9 Questions You Should Ask Before You Hire Emily

Nowadays, working with an online assistant and other types of VAs allows you to leverage your time, and focus on the really important aspects of business."  Chris Ducker

There's a lot to be said in favor of hiring remote employees, including virtual assistants or as we call them “Emily’s”

But before you jump in and hire someone, you need to give it some thought and consideration. Here are 9 questions you must ask - and answer - yourself before hiring a virtual Emily.

1. Do I really need a virtual Emily?

Just because you're busy doesn't mean you need an assistant.

Examine everything you do and determine if the tasks you're challenged with really need to be delegated to a virtual assistant.

This is often quite difficult for entrepreneurs, as they've usually been doing everything in their business themselves. Once they realize that others can not only do it better, but that their business can't grow without delegation, they get a VA.

2. Am I prepared to hire a virtual assistant?

Hiring a remote worker isn't easy, and you need to be able to give them clear direction.

You can't assume they'll just jump in and magically start helping. Consider not only the time it will take to train them, but also the tasks you want them to take over. An ongoing list of repetitious tasks provides great insight into what can be outsourced.

Organization is your key.

3. How will I communicate with Emily?

Executives and entrepreneurs have the most success with remote employees when roles and communication are clearly laid out.

There are a lot of great cloud-based applications to help with task tracking, communication, and project management. The easiest way is to work with a company that incudes Project management and pretty much do it all for you.

4. How will I track their time and performance?

You don't want to add to daily stress by worrying about whether your virtual assistant is staying on task.

Like the previous point, the easiest way is to find a company, that gives you all the tools, and ensures the success of your project.

Basecamp is a very recommended app to keep track of the To do’s and all your Emily performance.

5. Are my own tasks killing my productivity?

Owning or running a business can erase the lines of normal work/life balance. When tasks from your personal life and your ever-increasing workload start blending together, you'll probably benefit from a virtual assistant.

You don't want to make compromises that kill productivity, especially when you must start making choices between getting work done or neglecting important personal details.

6. Will having a virtual assistant bring value that contributes to revenue?

Emily is an employee, and that means labor overhead.

When you look at the tasks you have on your plate that could be delegated, ask what kind of a return would come from delegating those tasks. Would delegation of certain responsibilities lend to an increase in revenue and growth?

If delegation gives you time to sell more, and you have new happy clients, then the answer is simple.

YES, your assistant contributes to revenue.

7. How involved do I want a virtual assistant to be in my business?

Finding a jack-of-all-trades virtual assistant is nice, but you can't lay that expectation on anyone you hire without clearly defining it.

It wouldn't be fair to ask a task-oriented assistant to collaborate on a marketing campaign. Likewise, you don't want to hire someone who is expecting to be heavily involved in your growth when you just want them to handle the most menial tasks in your day - they'll be unhappy, and won't last.

Be very clear with yourself first, on what this person will be handling exactly, and how comfortable you are with that.

In time, you can delegate more, and have more trust.

8. What is my personality type?

You'll be working closely with your virtual assistant, so you want to find someone you can work with.

Do you need a more laid back person? Are you too chill for your own good and need a Type A person to keep you on track?

Know what type of person and personality will energize you, and look for a virtual assistant who will complement that.

9. What forward-thinking skills do I want in a virtual assistant?

Think about what kind of skills you want your Emily to have - and what would bring you the most value as your business grows over the next two or three years.

Having a task list of things to delegate is a solid start when you want to hire an Emily. Keep in mind, though, that this is an individual that will likely grow with you and your business. That means new tasks being delegated down the road.

If you want to know if you need a Virtual assistant for sure, checkout our talent today.