Hiring a virtual assistant might be either the best decision that you ever made for your business or the worst nightmare you’ve ever had.
Several business owners and entrepreneurs have their fair share of virtual assistants join teams and then quit them amid a contract or with little or no advance warning. The truth is that hearing a potential client’s VA horror story is one of the most heartbreaking things to hear as a virtual assistant agency.
Red Flags to Watch Out for In a Virtual Assistant
Even though millions of businesses throughout the world are getting the support of virtual assistants, only a small number of them are aware of the red flags to look out for when working with a virtual assistant.
Five Major Red Flags That Say You Need Hire A New Virtual Assistant
- You are still actively and personally involved in time-consuming tasks.
Virtual assistants are experienced and the majority know these two basic important things:
- They work with minimum supervision.
- They have an understanding of working with business owners.
- They are aware of the limitations of your business’ resources.
This basic knowledge helps them adjust quickly to your business. Once adjusted, a virtual assistant should be able to comprehend when and how to help. If you find yourself doing more than expected, it may be your business is growing or the virtual assistant may not be as helpful as you expect.
- Your feedback is brushed aside.
Part of any good professional relationship is accepting constructive feedback. Giving and getting feedback at work is critical for changing behaviour, increasing productivity, and evaluating performance. If the virtual assistant refuses to accept your comments or takes an inordinate amount of time to implement what you’ve requested, it is maybe time to talk to your virtual assistant.
- It is hard for you to reach your virtual assistant.
Have they been missing your texts or emails regularly? Do they take a long time to respond to your calls? Do you get updates regularly? If they fail in these areas, consider it a red sign. They must be available at times you need them. You must be able to rely on him or her in an emergency.
- You are given poor explanations or cover-ups.
Your virtual assistant is human. At some point, expect to hear your virtual assistant submit a sick or vacation leave. However, if you have noticed that they often go missing just when you need them or do they constantly blame someone or something else for their poor performance, it is definitely a red flag. If this has been going on for a time, there is no way to deny it anymore. The virtual assistant required for your business must be consistent as well as transparent. After all, a strong working partnership requires mutual trust and honesty.
- You can’t seem to come up with new ideas.
Business owners recruit virtual assistants to search for individuals who not only have the skills, but also the initiative to come up with fresh ideas and implement them. Your virtual assistant should be looking out for your business’s best interests. Your virtual assistant should be seen as an investment in the future of your business.
Recruitment: The Most Important Step
The critical part of getting a virtual assistant is the recruitment process. There are three primary options available to you:
- Freelancer websites
- Virtual assistant agency
- Job sites
Freelance marketplaces and job boards provide you with access to a large pool of talents from which to pick. Payment protection is an additional benefit of freelancing platforms over job boards. Virtual assistant agencies, on the other hand, usually present pre-screened virtual assistants.
Hiring a virtual assistant through VALUE Virtual Assistants allows you to enjoy these benefits:
- Saves you time screening and filtering candidates.
- Arranges interview schedules with chosen candidates.
- Drafts and prepares a contract for you and your virtual assistant.
- Provides tracking software to your VA.
- Monitor productivity and attendance of your virtual assistant.
- You don’t have to worry about scams and incompetent VAs.
VALUE Virtual Assistant is the easiest and convenient way to hire a virtual assistant that meets your business requirements. We invite you to schedule a free session with us to discuss your requirements, and we will match you with the right virtual assistant.
