How to Find a Good Virtual Assistant
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Whether you’re juggling the details of a special project, a non-profit event or simply trying to get through the day feeling productive, a virtual assistant can be the answer for stress relief.
A VA can provide all levels of professional service from administrative support to graphic and web design. Here are some hints to help you start the search for one of these marvels.
- Internet Search –Open your favorite search engine and type the words ‘virtual assistant’ and the niche market that you need help with; for example, ‘virtual assistant administrative support’ will instantly show you hundreds of choices.
- VA Associations – Professional associations often make their membership directories available to those looking for assistance. These listings usually include information like the specialty field the assistant works in and their experience.
- IVAA – International Virtual Assistants Association- http://www.ivaa.org
- VACC - Virtual Assistance Chamber of Commerce- http://www.hyperoffice.com/clients/virtual-assistant/87/virtual-assistant-chamber-of-commerce/
- IAVOA - International Association of Virtual Office Assistants - http://www.iavoa.com
- IREAA - International Real Estate Assistants Association - www.ireaa.com
- Posting an advertisement is a perfect choice for a do-it-yourselfer. Remember that when hiring a virtual assistant you have no geographic restraints so you can place an ad in any region or location. You can also describe the desired skills and your desired qualifications. Here are some possibilities to check out:
- www.craigslist.org
- www.tjobs.com
- www.vitrualvocations.com
- www.wahm.com
- www.jobs4jobs.com
- www.homejobstop.com
- www.workplacelikehome.com
- Use these do-it-yourself sites much as you would a search engine. Ask applicants questions about niches they serve, their references and background information.
- www.elance.com
- www.guru.com
- www.sologig.com
- www.Freesohojobs.com
- www.Fiverr.com – (Fiverr is an economical way to check out the services and reliability of an applicant who hasn’t built up a reputation or references yet.)
- Social networking sites are a good place to ask your followers and friends who they would suggest to you as a virtual assistant or you can ask too who they use. This is an especially good option if you need a social VA to aide in planning a social event or to assist with your social media marketing.
- Twitter – Be sure to use hashtags in your tweets inquiring about a virtual assistant, for instance, #virtual and #webdesign.
- Facebook – Search for specific groups; try search phrases like ‘groups virtual assistants’ or ‘publicity’ in the search bar at the top of the Facebook landing page.
- LinkedIn – This is another site where a search is your best option; use the ‘people’ or ‘groups’ filter in your search.
- Google+ - A search here for ‘virtual assistants’ produced results in not only the ‘people’ and ‘pages’ categories but also showed results for individual messages.
- An agency can be both time effective and a work saver. The candidates are pre-screened, their references have been examined, they have proven their skills and reliability; they have been in the trenches, so to speak.
A virtual assistant working through an agency such as BizMSolutions also receives support and has access to valuable training – they know they are not alone; they are well paid and go out of their way to do a good job. The virtual assistant’s and the agency’s livelihoods depend on establishing a reputation for a job well done so that their clients not only keep coming back but also feel comfortable sending referrals to see experience a flawless job.
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