Table of Contents
- Why You Can't Hire Any Virtual Assistants?
- What Kind of Virtual Assistant Do I Need?
- Why Specialized Virtual Assistants Outperform Generalists in Marketing Roles
- Is There Compatibility?
- Related Reading
- Core Skills and Competencies to Look for in a VA
- Soft Skills That Make a Great Virtual Assistant
- Discipline
- Responsiveness
- Strong Communication Skills
- Adaptability
- Attention to Detail
- Problem-Solving Ability
- Hard Skills That Make a Great Virtual Assistant
- Strong Research Skills
- Calendar Management and Appointment Setting
- Email Management
- Basic Knowledge of Online Tools
- Reporting
- Bookkeeping
- Uploading and Scheduling Content
- Basic Customer Service
- Project Management
- Related Reading
- Tools & Equipment VAs Need for Daily Tasks
- Essential Hardware for Virtual Assistants
- Reliable Computer or Laptop
- High-Speed Internet
- Headset and Webcam
- Extra Hardware for Specialized Virtual Assistant Tasks
- Graphic Design
- Video Editing
- Project Management Tools Help Virtual Assistants Stay Organized
- Trello
- Asana
- Monday.com
- Communication Tools Are Essential for Working Remotely
- Slack
- Zoom
- Microsoft Teams
- Additional Software Tools for Virtual Assistants
- Note-taking Tool
- Social Media Management Tools
- Design Software
- Email Marketing Platforms
- CRM Systems
- How to Define Your Virtual Assistant Requirements Before Hiring
- Conduct an Internal Audit of Your Tasks
- Separate Must-Haves from Nice-to-Haves
- Set Up Work Style Expectations
- Consider a Trial Period or Phased Onboarding
- Hire and Manage Virtual Assistants All in One Place with VA Bear
- Eliminating the Chaos of Multi-Tool Management
- Related Reading
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Imagine you’ve finally decided to hire a virtual assistant. You’ve read all about the benefits of hiring a virtual assistant, and you can already picture how much easier your life will be once you hand off those time-consuming tasks to a skilled professional. But before you dive in, it’s crucial to define your virtual assistant requirements to ensure you find the right fit for your business. This article will help you do just that by explaining benefits of hiring a virtual assistant.
At VA Bear, we help businesses like yours hire and manage virtual assistants so that you can reach your goals faster and with less stress. Keep reading to learn how to define your virtual assistant requirements to find the best match for your business.
Why You Can't Hire Any Virtual Assistants?
Many business owners make the mistake of thinking that any virtual assistant will do. This isn’t the case. Sure, hiring a VA can lighten your load. But if you don’t find the right one for your unique needs, you may end up more stressed than before.
What Kind of Virtual Assistant Do I Need?
Before you even start looking for a virtual assistant, it’s important to pinpoint exactly what tasks you want to outsource. This will help you find a qualified candidate who has the skills and experience to meet your needs.
Consider creating a detailed job description that outlines what you expect from a VA, as well as the skills and qualifications required to get the job done. You can start searching for candidates, keeping an eye out for any VAs who specialize in performing the tasks you want to outsource.
Why Specialized Virtual Assistants Outperform Generalists in Marketing Roles
You may also come across general virtual assistants who claim they can perform these tasks. While they may be capable of doing so, it’s important to note that they may not have the specialized knowledge required to deliver quality results.
Is There Compatibility?
Another important consideration when hiring a virtual assistant is compatibility. You want to find a virtual assistant who will seamlessly integrate with your company and its culture. Take the time to review candidates’ websites, social media pages, and online reviews to gauge their personality and work style.
Related Reading
Core Skills and Competencies to Look for in a VA
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Soft Skills That Make a Great Virtual Assistant
Let’s face it: Technical skills are great, but it’s the soft skills that will make or break your working relationship with a virtual assistant. That’s because VAs with strong interpersonal skills will communicate better, adapt to changes, and work well with you and your team.
