As you probably know, hiring a virtual assistant comes with immediate benefits if you do it well.  Investing in a good EA can help free up your time to focus on strategic tasks, improve your productivity, and make it easier to scale your operations. Now, about 78% of business owners believe that delegating tasks to a virtual assistant significantly increases their work output - according to Time Etc - but this can only happen if you understand how to hire a virtual assistant to ensure the perfect fit for your needs. At A Team Overseas, we will walk you through every step of hiring a virtual assistant, from understanding their role and benefits to finding the right candidate. You'll learn how to find the best talent, including interviewing techniques, onboarding processes, and tips for successful remote management. Get ready to discover how a virtual assistant can support your business growth!

First, what Is a Virtual Assistant?

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A virtual assistant - or how we prefer to refer to our talent: remote executive assistants -  is a professional who provides administrative, technical, personal, and creative assistance remotely. Unlike traditional assistants who work on-site mostly focusing on administrative tasks, virtual assistants operate from various locations and handle a variety of tasks while working more closely with the client, offering flexibility and cost savings for businesses. An EA's most usual tasks include managing emails, scheduling appointments, making travel arrangements, and conducting research. They can also take on more specialized roles, such as social media management, bookkeeping, or customer support. This versatility makes them a valuable asset for businesses looking to streamline operations without the overhead costs of hiring an in-house assistant or secretary who would take on a more expensive admin role instead of offering closer, more cost-effective remote support that will keep things from falling through the cracks. 

Where to Hire Virtual Assistants

Finding the right remote executive assistant can transform your business operations for the better, but you have to know where to look for the best talent available. Here are some of the most effective online spaces to hire virtual assistants: 

Freelance Platforms:

Freelance platforms like Upwork, Fiverr, and Freelancer are a popular choice for finding virtual assistants. These sites allow you to post job listings, review candidate profiles, and read feedback from previous clients. According to a recent Upwork report, 59 million Americans freelanced through the platform in 2020, making it a great resource for hiring remote EA talent. However, keep in mind that these marketplace-style platforms will take a cut out of your EA’s pay, so rates might be higher than expected.

Virtual Assistant Agencies:

Virtual assistant agencies provide pre-vetted professionals ready to start working immediately, agilizing the recruiting process and handling not only the recruitment work but also the onboarding procedures. Thanks to their recruiters and support teams, they make it easier to find a qualified assistant. A Clutch survey found that 72% of businesses that use agencies are satisfied with the quality of service provided, so there’s a good chance you’ll be happy if you decide to partner with one. Still, at A Team Overseas, we strive to be more than your typical EA agency by offering continuous founder-led support and dedicated EA coaching to ensure a successful long-term partnership. 

Social Media and Professional Networks:

Despite no longer being the shiny new tool, LinkedIn is still a valuable resource for finding remote executive assistants. You can post job openings, join professional groups, and connect directly with potential candidates on this platform. Now, if you want to go a little bit more old-school, you can find Facebook groups dedicated to virtual assistants and remote work - even better if you manage to find country-specific groups - where EA candidates will surely respond to your job posting. 

Job Boards:

Remote-specific job boards such as Remote.co, We Work Remotely, and FlexJobs have specialized listings for virtual assistants thanks to their job sorting system. These sites attract candidates from all over the world actively looking for remote work, greatly increasing your chances of finding a dedicated EA if your job description is attractive enough. 

Referrals and Recommendations:

Sometimes the best virtual assistants come through word-of-mouth. So, try to ask your professional network, colleagues, or industry peers for recommendations. It’s even better if you have decided on a country to hire from and can connect with people from that region. Personal referrals can lead to high-quality EA candidates who come recommended by trusted sources, and this might even expedite the intake process.  

