Virtual Assistants are great for many things. They can make a positive contribution to your business by assisting you on multifarious fronts, such as organizational skills, productivity and innovation. They alleviate your work load, and give you time to focus on imperative activities. They can take care of your mundane activities that require unnecessary time and energy. Finding a Virtual Assistant is quite different from hiring a tangible one. You do not know them that well. You might not know who controls the strings behind the screens.
So, why should you go for it? You should hire a VA if you are comfortable in communicating via text messages, email, and once in a blue moon video call. If you are old school, and prefer face to face communication, a VA might take time to adopt. A VA can help you cut down on your cost while giving you the best option.
There are a few secrets that you can employ while looking for a VA.
Know What You Want
Yes, yes, you want a virtual assistant. But this is not what I mean here. You need to know the qualities you are looking for in your VA. While interviewing you should have a well -established idea of the type of person you are looking for. It can include their language skills, what kind of pressure they can handle, tasks to execute etc. Be clear about the skills you are looking for. Do you want them to be adept in social media accounts? Their typing skills, what experience they have had in the relevant field. Even if they lack experience, are they willing to go the extra mile to fulfill your needs? Do not get overwhelmed while looking for a VA. Measure the pros and cons, take your time in selecting them. But consider their time as well. Do not drag the process. Once you know you what you want, do not hesitate to compare your needs, and the VA’s resume.
Establish Communication
As I mentioned earlier, a VA is not tangible. They might not be located in the same hemisphere as you. A normal employee is easily available. Therefore, communication is not much of an issue. However, a VA can be a little difficult to deal with if your communication is not loud and clear. Do not depend on the VA to understand your demands telepathically. Only Professor X can do that (yes, and X-men reference). Articulate your point. Explain your tasks to get the best results. For this purpose, you need to select a communication channel. You can opt for emails. However, there is only so much you can say through emails. You can opt for Whatsapp communication, Skype, Signal and many others. Communication is the essence of any relationship. It is more important if you need to establish a strong one with your employees. Communication can help to create an environment of trust between you and your VA.
Do Not Look for a Yes Man!
Yes, everybody loves a person who would bow down their head to every demand you make. But this is where productivity dies. Having a VA that will question your tasks, tactics, and activities might lead to more productive outcomes. Listen to their suggestions. You are required to work closely with your VA. Therefore, be sure you are comfortable with them.
A VA should be confident to point out your mistakes and vice versa. Hiring a yes man would benefit you in the short term. But in the long term, the benefits of such an assistant are bleak, and troublesome. Know their capacity to argue in a friendly manner, without either of you getting offended. Also, assess how they would react in times of crisis. Not only their reaction, but yours is also important. If you do not like what they might have to say, how would you react? Will you go for my way or the high way approach, or are you willing to make compromises?
You Should Look for someone who Keeps you Updated
There is plenty of things to consider while searching for a VA. You cannot really keep an eye on them constantly, like the one in your office. Focus on looking for a VA who contacts you regularly. That does not imply, they contact you every second of the day, to give insight on meagre things. They are hired to save your time. A VA should know which details you need to know while executing a task.
They should deliver on your projects in time. Further, ask them for detailed project reports to know all the nitty-gritties of the project execution. Delays are inevitable. You never know what crisis might befall at any minute. Delays might be acceptable a few times, but should not be a regular thing.
Conclusion
There are several agencies that provide VA. Thus, you do not have to source the assistant yourself. It also lets you get someone specialized in your field. Having a VA can help ease your burden. However, since it is much different than hiring an in-employee, you need to know which characteristics to look for in a VA. A VA might be new to your environment, or even your business. Therefore, it might take them a bit longer to adjust, and might only establish a professional relationship. Nevertheless, they are a huge help, and can give you the skill set while being budget friendly.
