Top 10 Questions to Ask a Virtual Assistant During the Interview

When your business grows, the responsibilities also increase. And one of the strategic solutions nowadays is through outsourcing these tasks with a virtual assistant. Considering the benefits of embracing a virtual assistant, how can you make sure that you will hire the fittest to the role? What are the questions to ask a virtual assistant during the interview?

Probably this is your first time conducting a Virtual Assistant Interview. And the critical component of its success is to learn how and what questions to ask during interviews.

However, before the initial interview, you must prepare a hiring plan to streamline finding and hiring the VA that best suits your business. Also, it should make the finding-hiring process efficient.

Check on these factors that every hiring plan must have:

• Clear objectives, roles, and responsibilities
• The right questions to ask the virtual assistant
• A consistent approach to each interview
• A systematic process to interview a virtual assistant.

Here are the best questions to ask a virtual assistant to determine who among the applicants is suitable for your business need.

Top 10 Questions to Ask During a Virtual Assistant Interview

Question#1: What is your core expertise? Which of the skills on the job description is out of your scope?

Considering that virtual assistants vary in their niches, having a clear requirement is vital. This is because each business has unique needs, and so with virtual assistants' expertise. Whether you need someone to manage your email, and online bookkeeper, website designer, or a social media strategist, you must be clear on your business needs. 

Besides, by knowing what you need, you'll throw the right interview question and capture the fittest VA for the role.

Question#2. What time zone are you in? How many hours in a week are you available?

Knowing the time zone of the VA makes you aware of the time gap between the two of you. As this time difference will not work for others, many claimed that their working relationship flourishes, even if they have a varied time difference with their VA. It depends on the willingness of the VA to cope with the time gap.

With this question, you can identify if the VA meets your weekly number of hour requirements. Otherwise, the VA is not what you are looking for.

Question#3. Do you have other clients now?

There are instances wherein you need a VA for a full-time position. Some business owners are strict that they want the VA to fully work with them and don't have any other clients. Yet, it is okay with them for others as long as the VA can meet the deadline with flying colors.

Question#4. How do you prioritize work when you don't have specific deadlines?

A virtual assistant who knows how to prioritize tasks makes it productive and efficient, especially if you are not giving your virtual assistant specific deadlines. The virtual assistant answer to this VA interview question will highlight the VA's organizing and time management skills. 

These two are essential since these will affect the overall productivity of the virtual assistant.

Question#5. What is your internet speed and specs of your computer? Do you have a backup?

This interview question enables you to know the internet speed and the proactiveness of the VA. This means that whatever happens, may it be a power outage, crushing of computer, or loss of internet connection, the VA is proactive enough to face these typical work from home challenges.

On the other hand, requiring the desired computer specification will boost the VA's speed in fulfilling tasks. However, this will depend on the functions that you are giving to your VA. If the VA will only do admin and any other light tasks, the VA doesn't need to use the high-specs computer and high-speed internet.

Question#6. Mention your favorite tools to use in communication, calendar, and project management.

One of the competitive edges about virtual assistants is the ability or expertise for online tools that make their tasks productive, effective, and efficient. 

There are so many tools available, and it is better if the VA knows how to use the tools you are using. 

Question#7. How do you manage your time in a day?

Time management is the critical success factor with regards to everyone's productivity. Suppose the VA has so many tasks, a VA who knows to determine which falls in urgent category, priority, or can wait is vital. 

And by asking the VA about time management, the answer will illustrate how the VA can manage his/her tasks and time to the maximum productivity and efficiency.

Question#8. What keeps you motivated?

There are so many distractions that might disturb a work-from-home person. And by knowing what keeps the VA motivated, you'll see the type of person that the VA you are interviewing possess. 

With the answer that the VA will provide, you'll know whether the VA can easily be discouraged or the opposite.

Question#9. What will you do when a client doesn't know what he/she wants?

There are instances where clients don't know the business needs. Thus, being an expert, the VA should be wise enough in assessing and identifying problems or pain points inside the business. 

You'll know if the VA is perceptive enough when the VA's answer entails asking the client questions, identifying problems, and identifying strategic solutions to solve the issues.

Question#10. What are your interests?

The VA's answer will make you aware of the values that the VA has. Also, by knowing the VA's interest, you'll grasp how a VA can effectively manage his/her work-life balance.

Work-life balance is essential to everyone. Due to the comfort that every work-from-home talent feels, there are maybe times when they lose focus, affecting their productivity.

Conducting a VA interview for the first time can be stressful if you don't know what to and where to start. I hope this guide will streamline your hiring process with a virtual assistant.

And if you need more guides about outsourcing with the right virtual assistant, please visit our blogs here: https://surgedigital.agency/blogs/.

If you are on your first step towards embracing a VA, you can visit Surge Digital Agency and sign up here: https://surgedigital.agency/authentication/?step=1.

Surge is a company that provides holistic training and extending top-notch virtual assistant services to brands and businesses across the globe.

Top 10 Questions to Ask a Virtual Assistant During the Interview