If plan to hire a Virtual Assistant (VA), it’s good to know the qualities you want in the person for the role before giving anyone a chance. There are many remote hiring platforms from which you can hire workers for almost any job you have. Many business owners are realizing the importance of engaging virtual assistants that VAs to help them reduce the burden of their workload and make life easier for them. Generally, hiring international virtual assistants costs less and are economical.

In any case, before you hire anyone for the role of Virtual Assistant, make sure they have the following 5 qualities, so they can be of the most help to you. 

Proficiency in English 

Communication is one of the most important aspects in this field because if your virtual assistant is unable to understand what you say or is unable to communicate well, then there will be problems . So, you need to pick those who have great proficiency in English and can easily communicate clearly about anything. You can check their proficiency in English by asking them to provide any English language certificate and even some previous experience. 

Most administrative tools you and your virtual assistant may use would need the user to understand and work well using the English language. So, when you are hiring a VA, make sure they are cool with using such tools in delivering their tasks. This would include tools for chatting, video conferencing, emailing, and some particular project software if needed. Telephone communication with you – and with clients if that’s part of their task – at an acceptable level of proficiency is one of the first things to look at.

IT Skills

Since the work of a Virtual Assistant is done via computer, your VA should have good skills in IT. The VA may need to be proficient in the Microsoft suite of programs, as they may need to create PowerPoint presentations, spreadsheets, reports, and documents using such tools.

Problem-Solving Skills

Your VA must have good problem-solving skills, and demonstrate a good level of critical thinking and creativity. One question that you can ask to assess their problem-solving skill is “What was one of the hardest challenges you faced during your last job?”

Willingness to Learn

When you are looking for an experienced virtual assistant, here is the deal: Sometimes, VAs who have been working in the role for a while can be a bit stuck in their old ways of doing things. However, the best virtual assistant is the one who is open to trying out new ways of doing things. If they are not, they will probably push back and cause you headache later on. The ideal VA should be able to handle tasks efficiently from a to-do list and follow what you need them to do. It’s all about flexibility and being ready to adapt to your way of working.

Attention to Detail

A good VA must have a very keen eye for details. Be sure to find a way to test how attentive the prospective candidate is to carrying out instructions for example. Having good attention to detail can help in establishing a structure in working, and it can also lessen incidents that can result in costly mistakes, especially when working with multiple clients. 

Final Words

When hiring a VA, make sure you carry out a thorough interview with the prospect. In a way, they are going to be your right-hand support, so they need to be like an extension of you and your business in carrying out administrative and related tasks. One way to find a good VA is to use a reliable remote hiring platform. 

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