Finding a Virtual Assistant

87 | Posted In Life & Mindset by David

I have been spending time here and there over the last week attending to a very important action for my business: hiring a virtual assistant. Now, let me say ahead of time that I have not yet signed a contract with the person I am going to try out, however I should be doing that before the end of the week. I would, though, like to blurb about my experience thus far on finding a VA.

First off, a virtual assistant (VA) is essentially an assistant that does not work in my office. In other words, they are not an employee, but an independent contractor. They provide their own material and they work remotely, doing whatever you ask them to do. With the technology we have today, there really is no reason that you HAVE to have people in your office. In my case, I operate out of a home office. Even if the VA needs to work with your own software, you can give them remote desktop access and they can use a computer in your office while sitting anywhere in the world. Hence the name virtual assistant.

My first attempt to find a VA was to go to Elance.com and post. Elance is a great resource for finding labor. It works similarly to Ebay. Service providers have profiles and get feedback. You can judge any service provider by their feedback and by their portfolio. I recently found a writer on Elance, and although she is not yet done with my project, I am happy with her so far. I decided to post for a VA position. They do have a category for Administrative Support, Personal Assistants, and all kinds of other categories. I got a total of 13 bids on Elance. The bids were hit and miss, and you have to do a good job on Elance of evaluating your bids. First of all, realize that you are going to get mostly overseas bids. A vast majority of bids I received were from India. Their hourly rates were very low to our standards – averaging $5/hour. I obviously like the price, but is that the only important criteria? Absolutely not. What I observed in the bids was:

  • Many of them were not writing in correct English.
  • Some bids were not really VAs, but programmers. That’s fine. I need a programmer, but I’m asking for a VA here.

The other thing to do is to clarify the hourly rate with them. Most of the bids would come in as whole amounts, like $50. But, $50 for what? An hour? 10 hours? So, use the private message board to clarify with them if they don’t specifically tell you in their initial bid. You also want to be careful with what they are bidding on. I had a couple companies bid where they say we would work out a price later, but they would bid something now to get my attention. In other words, I would choose their bid only to be given another rate once they find out more about what I want. No thanks.

All in all, Elance is a great place to find labor, but it can be a lot more work. I’ve worked with a few overseas people before. The lowball price is attractive. But, you get what you pay for. The language barrier can be a problem, especially when you’re trying to get them to deliver something specific. Another thing to keep in mind is that many of the really GOOD providers are probably not going to be out there bidding on projects on Elance. Why? Because the good ones are usually pretty busy already. To find the good ones, you usually need to go to where the good ones hang out and ask them to work for you. I recently watched a video of John Reese talking about finding a Flash guy to do his Flash intro for Income.com. Did he put a project out on Elance? No, he went to FlashKit and found somebody in the forums. That’s where Flash people hang out.

My next source for finding a VA is VANetworking. This is a site by VANA (Virtual Assistant Networking Association). I went and submitted a request for proposal (RFP) where they will then, in turn, post on their forum of VAs. I got just as many bids (if not more) from VANetworking as I did from Elance. The big thing to keep in mind is that most of the bids you will get from here are American. That means they cost more. Most of the bids I had were coming in anywhere from $20/hour to $40/hour. But, the quality of the bids was significantly higher than Elance. These women (and most of them were indeed women) really knew their stuff and offered good detail to me in their proposals. I even had a great VA bid who had an office in Tampa – only about a half hour from me.

Ultimately, I have found a lady up in Minnesota who I cam going to be working with. We have agreed on terms (at least preliminarily) and she will be getting me a contract tomorrow. She is a VA, but with a real penchant for internet work. That’s obviously great for me being in the business I am. I’m looking forward to getting out from underneath of some things as well as getting things moving on otherwise stagnant projects. For me, I think finding a good, quality VA is going to be an important step for me.

Blog Transformation Challenge

Like what you read?

... then take the next step. Register for the 30 Day Blog Transformation Challenge. TRANSFORM your blog by perfecting your writing, optimizing your design, and learning how to optimize the marketing funnel.
Click to Learn More ... or...

← Older Comments
  • http://www.writeassociate.com Tammi Metzler – The Write Associate

    One more thing – another great place to find quality VAs is http://www.virtualassistantforums.com.

  • http://www.virtualofficegoddess.com/ Lily Chambers

    In response to Rodney’s comment – Yes, you CAN find someone for less than $40/hour and spend your time delegating and working with them to get good results. However, an employee generally expects a minimum amount of weekly hours, their hourly rate jumps 18%+ after matching employer taxes, and it is rare for them to work out of their own office with their own equipment; overhead is expensive!

