Getting a VA is a game changer for your workflow, but finding someone to help you in your business could be a hit or miss for your productivity. On the one hand, you might land a great hire, someone who will free up your time and give you back several hours in your day. With the amount of resources online, it can be tough starting to research everything about virtual assistants, which can be tricky if you’re trying to hire one.
Without the right preparation and research, you might end up hiring someone who is not a good fit for your needs or your culture, and end up spending more time, effort, and resources on this hire than you thought you would.
We have you covered—here’s everything you need to know about hiring a virtual assistant!
Why Hire a Virtual Assistant
Statista reports that in 2019, the global outsourcing market amounted to 92.5 billion U.S. dollars, and it is projected to keep increasing. Outsourcing has been thriving for the past 20 years, and its growth was accelerated during the COVID-19 lockdowns.
There are many reasons to hire a virtual assistant. Perhaps you're looking for someone to take on some of the administrative tasks in your business. Or maybe you need assistance with customer service or social media management. Whatever the reason, hiring a VA can be a great way to free up your time and energy so that you can focus on what you do best.
There are also many benefits to hiring a virtual assistant. VA's can provide much-needed support with a variety of tasks, freeing up your time to focus on other areas of your business. Additionally, VA's can be a cost-effective solution, as you only pay for the hours you need them for. And finally, VA's can bring a fresh perspective and new skills to your business.
Before getting started, you should know whether or not you truly need a personal assistant. Here’s an article that can help you figure that out:
Do I Need a Personal Assistant? Things to Ask When You Hire
On the fence about getting an assistant? Don’t be–here are 5 great reasons why you should:
Hire a Personal Assistant and Reap These 5 Awesome Benefits
Virtual Assistants can be a great way to streamline your business processes, but it's important that you find the right fit. There are many talented and qualified VA’s out there so make sure they match up with what YOU need!
Everything About Virtual Assistants: Cost of Hiring a Virtual Assistant
There are many different factors to consider when hiring a virtual assistant. The most important factor is the cost. Depending on the services you require, the location of your assistant, and the tools & support available to them, the cost of hiring a VA can range from $6-$70 per hour.
Other important factors to consider include the number of hours you need assistance each week, the type of tasks you need help with, and the level of expertise you require. Read our guide for a closer look at everything about virtual assistants and factors affecting the cost of hiring a VA.
How Much Do Personal Assistants Cost? Read Our Quick Guide
When determining the cost of hiring a virtual assistant, it is important to consider the return on investment. For example, if you are paying a virtual assistant $20 per hour for 10 hours of work per week, that is a total investment of $200 per month.
If that virtual assistant frees up 5 hours of your time each week, that is an additional 20 hours per month that you can use to generate income. If you value your time at $50 per hour, then the return on investment for hiring a virtual assistant is $1000 per month. Read more about it in:
Hiring a Virtual Executive Assistant: Factors Affecting ROI
While there is an initial cost to hiring a virtual assistant, there is also a significant return on investment. When considering the cost of hiring a virtual assistant, it is important to weigh both the initial investment and the potential return. Doing so will help you make the best decision for your business needs.
Everything About Virtual Assistants: How to Hire a Virtual Assistant
When you are looking to hire a virtual assistant, there are a few things you should keep in mind. First, you want to make sure that the person you are hiring is competent and able to handle the tasks you need them to do. Secondly, you want to be sure that they are reliable and will be available when you need them.
Finally, you want to find someone who is reasonably priced so that you can stay within your budget. Here are a few articles that will help you get ready to hire your first virtual assistant.
How to Hire the Best Remote Assistant for Your Business
First Time Hiring Virtual Assistants? 9 Things to Know
How to Hire a Great Remote Administrative Assistant
Once you have found the right virtual assistant, be sure to set clear expectations from the start. Give them a list of tasks that you need to be completed and a timeline for when you need those tasks done. Be available to answer any questions they may have and provide feedback along the way. By doing this, you will ensure that your virtual assistant is able to do their job well and meet your expectations.
What’s the Hiring Process Like?
Finally dipping your toes into outsourcing? You’ll need a system, a process that makes things more efficient. There are a few key steps to follow when hiring a virtual assistant. First, identify the specific tasks or types of work you need help with. This will help you find the right person for the job by narrowing down your search.
Next, post your job on a freelancing platform like Upwork or Fiverr. Be sure to include all relevant details in your posting so that potential candidates know what they would be applying for. Once you start receiving applications, take some time to review each one and narrow down your choices to a few top contenders.
Finally, conduct interviews with your top picks via video call or chat. During these interviews, be sure to ask about their previous experience, qualifications, and availability. After interviewing all of your candidates, make your final decision and extend an offer to your chosen virtual assistant. If you need more guidance, read our articles on the hiring process for VAs.
