How Hiring the Wrong Virtual Assistant Hurt My Business

Over the past fewer days, I've been pleasantly amazed astatine an summation successful productivity and "good work" by my recently hired COO. I shouldn't beryllium surprised, but I am. See, successful the past, I've hired inexpensive labour to do "tasks," for illustration video editing, blog writing, schematic creation and more.

Many of america mini business owners hire freelancers to thief capable successful the gaps successful our day-to-day business needs, and that's good. However, there's a tragic correction galore of america are making.

Freelance talent, aliases "virtual assistants," tin only return america truthful far. At immoderate point, you get tired of answering each the questions, correcting the mistakes and reasoning of each the ideas. You get tired of being the postulation bull successful the halfway of everything. You request to activity ON your business and not conscionable IN your business.

Through my mastermind group, I realized I needed to uplevel my crippled and put much successful higher-skilled talent.

Hiring personification successful the Philippines for $7-$10 an hr is simply a beautiful bully hourly complaint for them. However, astatine that rate, the virtual adjunct is often conscionable task-focused.

I tripled the complaint and started to look for a COO, personification who came pinch a higher level of not only skills but THINKING arsenic well. They're still from the Philippines, but their business acquisition and skillset are overmuch much advanced.

I needed personification who could thief maine turn my business, not conscionable do tasks. So, I started to look for a "thought partner," an "integrator." This word comes from Traction: Get a Grip connected Your Business by Gino Wickman, a celebrated book that galore entrepreneurs read.

Overnight, I noticed a difference. The tasks I assigned were not only getting done but were getting done pinch a different, higher level of thoroughness.

So, what are immoderate cardinal tips you tin usage to prosecute the correct freelancer aliases virtual adjunct to thief your business?

Related: 6 Mistakes Smart People Make When Hiring a Virtual Assistant

1. Craft a elaborate occupation description

Before you commencement your search, create a broad occupation description. Outline circumstantial responsibilities, required skills and expected outcomes. This clarity will pull much suitable candidates and group the instauration for a successful moving relationship.

2. Define clear occurrence metrics

How will you cognize if your caller prosecute is performing well? Establish concrete, measurable goals from the outset. Whether it's gathering deadlines, achieving value standards aliases hitting circumstantial KPIs, having clear occurrence metrics will thief some you and your freelancer enactment aligned.

3. Understand your activity style, and find a match

Every business proprietor has a unsocial measurement of working. Do you for illustration predominant check-ins aliases a much hands-off approach? Are you detail-oriented aliases focused connected the large picture? Be honorable astir your work style, and look for freelancers whose attack complements yours.

4. Think long-term

While you whitethorn person contiguous needs, see your business's early maturation erstwhile hiring. Look for freelancers who tin perchance turn pinch your institution and return connected expanded responsibilities arsenic your business evolves.

5. Avoid the "jack of each trades" trap

It's tempting to hunt for a unicorn who tin do everything, but this attack often leads to disappointment. Instead, attraction connected uncovering specialists who excel successful circumstantial areas important to your business needs.

Related: 4 Ways to Hire and Keep the Best Freelancers

6. Assess accomplishment requirements

Evaluate whether the domiciled requires high-level expertise aliases if it involves tasks that tin beryllium learned connected the job. This will thief you find the acquisition level to look for and the training you mightiness request to provide.

7. Prioritize cognition and character

While method skills are important, don't underestimate the worth of a awesome attitude and beardown character. Look for freelancers who are reliable, communicative and aligned pinch your company's values. These traits often matter much than method prowess successful the agelong run.

8. Test the waters

Consider hiring 2 to 3 freelancers for a mini task aliases proceedings period. This attack allows you to measure their capacity successful real-world scenarios earlier committing to a longer-term arrangement.

9. Be unfastened to input

Remember that freelancers and virtual assistants often bring valuable acquisition from moving pinch various clients. Be open to their suggestions and insights — they mightiness present innovative solutions aliases efficiencies you haven't considered.

Related: Hiring a Virtual Assistant? Watch Out for These Red Flags

10. Maintain regular communication

Don't trust solely connected email for communication. Schedule regular video calls aliases meetings to talk progress, reside challenges and support a beardown moving relationship. This face-to-face time, moreover if virtual, tin importantly amended collaboration and results.

Remember, the extremity is not conscionable to capable a position, but to find partners who tin lend to your company's maturation and success.