Hiring a virtual assistant has become the go-to resource for small business owners who need help managing their business but don’t have the resources (or the office space!) to hire a full-time employee.

There are many benefits to hiring a virtual assistant – they are affordable, highly qualified, and pre-screened and vetted by the virtual assistant agency. So basically you get all the benefits of a full-time assistant and none of the risks. It’s a win-win situation.

However, to ensure you get the most out of your virtual assistant experience, there are a few things you need to keep in mind. That’s why we’ve put together the ultimate list of everything you need to know before hiring a virtual assistant.

Who is a Virtual Assistant?

A virtual assistant helps your business by taking care of multiple backend tasks and giving you time to focus on growing your business. While previous virtual assistants only performed administrative tasks, today they are experts in several fields. You can hire a virtual assistant in almost any category – accounting, lead generation, event management, software testing, and more.

Virtual assistants can be hired independently or through an agency like Wishup. At Wishup, we screen and prescreen our virtual assistants and hire only the top 1% of applicants. You will be assigned a Client Success Manager who will oversee the projects. In the rare event that your virtual assistant is unavailable for work, we’ll provide an immediate replacement, no questions asked, so your work isn’t disrupted. There is also no chance that your virtual assistant will “ghost” you, as can often be the case when you hire independent virtual assistants.

Things you should know before hiring a virtual assistant

Understand your requirements

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Oftentimes, business owners make the mistake of hiring a virtual assistant without fully explaining their job responsibilities. This can often lead to confusion and misunderstandings later on. To get the most out of your professional relationship with your remote assistant, you must first understand which areas of your business will benefit from the assistance.

For example, if answering emails and planning your calendar is taking up too much time, hiring an administrative assistant can help you become more efficient and productive. On the other hand, if customer service is something you are comfortable with but finances are not your forte, then an accounting assistant is the best choice for your business.

Knowing in advance what position you want to fill can help you narrow your list of applicants and find the ideal candidate for the job. At Wishup, we offer all of our customers a free consultation to better understand their needs and match them with the right virtual assistant.

Have a clear communication plan

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When you’re working with a remote worker, communication is key. No, you don’t have to talk to them twice or thrice a day, but a clear channel of communication will ensure they’re always available when you need them.

If you are familiar with email or WhatsApp, you should look for someone who is also available on these platforms. Or you should be ready to train them. Additionally, if your company uses a group communication channel like Teams or Slack, it’s important that they understand how to use these tools.

We also recommend establishing a communication pattern with your virtual assistant. As said, you don’t have to be in constant contact with them as virtual assistants are independent and efficient. However, a 15 minute call every day or every other day will help you get updates and give them new instructions and directions if necessary.

At Wishup, our virtual assistants fill out an end-of-the-day report that makes it easy for you to track how they’re spending their time each day. We understand that you have a busy schedule. With these EOD reports, you can avoid unnecessary interruptions in your workday to check what your virtual assistant is up to.

Decide on project management processes

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If you work alone or with an internal assistant, you may be used to taking notes on tasks or calling your assistant to let them know. With a virtual assistant, this system may not be efficient.

First, there’s a good chance your virtual assistant lives in a different country and time zone. As a result, you may not be able to call them at all times, and sharing the notes in your planner may not be the most efficient or convenient way to get work done.

Luckily, remote working has become the new norm in recent years, and several project management tools are available online that allow you to assign and delegate tasks to your virtual assistants and track the status of those projects online without having to contact them.

After hiring a virtual assistant, you can closely track and monitor what they do and when, which will be really helpful. You can even plan projects for the future and schedule work in advance!

Asana is a great project management tool and super easy to learn. Before you start working with virtual assistants, they can give you access to the project management platform they work on regularly. So if you don’t know any, just contact your virtual assistant and they will be happy to teach you.

Design a training plan

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Although virtual assistants are highly skilled and efficient independent workers, they are still new to your company. Therefore, you need to treat them like regular new hires and ensure they receive extensive training to ensure they are prepared for the job.

The training can last a few days or weeks, depending on the tasks that are part of your job or the nature of your business. In any case, they must create some kind of onboarding, even if they already have experience in a similar industry to yours.

This allows the virtual assistant to perform tasks according to your standards and expectations. This will also reduce the time they ask you for help.

There are several ways you can train and integrate your virtual assistant. This can be done through presentations or even video conferences where you educate them about different processes. One of the most popular tools is Loom, which allows you to record various on-screen processes and provide a voice-over explaining the work to be done. You can also save these videos for future virtual assistants that you may hire.

As previously mentioned, at Wishup we provide backups in the event your primary virtual assistant is unavailable. Creating videos with software like Loom makes it easier for a backup virtual assistant to take over the workload when your original virtual assistant leaves.

Include a test or assignment in the hiring process

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You could create a test that virtual assistants can take in 10 minutes or less to assess their skills and competencies. This will help you assess a candidate’s ability to follow instructions, attention to detail and other skills that will help you decide if they are a good fit for the company. In addition, it should be relevant to the task that the virtual assistant is performing for you.

Whatever the task you assign, make sure it’s relevant to your niche and the workspace you’ll be regularly assigning to them in their day-to-day tasks.

Be reasonable and patient with your expectations

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It’s important to set sensible goals when hiring a virtual assistant. As the virtual assistant adapts to your work style, expect a learning curve at first, just like any other employee. However, over time, your virtual assistant will definitely get the hang of things and deliver nothing short of perfection that lives up to your expectations.

Another important thing to remember is that much like a regular employee, you get the type of service you pay for. Virtual assistants are already cheaper than full-time employees because there are no additional expenses such as insurance or office space. With a virtual assistant you can save up to 78% of the operating costs. Therefore, even a quality virtual assistant will cost you less than a full-time assistant.

At Wishup, we guarantee that you will only receive the top 1% of global talent because we personally screen, vet and train our virtual assistants.

Schedule a trial period

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A quick exam and interview can only reveal so much about a candidate. It’s a good idea to hire your virtual assistant for a short trial period before signing a long-term contract. You might need as little as a week, or in some cases a month. A dry run will allow you to see if the two of you get along.

The good thing about a virtual help agency like Wishup is that there are no long-term commitments. You can sign up for a month or two to see if you are happy with the service. Then, if you feel like your virtual assistant isn’t compatible, we’ll provide you with a replacement at no additional cost.

Maximize your productivity; Hire a virtual assistant today!

A virtual assistant can be a great addition to your business, helping you maximize productivity and profitability. We hope these tips will help you find the most suitable virtual assistant for the job. Or you can avoid these steps altogether by queuing with Wishup. Join our team of over 500 happy customers and sign up for your free consultation today, or email us [email protected]