How to find and hire a virtual assistant through Virtual Gurus’ Talentplace

Post updated: April 11, 2023

Are you a busy consultant, leader, or executive feeling bogged-down by your growing to-do list? If you find yourself relating to any of the following scenarios, it’s likely that you are a do-it-myself leader who may be heading toward burnout:

• Is your email inbox overflowing with unread messages?
• Are you double-booking client meetings?
• Is your monthly bookkeeping falling behind schedule?
• Are you juggling social media management during lunch breaks?

At Virtual Gurus, we have successfully supported hundreds of clients struggling to manage their day-to-day business tasks. We know how to organize your business for success, and finding the right virtual assistant has never been easier. Here’s how you can find and hire a virtual assistant using Virtual Gurus Talentplace, our custom-built, all-in-one collaboration tool.

Step 1: Identify the reasons you need to find a virtual assistant.

List all the tasks you need help with, along with the skills and technical knowledge required to complete them. Do you need a social media and digital marketing expert? Or perhaps someone skilled in data entry or bookkeeping?

If you’re unsure what type of tasks to delegate to a virtual assistant, we can help you identify them. We have extensive experience helping clients identify the tasks that are keeping them bogged-down and how they can leverage them more effectively.

In our free ebook, The 5 F’s of Productivity (coming soon), the first F stands for the Focus you can achieve through effective delegation. As a leader, you want to focus only on the highest-value activities and delegate everything else. Tasks that have one or more of the following characteristics should probably be delegated to others:

• Time-consuming
• Recurring or repetitive
• Things you hate doing
• Things you’re not great at doing

A good starting place would be to review the list below with a few examples of tasks that are good to delegate.

Step 2: Assess the type of talent you need.

After listing tasks and required skills, consider the personality, attitude, and time management abilities of your ideal virtual assistant. Soft skills are just as important as hard skills, so think about which type of assistant would best compliment your personality and team dynamic. Working with a virtual assistant works best when you incorporate them into your team’s culture and overall business processes.

Virtual assistant soft skills

• Communication: The ability to articulate ideas clearly, listen actively, and provide timely feedback is essential for a virtual assistant.
• Time management: Efficiently managing their workload and meeting deadlines is crucial for virtual assistants working with multiple clients or on different projects.
• Adaptability: Virtual assistants should be able to quickly adapt to changing priorities, new tasks, or unexpected challenges.
• Problem-solving: A virtual assistant should be resourceful and able to find solutions to issues or obstacles that arise.
• Emotional intelligence: Being empathetic, understanding client’s needs, and establishing rapport with clients are important aspects of a virtual assistant’s role.
• Proactive attitude: A successful virtual assistant will take initiative and anticipate a client’s needs before they arise.
• Attention to detail: Ensuring that tasks are completed accurately and thoroughly is a key trait for a virtual assistant.

Remote work styles

• Time-based flexibility: Some virtual assistants work within a specific time frame or schedule, adhering to their clients’ time zones and preferred working hours.
• Task-oriented: Other virtual assistants focus on completing tasks within a given deadline, irrespective of the time spent on the task. They might work in short bursts or in longer, focused sessions.
• Collaborative: Virtual assistants who thrive in a collaborative environment prefer regular communication with clients and team members, using tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, or Zoom.
• Independent: Some virtual assistants work best autonomously, requiring minimal supervision and preferring to manage their workload independently.
• Hybrid: Many virtual assistants adopt a hybrid approach, blending different remote working styles based on the specific needs of their clients and projects.

Understanding and identifying the combination of soft skills, hard skills, and remote working styles that best match your needs is crucial when looking to hire a virtual assistant. This ensures a successful working relationship that helps your business thrive.

Step 3: Find a virtual assistant on our Talentplace.

With your specific skills in mind, visit the Virtual Gurus Talentplace. Select your needed support type and hours, then proceed through our streamlined six-step process to set up your profile and book a consultation. This consultation ensures we gather all the necessary details to find your ideal match from our extensive talent pool.

Step 4: Learn about our virtual assistants through their bios.

Each virtual assistant has a detailed bio that showcases their location, timezone, availability, top skills, work experience, and unique qualities.

Step 5: Carefully review each candidate’s details before you hire a virtual assistant.

Take note of the virtual assistant’s location, schedule, and top skills – how closely do they match up with your preference list? Always compare their profile to your preferences to determine if they’re a suitable candidate for your needs. Consider their location, time zone and availability (daytime, weekends, evenings) to ensure their profile aligns with your working preferences.

Step 6: Get started with a no-obligation consultation for tailored support.

Venture over to the Virtual Gurus Talentplace and book a consult for a guided experience where our Sales team will help you outline your project. Following this, our Placement Specialists, working in tandem with our sophisticated matching algorithm, will leverage their skills to pinpoint your ideal match from our expansive talent pool.

Don’t let day-to-day tasks hold you back. Virtual assistants can increase efficiency, save you valuable time, and provide cost-effective solutions – allowing you to focus on what’s important and reduce overhead expenses. Let us help you find your ideal virtual assistant match today.