    On the other hand, you can pay $40/hour for a VA who not only already has the skills you need and requires little training in your specific business but also is willing to work 30 minutes at a time if that is all you need and has their own equipment (thus reducing your overhead expense). This is especially useful for home-based entrepreneurs who really don’t want a stranger hanging out in their living room all day!

    And, professional VAs (who are themselves business owners) know it is in their best interest to promote their client’s continued growth. How many employees truly feel that way about their job?

    Lily Chambers – aka “The Virtual Office Goddess” :D

  • http://www.virtualofficegoddess.com Lily Chambers

    In response to Rodney’s comment – Yes, you CAN find someone for less than $40/hour and spend your time delegating and working with them to get good results. However, an employee generally expects a minimum amount of weekly hours, their hourly rate jumps 18%+ after matching employer taxes, and it is rare for them to work out of their own office with their own equipment; overhead is expensive!

    On the other hand, you can pay $40/hour for a VA who not only already has the skills you need and requires little training in your specific business but also is willing to work 30 minutes at a time if that is all you need and has their own equipment (thus reducing your overhead expense). This is especially useful for home-based entrepreneurs who really don’t want a stranger hanging out in their living room all day!

    And, professional VAs (who are themselves business owners) know it is in their best interest to promote their client’s continued growth. How many employees truly feel that way about their job?

    Lily Chambers – aka “The Virtual Office Goddess” :D

  • http://www.carteblancheassist.com/ Cheryl Richey

    Thank you for sharing your VA search experinces. So many entrepreneurs and small business owners are just discovering this incredible resource. BTW your little girl is a doll ad form one Floridian to anohter…doesn’t it continually surprise you that you are the only one in shorts and sandals at those conferences? It just seems so normal in FL. :)

  • http://www.carteblancheassist.com Cheryl Richey

    Thank you for sharing your VA search experinces. So many entrepreneurs and small business owners are just discovering this incredible resource. BTW your little girl is a doll ad form one Floridian to anohter…doesn’t it continually surprise you that you are the only one in shorts and sandals at those conferences? It just seems so normal in FL. :)

  • http://www.findvirtual.com/ kelly@findvirtual.com

    Hey David, nice design you have here, very easy to navigate through. :)

    Anyway, we’ve started a social network on http://www.findvirtual.com/ where people can join for free and network with virtual assistants.

    We think that by opening up the industry and making it more transparent with not only forums and blogs but also videos and networking capabilities the more likely it will be that a virtual assistant is found and hired.

    Information is key and we like to provide as much of it as we can. Feel free to check us out, the link is http://www.findvirtual.com/

    :)

    Kel

  • http://www.findvirtual.com/ kelly@findvirtual.com

    Hey David, nice design you have here, very easy to navigate through. :)

    Anyway, we’ve started a social network on http://www.findvirtual.com/ where people can join for free and network with virtual assistants.

    We think that by opening up the industry and making it more transparent with not only forums and blogs but also videos and networking capabilities the more likely it will be that a virtual assistant is found and hired.

    Information is key and we like to provide as much of it as we can. Feel free to check us out, the link is http://www.findvirtual.com/

    :)

    Kel

  • http://www.YourVirtualWizard.com/ Janine Gregor

    David,

    Great post, thanks!

    It isn’t often that people write about their VA selection in such a well-thought out manner. You really took VA selection as a serious business decision; researching numerous venues and evaluating each experience.

    More business owners should view the VA-client partnership as an investment in their own business and not simply as a cost to do business.

    VAs often read about the $4.00 bid that has taken the job ‘out from under them’ and it is disheartening. Your message, though, is uplifting and encouraging…low price does not always ensure high satisfaction.

    Kudos to you!

    Janine Gregor

    Your Virtual Wizard
    “Marketing Magic When You Wand It”
    Tampa Bay, Florida

    http://www.YourVirtualWizard.com

  • http://www.YourVirtualWizard.com Janine Gregor

    David,

    Great post, thanks!

    It isn’t often that people write about their VA selection in such a well-thought out manner. You really took VA selection as a serious business decision; researching numerous venues and evaluating each experience.

    More business owners should view the VA-client partnership as an investment in their own business and not simply as a cost to do business.

    VAs often read about the $4.00 bid that has taken the job ‘out from under them’ and it is disheartening. Your message, though, is uplifting and encouraging…low price does not always ensure high satisfaction.

    Kudos to you!

