Why Your Virtual Assistant Needs to Be Experienced

The Virtual Assistant (VA) field is gaining in popularity, and many would-be VAs are joining the ranks eager to run their own business or work from home. This is admirable, but before you hire a VA, you should make sure that they have plenty of experience with administrative duties. It has become an industry standard that a true professional VA will have at least five years of demonstrable experience as an office manager or administrative professional. This means high-level support, not entry level receptionist or administrative assistant with limited duties. They key is to finding management and/or executive experience.

VAs are independent business owners, not employees. Think of them as experts in their field and expect the experience and knowledge that comes with what an expert would bring. An experienced small business owner in the field of supporting other businesses is going to be acutely aware of the challenges you face and opportunities that will be able to help you achieve your goals. The management experience is essential as they are running their own business in addition to supporting yours.

Some VAs will focus their work on types of clients, e.g., real estate professionals or authors. Other will focus on type of work they perform, e.g., social media support or bookkeeping. Still others will provide a wide variety of support and are capable of handling just about anything.

No matter their focus, a virtual assistant with the right amount of experience will understand all of the nuances of supporting a small business professional. He/she will have had experience with billing and collections, document creation, people management and especially technical training. They see the whole picture and can manage situations effectively with little to no assistance or direction.

This person will likely have a solid education, especially in the fields of Business Management, Communication or Technology. They will understand the very basics of business law, marketing and accounting. They do not need to have extensive experience in these areas, but they will understand concepts such copyrights and contracts as well as accounts payable/receivable. They are capable of communicating a basic understanding of these areas and can work and communicate effectively with other experts if the need arises.

An experienced VA will know his/her value and will easily quote their rates for service. They will be up front about their expectations of you and how they work. They will keep the lines of communication open during a project and expect the same from their clients. Most importantly, they will know their own limits and are not afraid to say no to your requests or offer to refer you to a colleague who may be better suited to assist you. This type of professionalism is developed through experience and training.

Don’t forget that the “Virtual” part of the job means that your VA should be technically proficient, too. This person should already have all of the tools necessary to support you and know how to use them.  If you look for a house painter, for example, you want to make sure that they do quality work and are responsible before you let them loose in your kitchen. The same is true when looking to hire a VA. Ask to see work samples or a portfolio. If possible, ask to see “live” examples of their work, such as a website or published article in a magazine. Their experience will show through in both the quality of their work and recommendations from others.