How do you go about to find a virtual assistant Entrepreneur's Guide to Outsourcing

Apr 20, 2022

Hiring a virtual assistant is among the most important hiring decisions you could take as an Entrepreneur. If you're not successful in finding someone within your team who you are capable of delegating specific jobs to, then you're wasting your time and effort on tasks that do not contribute to the growth of your company.

Solopreneur vs Entrepreneur

One of the major differences between the "solopreneur" (someone who has been identified as the only person in the company) and an entrepreneur or business owner is the fact that they operate in an group. The business owner isn't able to do everything by themselves. They create systems and employ personnel to take care of the duties to their benefit. It's an important part of building an enterprise that is sustainable and grows even when employees aren't working.

The hiring of a team member is vital to change from being a solopreneur into becoming an owner of a business. Michael E. Gerber, author of the top-selling guide to business "The The E-Myth" is to shift from working within the company you work for to working within your own business. The addition of other members to your team will help you to make life easier to allow you to devote your time and energy to activities which have the most influence on the earnings of your company.

In this guide I'll walk you through the process of hiring a virtual assistant as well as some tips as well as tools to assist you in control your virtual workers effectively.

Jump into:

When you've hired the initial Virtual Assistant After you've hired the Virtual Assistant, follow these same steps to figure out additional tasks can be delegated, and also create new roles in your business and also recruit additional staff members until you're left with just one position in your business which is the CEO.

However, for the moment we'll focus on the selection of your very first Virtual Assistant.

The benefits of employing virtual employees

If you opt to use only one Virtual Assistant or you set up the entire virtual workers outsourcing remote employees could be a major factor for your business's productivity as well as the development of your business.

Below are the advantages of employing virtual assistants

     There's no requirement to maintain an actual office    

The location of your home can affect the price and the location that you live in, while hiring an office space can be costly. The hiring of virtual assistants allows you with your staff and reduce costs. With the exception of some applications for working with and overseeing your virtual employees the primary cost of employing virtual assistants will be the amount you'll have to pay for their work.

     Virtual Assistants are inexpensive    

Virtual Assistants provide a cheap alternative to regular employees. Most Virtual Assistants operate as independent contractors . The location of their residence determines their hourly rates can be significantly lower than what a typical local worker might be charging. A virtual Assistant in the Philippines could be an instance that typically charges just a fraction of the amount an online Assistant is paying in North America costs for the same duties.

The possibilities aren't limited by local expertise (hire an expert from the very best)

Most entrepreneurs do not have access to local potential talent in the form of applicants who meet the criteria for being hired. A virtual assistant can theoretically be employed from any place all over the worldas long as they're connected via the Internet. The ability to hire someone local increases the number of applicants to fill specific jobs.

ConvertKit Remote Team

Delegation helps prevent burnout

The ability to delegate specific tasks and responsibilities to other people can be a significant approach for avoiding burnout. It is unfortunate that there are numerous entrepreneurs who believe they have to handle everything by themselves. That's precisely that they are. This could lead to prolonged work hours along with a lack of concentration, and feeling overwhelmed as well as having difficulty managing different aspects of their lives including things to do, exercising, and the family.

     You should spend more time in your strengths    

It's impossible to become an expert in everything. You shouldn't ever try to be. Each and every task must be performed to manage your business (including tasks you do not like or aren't comfortable with! ) There are professionals who are experts in this field and are able to appreciate the work. Utilizing others to assist in assigning work allows you to focus on your interests and what you are skilled in.

HTML0 The focus of the HTML0 is on tasks with the greatest value and earnings opportunities.

When you hire the services provided by a virtual agent, it frees up your time to focus on the things that will benefit your company, instead of the tasks you assigned to the Virtual Assistant. In other words, you can complete projects that will have an impact on the income of your business.

"Your most valuable resource as a human (not just a solely proprietor of a business) is time. If you're not committing yourself to more work, the more you'll stay focussed. If you're sharp and focused, you'll have in the amount of time you have available. This is the reason why each person is required to employ at least one virtual Assistant."
Matthew Turner

There are many kinds of Virtual Assistants

One of the primary questions that you'll be asking yourself when considering employing a virtual Assistant is: what can they do for you?

There is practically every thing.

As long as they have sufficient training, skills and equipment Virtual Assistants are able to accomplish anything that doesn't require physical presence. That, is, if you think about it, may include a variety of things.

There exist different kinds of virtual assistants. It's important to know which one is the best for the task you're looking to outsource.

     The General Virtual Assistant    

The most well-known form that Virtual Assistant is known as a General Virtual Assistant (aka a General VA). General VAs can manage routine tasks and procedures essential to run your business however, they are not necessarily focused on increasing their workload.

