The Working Blog
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Last month I had the opportunity to share a short presentation at the Wedding Pro Exchange on what a client should look for in a Virtual Assistant.
EXPERIENCE What you are looking for in a Virtual Assistant will determine what level of skill that VA needs to have. VA's come with all kinds of level of skills. There is a different level of skill set needed for managing a calendar and scheduling appointments than working on social media scheduling and content. Be sure you know what you need, then the Virtual Assistant can apply their knowledge and skill set to those needs. If you aren't sure, a good VA will be able to help guide you but ultimately you want to consider the best match for where you are right now, and where you want to be down the road. PROFESSIONALISM Much of your interaction with a VA will be over the phone, or over the web, so it is important that you consider someone that can translate professionalism across multiple platforms whether verbal or written. During a consultation, take note of their tone and attitude. Through email, pay attention to how they communicate with you. Online, take a look at some on their public and professional profiles. You want to know that a VA can not only represent themselves well, but you too! GREAT COMMUNICATION It's important to get updates as often as you can, especially when the majority of your time with a VA is spent apart. Work out with a VA upfront on the best ways to communicate and reach you. Also consider the best ways for the VA to best receive communications from you. Come to an agreement if you need to. Phone text may not be efficient enough for many tasks that require extensive instruction and updates, however you may be working with a VA who prefers this as a communications means. Whatever the method, a good VA and client relationship works best when they are in agreement here. Another point to consider with great communication is that more communication is better than going GHOST on each other. Even if it's just to pop in and say "I've seen your messages, and I have a response coming you way!" GREAT ORGANIZATION In a setting where everything is virtual, it is important that you get a sense that a VA has and is working with a good personal work system. Ask them about what tools they use to help keep themselves organized. It does not have to be the latest web based tool! There are many VA's who still believe in the old pen and pad in combination with a web based tool! A good VA can tell you how they manage their projects so that you can get a feel for how they can help you manage yours! RESOURCEFULNESS You are looking for a VA because you need to outsource some tasks and projects. You want to know that a VA can problem solve on their own on your behalf. VA's nowadays are very good at online searching and figuring things out on their own. These are the types of VA's you want to hire! A VA that can deliver to you additional options and resources that may help you along in your business. This kind of initiative will prove helpful, especially when you do not have the time to do the research on your own. RELIABILITY Feeling comfortable that what you assign will see completion is a very big deal. Again, not seeing a VA on a daily basis can make this seem impossible, however if the communication is present and there are consistent updates, you can rest assure that a VA is working to show you that they are reliable. Even if a project gets stalled, a good VA will continue to communicate, offer suggestions to help move the project along and stay connected. FLEXIBILITY Most VA's will be managing a handful of clients or more, so it's important to keep that in mind. However, if you are a new entrepreneur or even a seasoned one and you are still figuring out how to be more efficient in your business, you may need lots of flexibility to figure that out. Most VA's are pretty understanding. Communicating the areas where you aren't sure how to move forward should prompt a good VA to make reasonable suggestions and usually that VA will be flexible in working with you in that area until there is a better system in place. Additional Tips: Read Most Common Tips for Inactive Projects.
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AuthorNherie is a creative freelancer who enjoys creativity, teaching & writing about best administrative or business practices and virtual assisting. Archives
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