Most Common Mistakes To Avoid in Hiring a Virtual Assistant

Having a virtual assistant can be a game-changer – but choosing the right one can be very tricky. Here are the top 4 pitfalls to avoid in hiring a virtual assistant into your team!

Imagine offloading time-consuming tasks to someone skilled, efficient, and reliable, freeing you up to focus on strategic decisions. That’s the goal, right?

However, while the benefits are clear, many business owners stumble into common pitfalls that can turn this dream into a nightmare.

In this article, let’s explore the top four mistakes to avoid when hiring a VA.

Note: Portions of this article were generated with the assistance of AI.

4 Common Errors to Dodge When Hiring a Virtual Assistant

It is essential for business owners to understand these common errors not only so they can avoid them, but also to ensure that they will have a smooth, productive, and efficient working experience with their hired VAs.

We all want to start with the right foot, of course. And this will also save a lot of $$$, time, and effort as business owners.

And if you want to know the best place to hire a virtual assistant, our band of Rockstar Champions together with our Growth Strategist can help you there!

Unclear Job Descriptions and Expectations

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio

The number one biggest mistakes business owners do in hiring a VA posting vague and unclear job descriptions. That’s failing to set clear expectations from the start!

It might be because you haven’t clearly defined what kind of help you need, especially if it’s the first time you’re hiring a virtual assistant.

We understand that – how to hire a VA can be challenging!

The thing is, if your job descriptions are vague, the talents who will apply and will be hired VA might not understand their responsibilities, leading to confusion and missed deadlines.

So before you put out a job post, spend time to detail the tasks you need help with, the skills required, and the expected outcomes.

This clarity will set the stage for a successful collaboration with your future VA.

At TGH, we usually meet with clients who are just starting up and have no experience in hiring VAs yet.

Our Discovery Calls help a lot so they get proper guidance in deciding what kind of Champion they need in their business.

This way, they save time, money, and effort in finding the right Champion for their business.

And once you have your Champion, be sure to maintain clear communication. Regular check-ins and updates are essential to ensure everyone is on the same page!

Utilise tools like Slack, Trello, or Asana to keep communication lines open and organised. This not only helps in tracking progress but also builds a rapport, making your VA feel like an integral part of the team.

Here are 3 more tips to enhance your communication with your VA!

Indeed, clear and ffective communication can make all the difference in a productive partnership, even from the beginning!

Inadequate Training and Onboarding

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Next most common mistake is assuming that a VA will hit the ground running without proper training.

So yes, it’s not just the question, “how to hire a VA?” that should be kept in mind, but also “how to KEEP a VA?”

Every new person in the team needs guidance, right? And remember that every business has unique processes and tools, and your VA needs time to learn these specifics.

It is important to have a structured onboarding process that helps your VA understand your business culture, priorities, and goals.

This can include introductions to key team members, walkthroughs of essential tools, and setting clear performance expectations.

We understand how critical training and onboarding is, that’s why we take it seriously. At TGH, we make sure our Champions are well-equipped, always sharpening their saw with trainings, gatherings, and opportunities to learn and grow.

But of course, if you have specific training that you’d like your Champion to embark on, it’s imperative that you let your Champion know.

Here’s our final say on this: Invest time in training and onboarding your VA on your systems, workflows, and expectations.

This upfront investment will pay off in the long run with a more efficient and effective assistant, trust us!

Rushing the Hiring Process

Photo by Jack Sparrow

If it’s your first time hiring a VA, chances are your emotions sometimes overcome logic.

“Let’s get this over with.”

“We have a lot to do, let’s do this fast.”

We understand the need, but it’s important to remember that rushing through the hiring process can lead to poor decisions.

You might overlook some red flags, like inconsistent communication, unclear responses, or reluctance to provide references. These could indicate potential issues down the line, so be careful when screening your candidates!

It’s essential to take the time to vet candidates thoroughly. Look beyond the resume and assess their skills, experience, and cultural fit through interviews and skill assessments.

This due diligence ensures that you find a VA who is not only qualified but also aligns with your business values.

And it can save you from future headaches and ensure a smoother working relationship too!

The good thing about our Rockstar Champion service is that we do the nitty-gritty details of looking through the thousands of resumes and talents and shortlist them so you will only have to look at the cream of the crop and choose your Champion easily.

We’ll spare you from the stress of interviewing a lot of people – you’ll only just talk to some of our best candidates!