The tasks you'd assign to a General VA typically are more complicated and repetitive. For instance managing scheduling your travel meetings, email making appointments making appointments, researching meetings and scheduling posting your content for social media , and many others.

The Virtual Assistant Particularized

Specialized virtual assistants is individuals with a special set of capabilities and has the ability to supervise a specific procedure in your business. They are more expensive when compared to General VAs because they possess a specialization and need just a little training from the business.

jobs like such as bookskeeping, customer service, or jobs like editing videos customer service, or managing tasks, would be handled better by a skilled VA.

     Tasks outsourced vs. the results    

If you are able to depend on the help of a General VA, it is recommended to contract out specific tasks and procedures as well as providing employees instruction on how to do those jobs and process properly.

If you employ a skilled VA you should outsourcing specific results. An expert VA is more proficient than you (that's why you should hire them!) for the jobs and procedures that comprise a significant portion of their work. If you're going to rely on their knowledge and expertise of specific tasks and processes for the work, it's important to explain to them what you're doing however, not to go over the best way to do it however, you should be able to explain how you can accomplish it.

The growth of Twitter followers by 10 % per month, as an instance, is a possible outcome. Importing blog entries from Google Drive to WordPress, as an example, can be an important project to complete. What is the difference?

How can you be prepared to obtain the title of CEO of your company

If you didn't hire an employee when you first began your business, then you'll be taking on the duties in a range of roles. Also that you're wearing a variety of roles due to the fact that your work time is divided between various tasks and duties.

If you are planning to become the chief executive officer of your firm and you plan to spend your time exclusively on the subjects in which the CEO is expected to be able to focus on, then you should delegate specific tasks and responsibilities to your employees.

The secret is in simple math.

Your goal is to generate more than 100,000 dollars in annual revenue, for instance it is impossible to meet this goal if you focus all of your efforts on tasks which are worth just $20 an hour. If you're able to put in more than 5,000 working hours over twelve months (unlikely) this number simply doesn't add up. Your time should be spent working on tasks which pay more per hour than.

One of the major reason why people don't want to hire help is because they view hiring others as the burden rather than an investment. If you've had this feeling regarding hiring employees, it's recommended to look into this approach for yourself.

Find your Hourly Target Cost

Your target hourly rate is the amount that your work as the CEO of your company must be worth in order for you to achieve your goals for income.

To determine your ideal hourly rate of pay, take the monthly (or annual) budget and divide it by the number of time you'll be working during the time.

Example: $250,000 (annual income amount that is to be targeted) multiplied with 2 000 (number of hours worked) equals $125/hour.

"Personally I've made hiring decisions way earlier than I thought I was ready to be an assistant. I've also urged others to do the same. A majority of people do not are waiting until they've reached an income threshold or operating within a certain time frame. There's no "magic" moment when employing assistance for other reasons apart from: If it lets the person concentrate on what they are best at, then you're less likely to be getting into debt as the time you save will allow you to concentrate on the activities that generate income. This is the perfect time to hire."
Trivinia Barber

     Each task in your business will have an estimated cost that is expressed in terms of dollars    

Your job as business owner is to identify the activities that add value to your company. It is crucial to devote the bulk of your time working on these tasks. Every task or activity that is which aren't in line to your goal hourly rate must be assigned to another person.

If you're having trouble achieving your financial goals , I'm certain that it's due to the fact that you haven't spent enough time and time on things that have high value.

     jobs that provide high- as well as low-value job possibilities    

Low-value tasks must be performed to manage your company, but they do not directly contribute to increasing revenue. The most well-known instances of work with of low value include the accounting process, customer service initiatives Graphic design, editing, and so on.

The most lucrative jobs directly impact the revenue. Most lucrative jobs are the areas of lead generation, marketing, and selling. They also include creating new services or products in addition to forming strategic alliances and .

One of the most effective ways to increase your income as an entrepreneur is delegating tasks that are of lesser value to others and assigning your time to the most valuable tasks that could be completed. Profit from tasks that are of great value in order to offset the costs of outsourcing jobs that have low worth.

What tasks or processes should you outsource

Each company is equipped with an extensive list of jobs and methods that are vital for running the business. For you to decide what you'll need to subcontract and which you must continue to do, begin with categorizing your actions and processes.

Each task and every procedure you implement for your business can be classified into any of these four categories:

1. Doing things which are of high value and you enjoy and have a talent you're skilled in.

2. These are the tasks that you shouldn't complete: jobs that are of little value and aren't an efficient use of your time, no matter if you're proficient with them or are a fan of doing these tasks. (These are the hardest tasks to give to someone else!)

