The 6 Steps to VA Success: Hiring and Training a Virtual Assistant for your Wholesale Business

Are you a business owner looking to hire a virtual assistant for your wholesale business? Maybe you’ve even googled “hire a virtual assistant” only to be met with thousands of Websites that sent you into a state of analysis paralysis? Today we are breaking down the exact steps you need to take (plus what to avoid) to hire a virtual assistant and build a lasting, effective working relationship. It just might be the best business decision you ever make.

Before we dive into your perfect hiring plan, let’s break down what it means to be a virtual assistant.

What is a virtual assistant?

A Virtual Assistant (VA for short) is a freelance service provider that can step in to provide valuable time-saving services. They can take over the areas of your business that you:

Do not enjoy
No longer have time to accomplish
Are unsure of how to implement

Virtual assistants are task-oriented. In other words, it will be the wholesale business owner’s (aka...you!) job to assign tasks to a VA. Yes, a virtual assistant’s #1 priority is saving you time, but you are not hiring a mind reader! Tasks can be one-time, weekly, or monthly. Take the time to outline the tasks and develop SOP documents that will save your VA from having to ask for more clarity. The more detailed you are, the better your VA can assist you!

Virtual assistants are freelancers. This means that typically virtual assistants are hired as independent contractors, not w2 employees. They get to control when they work, where they work, how they work, and how much they charge. This doesn’t mean you have no control over the process, though. Just make sure your hiring description is detailed and that you explain the key tasks involved as well as your budget (more on that in a minute!).

Where can you find a virtual assistant?

Always start with your network. You know that business owner that seems to do.it.all? There’s a good chance there is a virtual assistant (& probably an entire team!) behind them...making sure that the little tasks don’t fall through the cracks and keeping the biz owner laser-focused on what truly matters. Don’t be afraid to reach out to people you admire and ask for recommendations.
Facebook groups. One of the first recommendations I give to new freelancers looking to find clients is to seek out their ideal clients in Facebook groups. Think about the groups you like to hang out in or gravitate toward for advice. Always be sure to check the group rules first - some allow job postings each day, some want to keep it to one thread, some do not allow them at all. Even if job postings are not allowed in your favorite Facebook groups...starting asking questions about your biz that you would want a future hire to solve. See who answers and provides consistent, valuable feedback. Once you’ve established a relationship with a few users who seem like ideal candidates- reach out! Even if they are not taking on clients at the moment, they might know someone perfect for the job!
I can help! I have helped more than 1500 women launch successful freelance business with my program Overwhelmed to Overbooked. They are prepared, professional, & ready to team up with someone just like you! With varying skill sets, expertise levels, & pay levels- I am confident you will find your perfect match!.

Now that you’re clear on virtual assistant basics, let’s discuss how to hire and then maintain an effective working relationship.

Six Steps to VA Success

1: Evaluate.

First, let’s make sure a virtual assistant is the best fit for you! Ask yourself the following questions:

What does your business look like right now? How does it feel? How much money are you making?
Then, think about the future. What do you want your business to look like? How do you want it to feel? How much money do you want to be making? 3 months from now...6 months from now...a year from now?
Identify the gap. What's missing? What do you need to get you from where you are now to where you want to be? Do you need a virtual assistant, capable of handling many different tasks, or do you need a true expert to focus on one thing? If what you really need/want is more time to focus on what you love about your business, then you are ready for a virtual assistant to fill in those gaps.

2. Define the role.

Remember, it will be your job to tell the virtual assistant what tasks you need help with. So before you hire, make sure you have clearly outlined and defined the projects and responsibilities your virtual assistant will be executing.

Make one list of all the things you are doing right now day to day to maintain and grow your business.
- Circle the things you hate doing
- Star the things only you can do
- Put a dollar sign next to the money-making tasks
- Highlight the tasks that you are most likely to procrastinate or flat out forget to do

Now make a list of all the things you need to be doing or want to be doing
- Circle the things you hate doing
- Star the things you don't know how to do
- Put a dollar sign next to the money-making tasks
- Highlight the tasks that you don't have time to complete

Now you know exactly what to delegate to your future VA!

3. Identify priorities and determine the appropriate budget.

With your two labeled lists, prioritize what tasks are most important, and then determine the right budget to attract the right virtual assistant.

Are these tasks going to take up 10 hours a week, 10 hours a month, or 20 hours a week?

Virtual assistants typically charge hourly retainer packages that range from $20 an hour to $40 an hour.

4. How to select the right candidate.

It’s almost time to find the perfect VA for your business!

First, take the time to draft a clear job description. Reference your labeled list from the previous step and use that to detail all the duties and expectations you will need to fill in this new role. Be clear on exactly what you need help with, anything that is important to the role, and your budget.

Before you post the job, take the time to outline your systems and processes. This will shape your interviews with future candidates, and make the transition super smooth. Craft an application process so that you are not sifting through 600 unqualified candidates.

Next, post the job position (make sure you are posting on legitimate, relevant Websites or social media groups...like my hire form😉), and be sure to detail how you would like interested contractors to apply or contact you.

As those relevant applications begin to pour in, immediately determine who is a yes and who is a no. Select the three strongest yeses and start scheduling discovery calls! If you find that the first three are not a perfect fit, no worries! Continue scheduling calls with candidates in your yes pile.

5. Delegate effectively.

Now that you’ve hired your perfect virtual assistant, help them help you!

Pick a project management tool (Trello, Asana, AirTable, etc.) and set up a system that works for you and is easy for your new hire to understand and integrate. Examine your list of tasks and priorities and determine what tasks recur daily, weekly, and monthly. How will you reassign the repeating tasks (most project management tools allow you to prepopulate recurring tasks!)?

6. Evaluate and communicate.

After 30 days, evaluate overall effectiveness.

What is working?
What is not working?
What can be fixed?

And don’t just ask yourself those questions! Ask your virtual assistant as well. There might be a process or strategy that could be easily tweaked to save you both hours.

Voila! You’re now back to the parts of your business you love, and you’re building an actual team! You rock! If you are ready for your first (or next!) hire, it’s 100% free to complete my hire form.

Connect with Micala Quinn

Micala Quinn is a Kansas City mom, wife, former teacher, and current CEO solving the modern working mom dilemma. A FORBES and Fox4 KCTV featured contributor, Micala coaches women looking to lead and launch successful, sustainable freelance businesses. To date, more than 1,500 women across the country & world have enrolled in Overwhelmed to Overbooked. In late 2018, Micala launched the Live Free podcast to spread her freelancing method and mission throughout the world. A fixture in iTunes' Top 20 for Entrepreneur podcasts, it has surpassed 160,000 downloads. When Micala is not leading the charge to provide women with the freedom to work and mother, you can catch her walking to the park with her kiddos, making cookies, or watching a rerun of Friends for the millionth time with her cute husband.

Website: www.micalaquinn.com