There are two kinds of people in the workforce: people with a very specific set of skills and those who are flexible, fast learners who can accommodate and accomplish any task you throw at them.
Those are the people who can thrive in a fast-paced environment where they must be able to adapt on the fly and perform multiple tasks at once. They take initiative, and they know how to prioritize their time effectively by setting smart goals.
The other type is often referred to as the jack of all trades—those who are good at everything but not necessarily great at anything in particular. They are comfortable with ambiguity and may not have any clear career path or defined career path yet.
As people venture into the world of virtual assistants and remote workplaces, most leaders and business owners look for a team member who can do anything and everything, an all-in-one virtual assistant. From a business owner’s perspective, this is the ideal virtual assistant or VA. It makes sense to hire someone incredibly skillful who can assist you in all kinds of scenarios, and just for the price of one employee.
However, there are many considerations when hiring a general virtual assistant. First of all, it is important to know what kind of specific help you need and the expertise you are looking for – does your assistant need to be able to design websites? Or will they only deal with emails? What about their ability to do research?
These questions need to be answered before you start looking for someone who can handle all aspects of your business, from project management and brainstorming sessions to scheduling meetings and answering customer support inquiries.
Another thing that matters is compensation – what kind of salary should you offer? How much work will be required each week? Are there any benefits attached?
Should I work with a general VA or a specialized VA?
It is fantastic to have an all-in-one VA. If you find someone with such a varied mix of skills who is also committed to your business and its goals, we recommend that you keep that VA because they are hard to find. Being good at one thing takes effort and time, but being good at several things is a gift. But, in the end, it would rely on what your business requires.
While these people may exist, over-utilizing an employee may be a counter-intuitive move that will not result in the advancement and growth that you desired.
Keep your expectations in check.
If doing many tasks alone is inefficient and counter-productive, it stands to reason that a virtual assistant would burn out doing the same. It may work for a while, but it is unlikely to last. In such circumstances, creating a virtual team of VAs may be the best option for you, your VA, and your business whose each has its own set of skills will be beneficial.
So, when should you engage a general VA and a specialized VA?
For starters, hiring a general VAa is inexpensive. Hiring a single VA is substantially less expensive than hiring a team. A varied range of skills is an asset, indicating that they are adaptable, quick, or even long-term learners.
You can rely on them for tasks you do not fully understand, and their inventiveness enables them to be dependable. They research, practice, and then develop a structure around it is how they work.
All of this has a price because there will be just one person handling the workload. Sure, some people work better alone, but even a small mistake could spark a chain reaction of errors that could end in disaster.
General VAs are perfect for small businesses or startups, as seen by their efficiency and low cost. The workload would not be too busy or chaotic in terms of traffic to handle by one person. These folks are well qualified to be leaders once they reach a certain level. They can communicate with team members about what they do since they are familiar with the procedures and systems in virtually every aspect of the firm.
When would having a focused or specialized VA team be a better choice?
When you’re working with a team, the more people you have working together, the better your chances are of getting your job done.
It is not just about talent; it is also about skill. You cannot beat someone willing to put in extra effort when they are also able to contribute with their expertise.
And while it may be tempting to think that if we just had more people on our team, we’d get more done, that is rarely the case. The thing about having a team is that when more people come together and pool their viewpoints and feedback, all those voices add up and make for stronger output.
You do not have to worry about wasting time on things that are not going to help you accomplish what needs doing—and if someone else does them, there’s no reason for them to waste their time doing something that does not matter anymore. A team environment fosters company culture and boosts morale!
Choose to work with a trusted VA provider.
A committed VA or VA team is a valuable resource to a business. They can help you with a variety of duties that can advance your business. You can work with a trusted and credible remote staffing solutions agency to help take care of the entire sourcing and staffing process when choosing the best and most dedicated VA or VA team.
The greatest option for businesses looking to scale their operations with affordable staffing solutions is VALUE Virtual Assistants.
Talk to our friendly support team and determine the help you need.
