best place to hire a virtual assistant Archives

BlogAugust 9, 2024

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

Photo by ArtHouse Studio

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.

BlogApril 5, 2023

The Growth Hub VS Upwork VS Fiverr

The Growth Hub's Fully Supported GROWTH Model vs. Upwork/Fiverr: Which is the Better Choice for Your Business?

As a Buyers Agent, you probably began your business with the idea of being free from the usual chain of full-time jobs that tie you down. Who doesn’t want freedom, right?

But I’m also assuming that you’re working long days and late nights to keep up with the demands of growing the business, and satisfying and retaining your clients. So where is that freedom you pictured, to begin with?

In our fast-paced time, a new trend is emerging, helping Buyers Agents and Buyers Agencies cut the chains that hold them back from claiming that “freedom” they’ve always dreamed of: VIRTUAL ASSISTANTS and FREELANCERS!

But a few questions arise..

What is the difference between a VA and a freelancer?

Is it worth it to hire a VA?

Where can I find the virtual assistant best fit for my business?

And the list goes on and on and on.

If you are a Buyers Agent or Buyers Agency who is looking into outsourcing tasks in your business, you might be wondering what the best place to hire a virtual assistant is. In this article, we take a quick comparison between The Growth Hub’s GROWTH Model versus manually hiring from Upwork/Fiverr.

Virtual Assistant VS. Freelancer: What’s the Difference?

First, let’s understand the difference between a Virtual Assistant and a Freelancer. They are both remote workers, but there are some key differences between them that YOU need to know to make sure they get the RIGHT PERSON for your business.

Let’s take a quick look at the difference between a VA and a freelancer:

	Virtual Assistant	Freelancers
Type of employment	Usually employed by a Virtual Assistant agency	Self-employed professionals
Tasks covered	Trained and skilled in various administrative and business-related tasks such as email management, appointment scheduling, social media management, customer service, and more	Skilled in a particular area and are typically hired for specialized tasks such as website design, graphic design, writing, and other creative tasks.
Work Style	May work as an extension of your team, and are usually managed by the agency to ensure that they are meeting your business requirements	Offer their services to businesses on a project-by-project basis.
Work load	Typically full-time or part-time remote workers	Can work with multiple clients at the same time

By understanding the difference between these two types of remote workers, you can make an informed decision about which one is best suited to your business needs.

If your business is looking at scaling your business by outsourcing those nitty-gritty admin tasks, you should most likely hire a virtual assistant who can handle multiple tasks, ensuring that everything is taken care of.

If you’re just looking for someone to take on a one-off project such as a website design, a freelancer might be the one suitable for you in that particular area.

But here’s the thing: business has recurring tasks that usually take up too much time, but they’re not really generating income for the business. They are important to be done, yes, but these tasks might be the culprit why you’re spreading yourself too thin.

That’s one more difference between a VA and a freelancer: A VA can help you in streamlining your recurring tasks, but a freelancer, most likely, cannot because that is not their role.

To be able to attain that “freedom” I mentioned earlier, you should be able to ‘detach’ yourself and leave your business on autopilot.

How? By onboarding a Champion virtual assistant! But where do you find them??

What’s the best place to hire a virtual assistant?

There are a lot of platforms where you can find talents to help you scale your business, and because of the wide options, there lies the challenges.

Let’s explore the top sites Upwork and Fiverr, versus the fully-supported GROWTH Model from The Growth Hub. But first, keep in mind that when it comes to hiring Virtual Assistants vs. Freelancers, the key difference is in the level of support provided.

Ready? Let’s dive in!

Upwork and Fiverr

From their dashboard, you will essentially see that these platforms are the marketplace if you are finding FREELANCERS, project-based talents.

While these are extremely good sites to find help, if you’re looking for constant support in your business, these platforms will have some limitations and might not be a good fit for your business.

Here are some challenges that you might also encounter if you decide to find a team member in Upwork/Fiverr:

Quality of Talent: Freelancer platforms like Upwork give you access to a large pool of talent, but it’s up to you to find the right person for the job. Since anyone can sign up as a freelancer, you might find people who submit impressive CVs but their quality of work does not support their portfolio.

Consistency and Reliability: When working with freelancers, time zone, language, and other communication challenges might become an issue. There’s always the risk of them not showing up for work, delivering subpar work or disappearing altogether.

Time and Effort: Hiring through a freelancer platform requires significant time and effort from you to sift through candidates, verify their skills, and manage them. Yes, you instantly become the HR department of your business, going through the hiring process on your own!

Cost: Freelance platforms are often perceived as more cost-effective, but that’s not always the case. There might be some cases that project-based freelancers charge way up in contrast to the quality of the output of the project. This is definitely not always the case, but it happens.

Additionally, freelancers may not have the same level of training and support that Virtual Assistants have, making it harder to manage and ensure that they are meeting the needs of scaling your business.

True enough, most businesses opt to find talents via Upwork and Fiverr because it might seem like the easiest and cheapest option, but there are more considerations you should think about, aside from the cost.

If you are not careful, these “cheaper options” might just cost you more not just in terms of money, but also in effort, time, and stress.

The Fully-Supported GROWTH Model by The Growth Hub

At The Growth Hub, on the other hand, we provide ongoing support and training to our ~~virtual assistants~~ Champions to ensure that they are meeting the needs of their clients and that they are happy in their work.

Quality of Talent: We have already done the work of vetting and selecting highly skilled and experienced Champions for you!

Consistency and Reliability: With us, there’s a guarantee of consistent service and reliability, as we have a reputation to uphold and often have multiple backup resources.

Time and Effort: We have a more streamlined hiring process as we take care of everything from candidate selection and recruitment to training, performance management, and administration.

Cost: Hiring a Champion through us can be a bit expensive upfront, but we have systems in place to ensure the VA’s productivity and prevent delays, resulting in long-term cost savings.

In short, Champion Virtual Assistants and Freelancers have different roles and responsibilities when it comes to helping businesses manage their workload. And this is the secret ingredient in scaling your business!

While freelancers are great for specialized tasks, our Champion Virtual Assistants are ideal for ongoing administrative and business-related tasks that require ongoing support and training.

Still thinking, “is it worth it to hire a VA?” The answer is a resounding YES!

Looking for the best place to hire a virtual assistant? The Growth Hub is the answer!

Which Option Is Right for You?

If you are still observing the balance scale whether you’ll hire from freelancing platforms or get the fully-supported GROWTH model, we recommend that you watch this short video explaining the benefits and stability of the GROWTH model compared with other platform services in the market.

Say goodbye to the inconsistent, time-consuming, and stressful hiring process you have to go through when you surf the freelancing platforms out there and say hello to a stable, streamlined, and hassle-free system of the GROWTH Model!

As our client, Joe Tucker said, everything here is in place and you just have to focus on the things that matter most in your business. He found the answer to the itching question, “Is it worth it to hire a VA?” with The Growth Hub!

If you’re ready to discover what a virtual assistant can do for you and your business, let us know! We’d love to talk with you and let you know how your business can go on autopilot with the right systems, strategies, and team members in place.

Claim that freedom you’ve always dreamed of, because you CAN.

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!

The Growth Hub VS Upwork VS Fiverr

The Growth Hub's Fully Supported GROWTH Model vs. Upwork/Fiverr: Which is the Better Choice for Your Business?

Virtual Assistant VS. Freelancer: What’s the Difference?

What’s the best place to hire a virtual assistant?

Upwork and Fiverr

The Fully-Supported GROWTH Model by The Growth Hub

Which Option Is Right for You?

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