Employing a Virtual Assistant to Scale Your Time and Business.
Employing a virtual assistant is an excellent strategy for scaling both your time and your company’s operations.
If you are an entrepreneur or an employee in today’s society, you most likely have a never-ending list of things that need to be done. One strategy for addressing this issue is to create a prioritized list of potential solutions. However, regardless of how well you do, you could still need more help.
The role that virtual assistants (VAs) play in this context cannot be overstated. Virtual assistants are independent contractors that work either part-time or full-time to provide help for your company.
Typically, VAs will assist you with administrative activities as well as labor that is monotonous and depleting of your energy. You may employ savvy virtual assistants that have a broad range of skills for the hourly rate of $5.
Because of this help, you will be able to concentrate on the most lucrative prospects for your company. You will also have more time to devote to things that you take pleasure in outside of the expansion of your company.
Having said all of that, the process of recruiting new members for your team may be nerve-wracking. You may prefer to take care of everything on your own, especially if your company is still experiencing a loss in revenue.
The “do everything” method has two major flaws, both of which are problematic. To begin, you will move three to four times more slowly than someone who is part of a team.
Second, there is a good chance you will get exhausted. If you give all you’ve got to run your firm, there’s a good chance it won’t succeed. If you try, however, you can at least boost its chances.
The use of VAs is an excellent answer to this issue. For about $5 an hour, you may employ a knowledgeable and multi-talented virtual assistant from the Philippines.
I had no clue what I was doing when I engaged my first virtual assistant (VA). On the other hand, as I’ve recruited more virtual assistants, I’ve learned how to identify trustworthy individuals.
My creative production has increased by a factor of three now that I have less responsibilities. In addition to that, I’ve had more spare time to go surfing, spend time with my girlfriend, and generally enjoy my life outside of work.
In the following, I will walk you through the steps I take to hire experienced virtual assistants for your company. My method is not foolproof, but it has proven successful for me. I have faith that it will be successful for you as well.
Your decision to hire a virtual assistant begs the question: why?
You need to have a clear purpose in mind for employing a virtual assistant before you go ahead and recruit one.
Because I didn’t feel like I could concentrate on the aspects of my company that would have the most positive influence, I made the decision to engage a virtual assistant (VA). I should have been studying, writing, and recording podcasts, but I wasted too much time on mundane errands.
For instance, once I finished writing a post, I spent a lot of time searching for photographs and formatting the information, among other things.
I could do these things myself, or I could pay someone else $10 to do them for me. Either way, I have options. If I had those two more hours, I may be able to produce more articles or do anything else that brings me pleasure.
Freeing up time so that I may concentrate on the task that gives me the greatest satisfaction was thus my “why.” It’s possible that your “why” is different from mine, but it’s critical that you articulate it before you bring on a new member to your team.
What Is It That You Desire To Have Done By The Virtual Assistant?
“Attitude is more important than abilities when it comes to hiring. It’s always possible to teach new talents.” — Simon Sinek
After you have determined the purpose behind your decision to hire a virtual assistant, the next step is to determine the particular responsibilities that person will be responsible for. Here is not the place to cut corners.
To ensure that you recruit the proper person, you need to have a firm grasp on the responsibilities that will be delegated to that individual. That way, you’ll be able to pinpoint an individual who has the talents necessary for the position.
It might be difficult to resist the urge to search for a “magical VA” who is capable of doing everything. However, nobody can be good at everything. VAs are regular individuals with regular lives who have their own set of advantages and disadvantages. It is unrealistic to expect to discover someone who is capable of doing everything all at once.
Define a clear list of chores and projects that you want your virtual assistant to work on over the next six months rather than leaving it up to chance. If you find that you need to make another hiring in the future, you may do so at any time.
Where can I locate a Virtual Assistant to work with me?
There are numerous other locations where virtual assistants may be found, but I chose Upwork. If you utilize my method on Upwork, you should be able to locate a capable virtual assistant within seven to fourteen days.
You will need to build a profile, publish a job description, develop an evaluation, and conduct applicant interviews in order to recruit a virtual assistant via Upwork. In the following, I will describe how to complete the last three steps of this procedure.
What Should I Include in the Description of My Job?
The majority of individuals get job descriptions incorrect because they do not spend enough time getting them properly.
Be explicit in your job description. Define the most important initiatives and responsibilities that you want the employee to take on throughout the next half year.
Consider the abilities you’ll need to successfully complete those tasks. And keep in mind that if a person has a positive attitude, it will be much easier to teach them new skills.
When I was looking to recruit a virtual assistant, I was looking for someone who could transcribe audio, perform online research, maintain databases, and send emails. I was also looking for someone who had an excellent command of the English language. These were the most essential abilities to have. Everything else is something I could teach.
Last but not least, I was looking for someone who could collaborate with me throughout the course of a longer period of time. Consequently, I desired for them to have an interest in my business and have a minimum of twenty hours of availability each week.
The job description that I utilized may be found here.
