What Questions to ask When Hiring a virtual assistant

As an entrepreneur, you may struggle to tackle many tasks as you try to stay ahead of your schedule and ensure that everything is on track. However, getting help can make things a lot easier –– a virtual assistant, for instance, can take over some of your day-to-day responsibilities to allow you to focus on high-priority tasks that require immediate attention.

However, it’s important to think about what you’re looking for while hiring a virtual assistant. Maybe you need someone with extensive experience in your line of work or perhaps, you’re looking for a virtual assistant with solid research skills and social media expertise.

Hiring the right person for the job can make a world of difference. If you’re unsure about the process and wondering about what questions to ask a virtual assistant when hiring, here’s a helpful guide.

How does your experience align with this role?

It’s a good idea to discuss relevant experience when you’re interviewing candidates for the virtual assistant position. Specifically, you need to find out whether the candidate has solid administrative experience and can take on the responsibilities that come with the territory.

You’ll also want to find out whether they’ve ever worked in similar roles in the past and can handle a variety of day-to-day responsibilities without feeling overwhelmed or burned out. When you’re trying to determine whether a candidate is a good fit as a virtual assistant at your company, one of the best things you can do is find out how passionate they are about the role –– maybe they’re naturally a great fit because they have superior communication skills, are highly organized, and enjoy accepting new challenges that help them evolve and grow as a professional.

Tell me about some of your strengths and weaknesses as a virtual assistant.

This may seem like an obvious question but it’s worth including in the interview. It’s a great way to find out whether a prospective candidate is up to the job. You’ll also get into a glimpse into their personality and thought process.

Additionally, you’ll get a chance to guage how self-aware they are and whether they’ll be able to excel in the role. As a virtual assistant, they’ll need to be comfortable with change and adapting to new challenges. If they’re able to talk about their strengths and weaknesses clearly, they’re likely to be able to thrive and constantly evolve to meet the demands of the job.

Is there a particular schedule you’re comfortable with?

One of the most important things that you need to check with interviewees is whether they’re able to work in a way that aligns with your schedule and time zone. This is especially relevant if they’re located far away –– you need to ensure that you’re on the same page as far as the schedule is concerned.

Maybe a virtual assistant may seem like an excellent fit but may be only available to work in the evenings. Or perhaps, someone else may be working with other business owners and may only be able to work thrice a week. It’s crucial to address this and get clarity to avoid any confusion later.

How do you cope with new challenges at work?

A virtual assistant needs to be comfortable with tackling new challenges and find ways to overcome new obstacles on the job. This question will give you a chance to determine whether an interviewee is open to handling complicated tasks and embracing challenges.

Their problem-solving skills matter — feel free to ask an interviewee to talk about a previous project that required them to come up with solutions. The right candidate will likely ace this question and cite relevant examples that meet (and even exceed!) your expectations.

There are plenty of other questions that you can ask while interviewing promising virtual assistants for the role. For instance, you can quiz them about the tools they’re comfortable working with, their passion for the role, their background, and how comfortable they feel about carrying out specific tasks as a virtual assistant.

If you’re uncertain and need a little help, feel free to ask your team members for guidance. Maybe they can be a part of the interview process as well and help you find the best candidate for the job. Ideally, you want to find a skilled communicator, someone who’s comfortable with tight deadlines and can effortlessly handle things like scheduling. 

WRITTEN BY: BOSHIKA GUPTA