    Janine Gregor

    Your Virtual Wizard
    “Marketing Magic When You Wand It”
    Tampa Bay, Florida

    http://www.YourVirtualWizard.com

  • http://www.vbsondemand.com/category/blog Serena Carcasole

    Great post!!! I am so happy to see a great quality post on VA’s. There are many fantastic associations and forums of VA’s out there that can help you find a great VA. I happen to be apart of:

    VANA – http://www.vanetworking.com
    IVAA – http://www.ivaa.org
    Virtual Assistant Forum – http://www.virtualassistantforums.com
    CVAC – http://www.cvac.ca
    CVAN – http://www.canadianva.net
    VAClassroom (I am working on my certification as a IMVA) For Internet Marketing VA’s and Social Media VA’s-www.vaclassroom.com/Profile.aspx

    Also there are many great multi VA firms that can provide you with all types of VA’s possible. No more sourcing and delegating and spending so many hours on the phone and by email with different VA’s. I am a multi VA/Service Shop and love the feeling of helping business owners take their business to success!

    Serena Carcasole
    VA and Internt Marketing Assistant
    http://www.vbsondemand.com
    Your 1STOP Business Service Shop
    Outsource your way to success!

  • http://www.vbsondemand.com/category/blog Serena Carcasole

    Great post!!! I am so happy to see a great quality post on VA’s. There are many fantastic associations and forums of VA’s out there that can help you find a great VA. I happen to be apart of:

    VANA – http://www.vanetworking.com
    IVAA – http://www.ivaa.org
    Virtual Assistant Forum – http://www.virtualassistantforums.com
    CVAC – http://www.cvac.ca
    CVAN – http://www.canadianva.net
    VAClassroom (I am working on my certification as a IMVA) For Internet Marketing VA’s and Social Media VA’s-www.vaclassroom.com/Profile.aspx

    Also there are many great multi VA firms that can provide you with all types of VA’s possible. No more sourcing and delegating and spending so many hours on the phone and by email with different VA’s. I am a multi VA/Service Shop and love the feeling of helping business owners take their business to success!

    Serena Carcasole
    VA and Internt Marketing Assistant
    http://www.vbsondemand.com
    Your 1STOP Business Service Shop
    Outsource your way to success!

  • http://www.philweboutsourcing.com/ VA-Naji

    Acquiring a VA is truly can help for your business grow. VA’s are knowledgeable for marketing your online businesses.

  • http://www.philweboutsourcing.com VA-Naji

    Acquiring a VA is truly can help for your business grow. VA’s are knowledgeable for marketing your online businesses.

  • http://www.bpovia.com/ Larry

    Great post! David.

    We use BPOVIA. They are simply the best virtual assistant service provider. Their hourly rate is below $10 per hour.

    BPOVIA is the only virtual assistant service provider ever won the prestigious “Red Herring 2008 Top 100 Global Company” Awards.

  • http://www.bpovia.com/ Larry

    Great post! David.

    We use BPOVIA. They are simply the best virtual assistant service provider. Their hourly rate is below $10 per hour.

    BPOVIA is the only virtual assistant service provider ever won the prestigious “Red Herring 2008 Top 100 Global Company” Awards.

  • http://www.ChrisBlackerby.com/ Chris Blackerby

    What – no love for the Phillipines?

    C’mon David, the Filipinos are where it’s at!

  • http://www.ChrisBlackerby.com Chris Blackerby

    What – no love for the Phillipines?

    C’mon David, the Filipinos are where it’s at!

  • http://www.virtualmissfriday.com/ Virtual Miss Friday

    This is interesting, is there a secret on how to keep a blog posts alive for all this time :-)

    Choose your VA wisely – You need to find one with all the client care that comes with dealing one on one and the team to back up the VA so your work is always done no matter what.

    Great combo!

  • http://www.virtualmissfriday.com Virtual Miss Friday

    This is interesting, is there a secret on how to keep a blog posts alive for all this time :-)

    Choose your VA wisely – You need to find one with all the client care that comes with dealing one on one and the team to back up the VA so your work is always done no matter what.

    Great combo!

  • Sara Karlsson

    Hi David!

    Thanks for this posting!

    I would also recommend a very good resource for finding Dedicated VA’s is http://www.virtualemployee.com/ . You can find VA as well as full time Virtual Employees in various fields such as Programming, Law, Accounts, Engineering and Data Entry. You can hire them for $895 a month, I hope this will help other business owners who are looking VA in other fields.

  • Sara Karlsson

    Hi David!

    Thanks for this posting!

