Discover the benefits of working with a Virtual Assistant

The how’s and why’s of hiring a VA

The classic EA/PA/Secretary is seen in a lot of companies as the go to person, someone whom communicates and works closely with High Level Execs, Board Members, and Company Directors. They have their fingers (and sometimes toes) in many departments speaking to staff, clients and generally keep things running whilst juggling multiple tasks behind the scenes. However, times are changing as companies across the board tighten their belts and look at ways to keep their overheads to a minimum. This is where hiring a Virtual Assistant (VA) is becoming a popular choice.

Over the last ten to fifteen years, many individuals have set up their own VA businesses working from home, allowing them more flexibility. With the opportunity to work for and support a wider audience, these VA’s are incentivised to be more productive than traditionally employed members of staff, as time literally becomes money.

A lot of VA’s have a wealth of knowledge and already come from a background of working in administration, finance, marketing, and HR to name a few, with years of experience, so it’s not surprising many decide to set up alone with the skills they have acquired along the way. They are able to choose their hours, the services they wish to provide and an hourly rate that reflects their skill set and experience.

So how do you find a VA and what’s in it for you? When setting out to look for an individual who will be an integral part of your daily work (and sometimes even personal) life, this can seem like a daunting task. Personal recommendations are by far the most reliable and so turning to a service like LinkedIn, or the Virtual Assistant Directory can set you on the right path. Your highest priority should be finding that someone who can meet YOUR needs.

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No one can ever truly know how working with an individual will work out as people have different working methods and personalities. The best way to see who fits with your business needs is to talk to each other over the phone or via Skype and set some small tasks, explain you want to trial their services. Prepare yourself with a list of questions. Remember, with anything new the more information you ask the more a picture can be built about the individual.

It takes time to build up a good working relationship with a VA, no different to someone working in an office. Communication is the highest priority to any successful working relationship so be precise in what you are looking for. Don’t be afraid to pass on some of those mundane tasks, delegation is key when working with a VA so you can focus on your key skills within your business and thrive.

There is also real world cost savings to be made when hiring a VA. Employer NI, Holiday/Sick pay, additional office space or equipment that normally go along with having an in-house employee are all either cut out completely or reduced. Generally VA’s will charge either by the hour/minute or on a per task basis. Virtual Assistant’s are flexible and because they are self-employed they are driven to provide a good job, building a rapport and providing a reliable and efficient service so a client keeps on returning.

The VA industry is thriving, not just in the UK but also globally and they are helping people with their businesses no matter how large or small. So if you want to cut down costs, be more productive and would like to hire someone who is flexible why not try hiring a VA for yourself.