How Do You Know If You’ve Hired the Right Virtual Assistant?

One of the keys to running a successful business is hiring the right Virtual Assistant to lend you a hand. A troublesome one will give you recurring headaches and adversely affect your workflow.  It is important to choose wisely and find the one who will be an asset to your growing business.  

Hiring is frequently a hit or miss affair. You never really know how qualified a person is until the ball starts rolling.  One of the biggest mistakes first- time clients make when qualifying virtual assistants is focusing only on hard skills while overlooking soft skills.

Hard skills are the competencies required for the job. If you are looking for a VA to manage your administrative workload, the requisite hard skills would include:

• MS Office
• Phone Handling
• Appointment Setting
• Calendar Management
• CRM Handling
• Social Media Marketing

Soft skills are the so- called intangibles; these are the qualities that best represent who your Virtual Assistant is, her personality and key behavioral traits. Many employers believe soft skills are just as important or if not, more important that hard skills.

For sure, you’ve come across someone who appeared to be the answer to your prayers. He has the experience, certifications in all the required skills, great scholastic standing and a list of recommendations. But still ended up a disappointment during his tenure with you.

This is the value of identifying the ideal soft skills you would want in a Virtual Assistant. It will help you know if you hired the right Virtual Assistant or not.

So what soft skills should you be on the lookout for?

1. Reliable

A reliable Virtual Assistant is one who:

• Doesn’t miss deadlines
• Updates you regularly
• Responds to your communication promptly
• Manages to deliver quality work even during crunch time

Reliability is a trait that business owners should always be on the lookout for when getting people for their virtual workforce. If you have to be the one to initiate communication or follow up on project updates all the time, you should consider looking for a replacement.  

Your Virtual Assistant is supposed to reduce your workload and not add to the list of your worries.

2. Accountability

Don’t we all wish we have a Virtual Assistant who makes no mistakes? Although accuracy is required, errors can still happen because your Virtual Assistant is human after all.  

When your employee slips, take note of how she deals and copes with the situation.  Owning up to her mistakes is a sign of maturity and good work ethics.  You can expect that she will immediately act on her slip ups and get back on track.

It is very important to address mistakes right away. Unattended, mistakes can become game changing problems with catastrophic consequences.

3. Honesty

It is quite challenging to build trust in a virtual work setup so it is a must that you have an honest Virtual Assistant on your side. This way, you can be assured that you will be able to work apart efficiently.  

Is she vocal about work issues or her shortcomings?  Does she ask questions when uncertain about your instructions? Does she inform you promptly of overpayment made?  

You can gauge her trustworthiness with her ability to communicate truthfully.

4. Invested in Your Business

Some virtual assistants limit themselves to work execution and their involvement ends as soon as they get paid.  You are in luck when you have someone who is sincerely concerned with your business and takes the time to understand it more.  

Keep in mind that virtual assistants are entrepreneurs themselves. They are proprietors of a business that offers virtual assistance services. Like you, they are determined to make their business grow and prosper. The best ones know that for their business to succeed, it is very important to render quality service to all clients every time.

You are assured that all actions will be carried out with only the best intentions.  Your Virtual Assistant will actively help you reach your goals if you decide to keep her.  

5. Efficient

Another way to define the right Virtual Assistant is having one who makes life and work easier for you.

• She will remind you of meetings at least 2 days in advance.

• Your presentation materials will be e-mailed to you ahead of schedule so you will have enough time to review and prepare.

• Every start of the month she will send you the cash disbursement schedule, a projected income statement and projected cash flow so you can keep close tabs on your finances.

• She will fix your schedule so that your calendar can accommodate all important meetings.

• She will clean up your e-mail of spam and other junk.

An efficient Virtual Assistant will save you money, keep you productive and cover all important responsibilities.

6. Open minded  

Whether your Virtual Assistant is experienced or a newbie, this trait will help her perform beyond expectations.  

She must have the desire to constantly update her skills set in order to serve clients better. If your Virtual Assistant is not too keen on getting feedback from you, this is a telltale sign of stubbornness.  

It would be difficult for you to establish a good working relationship with someone who refuses to change her ways for the better.

7. Effective Communicator

Considering the virtual setup, it would be difficult for you to accomplish anything with someone who is remiss when it comes to communication.  

Effective communication is an essential quality for any relationship, business or otherwise. Many strong, long- lasting relationships have ended because the other party did not respect the channels of communication.

This is especially true when working with someone in the virtual world. In the absence of shared space collaboration, it becomes crucial to stay on top of everything that is going on.

A good Virtual Assistant understands this. If you do not have communication frameworks or work flows in place, trust that the right VA will help design one for you.  

Interviews and practical tests are great for qualifying Virtual Assistant candidates. But to make the process more effective, include a paid trial period in the hiring process.

A trial period will put the candidates in actual work situations. You will have a glimpse of how it is to work with each person. This will minimize your risk and give you enough time to know if you discovered a gem or stepped on a mine.