A Reliable Virtual Assistant Who Is Skilled, Organized, and Dedicated to Their Work
My company could use the assistance of a knowledgeable virtual assistant, and I’m on the lookout for one. In an ideal world, we’ll be able to collaborate on a flexible basis for the long term.
If you want to be considered for the position, you need to be able to write fluently in English, be organized, have excellent research abilities and attention to detail, and be able to handle email outreach campaigns.
We are going to collaborate on a variety of projects, some of which include: performing internet research; organizing material;
using email for outreach and follow-up; entering data; converting audio recordings to written language; uploading content to a website, and other tasks. To be taken into consideration, you need to be accessible for a minimum of twenty hours each week.
I am willing to pay $10 for a test project that will last between one and two hours and will assist us to determine how effectively we will be able to collaborate with one another before I hire someone for the long-term role.
You are required to submit an application for the position and finish the assignment in order to be considered for the long-term role. You will be compensated for the completion of the task.
Tell me about your previous work experience as a virtual assistant in the proposal. I’m interested. What were the duties that were expected of you? What steps did you take to cultivate a connection with the customer?
What kinds of errors did you commit, and how did you attempt to correct them?
What exactly do you mean by the evaluation that is mentioned in the job description?
Working side by side with someone is the best way to gauge their abilities and mentality. That is best accomplished via the use of a pilot project.
It is a great practice to provide someone real job and pay them for it prior to making a hiring decision. This will provide you with the clearest picture possible of their capabilities, the quality of their work, and how much you will like collaborating with them.
The actual testing of the abilities that are required is by far the most significant component of any evaluation. It needs to provide you with the highest level of clarity conceivable that the individual is capable of doing the work that you are asking them to undertake.
When I do evaluations, I almost always include the work that I am presently doing or that I have done over the last several months. In this approach, I am able to get a solid understanding of what is required and how quality should seem.
The last consideration for assessments is the obligation to make payments to individuals. It is unethical to take advantage of evaluations in order to get free labor, so don’t put yourself in that position.
Please see below the evaluation that I utilized.
Hello, and I want to express my gratitude for participating in my initiative.
The completion of this quick test should take between one and two hours. If you do very well on the evaluation, I will extend an invitation to you to participate in an interview for the possibility of us working together on a more permanent basis. At a fee of $5 per hour, we have agreed to collaborate for a minimum of a few hours each week.
In order to complete the evaluation, please fill out the following:
The first step is to transcribe this little audio clip into written form. (I gave a 1.5-minute audio recording).
The second part of my question is about the software that I should use to begin establishing links to the information on my website, which is located at calvinrosser.com. Carry out some research on possible tools, and produce a list of the five most effective email outreach service providers. Include specifics on price and features, as well as your own recommendation for the service provider, on your list.
Part 3: Read everything on my website, and then put what you’ve learned into practice by doing the following:
Imagine that a podcast that features entrepreneurs who are working to make the world a better place has invited me to appear as a guest on the show. Please compose a short bio for me that includes three sentences describing who I am, what I’ve achieved, and what I care about.
Draft an email to one of the bloggers that contain information that will encourage them to link to and promote my content.
Have the best of luck! I am excited about the possibility of us working together!
How can I increase the number of applications I get for my job posting?
When you have finished posting your one-time, hourly project on Upwork, the next step that you should do is to personally ask a few individuals who may be interested in the position to submit an application.
I narrowed my search to individuals who work for $5 an hour, are based in the Philippines (which is the greatest area to find virtual assistants), and have received positive feedback from previous customers.
After you have invited a few potential prospects for the job, wait a day or two to see whether any of them apply for the position.
How do I go about reviewing applications from potential candidates?
Evaluate potential applicants using the factors that are important to you. I searched for strong written English abilities, past experience that was relevant to the position, and positive recommendations from previous customers. Determine the top three to five applicants and choose them.
After that, make contact with them to inform them that you have selected them to complete the evaluation, and deliver the test project to them. I give each applicant a total of three days to complete the evaluation.
You are going to provide ten dollars to each applicant as a reward for finishing the test. Therefore, if you employ someone from this category, you may get a superb virtual assistant for between $30 and $50 per hour.
How Do I Determine Who Is The Best Candidate Based On Their Assessments?
First, take a more comprehensive look at the project. Ask yourself, “Would I be satisfied with the outcome of this project if I were to hand it to someone else to work on as a member of my team?”
After that, assess each applicant based on their mastery of the essential competencies. I use a scale that goes from 0 (poor) to 5 (great) to score how well the applicant fared on each skill (excellent).
It is quite unlikely that you will discover a candidate that has received a score of 5 in every category. A person is eliminated from the competition if they get a score of 0 on a fundamental ability, such as their ability to communicate in English.
After reviewing all of the candidate evaluations, I will be doing a Zoom interview with the top two applicants.
In the Zoom interview, what questions should I ask?
This is the last interview, so give some thought to the questions you want to ask before moving on. Concerning the technical aspects, I inquire about the evaluation as well as their prior experience with various instruments.