Interviewing and Evaluating EA Candidates

Interviewing and evaluating remote executive assistants is crucial to finding the right fit for your business. Here’s how you can conduct more effective interviews and make informed decisions:

Be Mindful of What To Ask in an Interview

According to a study by Robert Half, 91% of managers believe asking behavioral interview questions is essential to hiring success. This is why you should prepare a list of questions that cover both technical skills and personality traits to avoid only interviewing them about skills that you might not have the capacity to evaluate. Ultimately, it’s more valuable to focus on figuring out if they’re aligned with your mission, vision, and values, as well as if they actually care about what your business is doing. This level of care will make all the difference in the end. Ask about their experience with specific tools and software relevant to your business. If you want to know more about our favorite interview questions for hiring virtual assistants, feel free to check out our recent article about it!  

Consider Testing Technical Skills and Experience

If you’re worried about not feeling confident in your hiring decision based on just traditional interview questions, you could evaluate the candidate's technical skills through practical tests or assignments. For example, if you're hiring an EA for your social media management business, you could ask them to create a sample content calendar or propose a few social media posts. This hands-on approach helps you gauge their proficiency and creativity a little better if you’re not ready to solely rely on your interviewing skills.

Evaluate Communication and Cultural Fit

When you’re hiring for a role that will require close interaction and complete transparency, it’s best to ensure you and your future EA are 110% on the same page. Of course, this starts with effective communication, which is vital for any remote work arrangements but it’s a must-have when looking for an EA. During the interview, pay attention to how the candidate communicates while you also assess their cultural fit with your company. This can be done by discussing your values and observing their reactions, as well as asking them what caught their attention about your organization.

Checking References and Backgrounds

According to CareerBuilder, 70% of employers use references as a key component in their hiring process, and for good reason, as they provide insights into the candidate's work ethic and reliability. Contact previous employers or clients to verify their claims and gather feedback. Ask about their performance, dependability, and how they handled responsibilities. This step can uncover potential red flags or reinforce your decision. 

Offering a Trial Period

Consider offering a trial period to evaluate the virtual assistant's performance before making a long-term commitment. This period can range from a few weeks to a few months, depending on the role's complexity. During this time, you should monitor their work quality, communication, and ability to meet deadlines. A survey by Clutch found that 53% of companies use trial periods to assess new hires effectively.

Comparing Candidates Before Making the Final Hiring Decision

After interviewing and evaluating virtual assistants, the next step is to compare candidates and make your final choice. To do this effectively, you should develop a comparison system that helps you objectively evaluate each candidate. It doesn’t have to be anything too complicated, but you should cover a few bases with a matrix that aids your decision-making. You could list key criteria such as technical skills, experience, communication abilities, and cultural fit. Assign a rating to each candidate based on these categories, allowing you to compare strengths and weaknesses more easily. Prioritize the skills and experience that are most critical to your business focusing on tasks that the idea EA will need to perform immediately, and consider which skills are desirable but not urgent. This ensures that the candidate you choose can hit the ground running and meet your immediate needs while still having room to grow within their role through stretch goals.

Making The Offer To Your Ideal EA

Congratulations! You’ve decided which EA candidate you want to hire. Now what? Well, it’s time to make them an attractive offer to ensure they take the job. Hopefully, they’ll be aware of the salary range for the position in advance. If not, this is the time to let them know what your final offer will be and what exactly will be expected of them. Once the candidate agrees, you should make them sign a contract - detailing all details of your work engagement. Make sure to include details about tax liabilities, non-disclosure agreements, and the agreed-upon payment cadence. After that, all you need to do is give them their start date and get to work. 

Ready To Hire Remote Executive Assistants? Try A Team Overseas! 

If you’re looking to hire remote executive assistants in the Philippines and need the support to do so, you might be interested in what we can offer you. At A Team Overseas, we noticed there was a gap in the EA market for agencies that offered long-term support instead of just finding a virtual assistant for you and then simply wishing you good luck. Our approach is much more hands-on, including founder-led support, EA coaching, and payment handling. We take care of all the details to ensure you can hire and work well with the perfect EA for you and your business. If you’re ready to hire a virtual assistant, contact us today to learn more about our services!