You may have heard about virtual assistants and wondered what they do exactly. Virtual assistants (VA) are outsourcing professionals who help with your business tasks, from data entry to social media marketing. They are often highly skilled and experienced and are located in different parts of the world. They can work remotely for you at an hourly rate or on a per-project basis.
Virtual assistants can be employed by businesses of all sizes and industries. It’s not uncommon to find small businesses hiring VAs to help them with administrative tasks or even large companies using them to take care of customer service or sales inquiries.
If you’re thinking of an outsource VA in Australia, here are 10 qualities you should look for:
- Great Command Of English
A virtual assistant should have a good command of the language. It is important because he/she will be communicating with clients and other team members. If your VA doesn’t have a strong grasp of the language, then there is a high chance of miscommunication which can lead to delays, mistakes, and frustration on both ends.
- Good Writing Skills
The ability to write well is essential for any virtual assistant. You want someone who can write clear emails, create content and write proposals. If your VA can’t write well, then it will be very difficult for him/her to communicate with clients in an understandable manner.
- Resourcefulness
A virtual assistant is a person who has access to a wide range of resources and can use them to help you out. They should have the ability to gather information from multiple sources and provide you with data in an organized way.
- Excellent Communication Skills
A good virtual assistant will be able to communicate effectively with your team members and other stakeholders. They should be able to convey information clearly in writing or verbally, as well as listen effectively to what others have to say.
- Self-Managing
An Outsource VA in Australia should be self-motivated, self-organised, and self-sufficient. They should be able to do their job independently without constant supervision or guidance from you. This allows you to focus on other aspects of your business while they take care of their own responsibilities with ease.
- Tech-Savvy
A virtual assistant should be able to help you with any technical issues that may arise. Many tasks need to be completed online, which means that your VA should know the ins and outs of the Internet and have an understanding of various software programs. This includes email, scheduling and other programs that help keep your business running smoothly.
- Organizational & Time Management Skills
The virtual assistant will be responsible for handling your schedule and keeping track of your appointments, meetings and other events. They need to be organised and have good time management skills. They will also keep track of your contacts and ensure that you have everything necessary for any given meeting or event. The more organised you are, the easier it is for them to help you out!
- A Keen Eye For Details
The virtual assistant needs to pay attention to every detail because they are working on behalf of their employer. If there is a mistake in an email or document, then it reflects poorly on their boss as well as themselves if they don’t recognise it right away! It’s important that the person doing your work has sharp eyes and pays close attention to what they are doing so that nothing slips through the cracks.
- Loyalty & Trustworthiness
You want someone who is trustworthy and loyal. They should be able to keep confidential information about your company or personal life private. You do not want someone working for you who might leak information to the press or competitors. A good way to check this is by doing some background checks on their social media accounts. Make sure that they are not posting anything that would reflect poorly on their character or their ability to be discreet in any way.
- Positive Attitude
A positive attitude can go a long way toward making sure that things run smoothly in the office. If a person has a positive outlook on life and is generally cheerful, they will likely make others around them feel good and want to work harder because they want to keep up with their positive attitude.
Conclusion:
While the cost of hiring an outsource VA in Australia is often worth it, there are some other things to consider, as shown above. It’s all about knowing what to look for when hiring someone. So before you start your search, make sure to jot down notes on these qualities so that you’ll know what to look out for during your search. After all, a VA who is worthy of their title will have all of these qualities and more. And they’ll certainly become someone that you can depend on within your business and personal life.