On a more personal level, I inquire about their inspirations, objectives in their professional lives, and hobbies outside of the workplace.
Here are some example interview questions.
Questions Regarding the Context and Yourself
How did you get to the point in your life where you are right now?
What kinds of activities do you prefer doing while you’re not at work?
What kind of job do you excel at the most? What is it that you want to know more about more than anything else? What are some areas in which you struggle? Which tasks would you rather not have to complete?
Questions Regarding Performance
How exactly did you go about accomplishing [x] on the test? Which aspects did you find to be the most difficult?
What would you do if I gave you a task and you believed you understood it, but then you discovered that you didn’t comprehend it after some time had passed?
You’re working diligently to meet a critical deadline, but your computer or internet connection suddenly stops functioning.
What is the very first step that you take? (Because the climate in the Philippines might sometimes result in issues with internet connectivity, it is essential to be aware of what will take place in this situation.)
Questions Relating to Tools and Abilities
- Have you ever worked with a team using Slack or Trello?
- How do you like to have feedback sent to you?
- Have you ever dealt with a blog that uses the WordPress platform?
- How do you like to have feedback sent to you?
- Admin Questions
Are you assisting a number of customers at once? How flexible are you with your schedule? Is an hourly rate of $5 acceptable to you?
What kind of time constraints are you working with? Which of these schedules do you like to follow? During normal business hours, how fast do you react to requests?
What’s your email address like? Are you okay with being paid every two weeks using Paypal?
I wrap up the conversation by outlining the measures to take next. If I am interested in hiring the individual, I will inform them of my decision and then send over a contract.
In the event that I do not choose to continue with the process, I do not hesitate to inform the applicant. I will inform the applicant if I have another interview to do and will let them know when they may expect to hear back from me if they are selected.
I’ve Located the Ideal Candidate for the Position. What Steps Should I Take Next?
Congrats! You have moved closer to the goal of improving your time. I provide the potential employee a copy of the contract that outlines the job requirements, hourly rate, payment schedule, expenditure policy, ownership of work output, and other pertinent information.
On the internet, you may discover a variety of different templates that you can then modify to suit your own personal requirements.
Once you’ve made a hire, specify a start date. Start getting things ready far in advance of the new hire’s start date to ensure that they have all they need to be successful in their new position.
Provide them with access to the appropriate resources, develop training films, and construct templates for work products, among other things.
After your virtual assistant has begun working for you, you should devote the first month to determining whether or not they are a good match. It’s conceivable that you didn’t recruit the correct person, even if a solid interview procedure will cut down on the number of false positives.
If, after a month of working together, it’s clear that things aren’t going to work out, my advice is to fire the employee and start the recruiting process all over again. In the long run, it will turn out to be more beneficial for the two of you.
What Else Should I Understand Regarding the Employment of Virtual Assistants?
You would be surprised at how much a $5 recruit from the Philippines can do, but you will need to provide them with the appropriate training and as much direction as possible. When it comes to training, don’t be a slacker.
In addition to that, ensure that the directions for your project are crystal clear. It is difficult to be clear about what you want while you are busy, but it is well worth the effort to make the attempt.
You are not going to get someone who can anticipate what it is that you want and is a highly autonomous thinker at a wage of $5 per hour. However, if you construct the appropriate mechanisms, cultivate a nice connection with them, and treat them properly along the way, you may be able to find someone who can genuinely assist you in scaling your time.
I do my best to ensure that each VA feels that they are an integral part of my team and our job. I believe that it encourages more participation and interest from them.
It’s possible that this may need me to spend more time developing instructional films or giving background; nevertheless, in the long term, this will be beneficial. It might be challenging to have a sense of connection with individuals located on the other side of the world, but it is your responsibility to do so.
In the Philippines, it is not uncommon to have issues with both the internet and the weather. Show compassion for anyone affected by these issues. It takes a lot of individuals working very hard to provide for their families, thus it is important to have empathy when problems develop in the family.
Because individuals from the Philippines like to avoid conflict, for the most part, they will not tell you “no.” Because of this, it is incumbent upon you to ensure that the communication dynamic you establish is one that is open and transparent. Invite the individual to continue providing their thoughts on many occasions. You should invite them to discuss the issues with you.
Always be sure to ask for feedback.
In the Philippines, there is a concept that is referred to as the 13th month. It’s kind of like an end-of-the-year bonus if you will. You are not required to adhere to it, but you should at least research it and think about awarding the incentive to your virtual assistant (VA).
A Few Parting Thoughts
Employing a virtual assistant is one of the most effective and efficient methods to expand both your time and your company in a manner that is also cost-effective. It may take some effort and some time, but the end result will be well worth it.
How To Get Floor Wax Marks Out
The 5 Best Tips For Leading A Happy Life
35 Unusual Advice Items That Most People Forget
44 Strong Quotes To Reach Your Full Potential
21 Tips For Entrepreneurs’ Mental Health
Thoughts On Managing The Grieving Process After Losing Someone You Love