Finding the Right Virtual Assistant

A strategic 6-step guide for busy business owners

Hire an exceptional virtual assistant so you can focus on your business's mission and growth

You’ve built a successful business, and you’re considering hiring a Virtual Assistant (VA) to help you stay on top of day-to-day operations. But you’re struggling to find the right person.

I understand how you feel. You know you need a VA to free up time for what matters most.  However, the process of hiring and training one feels overwhelming and time consuming.

As a result, you put your search for a VA on the back burner and get stuck carrying out time-consuming tasks that could easily be delegated. Meanwhile, you're missing out on the high-level and high-value work that will drive your business forward.

That’s why I’ve put together this guide to help you find and hire the right VA for your business. While it’s true that finding the right fit takes time, this guide will help streamline the process and take the frustration out of the search.

1. Self-Knowledge

As a professional, you want to meet and exceed your customer needs and expectations.  In doing so, however, you can lose yourself in the mechanics of working in your business, rather than working on your business.

You need to get back to basics and remind yourself of why you went into business in the first place, what your core role is, and the value you provide to your clients.

Your VA should leave you free to fulfil your core role, help you provide value to your clients and empower your reason for going into business.

1. Reflect: Remind yourself of why you went into business. For example, to escape the corporate life and be your own boss.

   
   

   It’s easy to lose sight of the why when you’re drowning in work. I think it’s good to remind yourself of these reasons, so you’re motivated to find the extra support and fulfil the promises you made yourself at the start.

   
   

2. Consider: As the owner, leader and manager of your business, think about your responsibilities to make it work and be profitable. For example, these could include bringing in new clients through brand awareness and marketing.

   
   

   The point is to be able to fulfil your core role freely and easily, without being distracted by operational tasks that can be done by others (your team), such as a Marketing Manager or an Accountant or a VA.

   
   

3. Review: Consider the value you provide to your clients, both new and existing. Is your service delivery reliable and timely? Is the feedback you receive good, bad or indifferent? Does your service still meet the requirements of your market?

   
   

   If you can see room for improvement, build that into your core role or think about what can be delegated to help you.

Your answers may have evolved since starting your business, but that’s okay. Write these answers down in your business plan and use them to help you focus on your core role, deliver value to clients and stay aligned with your business purpose, as well as to guide you in building your team.

2. What Do You Actually Do on a Day-To-Day Basis?

Before you make any meaningful changes and start delegating tasks to a VA, it’s important to establish your requirements by understanding exactly what you do and how you spend your time.

The simplest way to examine how you’re currently using your time is to spend a week tracking everything you do. To do this, I recommend using free time-tracking software like Toggl. That’s the one I use, but there are other free options, like Clockify. Alternatively, measure your time spent using the stopwatch app on your digital devices.

Record each task, big or small, and note how long it takes. You can run a report from your time-tracking software. For example, this is what it might look like for you on a Monday:

Emails: 30 minutes

Customer emails: 1 hour

Service delivery: 3 hours

Monthly KPI review: 30 minutes

Social media: 15 minutes

Meeting: 30 minutes

Sending invoices: 1 hour

Telephone call: 15 minutes

Lunch: 30 minutes

That’s seven hours of your day already, not including lunch and without any other breaks or consideration of a personal life. Tuesday may be more of the same, or perhaps you’ll put off the more mundane tasks so you can attend a two-hour networking event, which may create more work. No wonder you need to find additional support!

3. Identify Tasks to Delegate

Now that you have a clear picture of what you’re doing and how long it takes, you can easily identify the tasks which can and should be delegated to your VA.

Run a report from your time-tracking software and then do the following:

1. Put a tick against:

   1. Tasks only you can do, such as planning, strategising or making critical business decisions.

   2. Tasks you’re good at and enjoy doing, those that drive your business forward and energise you.

   3. Tasks you would do if you had more time. They may be important, but not urgent.

      
      

2. Put an asterisk against:

   1. Tasks that get in the way of the important, high-value activities in point (a), such as activities you don’t enjoy, aren’t good at or don’t have the time to do.

   2. Tasks you know how to do, but that aren’t the best use of your time. For example, tasks that are repetitive or low priority.

Any task marked with an asterisk indicates something that shouldn’t be handled by you anymore — it can be delegated to someone else. You'll find that many of these tasks are essential but routine activities that can be delegated to your VA.

4. Key Skills and Traits of your VA

You’ve identified which tasks can be handed to your VA, so now it's time to think about the type of VA you need to hire. This is important, because you’ll be entrusting them with work that’s vital to the smooth running of your business.

So, as well as being dependable and trustworthy, your VA should also align with your business's needs and values.

To help you find the right fit, here are some of the skills and traits to consider when choosing your VA. Every small business is unique, so this isn’t an exhaustive list, but it’s a useful prompt that can be adapted to meet your requirements:

• Experience: Consider their admin and VA experience. Newer VAs bring transferable skills, while VAs with experience, both in admin and as business owners, understand key areas like customer relations and financials.

• Real-Time vs Independent Work: Does your VA need to work in real-time with you, or can they work independently? Tasks like email management require real-time collaboration, while bookkeeping can be done independently, providing deadlines are met.

  
  

• Communication Skills: Clear communication with your VA is a must. Regular updates and asking for clarification when needed ensure they can do their job effectively and give you confidence the work is being done as expected.

  
  

• Tech-Savvy: Your VA should be knowledgeable about evolving tech and common business tools, such as email platforms and accounting software. Their staying updated ensures more efficient business processes.

