The Solopreneur's Guide To Finding The Right Virtual Assistant

Soft skills are essential when hiring and working with a virtual assistant, as they underpin effective communication, adaptability, collaboration, time management, and emotional intelligence — all of which help successful remote collaboration. 

COMMUNICATION

Communication is critical when collaborating with a virtual assistant. Without solid communication skills, misunderstandings can arise, leading to delays, errors, or frustration. You need to express yourself clearly and establish your expectations upfront so there is no confusion as your working relationship gets started. You will need your virtual assistant to comprehend your directions easily, ask clarifying questions when necessary, and be comfortable initiating correspondence between the two of you. 

AVAILABILITY

Virtual assistants can work from any location globally since they operate remotely. However, this may result in varying time zones and work routines. Flexibility is an enormous part of remote work, so it is essential to think through what you are comfortable with regarding the demands of the task(s). Think through what you prefer in terms of time zone, availability, and accessibility before launching your search. This will help you be clear about your needs when talking with candidates and help you find a virtual assistant that you can be sure will be available when necessary. 

PERSONALITY FIT

The right virtual assistant can serve as a remote team member - a partner - in your business. Evaluating the compatibility of a potential hire is important. Because working with a remote employee requires significant communication and coordination efforts, you need someone whose personality resonates with your own – or fills in any gaps you might know to be lacking. Similarly, consider what level of professionalism you desire and find someone who you believe would positively impact your brand's image.

Once you've analyzed your needs and considered your budget, it's time to start your search. Many small business owners and solopreneurs have luck finding virtual assistants through word of mouth or tapping into their private networks for referrals. Others wind up scouring websites and online marketplaces, hoping to find someone whose resume indicates some experience completing the needed skills. You can search for virtual assistants on platforms like Upwork, Freelancer, and Fiverr. These marketplaces allow you to browse a deep pool of virtual assistants with different experience levels and skills. You can read their resumes and online reviews to understand their work quality and professionalism and then begin the interview process.

Reading resumes, setting up and conducting interviews, negotiating rates, and determining a trial period can be time-consuming and tedious. Many instead choose to turn to a reputable virtual assistant agency to help them find the right virtual assistant. 

Using a virtual assistant agency – like Freedom Makers Virtual Services – saves time because they have already found, vetted, and trained a pool of remote, independent professionals. Agencies build their reputations by providing reliable, highly skilled, and trustworthy virtual assistants to businesses looking for help with support tasks, and so they take enormous pride in the successful pairings they have created.

BENEFITS OF AN AGENCY

CONSULTATION AND ADVICE

Hiring a virtual assistant is a big step. Why go it alone? A reputable virtual administrative agency knows the skills and talents of its virtual assistants. It can take your game plan, analysis, and budget and streamline finding the right person to join your team. With the help of an agency, you can onboard and begin outsourcing tasks much more quickly than if you searched for a virtual assistant on your own. They can also talk through some things that you may not have thought of yet. For instance, if you've budgeted for a task that takes you an hour, it might take your virtual assistant only a short time to complete it. What else could you get done within your budget?

COST VS TIME

At first glance it appears as though you could hire a virtual assistant for less than you could using an agency. However, there are hidden costs to the go-it-alone approach that quickly add up. When you factor in the costs of advertising, pre-employment screening, training, onboarding, mentoring, and performance monitoring - as well as the cost of your time and energy - using an agency is often a less expensive path to the right virtual assistant.

Virtual assistants who are part of an agency are typically 1099 workers, which means they are freelance contractors. They don't "work for" the agency; instead, the agency serves as a broker between the virtual assistant and the business that needs support. A virtual assistant attached to an agency expects to provide and maintain their own computer equipment, software subscriptions, WiFi, home office supplies, etc. 

Agencies vet and screen their talent pool before onboarding them so they can quickly identify which virtual assistants would best suit your needs. Some—like Freedom Makers Virtual Services—provide training opportunities for their virtual assistants and a community of like-minded individuals for camaraderie, asset-sharing, and problem-solving. This offers assurance that your virtual assistant will keep their skills sharp and stay up to date with the latest technology platforms.

RISK REDUCTION

Agencies also reduce the risk of hiring a virtual assistant because they can be a helpful go-between should problems arise. At Freedom Makers Virtual Services, dedicated Success Managers safeguard your investment and ensure the relationship between you and your virtual assistant runs smoothly. They streamline communication and smooth friction points or can offer a replacement virtual assistant who would be a better fit. This is a considerable time and cost savings.

The time and expense of advertising, screening, interviewing, and potentially replacing candidates yourself can quickly add up. Opting for an agency often proves to be the more economical choice. Agencies offer a cost-effective solution to finding your right virtual assistant and can deliver value beyond task completion. 

Some agencies assign you a virtual assistant that fits your criteria. If you choose to interview candidates on your own or use an agency like Freedom Makers Virtual Services, you will have the opportunity to speak with qualified candidates directly. 

We believe that the interview process is a critical step toward ensuring a successful partnership. You want to find someone you "click" with! During this step, you can determine whether a candidate aligns with your vision, values, and working style. Here are some pointers for conducting thorough interviews:

Prepare: 

Develop a set of interview questions that assess both technical skills and soft skills. Plan to ask about experience, examples of past projects, how they handle communication and deadlines, and how they manage their time. You can also think through a conversation about availability, preferred working hours, and flexibility to determine each candidate's ability to accommodate your specific needs.

Assess Communication Skills: 

Pay close attention to the way each virtual assistant candidate communicates. Communication is the key to successful remote collaborations.

• Are they articulate, responsive, and able to express themselves clearly? 
• Do they have good energy and enthusiasm for the project? 
• Are they comfortable asking questions?  Communication is the key to successful remote collaborations.

Determine Personality Fit: 

It's important to hire someone whose personality resonates with yours because it promotes mutual understanding. When personalities align, communication flows more smoothly and collaboration is easier. 

• How well do you "click" with each interviewee's personality? 
• Do they compliment your weaknesses and build on your strengths? 
• Are they willing to learn?
• Are they professional and have a positive attitude?