August 29, 2013 Jason

How to Hire a Virtual Assistant

Help WantedChoosing a Virtual Assistant is an essential part of growing as a freelancer. They can help you with research, data entry, billing, reporting, and a ton of other non-billable and billable tasks. There are many places online to find your next VA, but don’t choose one solely on price – you will be disappointed. Find someone that communicates quickly and understands how to work with you. Be honest about your expectations, and be sure to reward your VA when they exceed them. A good assistant is an investment that will pay off – but only if you take the time to choose the right one from the start.

The key to working with a Virtual Assistant is delegaton and follow-up. Be sure to give them clear and concise instructions, but also remember to include time to check their work. In the beginning, you might find that you’re spending more time than you would if you did the job yourself, but once you’ve shown your VA what you want done and the level at which you expect it to be completed, they will be able to finish the project and meet or exceed your expectations.

To find my VA, I tested a few candidates by giving them a specific task. The way they completed this task, and more specifically, the level of communication and initiative displayed, were what I was looking for. Once I found someone that met my expectations, I felt confident with giving her additional projects. So far, so good!

Check out some of the options available to you on our list of local freelancers

 

Additional reading for hiring a Virtual Assistant:

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