  
  

• Time Management Skills: A great VA should be able to prioritise tasks effectively, ensuring deadlines are met without the need for micromanagement. For example, I use project management tools such as ClickUp to help me efficiently manage all my work.

  
  

• Attention to Detail: Your VA should be meticulous in everything they do, to ensure high standards of accuracy and quality.

  
  

• Willingness to Learn: The best VAs are open to continuous learning, whether that means picking up new tools, understanding your business processes better and/or adapting with your business as it evolves.

Other key considerations:

• Training Requirements: Are you prepared to train your VA? Documenting your processes first helps you provide clear guidance. Though it adds to your workload, it's a one-time effort that results in a more skilled VA in the long run, so factor it into your schedule.

• Expertise Required: If you lack the time or expertise to train a VA, hire one with the skills you need, like bookkeeping or social media. This saves time, though you'll still need to invest time in onboarding them to your business.

  
  

• Talent Investment: Consider investing in the best talent within your resources. While lower rates may seem appealing, they may not provide the expertise you need. Investing in quality talent pays off in the long run.

5. How to Find Your VA

Now you’ve identified the tasks to delegate and the skills required for the role, you can start searching for your VA.

There are many ways to source a VA, from online platforms like Upwork and Fiverr to referrals from colleagues, job boards like Indeed, and LinkedIn. There’s also the option of connecting with VAs through face-to-face or online networking, or of proactively searching the internet.

With so many untested options, it’s hard to decide the best way to get you a qualified VA, without feeling you’ve wasted a lot of time and effort if it doesn’t work out.

To help with this decision, I recommend using one of the following methods to find the right VA. These approaches are how my clients successfully hired me and their other VAs.

• Direct search via Search Engines or LinkedIn: A quick way to find a VA is to use search terms like “Virtual Assistant for small business” or “Freelance VA admin support” on search engines or LinkedIn. You can refine your LinkedIn search with filters for location, industry and skills. Review the resulting profiles and websites and reach out directly to those who seem like a good fit.

  
  

• Networking: Attending networking events lets you share your business, learn about the community and build valuable relationships. You’re likely to meet VAs, making it a great way to connect with potential candidates. After getting to know them at a few events, you’ll know if it’s time to request a consultation.

  
  

• Recommendations: Networking has helped me build trusted connections, so I value their recommendations. That’s how I landed one of my first clients, who I’m still working with today. Ask your connections about their VAs, how they found them, or if they can recommend anyone.

  
  

• LinkedIn Job Board: A powerful tool, LinkedIn is a great platform for small business owners to connect with skilled professionals and find the right resources to support their growing business.

  
  

  Craft a compelling job description to attract the best fit for your business. Stand out and avoid being bog standard by showcasing your personality with a professional yet conversational style. Clearly outline the tasks and provide specific application instructions.

6. Evaluating Potential VAs: Consultation vs Interview

Once you've found your VA candidates, it's time to filter out the best from the rest and decide who to work with. Your approach will depend on how you sourced your VA.

I recommend either of two options, both designed to help you get to know the VA better. Rather than a corporate-style interrogative interview, it’s better to have a natural conversation where you ask about the basics (experience, availability, terms, pricing, start date, working hours etc.) and get an idea of personality, such as confidence, enthusiasm and communication style. All can be done in person or via video call such as Zoom.

• Consultation (for direct search or recommendations)

  When you’ve found suitable VAs that you’re interested in, arrange an appointment to discuss more with two to three VAs.

  
  

  The consultation should discuss your challenges, needs and potential solutions. Afterwards, the VAs should follow up with proposals and quotes.

  
  

  Review these carefully and, if you accept one, I suggest starting slowly and on a trial basis, with a one-off task or project that lasts two to four weeks, to find out how you work together. After this, you can review and decide whether to continue.

  
  

• Interview (for job board applicants, like LinkedIn)

  If you sourced your VAs from job boards, I’d suggest conducting interviews. Be very selective and scrupulous when reviewing applications. Look for those who follow instructions and pay attention to detail, and then narrow the list down to two or three candidates.

  
  

  I’ve already mentioned the basics to discuss but, if required, there are websites that supply sample interview questions.

  
  

  Also, ask candidates to complete a short, paid performance test as part of the interview. Assign two to three admin tasks to evaluate their skills, providing clear instructions and contact details for questions. Ensure all candidates complete the same tasks and focus on accuracy and attention to detail.

Once you’ve decided on a winning candidate, offer the position and confirm terms and compensation.

That’s my 6-step guide to help you stop struggling to find the right VA for your business. Following this guide will give you the means to hire an exceptional, outstanding VA who’ll inspire you and allow you to focus on your business's mission, vision and growth.

You can also download my guide 5 Simple Strategies to Tackle Your Admin Tasks and Refocus on Growing Your Business to help you plan and incorporate finding and training your VA into your schedule. It provides simple, smart techniques to help you quickly break through the bottleneck and get organised, after which you can focus on hiring the perfect VA.

Hire the Right VA Here and Now at NKB Virtual Assistant

Don’t let the challenge of finding the right VA stop you from realising the full potential of your business.

Save time and regain control of your business by eliminating the hassle of your search. Simply follow steps 1 to 4 of this guide and contact me to find out if I’m the right fit for your needs.

You can avoid getting distracted and overwhelmed by time-consuming tasks that stop you achieving your business goals, as well as free up your time by delegating those tasks to a Virtual Assistant like me.

Phone or email today to arrange a Discovery Session and find out more about how my Virtual Assistant services can help you gain more time to spend on getting results and growing your business!

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