Look for the following soft skills when hiring a virtual assistant:
Discipline
A disciplined virtual assistant manages their time effectively, meets deadlines consistently, and maintains productivity without direct supervision. This self-motivation is crucial in remote work settings where there is no physical oversight. Discipline ensures tasks are completed reliably and your operations run smoothly.
Responsiveness
Prompt and clear communication is vital. A responsive VA quickly:
- Acknowledges messages
- Provides timely updates
- Addresses questions or issues without delay
This builds trust and keeps projects on track, preventing bottlenecks in your workflow.
Strong Communication Skills
Beyond responsiveness, a VA must communicate clearly and professionally across email, chat, and video calls. This skill reduces misunderstandings and ensures instructions and feedback are exchanged effectively, which is especially important when working remotely.
Adaptability
Startups evolve rapidly, and priorities can shift overnight. An adaptable VA embraces change, learns new tools quickly, and adjusts to different tasks or client needs without frustration. This flexibility makes them a valuable partner in a dynamic environment.
Attention to Detail
Accuracy matters. A VA with strong attention to detail:
- Double-checks work
- Catches errors before they escalate
- Maintains high-quality output
This reduces costly mistakes and reflects well on your brand.
Problem-Solving Ability
A proactive VA doesn’t just wait for instructions but anticipates challenges and finds solutions independently. Good problem-solving skills help keep projects moving forward even when unexpected issues arise.
Hard Skills That Make a Great Virtual Assistant
While soft skills help VAs integrate into your company’s culture and work effectively with you and your team, hard skills are essential for completing specific tasks. The exact technical skills you need will vary based on the role you’re hiring for.
There are a few core competencies that will benefit any virtual assistant position. Look for the following hard skills when hiring a virtual assistant.
Strong Research Skills
Every VA should be great at research, no matter their role. It’s a no-brainer for content writers who have to turn into subject matter experts almost overnight. For social media managers, it’s a must to create a successful brand awareness campaign.
Exceptional research skills also come in handy for customer service reps who encounter a concern that’s not in the knowledge base, or for an operations manager in charge of proposing new goals for the company.
Calendar Management and Appointment Setting
These are among the most common virtual assistant tasks, and for good reason. If you’re like other CEOs with a jam-packed calendar, then you need someone to help you manage your schedule. And, more importantly, to keep your priorities in check. This is a huge responsibility that’s best assigned to an executive assistant.
Since they’re your right-hand person, they can act as gatekeepers who filter requests for your time. They’ll make sure your calendar is organized, free from unnecessary meetings, and by your preferences.
Email Management
Have a tough time reaching inbox zero despite spending hours on email alone? Consider hiring a virtual assistant with experience in email management. Letting them handle your inbox will free up your time, allowing you to focus on more critical tasks, such as growing your business.
The right virtual assistant should know how to:
- Triage your emails (via the 4D method, for example)
- Organize emails using filters and folders
- Respond on your behalf
- Identify phishing attacks
Basic Knowledge of Online Tools
Without platforms like Google Suite or Microsoft Office, it will be tough for remote teams to collaborate and work seamlessly. That’s why one of the most essential skills for a virtual assistant is knowing how to use these tools. Your VA doesn’t have to be a spreadsheet wizard if you’re not looking for a data analyst, but it would be a sweet advantage if they knew basic formulas and functions.
Here are other areas they should have some experience with:
- Formatting Word documents
- Organizing your digital files
- Exporting documents or converting them into different formats
- Sending calendar invites and adding events to their calendar
- Creating slides for presentations
Reporting
Reporting is another common virtual assistant skill business owners should look for. You don’t want team members who just state the obvious and read from their presentation word for word.
You need to find people who can:
- Analyze and interpret data
- Present their data via graphs or charts
- Explain the relevance of the data
- Share recommendations
- Discuss the main areas of their report during a meeting
With proper reporting, your virtual assistant can measure project results, identify areas for improvement, and help your business succeed.
