Is doing so many simple tasks for your online business wearing you out? You might want to consider getting a virtual assistant. A virtual assistant can help you by carrying the load of the simple, repetitive tasks for you. You can then concentrate on things which provide more value for your business like marketing, getting clients, or expanding your business. Before you even go out there and start looking for candidates, there are a several important things to consider.
There are several places online where you could start your hunt for your virtual assistant Google is a good place to start, just look for their websites where they list their profiles, references, etc. Elance.com is also a top favorite because potential virtual assistants actually bid on your project or job vacancy so you get the best price. Each bidder in Elance.com also has a page where you can see past feedback and historical background on their profiles.
After you’ve gathered a number of possible candidates, it’s time to get to know them a little bit more. Number one here that is often overlooked is to ask for references. Getting feedback from their previous clients would give you a good idea of how they might also work with you. Make sure their skills are what you are looking for, depending on the tasks you have in mind. Also, take a look at their work habits and make sure it fits what you need. If all you needed was editing, then you can probably hire someone on a flexible schedule, whereas it wouldn’t work if you needed an online help desk. If you feel it’s necessary, have them sign a confidentiality agreement as well.
Once you’ve drilled down your candidates to just a few, it’s time to talk about pricing. Depending on what work or activities you’ll need, and the relative experience and skills of the virtual assistant, the usual rate ranges from $10-$50. Other payment schemes are on a per project basis, where it’s really up to you to judge, depending on the work you would need, how much you’re willing to pay. Having several candidates also helps because you get to judge the average rate that is required for the work.
It’s quite possible to spend a long time finding that one perfect ideal virtual assistant. Consider it the same as hiring an employee for an offline business. Like for an offline business, you really can’t expand if you keep doing everything. Imagine, once you get the perfect virtual assistant, all you need to do is keep them happy and the profits will start rolling in – with less work than you’re used to! As you’re business grows, you might want to get a team of virtual assistants eventually.
Virtual Assistant Gold 