Our 9-Step Guide to Hiring a Virtual Assistant
7 Tips for Hiring a Solid Remote Executive Assistant
Virtual Assistant Job Description
You can start a deep dive on everything about virtual assistants by looking up VA job descriptions. Generally speaking, though, a virtual assistant (VA) is an individual who provides administrative, creative, or technical support to clients remotely. There are different types of virtual assistants, including general VAs, executive VAs, and PAs, among others.
The duties of a VA vary depending on the type of assistance they provide. However, common tasks include scheduling appointments, managing email accounts, handling customer inquiries, and providing general administrative support. Here are some articles to help you figure out the type of assistant you need!
Executive Assistant vs. Administrative Assistant: Which to Hire?
Executive Assistant vs Personal Assistant: Which One to Hire
Outsourcing could be a great way to burst through some of those doors that are keeping your business from growing, so it’s a must to get the process started the right way. Knowing everything about virtual assistants–at least, everything you need to hire a great one–is essential.
Everything About Virtual Assistants: Specialized Virtual Assistants
There are many different types of virtual assistant services available today. Some specialize in general administrative tasks, while others focus on specific niches or industries. When learning everything about virtual assistants, you must also consider specialized services. Here are only some you can consider for your business needs:
Admin Assistant: This service offers a wide range of administrative support services, including scheduling, customer service, data entry, and more.
Real Estate VA: This service specializes in providing assistance to real estate professionals, including tasks such as lead generation, transaction management, and marketing support.
Social Media VA: This service helps businesses with their social media presence by managing accounts, creating content, and engaging with followers.
Virtual Executive Assistant: This service provides a wide range of executive-level support services, including calendar management, travel planning, and email and phone support.
Virtual Executive Assistants: 9 Tips for Painless Work
Customer Service Representative: This service helps businesses with fielding questions from subscribers, troubleshooting, and responding to inquiries.
Why Hire a Customer Support Virtual Assistant? Our Guide
Ecommerce VA: This service assists store owners on Amazon and similar platforms in admin tasks such as listing optimization, customer service, and order tracking.
Hiring an Amazon Virtual Assistant? 6 Things You Must Know
Content Marketing VA: This service specializes in tasks such as content creation, website maintenance, and search engine optimization (SEO).
Content Writing VA: This service helps businesses with their writing needs, including tasks such as copywriting, ghostwriting, and editing.
Business VA: This service provides a wide range of business support services, including marketing research, financial analysis, and business plan writing.
Personal VA: This service helps individuals with their personal needs, including tasks such as schedule management, travel planning, and personal shopping.
Should You Hire a Virtual Personal Assistant? What to Know
The Best Virtual Assistant Websites
When you’re looking for a virtual assistant, it’s just right that you evaluate all your options and decide which one suits you best. The thing is, there are tons of VA companies out there, not to mention hundreds (if not thousands) of freelancers, and getting to know everything about virtual assistants can seem daunting.
A good place to start would be an option where your hire has a team surrounding him or her. If you’re looking for consistent, reliable help, hiring from a managed VA company is your best bet. There are many benefits to hiring a virtual assistant from a managed service company. Perhaps the most important benefit is that you can be assured that the person you hire is a true professional who has been vetted and trained by the company. This means that you don’t have to worry about whether or not the person you hire is going to be a good fit for your needs.
Additionally, managed service companies often have a larger pool of virtual assistants to choose from, which gives you a better chance of finding the perfect person for the job. And finally, when you work with a managed service company, you can rest assured that if there are any problems with the virtual assistant you hire, the company will be there to help resolve the issue.
Read our article on the top 5 VA companies serving the US market today:
The 5 Top Virtual Assistant Companies Serving the US Market
Business owners not based in the US can still benefit from managed VA services. Here are detailed breakdowns we did on similar companies in our space:
Should You Hire a Magic Virtual Assistant or a Zirtual VA?
Zirtual vs. Double: Where to Get a Remote Personal Assistant
Belay Solutions Reviews, Pricing, Coupons, Features, and More
Finally, here are some articles where we discuss the question of why Wing is the better choice compared to our competitors.
BELAY Solutions vs. Wing Assistant
Magic Virtual Assistant vs Wing
If you're considering hiring a virtual assistant, be sure to research everything about virtual assistants and find the right fit for your business. There are many talented and qualified VA's out there, so take your time to find someone who you feel confident will be a valuable asset to your team.
With Wing, you’ll always be confident you made the right decision. Schedule a demo call with our team today and see why Wing Assistant is the world’s best assistant for business.
Aya is Wing Assistant’s blog manager. When she’s not wrangling content briefs, editing article drafts and handling on-page SEO, she is crafting messages for Wing’s other communication materials. Aya writes about SaaS startups, marketing for startups, search engine optimization, and pop culture.
