How To Find A Virtual Assistant For Maximized Productivity

Business owners are constantly looking to hire virtual assistants in order to strategically maximize productivity. Virtual assistants are highly-skilled independent professionals. They are tasked with remotely rendering administrative duties and technical support. As a business owner, you can ease your workload by delegating these tasks. This provides you with more time to attend to high level responsibilities. In this way, virtual assistants make your business more productive. Continue reading to learn how to find a virtual assistant for maximized productivity.

Create A Job Description

First, you need to create a job description for your position. This begins with defining the administrative tasks your assistant will cover. Specify these tasks in your job description. Additionally, provide the skills they will need to be productive. For example, do you need someone familiar with task-management tools? Identify exactly what you need and provide this information in your job description. This will connect you to the candidates capable of fulfilling your needs. Be clear about expectations, compensation and work schedule. You also want to include information such as your mission and values. A thorough job description will connect you to the most productive candidates for the job.

Use Your Professional Network

You can also use your professional network to find a virtual assistant. Your virtual assistant needs to be someone you trust. One of the best ways to find a trustworthy individual is through referrals. Reach out to your contact list and let them know you need help. This may include other business owners, mentors, or a networking group you belong to. It is likely that someone in your network will have a recommendation. A network referral is an ideal channel for finding a virtual assistant. It allows you to elicit feedback from you candidate’s previous employers. This enables you to connect with the most competent and productive employees. Look to your professional network to find a virtual assistant for your business.

Freelance Platforms

Use a freelance platform to find a virtual assistant. Freelance platforms connect you with millions of registered freelancers. On these platforms, you can find millions of freelancers for hire. You can search using qualified criteria to find the right candidate for your business. These platforms also allow you to review the profiles and portfolios of each virtual assistants. Use this information to assess how they performed in the past. Freelance sites automatically track hours and screenshot the work your assistant does. This provides an additional layer of accountability that ensures the most productive methods. Freelance platforms also manage the payment process for you. This frees up your time even further. A freelance platform is another productive way to find a virtual assistant.

Designate A Trial Period

Lastly, it is useful to design a trial period for your virtual assistant. Sometimes an assistant looks great on paper but does not perform well in real life. Additionally, you may choose a candidate who is simply not a good fit for your particular industry. To find the right candidate for your job, start them off on a trial period. Your trial period should be anywhere from 30 to 90 days. This will give you enough time to see if your virtual assistant is the right fit. It also provides an additional incentive for them to do a good job. If they know a permanent role on your team is at stake, they will be more productive in their work. A designated trial period helps ensure your virtual assistant is the right candidate for you.

Create An Applicant Test

In your application, include a pre-employment test that your virtual assistant must fulfill. This should be a simple task representative of your business. If you are a writer, for example, ask your assistant to find the email addresses of three publishing agents that live in NYC. A suitable fit will be capable of doing this within a few minutes. This simple test will help you to identify the candidates who put in extra effort to complete a task successfully. Another trick is to include a litmus test within your job description. Within your post, ask your applicants to include a specific word in their response. This will weed out the applicants who did not read the job description in full. It lets you know which candidates can follow instructions. Include a test in your application to connect with the most productive virtual assistants.

Business owners want to find a virtual assistant who will improve their productivity. This begins with creating a job description that specifies their administrative duties. You can use your professional network to find referral for trustworthy individuals. You can also review the virtual assistant profiles on a freelance platform. To find the best assistant, include a discerning test in your application. Once you choose a candidate, perform a trial period to see if they are the right fit. Consider the points mentioned above to learn about how to find a virtual assistant for maximized productivity.