Characteristics that Make up a Good Virtual Assistant

So you think you want to be a Virtual Assistant, but do you have what it takes? Perhaps you’re a small business and you want to hire a Virtual Assistant; can you spot a good one from the rest?

In this blog, we will discuss:

• What makes a good Virtual Assistant
• What a business owner should look out for when hiring a VA
• Do’s and Dont’s for both VA’s and hiring companies

What makes up a good Virtual Assistant?

Although the definition of a good Virtual Assistant depends on the company hiring, there are some key traits that every VA should possess.

A good VA must be experienced in her field of expertise. Virtual employees are responsible for their own learning, growth and work, and therefore, if one is to succeed as a VA, she must be experienced.

A Virtual Assistant must be a good communicator. This is because she will be responsible for her own work schedule, productivity and pace. She must be able to take direction and keep the client up to date.

A good VA is reliable. For you to get more work as a freelancer, you must impress your clients. Unfortunately, that means being more reliable than the average employee. You must go above and beyond. On the employee side, test a VA for a few weeks to find out if she is reliable before you go for the long haul.

If there’s one thing you need to master, it’s time management. As a VA, you’ll probably work for multiple clients at one time so managing your time properly is paramount to success.

Finally, a VA must be resourceful. If there’s something you don’t know, try searching for it online or asking someone you may know. A client hired you because they don’t have time and need extra help, but if you’re constantly asking for help, what value are you adding?

How average VA’s can become good VA’s

To become the best that you can be, it takes experience coupled with coaching. You need to unlearn certain habits and learn better habits that will help you to succeed.

You can start by joining VAASA as a member. Members receive documents and know-how to ensure they are not only a great VA but also a very successful VA with many happy clients. We also make sure that you have all your legal contracts and necessary back-office documents in place.

What a business owner should look out for when hiring a VA

There are eight things to consider when hiring a VA:

• Fit. At the top of the list is fit. How well you click with someone is paramount to your success. A VA can be very good at her job, but her personality may clash with yours.
• Experience. Determine how much experience is required for your project, but don’t see a lack of experience as a deal breaker. Some new VA’s have a lot to offer.
• Skills. Apart from experience, there are other skills such as computer skills. Find out which tool and programs the VA is familiar with so that you avoid spending too much time on training.
• Professionalism. Does the VA answer her phone professionally? Does she respond to emails on time and appropriately?
• Image. Stalk the VA on social media and her website for a while just to see whether she pays attention to how she represents herself. This is a clear indication of the quality of work you will get.
• Availability. Does the VA work full-time or part-time? Is she able to help you when you need it the most? Something else to consider is timezone.
• References. A good VA should produce references on request.

Do’s and Don’ts for both VA’s and hiring companies

Do:

Virtual Assistants	Hiring companies
Bump up your online presence by: -Completing your profiles -Posting regularly -Starting a blog	Interview potential candidates: -Understand their history -Test their knowledge -Get references
Be adequately prepared for interviews	Test a VA for one month before hiring permanently
Put your profile on VAASA website to get jobs	Put your profile on VAASA website to find a VA
Upskill yourself by taking courses	Offer growth opportunities
Have a PayPal account or similar for payment	Make sure the contract has a cancellation policy

Don’t:

Virtual Assistants	Hiring companies
Price yourself too cheaply	Look for a cheap VA, they are usually unskilled
Sell yourself short but rather understand your value	Negotiate the specific terms of the contract at the end
Negotiate your terms, you know your worth	Conduct an email interview
Take on too many projects at once if you can’t handle it	Ignore the red flags
Say you know something when you don’t	Pay upfront for future services