Bookkeeping
To keep your business afloat, you need to know where your cash is going. Some companies will hire an accountant to manage their bookkeeping, while other business owners even do it themselves. But if you want to save both money and time, hiring a virtual bookkeeping assistant is your best bet.
A virtual bookkeeping assistant can do the following:
- Prepare balance sheets
- Calculate taxes
- Pay bills
- Bank reconciliation
Uploading and Scheduling Content
In the digital marketing world, posting content regularly helps brands avoid vanishing into the black hole called irrelevancy. So, whether you’re hiring a social media manager, content writer, or a general VA, two fundamental things they need experience with are uploading and scheduling content.
It sounds easy, but they need to:
- Double-check that they’re posting the right content
- Make sure they schedule the correct date
- Keep track of different platform requirements
- Properly format the posts
Other VAs may also have to juggle posting on social media with uploading blog posts on WordPress and setting up emails on Klaviyo. Be clear in the job description about the platforms they’ll be using for content management.
Basic Customer Service
Great customer service is the key to happy, loyal customers, as a study by HubSpot Research states that 93% of consumers are likely to become repeat buyers when their experience is positive. If your e-commerce business is taking off and you can’t keep up with all the inquiries, a virtual assistant who at least knows basic customer service will be a significant asset.
A virtual CS assistant can perform tasks like:
- Answering customer questions
- Resolving complaints
- Fulfilling orders
- Managing customer records
Since they interact directly with customers, they serve as representatives of your brand. They should be friendly, professional, and knowledgeable about the company and its products. Here’s how you can help your VA master their customer service duties.
Project Management
Project management covers plotting timelines, identifying potential risks, and ensuring that everyone involved is on track with their assigned parts. In other words, it’s a massive undertaking.
But for a VA with project management skills, it’s something they can definitely handle. If you want your projects to have more direction and your team to work more effectively, then have one on board. You won’t regret it.
Related Reading
Tools & Equipment VAs Need for Daily Tasks
Essential Hardware for Virtual Assistants
Virtual assistants usually operate as independent contractors, so they come equipped with the essentials to perform their job.
Having these basics allows virtual assistants to tackle most tasks efficiently without needing immediate hardware upgrades.
Here’s a list of the basic tools they need to get started.
Reliable Computer or Laptop
Typically, a well-performing device with a decent processor (e.g., Intel i5 or AMD Ryzen 5) is adequate for most virtual assistant tasks.
High-Speed Internet
A minimum of 10 Mbps is required to handle calls, uploads, and downloads smoothly, ensuring clear communication and efficient task completion without delays.
Headset and Webcam
These tools are ideal for clear communication during a video meeting. For professional communication, noise-canceling headsets and 4K webcams are recommended.
Extra Hardware for Specialized Virtual Assistant Tasks
Specific tasks require advanced equipment. Investing in suitable hardware ensures that your virtual assistant can effectively tackle any assignment, leading to increased productivity and improved results on projects undertaken.
For example:
Graphic Design
High-resolution monitors and digital drawing tablets are often necessary for graphic design projects.
Video Editing
Powerful processors, extra RAM (16 GB or more), and substantial storage are needed for smooth video editing.
Project Management Tools Help Virtual Assistants Stay Organized
Your choice of project management software can make a big difference to your VA’s ability to track and manage tasks. Providing the right software will keep your team organized and aligned.
Popular options are:
Trello
Trello’s simplicity makes it perfect for small teams or solopreneurs who prefer visual task management with minimal setup. It’s great for simple workflows, to-do lists, and progress tracking.
Asana
If your business needs more advanced features, Asana can handle complex workflows, tasks, and team collaboration. It’s suitable for businesses with multiple projects that require detailed task tracking and project timelines.
Monday.com
For entrepreneurs who need task and project management, Monday.com has advanced customization features. It features time tracking, document management, and project milestones, making it suitable for businesses of all sizes.
