Hiring an assistant can be a great way to expand your business and your services. While she’s taking care of certain portions of your business, you can focus on your clients and the money-making tasks.

Before you dive into the interview process, ask yourself these three questions: 

What kind of VA do I want to hire?

I want a VA who is just starting out so I can train her in the way I like things done

I want a VA with experience who can just run with a job until it’s complete

I want a VA who’s in the same time zone as me

I want a VA who will work only for me

I am willing to hire a VA who has her own clientele

Can I afford a Virtual Assistant?

If you’re overburdened with your own work and your business isn’t moving forward, hiring a VA is a smart move.

Look at your finances and determine a realistic budget for your assistant and stick to it. Keep in mind that the more experienced and capable your VA, the higher her rate.

What tasks will my Virtual Assistant handle?

Know ahead of time what tasks you need to delegate so you can determine in the interview if this is the right assistant for the job.

Walking into an agreement with an “I’ll get you a list of tasks in a few days” attitude is bound to fail.

Just as you want to find the perfect help, the interviewee wants to know that you – their client – are serious about your business and will forward tasks on a consistent basis.

Tips for the Interview Process

When you interview candidates, listen for their level of professionalism and if they care for their clients’ businesses as much as their own.

There’s quite a difference between an assistant who is watching the clock, waiting to go home, and one who stays until the work is complete.

Even in a virtual setting, you’ll want a professional who will always complete a project within the deadline rather than one who gives you one excuse after another as to why it’s not done yet.

And definitely go through a regular interview process, even if you’re hiring a virtual assistant. Don’t hire the first person who shows an interest.

Advertise the opportunity, look through the resumes, and interview those who meet your initial criteria.

Virtual assistants are certainly used to being interviewed and definitely make use of today’s technology of video chatting.

Visit our hub with resources to help you get started.