    I would also recommend a very good resource for finding Dedicated VA’s is http://www.virtualemployee.com/ . You can find VA as well as full time Virtual Employees in various fields such as Programming, Law, Accounts, Engineering and Data Entry. You can hire them for $895 a month, I hope this will help other business owners who are looking VA in other fields.

  • http://e-businessconsultants.net/ Mark

    Your article came to mind the other day when I had to call Dell technical support. Fred was obviously from India and while he was probably knowledgeable in PC’s, I gave up because we just could not communicate with each other. When will Dell and the other big companies figure out that it is not the dollar per hour but what you get for an hours pay….

  • http://e-businessconsultants.net/ Mark

    Your article came to mind the other day when I had to call Dell technical support. Fred was obviously from India and while he was probably knowledgeable in PC’s, I gave up because we just could not communicate with each other. When will Dell and the other big companies figure out that it is not the dollar per hour but what you get for an hours pay….

  • Rach4

    David – how did you make out with using a VA. Would love to hear a follow-up to this post

  • Simon

    I cannot handle all my business and i am a very busy person.It came to the point that i really needed to hire a virtual assistant or should i say a dedicated assistant who will work exclusively for me.I had a hard time looking for one.I was blessed when i saw on the net My Secret Staff.I tried their service and i am so satisfied.You can catch them on http://www.secretstaff.com.

  • http://www.senziant.com/ Jeff Demers

    Very cool post. I can't imagine my business or my life without a personal virtual assistant. Talk about incredible efficiency and an incredible value. The site that I have had the best luck finding VA's with has been Guru.com. They publish a ranked list of virtual assistant's. Check it out @ http://www.guru.com/find-freelancers/Virtual-As… – it's nice to get a sense of overall quality before even initiating a conversation

  • http://www.kpo.com/ KPO Companies

    This was a brilliant post. Virtual assistance service is something that can help you best. With an exceptional growth opportunity, virtual assistant service helps you in getting online personal assistance service on a much lower cost. This not only helps you in giving a complete edge to your business but also staying updated in the competitive era. This is the reason, it has become hot choice for every growth seeking entrepreneur.

    Best Regards,
    Yolanda

  • http://www.kpo.com/ KPO Companies

    This was a brilliant post. Virtual assistance service is something that can help you best. With an exceptional growth opportunity, virtual assistant service helps you in getting online personal assistance service on a much lower cost. This not only helps you in giving a complete edge to your business but also staying updated in the competitive era. This is the reason, it has become hot choice for every growth seeking entrepreneur.

    Best Regards,
    Yolanda

  • Lawrence

    Virtual assistance can be a great option for all kinds of companies. The benefits that can be gained from hiring a virtual assistant depends on the kind of VA you are able to hire. You need to make sure that the VA you hire is the right VA for your business. On their own, the VA must have characteristics that make them valuable to your business.

  • http://www.acquisix.com Telemarketing

    Virtual assistants can do a business a lot of good if you have a set idea of what you are looking for in one. A good tip mentioned in the post is to find a VA, or any other type of service you require, in places or sites where they usually go to or “hang out”. Great post!

  • http://www.acquisix.com Telemarketing Companies

    That’s true! There are other factors you should consider before hiring a virtual assistant. Price is an attractive consideration, but you have to make sure that you can still get the quality service you need.

  • virtual assistance

    I expect more than that from your blog so keep it up and great blog comparing to other one’s you will give me the procedure for that because i was waiting for the replay I like to subscribe this blog. Thanks

  • http://www.acquisix.com Telemarketing Services

    If you really want to save on operational costs (electricity, etc.) hiring a VA is very practical. Although this may have some drawbacks, depending on the business you are in, it also provides many benefits and advantages.

  • http://www.acquisix.com Telemarketing Services

    If you really want to save on operational costs (electricity, etc.) hiring a VA is very practical. Although this may have some drawbacks, depending on the business you are in, it also provides many benefits and advantages.

  • Erinsmith

    A virtual assistant can help you grow your business by handling your administrative support tasks through a single point of contact. Virtual assistant can make one’s life easier and better! Try out our 24/7 Virtual Assistant packages and see the difference.

  • http://www.allvirtualhelp.com/ Virtual Assistant Services

    This is really
    great information. Videos are incredibly helpful tools for training purposes.
    Thank you very much!
     

  • WGN Administrative Services

    Excellent post, thank you David.  I am new to the VA world but have been an administrative support person for over 20 years.  I considered Elance but decided to go with Guru.  I also review the all the VA site Serena has mentioned in her comments as well.

← Older Comments