Ready to meet your superstar Champion? Speak to our Growth Strategist today!

Micromanaging or Lack of Trust

Photo by MART PRODUCTION

This might sound a little overbearing, but micromanaging your VA can be detrimental to their performance and your peace of mind.

We understand that working remotely is hard. You probably have heard of stories about VAs not doing what they’re supposed to be doing, right?

That’s why in this venture, trust is a huge thing. Constantly checking in on their work can stifle their creativity and productivity.

Here’s our suggestion: focus on outcomes rather than processes. Provide clear guidelines and then trust your VA to complete tasks independently. That’s one of the leadership skills business owners should learn to develop and love.

It’s said that trust is acquired, not given. We understand that too!

So, if you are still challenged with the trust issue, we recommend that you start with small tasks. Then gradually increase their responsibilities as they prove their reliability.

It is also essential that you regularly acknowledge their contributions and provide constructive feedback.

This approach fosters a sense of responsibility and ownership.

The goal? Be a leader, not just a manager! So go ahead and practice those leadership skills that inspire people, not just manage them.

In our experience, a trusted VA will be more motivated and engaged, ultimately contributing to your business’s success.

Have a Rockstar Champion on Your Team!

We have talked about 4 of the most common mistakes in hiring a VA, and some of our suggested ways to counter them.

Avoiding these common mistakes can help you unlock the full potential of your virtual assistant, ensuring a productive and positive working relationship.

Clear communication, proper training, thorough vetting, and a balanced approach to management are key to making the most of your VA!

But if you’re still thinking how to hire a virtual assistant or where to start, we’ve got an answer for you.

As mentioned earlier, our Rockstar Champion service is an all-in-one package if you want to have a Champion aboard in your team.

With our proven hiring process and expertise in scouting the best talents, you can easily choose the Champion who will fit perfectly to your business and goals.

You’ll never have to ask how to hire a virtual assistant ever again! We can confidently say that best place to hire a virtual assistant is here at TGH.

Ready to take the next step?

Speak with our Growth Strategist to discover how our Rockstar Champions can help you streamline your operations and achieve your business goals.

Superpowers

Negotiating the minefield of parenthood with 2 young children &
Building virtual and physical communities – Cheryl runs Australia’s largest property development Facebook group with over 11k members, she’s also a property investor and developer.

Fun Fact:

Cheryl doesn’t have a sense of smell…and no one knows why!

Why I started TGH:

I started TGH with the vision of connecting people. I believe that amazing things can be created when great synergies happen. I knew what it was like to struggle with building a business and balancing it with growing a family. I also knew that the reason I went into business was to create time and financial freedom for my family which would also allow me to spend more time on passion projects and giving back to the community.

I was fortunate enough to experience the life changing impact that talented and empowered virtual assistants could make to my life and business and wanted other business owners to experience the same.

On the flip side, having grown up in Singapore and seen many Filipinos having to leave their country and families to have better opportunities, broke my heart. I wanted to give people the opportunity to work from home, just like I have for close to a decade, and be globally.

Superpowers:

Faye is in charge of managing our VA’s and client’s to make sure that they receive the best possible service from us.

Fun Fact:

Faye work best under pressure. She joys challenges that force her to step up her game and those situations are when her super power naturally manifest.

Superpowers:.

Raine is what you might call a ‘detail-oriented’ person. She has a knack for taking in large amounts of information and then organizing it in a way that makes sense. Raine always looks for ways to optimize a process and execute it. Not only that… she is also quite creative. She has a knack for coming up with new ideas and solutions, which means that she’s always thinking outside the box.

So, when you put all of these together, you get someone who is pretty darn good at understanding complex technical information and then breaking it down in a way that can be easily understood by others. She’s always loved what she does and gives her full effort into projects and delivers what is expected and more.

Fun Fact:

Raine is a balanced individual that can compartmentalize and think rationally and objectively. She is ready to listen and mentor you for FREE. But if you do love life sessions, she might charge you for it by the thousands $$. 🤣

Most Common Mistakes To Avoid in Hiring a Virtual Assistant

Most Common Mistakes To Avoid in Hiring a Virtual Assistant

4 Common Errors to Dodge When Hiring a Virtual Assistant

Unclear Job Descriptions and Expectations

Inadequate Training and Onboarding

Rushing the Hiring Process

Micromanaging or Lack of Trust

Have a Rockstar Champion on Your Team!

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