7 Things to Look for When Hiring a Virtual Assistant for Your Business

Hylce Kruger

If you’re a busy professional looking to hire an executive assistant, then matching with the right candidate for your business can be easier said than done.

Whilst admin support in a small business or startup will vary from that in an enterprise company or growing SME, there are wider virtual assistant benefits to consider beyond gaining back time and improving business efficiency. 

Top rated virtual assistants not only bring key VA skills and global remote business support, but act as a trusted growth partner to founders, CEOs and their teams.

Here are seven things to look for when hiring a remote virtual assistant to guarantee success: 

1) Authentic Communication 

You need to hire a personal assistant who can give you honest insights and open feedback while being professional at all times. An assistant is quick to tell you the truth if something goes wrong or isn’t working—and they will take corrective action to fix mistakes immediately.

2) Versatile Support

Administrative tasks aren’t always all smooth sailing. The best virtual assistants assist with sales & operations when employees are sick or need last-minute support, even if it means extra hours and increased workload at short notice.

3) Systems Expert 

Handing off tasks to assistants should come with clear expectations and deadlines. If you have good systems in place and a qualified assistant, there’s no need for chaser emails and extra Slack messages to get things done on time.

Gaby

4) Trusted Business Leader

A qualified executive assistant isn’t just an order-taker but a trusted guide. Entrepreneurs need more than remote talent; they need to hand over things like customer service, project management and sales to a professional who can effectively manage their business for them.

5) Human vs AI Virtual Assistants

AI virtual assistant tools may have their place, but ChatGPT and artificial intelligence platforms won’t replace the creativity, connection and empathy of a living, breathing assistant.

Business is built upon emotional relationships and trust; humans bring intuition, reliability & loyalty.

6) PA/EA Career

Does your assistant feel inspired by the thought of helping scale up a new startup? Have they already worked inside a successful large business? Are they seeking a career in making entrepreneurs’ lives easier?

Look for someone who sees value in daily administration tasks and not just a paycheck.

7) Integrated Assistance 

A lot of virtual assistant agencies will fill a role in your team, but few will become part of it.

You don’t want just inbox management assistants; you need full-service support across business areas like HR & recruitment, travel planning, social media management, lead generation, data entry and more without having to provide extensive training.

Matty

Of course, it’s unlikely you’ll be able to tell if you have the right assistant for your business on a 30 minute intro call.

Dig deep when assessing your current or future assistant, and don’t just rely on virtual assistant reviews and qualifications—ask for a free trial or have coffee chats with your personal assistant before hiring them.

If you’re looking to make hiring an experienced virtual assistant hassle-free, then book a call with our experts at Tyck here (it’s free) and we’ll see if our assistants are a fit for your business goals.