Communication Tools Are Essential for Working Remotely
As you’ll be working remotely, communication tools are essential to ensure smooth interaction between you and your virtual assistant (VA). Popular options are:
Slack
Slack is an essential tool for day-to-day team communication. It features channels for various topics, organized messaging, file sharing, and seamless integrations with other apps.
Zoom
For video meetings and client calls, Zoom is one of the most popular platforms due to its reliability and ease of use. It’s a must-have for virtual meetings with clients or stakeholders.
Microsoft Teams
Teams is an integrated communication tool with collaboration features. If you already use Office 365 products and need a single platform for communication and document sharing, this is a solid choice.
Additional Software Tools for Virtual Assistants
In addition to the above tools, you may need to provide access to additional software. Some examples:
Note-taking Tool
Having a collaborative note-taking software like Notion can help streamline instruction and communication with your virtual assistant (VA).
Social Media Management Tools
If your VA manages social media, Hootsuite or Buffer will help schedule:
- Posts
- Manage campaigns
- Track analytics
Design Software
If your VA does graphic design or creates marketing assets, Canva Pro or Adobe Creative Suite will be essential.
Email Marketing Platforms
For email campaigns, Mailchimp or Constant Contact are popular options that offer:
- Automation
- Email templates
- Subscriber management
CRM Systems
If your VA manages clients, Salesforce or HubSpot will help with client communication and business performance insights.
How to Define Your Virtual Assistant Requirements Before Hiring
Conduct an Internal Audit of Your Tasks
Before hiring a virtual assistant, start with an internal audit to clarify precisely what you want to delegate. Review your current workload and identify the tasks that drain your time, energy, or focus; those are your top candidates.
Be specific. Instead of vague labels like “admin support” or “social media,” list concrete responsibilities like inbox triage, scheduling client calls, formatting reports, drafting LinkedIn posts, or managing Asana boards. For each task, define the outcome you expect so you have a clear benchmark for success once your assistant comes on board.
Separate Must-Haves from Nice-to-Haves
Every founder dreams of that unicorn assistant who can do everything, but trying to hire for five roles in one person almost always backfires. Instead, focus on the core two to three skill sets that are essential from day one. Maybe that’s copywriting. Perhaps it’s lead generation. Whatever it is, be ruthless about what’s non-negotiable and honest about what can wait or be trained later.
Set Up Work Style Expectations
Decide how you want to work together.
- Do you need real-time availability in your time zone?
- Do you prefer Slack or email?
- Weekly check-ins or daily reports?
The more precise you are about communication preferences, working hours, tools, and reporting structures, the easier it’ll be to onboard the right person.
Consider a Trial Period or Phased Onboarding
A trial month, or even a single project, is a great way to test the fit without committing to a long-term relationship. It provides an opportunity to evaluate:
- Quality
- Responsiveness
- Initiative
And it gives your virtual assistant a fair chance to learn your systems without being thrown into the deep end.
Being intentional and upfront saves you hours of backtracking later. Define the role before you fill it, and you’ll get far more value from your hire.
Hire and Manage Virtual Assistants All in One Place with VA Bear
Virtual assistants can help clear your to-do list so you can focus on growing your business, but finding and managing the right one takes time. That’s where VA Bear comes in. Stop juggling multiple platforms, spreadsheets, and tools just to stay on top of your VA team.
VA Bear is your all-in-one solution for hiring, managing, and paying top-tier virtual assistants, right from a single dashboard. With built-in time tracking, task management, and integrated payroll, VA Bear eliminates the friction of working with freelancers and helps you build a reliable, scalable support team.
Eliminating the Chaos of Multi-Tool Management
From job boards and CRM tools to real-time productivity monitoring, VA Bear transforms how you work with virtual assistants, so you can run your business, not chase updates.
Get started today and manage everything in one place, efficiently, effectively, and with confidence.
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- Upwork vs WorkChest
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