Hiring a virtual assistant needs knowledge of the function and the essential skills. A virtual assistant business may handle several clients and ensure business owners get the right help for their needs. Knowing the top attributes and skills of a virtual assistant can help you hire the perfect individual for the job.
What is a VA?
A virtual assistant works from home, assisting a variety of clients. They usually work as an admin assistant. Working remotely allows them to be more flexible with business hours and needs.
Writing blog articles for the company website or entering data into a database are standard duties. Depending on the requirements, a virtual assistant’s work might be temporary part-time, or full-time.
VA Expertise
What abilities do virtual assistants need? If you plan to hire a virtual assistant, here are five key skills to look for.
Communication Skills
A successful virtual assistant will have excellent communication abilities, regardless of expertise. Emails, reports, presentations, and phone conversations are all important ways for organizations to communicate with clients, customers, and workers. Writing properly is always a great ability to have.
Project Management
In addition to project management, a VA may write letters and other marketing content for projects, or provide online assistance such as web maintenance.
Time Management
Time management is a must for every assistant. To fulfill deadlines, they must be organized and prioritize their workload.
IT Skills
Since most VA tasks are done on a computer, excellent IT skills are a must. Knowing Microsoft programs is a big plus if you need someone to prepare PowerPoint presentations, papers, reports, or spreadsheets.
Excellent Attention to Detail
Virtual assistants must be able to multitask and pay close attention to detail. A VA generally has multiple tasks going at once, therefore they must maintain a high level of quality.
Make Smart Decisions
Good decision-making skills are essential for virtual assistants. If the business owner is not available to address inquiries, a VA must make judgments or think outside the box to find a solution. A VA may also be required to think quickly in order to solve a problem.
A love for Learning
A virtual assistant is always learning, thus a desire to learn and grow abilities is a must. Every day is a chance to learn, therefore an assistant should be open to receiving feedback and finding new ways to manage or streamline their workload to help the firm reach its goals.
Social Media Management
Social media is a vital part of any marketing strategy. If you want a VA who knows how to use social media, you need someone with excellent social media management abilities. This includes learning how to use various social media sites, create content, and interact with other users. It also helps to know how to arrange and cross-promote material.
Self-Motivation
A virtual assistant must be disciplined. Remote employment takes drive, especially if deadlines are involved. Depending on the hours you require an assistant to work, being able to keep a strict schedule may be essential.
Customer Service
An assistant who deals with clients or customers will need to be a natural at customer service. This means they must be calm in all situations, operate well under pressure, communicate effectively by phone or email, and create a friendly environment. Good customer service enhances your reputation, thus you must employ a VA who knows the importance of customer service for both businesses and customers.
Date Entry
Basic word processing skills are required for data entry tasks. A VA may have to prepare documents, organize information, conduct research, transcribe data, etc. Quick typing is also a great skill, especially if you need a virtual assistant to enter data.
Knowledge of Cloud-Based Applications
Knowing cloud-based programs like Google Docs and Dropbox is essential if you work on business documents and data in real-time. Ask a potential applicant if they know how to use and send data via these apps.
Creativity
How often have you needed aid with content creation or idea generation? A creative VA can help your company build new initiatives, aid with ad and marketing campaigns, generate leads, and more.
Reliability
You need a VA who will show up, perform quickly, and grow with your organization. You’ll be relying on a VA to report on their progress and how they accomplish your goals. A reliable helper is always there to assist you.