What to Ask When Hiring a Virtual Assistant
The moment you realize that you’re ready to hire a new team member so that you can continue to grow your business is exciting. But, before you go popping the champagne, you have to figure out who you need to hire.
Not only are you looking for someone who can handle the tasks you’re ready to get off your plate, but you’re looking for a true team member: someone who will support you and rally behind your business. One of the best pieces of advice I ever received from business operations specialist Adrienne Dorison was to “hire people who are fired up about your vision.”
Hiring someone when you’ve always been a one-woman show can feel overwhelming, but here’s a little secret: it doesn’t have to be. With the help of my very own VA (because who better to ask!) we compiled 5 questions to ask when hiring a virtual assistant (or any team member).
Your homework before any interview:
Before you hop on that first call, you also have some homework to do for yourself. Determine who exactly you’re looking for by figuring out what tasks you want to hand over to someone else. There’s generally two categories: things you hate doing and things that don’t have to be done by you.
Only you can decide which tasks actually fall in those categories, but start there and lay out exactly what you’d hand over to a virtual assistant in an ideal world.
Now you’re ready to start talking to potential hires. Here are a few things to focus on during your call…
Question 1: What’s your area of expertise?
Finding someone who knows the programs or how to complete the tasks you want completed is crucial. You’ll have to train them on specifics for your business (like how you like things to look or the workflow) but a general understanding of what you’re asking is going to be a huge time-saver.
For example, if you use Kajabi and need someone to help you add things in your Kajabi account, look for a VA with Kajabi experience! Same goes for Asana, Squarespace, Dubsado, ClickUp, Canva, Notion… any of the big programs you find yourself using on a daily basis for the tasks you’ll be assigning.
Question 2: How does your pricing work?
Know from the start how you will be billed. Many virtual assistants work on hourly packages where their clients receive a set number of hours a month for their work. Ask your potential virtual assistant what happens if you don’t reach or go over those limits.
And, if they don’t use an hourly package, determine what your monthly package might be each month. You need to make sure you can afford to bring someone on. (Remember: sometimes growth looks like spending money on team members so you can put your energy into new or better offerings for your community., or so you can spend more time selling.)
Question 3: What’s your communication style?
Communication is key for any working relationship to last. Find out early on how your potential virtual assistant likes to communicate. Do they use software like Slack or Asana? Is it only by email or voice messages? Get a feel for how often you’ll be in touch. Especially early on, you’ll communicate a lot while systems are set in place, feedback is given, and everyone settles in, so make sure the preferred method will work for both parties.
Question 4: How do we get started?
The onboarding process for a virtual assistant can feel time-consuming. There’s quite a bit of back and forth as you pass on information and systems — and that’s so normal! Don’t be discouraged by it.
You will also want to discuss if/how they will be trained by you and what else your virtual assistant needs to get started so that they can be prepared to hit the ground running on their start date. It’s honestly helpful for everyone involved if you are able to easily communicate the steps of any tasks you want them to do, from beginning to end, along with a clear understand of what success with that task looks like to you.
Some great ways to share systems is through a workflow in a project management system like Asana or ClickUp, and/or a Loom video! We love to use a combo of both for a lot of our repeatable tasks, like writing blog posts like this one! Whatever shape it takes, plan ahead so you can welcome them in with open arms!
Question 5: Do you have any referrals I can speak to?
It isn’t always necessary to speak to past (or current) clients of the potential virtual assistant, but it can’t hurt. If they’re able to provide a few names, reach out and find out what it is like working with that VA.
When it comes down to it, hiring a new team member is really about knowing what you need to move your business forward and following your gut.
Do you feel a connection with this person? Do their skill sets line up with what you need in your business right now? Sitting down and talking with potential virtual assistants is definitely going to be the best way to find the right fit for your business! So, set up those Zoom calls and get chatting - your new team member is out there waiting for you.
Feel free to drop any questions about onboarding your future VA in the comments section below. We’d love to help you make this a seamless - and fun - experience!
