Step One: Get rid of misconceptions about virtual assistants

Many businesses seeking a virtual assistant start out on the wrong path because they have no idea what a virtual assistant is. The words ‘virtual assistant’ has become synonymous with task monkey. A virtual assistant is not a task monkey, nor an employee. A virtual assistant is an entrepreneur who partners with you to help take some of the burden out of running your business by handling your time-consuming tasks (i.e. admin work).

Step Two: Be more realistic about price

Outsourcing sites like oDesk will have you believe that dirty cheap labor is the norm. With prices like that, no sane person would be able to resist taking on someone for $5 per hour. However, ask yourself: “Is anything worth having ever cheap?”

No, it’s not.

The price of a virtual assistant will vary from country to country. In the Philippines, wages can range from about $7-$25 dollars per hour depending upon the quality of the V.A. These are livable wages in this country. For a V.A. living in the U.S., Canada, UK, etc., the standard rate starts out at around $30 per hour and goes up from there. The sweet spot hovers at about $35-$45.

“But that’s so much.”

No, it’s not. It is a fair and livable wage for a virtual assistant living in an English-speaking country.

Step Three: Acknowledge the pros and cons of working with an overseas V.A.

If you own and operate your business in North America but want a cheaper virtual assistant overseas, you need to be aware of the pros and cons. While overseas administration support is less expensive, often cultural differences in communications and expectations can cause a lot of headaches and require more of your time to manage it.

Step Four: Take to the Internet

If you are in the market for a V.A., the Internet is the best place to find one. It is common to look for virtual assistants on freelancing websites, but you will find the best candidates on virtual assistant sites. Websites such as Virtual Assistantville, VANetworking, and the International Virtual Assistant Association are excellent places to find your ideal V.A.

Step Five: Draft a Request for Proposal

Writing a good RFP is key in the search for a virtual assistant. There are some general do’s and don’t’s one should be aware of:

Do:

Do write a brief introduction.
Before a V.A. responds to an RFP, they like to have an idea of the business’ industry.

Do specify your needs.

A virtual assistant will need to know the types of services you are looking for. You don’t have to list them all, but the most important services should be listed.

Do state your requirements.
Potential virtual assistants will need to know your list of requirements, so they can determine if they are an ideal candidate.

Do set a price…range.
And be fair. Setting low-ball offers will get your low-quality responses. High-quality virtual assistants do not work for pennies and will not respond to an RFP with a low rate.

Don’t:

Don’t be vague.
Overly vague RFPs will not attract as many emails as a more detailed proposal.

Don’t overly specify needs/requirements.
There are necessary skills required for a potential candidate while others can be learned quickly. Learn to distinguish the two. By making a less important skill required, you are lessening the number responses to your RFP. For example, Infusionsoft knowledge is a necessity, but knowledge of Google Drive is not. Anyone with experience in MS Suites can quickly learn Google Drive.

Don’t ask for cover letters, resumes, references
Virtual assistants are not employees. You do not hire a virtual assistant. You partner with one. Working together has to be agreed to by both parties and can be terminated by both parties. As your virtual assistant is an entrepreneur, and not an employee, they do not send out requests for cover letters or resumes. Many V.A.s provide testimonials on their website, but due to nondisclosure agreements, may not be able to give out information on current or past clients. However, it is always smart to do your own assessment of a virtual assistant because you will be responsible for the outcome.

Don’t expect free test work
It is normal to be hesitant about working with a virtual assistant for the first time. If you’d like to test your V.A., buy a few hours of their time. No reputable virtual assistant will work for free.

Don’t set low rates
If your suggested rate is too low, many virtual assistants (myself included) will not respond. Rates less than $25 are considered low within the V.A. industry for a Western-based V.A. Remember, price is relative to how fast the virtual assistant works, so don't worry so much about that.

Step Five: Collect proposals and start interviewing

Once proposals start coming in, you can begin deciding who to interview. You shouldn’t worry about interviewing every candidate. It is best to focus only on the candidates who appealed to you. You can find great interview questions here. However, also remember to set aside time for your virtual assistant to ask questions.

Step Six: Select your ideal candidate and get to work

You’ve made it! Now that you have selected the proper V.A., your business burdens should start disappearing. Good luck!

Bonus: Hire a V.A. Matchmaker

If you are someone who doesn't have the time to invest in looking for a virtual assistant, I suggest you hire a matchmaker. Instead of you spending the hours going through each of the steps listed above, a matchmaker can do them for you. I have had the pleasure of speaking with Yvonne Weld and would recommend her services to anyone looking for a matchmaker. Her experience as a V.A. helps her to find the right fit for your business needs.

–Chris the V.A.