Many business owners have difficulty managing their time. They often find themselves not being able to accomplish all of their tasks. Are you one of those people who find it hard to juggle your daily tasks? Don’t worry because you can hire a virtual assistant to help you with your business. A virtual assistant can do some of the tasks for you so you can maximize your time. Hiring a virtual assistant doesn’t have to be so hard. Read on to get some tips on how to hire your first virtual assistant:
Know your goals
As the saying goes an excellent plan always starts at the end. Therefore, you can’t make an effective plan without knowing the outcome you want to achieve. You should think of where you want to be in life and in business. Are you the type who wants to explore and travel as much as you could? Or are you the working mom who wants to have more time for yourself and your family? Determining your goal will help you in choosing the right virtual assistant for you and your business.
Test their skills
It is recommended that you give applicants a trial task that is related to the kind of work they would be doing for you. For example, if you are looking for a graphic designer then ask them to create a logo or brochure for your brand. Give them a specific time frame to finish the task. If they are not able to complete the task, then they aren’t the right fit for the job. This will also eliminate anyone who is uncommitted and identifies those who put in the effort into their designated tasks.
Interview the applicants
This is vital because you will get a lot of applications from other countries. You have to make sure that they can effectively and effortlessly communicate in English. Conduct the interviews via video or audio call tools to assess their communication skills. Prepare a list of questions beforehand so you will be able to get all the necessary information you need.
Start with a trial period
Once you hire a candidate, inform them that they are on a one or two-week paid trial basis. Throughout this period, they should be able to prove their abilities and dependability to you. Since it is a trial, it won’t be uncomfortable should you need to let them go.
Be completely clear
Explain clearly what the job entails and the hours you expect them to work for you. Give them an outline of the tasks that they will be in charge of and list any tools that they can use. Avoid the trouble of not being able to reach somebody when you really need them. Inform them of the times that you will need them to be available. You can also make the process easier by hiring someone in your area, for example, a VA in Manchester, NH. That way you will be in the same time zone.