Hiring a Virtual Assistant is similar to hiring a normal employee. The only variation is one works in the virtual world and the other works in a physical office.The decision to hire a virtual assistant for the first time is a big one, and one that—done right—can noticeably improve your life.If you’re going to take the time to find the right person, then it’s important to also take the time to really think about what you’re going to have them do, and how you’re going to have them do it.
Check out first these hiring mistakes that clients looking for or working with virtual assistants usually make:
- YOU’RE HIRING A VA FOR THE WRONG REASONS.
The best reason to hire a VA is to save you time, money, and effort that will result in stronger returns elsewhere. If you’re in it because of your competitor or somebody else told you, hiring a VA when you don’t have a valid reason is a waste of money.
- HIRING THE FIRST CANDIDATE
A big mistake made by entrepreneurs is to hire the first candidate they come across. It is not because the first candidate is not qualified; but you need a pool of talent to cross-reference qualifications. When hiring a virtual assistant, accumulate a short-list of 5 to 7 candidates. Try to make their experiences as diverse as possible. Do not just focus on candidates who have the experience that your business requires. Why? Because most of these candidates are already set in their ways; they have a system in place and may be hesitant to follow yours.
- AIMING FOR ONE – STOP SHOPPING
In real life, we wouldn’t expect to hire a Web-Developing, Content-Writing, Graphic-Designing, Bookkeeping, Appointment-Scheduling, SEO-ing, Customer-Servicing Pro, so why expect all that from a virtual assistant? As with any professional, virtual assistants have certain areas of work they specialize in. Sure, you can find some jack-of-all-trades people, and this may actually fit well with your objectives. But how good are they going to be at any one area if their attention is spread across so many different roles? Hire people to do what they’re good at, and you’ll both be happier.
- IF YOUPAY PEANUTS YOU GET MONKEYS
There is a movement out there, as you’re likely aware, to hire virtual assistants for next to nothing and well below minimum wage of most industrialized countries. This is a very bad practice to get involved with as the work will not be as good as if you hired someone who is experienced and an expert in their field, who charges professional rates. Also remember that some of the best virtual assistants could be based just down the road.
- HIRING FOR SKILLS ALONE
Having the right skill set is important, especially when you’re busy and don’t feel you have time to train someone. But having a certain skill set vs. having personality, drive and determination can be different things. Make sure the person you’re going to be working with and trusting your business to is someone you like.
Outsourcing can be a great way to free up time for you to work on what matters most for your business. It can be a big step in moving forward with your business. It’s exciting, but you want to make sure you avoid pitfalls that can turn your working relationship into a nightmare.
Want to get started and learn how a virtual assistant can help you in your business? Take the TASK AUDIT CHALLENGE! https://virtualelves.com.au/taskauditchallenge