Your business is growing, which is what you've been working so hard on yet it's hard to be able to really enjoy it because you are now busier than ever. If you are sitting at your computer doing busy work that leaves you uninspired it may be a sign that your business is ready for a VA.
The secret to finding a great VA is a balance between research and communication. I've broken the process down into steps to make this easy and effective for you.
Step 1 - Knowing what you need help with is the first step, bringing a VA onboard without a clear idea of what their responsibilities will be can often lead to misunderstandings and improper use of time.
Tip: Use a spreadsheet to track your working hours for a few weeks before you hire, it will help you see what tasks are taking the most time to complete and what could be delegated to a VA.
Keep in mind: When looking through the tasks you will be delegating ask yourself if this the task requires someone with a creative side, image creation and blog writing. Or does the work require someone with experience in spreadsheet creation and project management? Again, knowing what you need help with will help you find the best person for the job.
Step 2 - Now that you know what tasks you need to delegate you have to find a VA. I bet right now you know someone who's worked with a VA or knows someone who has. Time to jump on your Facebook groups and put it out there that you are looking. Twitter and LinkedIn are also wonderful resources when looking to hire a VA. There are also recruitment services you can look into though they cost a whole lot more than free.
Step 3 - Once you've received a few referrals it's time to jump on Skype or Zoom and meet this person face to face. Here is the communication part of hiring a great VA. The VA you are going to hire has to be someone you will get along with, think of the way you look for your ideal client and use those techniques during the hiring process.
A few things to consider because I've seen far too many businesses make these mistakes:
Don't set yourself up for failure by ignoring the fact that you and this other person are not compatible. Like everything in your business if at first you don't succeed, try, try again.
When hiring, make sure to ask how the VA charges. Some are by the hour, some have packages of set hours. Ask what types of work they enjoy doing, more creative, more analytical? Timezone can be an issue if you are someone who likes to have more face to face interaction rather than email.
Once you have found someone you enjoy working with you should celebrate, your VA can become someone who has an insight into your business that perhaps only you do. Someone who celebrates your achievements and helps you work through rough spots.