3. The things you don't would like to complete: jobs that you do not like or believe someone else might.

4. The task is not possible to complete. You don't have the required knowledge and expertise to complete the job properly.

If not, ensure you download it. Outsourcing Worksheet. This table can assist you in listing and categorizing your processes and tasks you complete for your business.

"The work you don't like doing or are unable to complete should be placed at the top of your list of tasks you can assign. Some of the most challenging tasks to delegate are the ones that you may have the ability to complete or even be capable of however, in the real world, you ought not be doing them."
Nick Loper

What is the best way to obtain a virtual assistant

Hiring virtual workers to fill specific roles within your organization could be distinct from hiring for tasks that you're specialized in.

If you contract freelancers for certain projects, you will need to ensure that the contract has starting and end date. As most freelancers are working for multiple clients, they will not necessarily be their primary client.

If you decide to employ the services of a virtual assistant this is basically an extra person to your group. While the duties that you give them could change over time, they will remain in a particular job to fulfill within your organization. That doesn't mean that you won't come across them in websites for freelancers, such as Fiverr or Upwork. There are many virtual assistants looking for positions on these sites which can satisfy your requirements.

6 steps to hire a virtual assistant

     Step 1. Note the tasks you are outsourcing

Start by making a list of every task that you're likely to delegate to your virtual assistant. In the event these jobs are tasks you already perform yourself, you're able to develop educational material (aka Standard Operating Procedures) which cover the tasks that you'll be assigning to your virtual assistant. If you want to learn how to create efficient Standard Operating Procedures, take a look at this post.

If you're looking to hire a Specialized Virtual Assistant, create notes of what you expect regarding the outcome you'd like the virtual assistant to deliver in place of specific assignments or methods.

Step 2: Create an employee's list of duties

After you've created the checklist of tasks you'd like to assign then you'll need to create an description of the roles of the individual who's the responsibility for these tasks.

Tasks that require specialization are not part of the job description for General Virtual Assistant. Tasks you assign to the General Virtual Assistant need to be performed in the same method, as well as with an hourly salary.

Your job description should include:

  • The background information you have about your business (your area of business, the types of products you provide, and who your customers are)
  • Experience, education or training required
  • The list of duties and obligations
  • The list includes any applications or instruments they'll use.

This illustration shows the most efficient written Virtual Assistant job description that was modified to meet the specifications from the Shopify guidelines regarding the choice of assistants. Virtual Assistant:

     Step 3: Create an online advertisement for jobs    

When you've got your job description on the table the next step is posting it online and then begin to accept candidates. You can post your job posting on Craigslist (post on the site of the city or country you'd like to bring on). A different option is to use an Virtual Assistant hiring service or directory.

These are a few other well-known directories and websites you could utilize to search for Assistants online. Assistants:

"It's vital to write detailed job descriptions that are thorough in order to ensure expectations are met from both sides. I typically ask people that I am familiar with for recommendations. Virtual assistants need to provide testimonials as well as examples of the work they perform. Contacting them via the phone can be helpful in getting acquainted with the individual and determine if they are a great combination."
Sue Canfield

     Step 4: Look through applications and schedule interviews    

Examine the resumes submitted, and set up meetings with the most desirable candidates. It is recommended to conduct video interviews with the candidates that make an impression. Video interviews are similar to having a conversation in the presence of a person. It will be clear how much enjoy the person you're interviewing and also how easily you can communicate by video chat. If the person who you're interviewing is not willing to participate in a video-based interview with you, that's false and should not be hired.

When you interview the applicants, don't just talk about their work experiences and abilities. Discuss their objectives such as their interests and hobbies, as well as what they think about their working and who they enjoy working with. It is possible to invite the candidate you are considering to take a the online test of personality at no cost. It will allow you to gain a deeper understanding of their character as well as their strengths, as well as the manner in which they conduct themselves.

"We have a particular set of questions about character which define the way in which an individual is dealt with by other humans. Additionally, we have "automatic disqualifiers" which eliminate people out of our database immediately according to their answers. This prevents us from talking with someone who does not share our ideals, but making sure we don't get too overly glitzy with the resume that they've put in. This has helped us avoid several bad hires. It also makes our screening process more quickly."
Trivinia Barber

     Step 5: Offer the top candidates an evaluation    

When you're deciding whether to hire an individual candidate, provide three of the best applicants an assignment that they have to finish in a way they can test. Choose a project that's one of their responsibilities when they first start. After that be aware of the way they do in this particular job. Asking your candidates to complete an actual task can help in determining who the most skilled.

