When you’re searching for a virtual assistant, it’s important that you understand what type of working relationship you want. While this is about the assistant’s experience and your business’s needs, it’s also about how your Virtual Assistant approaches your projects. Find the right fit and your business will run so smoothly.
In my experience, there are two different types of Virtual Assistants:
The Administrative Assistant:
If you’re used to working in a corporate environment or you’re looking for an executive assistant, look for a Virtual Assistant who has experience supporting executives and business owners in this way. It’s a more cost-effective solution and be an efficient way to get support without the overhead of having an assistant physically present in your office. Virtual Administrative Assistants thrive on clear expectations. They’re great at helping you find order in your business by implementing systems and procedures.
If you feel scattered or disorganized, it’s important that you have an understanding of what you want the end product to look like. You will get the highest level of support if you have a clear to-do list of what you need support with–finding order in your email inbox, helping book travel, or managing your calendar. If you’re unclear about your goals, you may feel like you’re spinning your wheels.
The Hybrid Virtual Assistant
Many Virtual Assistants bring specialized skills to the table. In addition to handling traditional administrative tasks, hybrid Virtual Assistants may also offer copywriting, social media marketing, or podcast production services to clients. If they don’t know how to do something, they are excited to grow their skill set. Often, these professionals are self-taught and highly creative.
If you’re not clear about what your next steps are, hybrid Virtual Assistants are an asset to your business because they’re adept at strategizing with you. They often ask, “I wonder what would happen if…?” But if you already have a team of freelancers you enjoy working with, a hybrid may not be the best fit for your business. When you’re juggling many different contractors, you could need a virtual project manager to manage the moving pieces more than you need another team member.
Which should I choose?
To decide what type of support you need, take some time to write a job description. Beyond the nuts and bolts of what support you need, ask yourself these questions:
- Do I want a team of people working in their zone of genius or a partnership with one person who does it all?
- What type of collaboration am I looking for with my Virtual Assistant?
- How will this Virtual Assistant interact with existing team members?
- What should my business look like after 3 months working with an assistant?
As you’re screening Virtual Assistants using this job description, don’t be afraid to ask them the same questions. Recognize that a successful partnership is just as much about the way a Virtual Assistant approaches working with you as it is about their skill level!