Essential Steps on Hiring a Great Virtual Assistant

Posted September 24, 2016

Online recruitment requires a different approach compared to what is usually done in an office based company. The hiring process is indeed a bit more demanding as well in time, patience and keenness as these are all necessary to secure qualified candidates for Virtual Assistance jobs. Can you imagine interviewing people from different parts of the world not knowing anything much about their culture, personality and traditional work ethics? Oh yes you can definitely Google them, however, choosing ‘the guy’ is not as easy as paying attention.

Remote staffing should always take into account one’s capability to work in a virtual environment. There a lot of traits one should have, which most candidate will show potential. However, the truth behind every interview is that they will all do since they are applying for a job. You as the Hiring manager, should know how to gauge potential for consistency as this one is very hard to act upon.

Setting aside the technicalities, We prepared a brief but specific guideline for you to use. Listed are essential steps to take on hiring a great virtual team.

Let the candidates express their personalities.

“Please share something interesting about yourself…”

This is actually a very ideal question. Start by letting the candidates talk. Ask them to introduce themselves, tell stories about their past, hobbies and more. By doing this, they wouldn’t be able to adjust their response accordingly to the specifications of the job they are applying for. It will ambush their thoughts and finesse, revealing how they behave, speak and handle situations. The best part is, you’d know how they see themselves as an individual and if ever they are lying. Action speaks louder than words.

Let them know what you need

Don’t be shy, tell them how exactly you want the job done, what kind of person you actually need and what you think of them. Don’t spoon feed them, at this rate they’d already know if they are qualified or should be heading out already. Its not being harsh but it is saving time, effort and most importantly, expectations. However, do not set aside the fact that some are willing to learn and adapt which are actually something you can no longer find easily – give them a shot for the next round.

Help them get a clear vision of how their life would look like inside their office by explaining more about the process and policies. If you see that they are happy with what they are hearing then throw them more facts and so on. This is where you should outline the things you need for them to get hired.

Peek in their office

Determine what the candidate’s workspace at home is like. They don’t need to have a separate room or fancy home office. They should just at least have a discreet workspace where they can feel productive and comfortable. A simple desk on the sides or a petite table somewhere clear are all great and okay.

Don’t be in a hurry

There is no need to instantly hire a candidate for a full time contract. Test them by giving them trainings, short-time projects and time to learn from those who are older in the field. A taste of everything is basically – everything.

This is actually consistency at work should be observed as well. The ball should always be held, mistakes should not matter that much as long as they are learning and are not giving up. Delaying projects, showing attitude problems however, are great signs of red flags.

Assess the candidate’s personality

Work side by side with the candidate, it will be very helpful. You can easily find out if they can work well with others, deliver tasks on time,manage disagreements and if they show continuous enthusiasm at work.

From here, you can assess for a final verdict.

Hire them full time and manage them well

After all those steps if the candidate pass your assessment you can finally hire them full time. Remember to treat them well for them to stay long-term.

Next: 5 Reasons Why Virtual Workers Are Becoming The Future Workforce

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