6. Provide the most promising candidate with an opportunity to test the potential candidate

Choose the best person for the job and begin them on the trial phase (30 days at 60, 90, or 30 days for instance). Trial periods give your Virtual Assistant additional incentive to be successful for you knowing that it could lead to a permanent role on the team. It is essential to request for an officially signed Service Agreement to avoid any issues at a later date.

Strategies to manage your Virtual Assistant

Finding a virtual assistant to serve you is just the beginning. When you've put someone on your team, one of the responsibilities of your responsibility as the person in charge is to ensure the most productive, professional and beneficial partnership and your team.

Evaluate performance

Prior to that you need to assess the efficiency that is being delivered by Your Virtual Assistant based on the efficiency of the app. To do this, be certain that you have specific expectations or Key Performance indicators (KPIs) in the first place. If your employees are reaching their targets, are you truly concerned about how many coffee breaks they consume in working hours?

Don't micromanage

If you set specific requirements of your virtual assistant, and evaluate the effectiveness of your virtual assistants on whether they fulfill these requirements, there's no need to oversee your virtual assistants. There are software applications which allow you to "spy" onto the display of your computer of your virtual assistant to track how long they're doing their work. It's not necessary when you're confident and have specific expectations from your virtual assistant. If you don't like how you're managing the administration of the Virtual Assistant, you're probably not managing it correctly.

Schedule check-ins

Use a communications software such as Slack Google Workspace, Microsoft Teams and Slack to set up quick check-ins via your virtual Assistant. This could happen during the day or at the conclusion of your day's tasks and every other day and maybe even once a week. Choose whatever is best for the two of you. Be sure that your children are aware of the task they're engaged in and that they aren't influenced by anything or anyone (including you!) that is hindering them from finishing the tasks they have to complete throughout the day.

     Requires weekly reports    

Every week, have your virtual assistant send you an overview of the activities they've completed this week. Provide them with the template to create the reports. Here are some queries we suggest you have your virtual assistant provide answers during their weekly report together with any particular metrics or KPIs they're accountable for monitoring.

  • What was the reason or the project which the team worked on?
  • What time did they commit to each job or project?
  • What is it that they are still working on?
  • Do they encounter any problems or challenges?
  • Can they provide comments, suggestions or questions to share?
  • Do they require any further training?

     Create a culture of feedback    

Develop a relationship with the Virtual Assistant (and the other people you collaborate with) that is based on trust and openness. Let them share their ideas and ask questions regularly and give comments. Through this, you'll be able to learn how to be a better leader and manager. It will also help you build friendships that can be mutually beneficial for you and your team. At a.m. They are massive admirers and avid readers of the books by Kim Scott. Radical Candor as way of giving and receiving feedback. going.

Best ways to outsource or oversee virtual employees

The idea of hiring someone who is likely to not have a dialogue with may seem odd but using the appropriate equipment it's feasible to create and keep up-to-date and enjoyable relationships with virtual employees.

The most important kinds of software needed to effectively work with Virtual Assistants and as remote team members include the administration of communications tasks, sharing files and security (password for security). Below are some of the most well-known tools within each of these areas.

If you're interested in learning about the other software and tools available to run your business, look through our list of the .

Communications Tools

Project Tools for Management

Security, Data Sharing and Privacy

Make use of a virtual assistant to assist you in helping to stay focused on what is the most important for you.

If you're exhausted and overwhelmed in creating your own enterprise and feel overwhelmed, you're not own. A lot of entrepreneurs are working all day long due to their inability to utilize their time efficiently and delegate their tasks to others efficiently. They're suffering from what's known as the coworker Chris Ducker, best-selling author of Virtual Freedom and refers to it as "Superhero the condition".

A lot of entrepreneurs think they're capable to manage everything on their own. Based on this assumption, that's exactly what they do. They're not as efficient, but they compensate for their work style by the way they operate and, in most cases, in the danger of becoming exhausted.

The job of a business owner isn't simply about earning cash. That's what self-employment and freelance work can be utilized to accomplish. Entrepreneurs are the ones who develop processes and employs workers to handle their business for them.

Virtual assistants might not be the only individual that can be added to your team as you expand your business, but they should be among the first. Hiring a virtual assistant will help to free up time for you to focus on tasks which have greater influence on your life and business.

"One technique we could employ to prevent burning out is to create superior delegaters. At first, it can be challenging to quit, however you can trust me when I say that the moment you give up the wheel and then you'll become an all-time driving champion sooner or later!"
      Chris Ducker

     The first blog entry was published in May this year. The blog was updated in April of 2022.

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