7 Questions to Ask When Interviewing a Virtual Assistant

Source: www.businessblog.winweb.com

You may want to be careful about hiring your next virtual assistant (VA), even if they’re recommended to you by a trusted business process outsourcing (BPO) company from the Philippines. It’s not that you doubt the candidates’ skills or your BPO service provider’s capability in recruiting for you. But you want to make sure the VA you’ll get is the right hire.

That’s why you must interview the VA prospects who can get through your BPO service provider’s selection process. Your BPO’s job is to recruit and select the candidates whom they think meet the qualifications for your ideal virtual assistant, and then present to you the credentials of those who pass. You then decide whom to hire. Sounds simple and easy, doesn’t it?

So during the interview, what should you ask your next virtual assistant from the Philippines?

1. Do you have experience in (insert tasks or tasks here)? Make sure your virtual assistant is knowledgeable in the tasks(s) you want them to perform. Though training can always be done, it would be difficult to train your VA since they’ll be working from a remote location and across the time divide, but you can have your BPO partner take care of the training.
2. How long have you worked as a VA? Their answer could mean the difference between the right VA and the wrong one. You can spare time to train an experienced virtual assistant on the task(s) you want them to perform, but you may have no time to train an inexperienced hire to become a VA. When hiring, always go for experience.
3. What do you know about my business or industry? Filipino virtual assistants come from a wide range of educational backgrounds. Many of them work in BPO companies or in companies similar to yours. Whether your VA has worked in your industry or across a variety of sectors in different roles, it pays to hire someone who has adaptability and a wealth of experience.
4. What are your strengths and weaknesses? Is your VA a positive thinker and a hard worker? Do they crumble under pressure? Is there an area of work where they need help? Understanding your VA can let you help them get their job done, make it easier for you to get along, and let you build their skills set.
5. At what times can you work? Since you’re hiring a virtual assistant from the Philippines, you’ll be working with someone who isn’t in the same time zone as you. The Philippines is anywhere between 13 to 18 hours ahead of the USA, so make sure you know what time your VA will report for work and what time you can contact them.
6. How many hours can you work? It depends if you’re looking for a full-time or part-time VA. Most Filipino virtual assistants can spare between 4 to 8 hours of work. They can even do overtime and work on weekends if you need them to. By the way, the hourly rate for a Filipino VA is $6 to $10. Make sure you agree with your BPO partner on the pay rate and payment scheme.
7. Will you sign a non-disclosure agreement? You may want to be careful about working with a stranger and assigning them tasks that involve sensitive data. You want your VA to secure them against any potential breach and not reveal any confidential information. Most virtual assistants would be okay about signing, and it’s best to confirm before you appoint.

As the part-employer, don’t be afraid to ask these questions when interviewing your virtual assistant from the Philippines. Play your part in the hiring and selection process. Take no chances.