Virtual Assistant 101: What They Do & How To Find One

‘’If you want something done properly, do it yourself’’. Never was there a mantra more harmful to the stressed out home office worker than this one. 

Let’s start again. “If you want something done properly, delegate to someone with expertise’’. Aaah, that’s better. 

Indeed, if you feel like you’re always up against it, battling the clock and racing against time, then you’re probably following the former mantra a little too closely, and neglecting to do the latter. 

Redress that work/life balance, stat. One person can only do so much, after all, but by delegating properly and efficiently, you’ll find yourself free to focus on the urgent tasks, reassured that the more menial elements of your work are in good hands. And if those hands are typing and scrolling on the other side of the world? No worries. 

Enter the virtual assistant. 

In the past year, many businesses have moved the majority of their operations into the online sphere. As a result, small companies have been motivated to hire virtual assistants to help them stay organised and not fall behind on administrative tasks. If you, too, are looking to hire a virtual assistant, then we reckon you’ll be happy you landed on this article. Should you be wondering exactly what a virtual assistant is, what they do and how to find one, then read on. 

What Is A Virtual Assistant?

AI, this ain’t.

Firstly, a virtual assistant is not a robot who completes your admin in an automated, impersonal manner. Nope, a virtual assistant is actually not much different from a traditional office assistant, except for the fact that they do most of their job remotely, from a distance. They are still 100% human.

What Tasks Do They Do?

Some of the tasks that virtual assistants may have to complete include managing social media accounts, responding to emails, creating, organising and sharing business-related documents and scheduling meetings or trips. The only difference is that they are not stationed in the same building as their company or manager, but rather, doing their job remotely.

What Should You Look For In A Virtual Assistant?

Prioritising experience, we think, is key when it comes to hiring a successful virtual assistant. 

The Institute of Executive Assistants and Administrators offers a number of courses for executive assistants, with Level 5 the highest qualification available. Ask for relevant qualifications and evidence of expertise of Levels 4 and 5 if you’re keen to employ the very best executive assistant out there.

If your VA doesn’t boast any official certification, don’t write them off. Should they have several years of experience in the role under their belt, chances are the core skills needed to be an administrative assistant will be all present and correct.

Before You Hire One…

Before you begin your search or, you know, actually hire a virtual assistant, it’s important to first ask yourself what you need a virtual assistant to do. Hiring one before knowing exactly what tasks to delegate to a VA and how one can help you is a rookie mistake. So, before you hire one, start documenting all the tasks you do daily that can easily be delegated. Otherwise, you’ll be wasting your money on an assistant who may well be sitting there, awaiting instruction.

Where To Find One…

There are a few routes to go down to find the ideal virtual assistant for you. You can, of course, find an independent VA – ask your networks for referrals or use online platforms where freelancers advertise their services, such as Fiverrr, Upwork and Freelancer.com.

Alternatively, you can hone in on a platform or company dedicated soley to virtual assistant roles, such as Virtalent. The company’s key advantage is the expertise on offer; a Virtalent VA has, on average, 15 years’ experience before joining the team. Zirtual is a similar, virtual VA only platform.

How To Manage One…

Managing and instructing your virtual assistant and delegating tasks to them requires precision and clarity in your directives to ensure no misunderstandings take place, particularly in the early stages of your working relationship.

Don’t give your virtual assistant vague instructions and then disappear offline, ignoring their clarification requests. 

Many virtual assistants have more than one client, so consider this when you’re hiring one. Don’t assume that they will be willing to work all hours of the day and at weekends – this would simply not be reasonable. If you’re thinking of hiring a virtual assistant from overseas, it’s likely that response times will be slower, as time zone differences may play a part in their responsiveness.

The Bottom Line

The global pandemic has shifted so much of our work online, and remote working looks here to stay. If you’ve found an accordant shift has occurred in your working responsibilities, then rest assured; you don’t have to do this thing alone. Virtual assistants are affordable, available and extremely useful to those looking to lighten their administrative load. 

Like that? You'll love this...

The latest...