws regarding hiring contractors, particularly if your VA is based overseas. Keep this in mind when thinking of bonuses and benefits as to clear away from misclassification risks.
  • Understanding tax obligations: Be aware of any tax responsibilities related to hiring contractors, including whether you need to withhold taxes from payments or report earnings. Have them fill the appropriate forms - for example, W-8 form, as it indicates their status as non-US residents and help claim eligibility for reduced or exempt US withholding.
  • Following international labor laws: If your VA is in a different country, ensure you are adhering to local labor laws. Establish agreements around minimum wage, hours, PTO, and the like.
  • Maintaining proper documentation: Keep detailed records of your contracts, payments, and work completed for tax and legal purposes.

Maximizing the Relationship

After setting up all the logistics, metrics, and training period, now comes one of the most important things you should consider for long term success — building a strong and mutually beneficial relationship with your VA. Any partnership is a two-way street and requires equal effort on both sides to cultivate. In particular, the first month is a crucial period for you and your VA to establish your connection.

Building Trust and Rapport

Invest in your working relationship by establishing trust and open communication.

  • Showing appreciation: Don’t forget to give them a kudos or a thank you for their work and their accomplishments. It’s a great way to boost their morale.
  • Providing growth opportunities: Offer opportunities for your VA to grow within your business, such as taking on new responsibilities or learning new skills. Exploring more areas of the business can help them feel like they’re part of the team, even if they’re working remotely.
  • Maintaining open communication: Be approachable and responsive to any questions or concerns your VA may have. Keeping the lines of communication creates a safe space for curiosity and exploration, allowing them to feel heard.
  • Being responsive to concerns: Address any issues your VA brings up quickly and thoughtfully. This helps build a sense of trust and ensures that problems are resolved before they escalate.

Encouraging Continuous Improvement

In continuation of growth opportunities, supporting your VA’s professional development can help them grow in their role and continue to contribute positively to your business. This also helps stimulate a passion for continuous learning.

  • Training opportunities: Provide access to training programs, online courses, or industry-specific resources to help your VA expand their skills.
  • Skill expansion projects: Assign projects that challenge your VA to learn new skills or take on new responsibilities.
  • Regular feedback sessions: Conduct ongoing feedback sessions where you discuss their performance, successes, and areas for improvement, making sure that they’re aligned and working in the right direction.
  • Performance incentives: As a plus, consider offering bonuses, incentives, or recognition. Reward great work and motivate improvement.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Even with the best-laid plans, issues will arise when managing a virtual assistant. For some, working with a remote employee does raise concerns around time zones and communication. That said, all of these can be avoidable or have a quick fix. Here are some strategies for troubleshooting common challenges.

Addressing Communication Problems

Clear communication is crucial, but misunderstandings can happen. Be open to reasonable adjustments and set clear expectations about your needs, timelines, and goals to avoid confusion. It helps if this is documented especially for important discussions so both parties are on the same page. Don’t let small issues grow into bigger problems. Address communication breakdowns as soon as they arise to maintain a healthy working relationship. Sometimes written communication isn’t enough, so consider using video calls for more in-depth discussions or when you need to clarify something important.

Managing Time Zone Differences

When working with a VA across different countries and time zones, one of the things that you should establish is your expectations around their work hours. Virtual assistants are typically used to working hours to accommodate client’s own time zones. For example, Philippines-based Customer Service Representatives often work night hours to cater to US customers. The same is true with virtual assistants.

Other things you should consider other than full overlapping hours between you and your VA are:

  • Establish overlap hours: Schedule a few hours of overlap in your working hours for real-time collaboration and communication. This is a great compromise if you’d like to VA to be productive in their own time.
  • Use asynchronous communication tools: Tools like email, Slack, and project management software can facilitate communication across time zones without requiring immediate responses. This is helpful for business owners who prefer a more flexible work style and approach, but requires a lot of autonomy and independence on the VA.
  • Plan ahead for deadlines: Factor in time zone differences when setting deadlines to avoid last-minute stress.
  • Maintain flexible scheduling: Discuss what times work for you and your VA, ensuring flexibility on both sides.

The process of hiring virtual assistants doesn't have to be overwhelming. Rushing the hiring decision often leads to complications down the line — take time to follow this process thoroughly while making sure you’re considering what makes sense for your specific needs and business goals. With careful planning and proper management, your virtual assistant can become an invaluable asset, helping you achieve new levels of productivity and business growth. Remember, when you hire a virtual assistant, you're investing in your business's future.

Ready To Hire Your Virtual Assistant? Try A Team Overseas!

If you’re looking to hire a virtual assistant in the Philippines and need the support to do so, you might be interested in what we can offer you. At A Team Overseas, we noticed there was a gap in the EA market for agencies that offered long-term support instead of just finding the best virtual assistant for you and then simply wishing you good luck. Since we started, our offering has also grown to offer not only Executive Assistants, but also Healthcare Virtual Assistants and Marketing Assistants. Our approach is much more hands-on, including founder-led support, EA coaching, and payment handling. We take care of all the details to ensure you can hire and work well with the perfect VA for you and your business. If you’re ready to hire a virtual assistant, contact us today to learn more about our services!

Start Reclaiming Your Time for Things That Truly Matter

Hire a remote executive assistant with us. 30 day money back guarantee.