10 Questions to Ask When Interviewing a Potential Virtual Assistant (1/2)

Trying virtual assistant services comes with countless benefits.

Cost reduction
Economies of scales
Flexibility

These are just a few of many good reasons for hiring a virtual assistant.

But, if you don’t ask the right questions, you may not be in a position to assess their strengths and weakness.

So reflect on these 10 fundamental questions before you hire your next virtual assistant.

1. What are your normal business hours?

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Today, it has become possible to hire virtual employees from across the globe thanks to the presence of outsourcing marketplaces.

However, it’s important to remember that most people (including online workers) have the propensity to operate within their local time zones. “What time zone are you in?” is an important question you must ask.

Knowledge of the normal business hours is essential for both parties. This will help you maintain healthy virtual relationships while operating on completely different schedules.

You can also settle on a particular schedule that should work for both parties. What is of utmost importance is that you should know their availability in clear terms.

2. What type of Internet speed do you have?

“What type of Internet speed do you have?” This is one of the major considerations when hiring a Virtual Employee.

As the work of a virtual employee revolves around the internet, they should ideally have access to a high-speed internet connection. There’s nothing more nightmarish than a choppy internet connection.

Therefore, it’s in your best interest to ask the virtual employ to do a quick speed test using one of the many free tools available online.

3. How long have you been working as a Virtual Employee?

Though it’s not to say that new virtual employees aren’t well equipped for your job, it’s still a good idea to know how much experience a virtual employee has working with clients.

The more experienced someone is as a virtual employee, the more likely it is that they’ve already set up their processes to operate. This can put you in good stead, especially if you’re still figuring out how to work with virtual employees.

4. How do you deal with deadlines?

When it comes to completion of an assignment, every boss wants it done on time. However, it’s unlikely that you will be the virtual assistant’s only employer. Therefore, it’s prudent to ensure that the virtual assistant has sufficient time for your project.

There’s every possibility that deadlines will be missed and your employer understands this. Hence a good virtual assistant should be honest and upfront about their timeline.