Top 10 Interview Questions to Ask a Virtual Assistant

If you have come here, it is because you surely feel ready to hire a virtual assistant. Now, do you know exactly what you need to outsource specifically to this person?

Remember that we cannot take the right path if we do not know where we are going or where we are coming from. So the first thing to take into account would be to know in detail all the tasks that you need to outsource. For this, we recommend you to make a matrix with all the tasks that are the foundation of your business, thinking about the ones that you like, the ones that you don’t like, the ones that you are good at, and the ones that you are not good at. This is very simple but it can help you determine the tasks that you can outsource.

Now, once you have all the points clear, it is time to think about what the person who will efficiently execute the tasks to maintain your business and help it expand should be like.

One of the reasons why many people still hesitate to hire a virtual assistant is because they want to know if a specific person is right for the job they need. That is why there are companies like There is Talent where we take care of the whole recruitment and selection process for you, among many other things.

We also understand that many people like to personally know who is going to work with them, so if you have not gone through the process of selecting personnel for your team yet, we can help you with some questions that are essential when interviewing a virtual assistant.

Keep in mind that the most important thing is that you ask open-ended questions that allow your interviewee to explain in detail. Anyone can answer yes or no questions, but what you really need is to know details about this person’s character, their experience, their level of English if you are considering Customer Support, or how accessible they would be to you, among other things.

Let’s see those essential questions!

1. How did you become a virtual assistant?

This is a great way to open the interview and gives you the opportunity to learn a little more about the person’s character and what their story is. As you begin the interview, you are getting to know your candidate and their perspective on life, and if that perspective is similar to yours.

2. What do you consider to be your main skills and areas of expertise?

Since you have clearly defined the tasks that you need to outsource, it is essential to know which are the areas in which your interviewee feels more comfortable and has more experience in order to compare it with your needs and to know if adjustments need to be made.

3. What is your time zone?

This is an incredibly important point to take into account. We know that offshore virtual assistants are one of the best options for many business owners because they represent a significant saving. However, when hiring staff in locations outside the continent, you will surely have to take into account many adjustments in order to communicate efficiently and coordinate the delivery of tasks or schedules if they are working with customer support. For this reason, we always recommend nearshore personnel over offshore.

4. What are your working hours?

This will allow you to know the availability of your interviewee and see if it matches your preferences or if some changes can be made. At There is Talent, our virtual assistants adjust to the schedule you need.

5. How comfortable are you speaking and writing in English?

If you are going to hire an offshore virtual assistant, it is essential to know how confident they feel about working in English. Our team of VAs and customer support agents is fully bilingual, so the language barrier is not an issue.

6. What methods do you prefer to communicate?

This is important to make sure you are on the same page. If your interviewee prefers to communicate by mail or WhatsApp and it is not the way you handle yourself, it may be necessary to make some changes if you are both willing.

7. What is your contingency plan if you have internet or power failures?

Things are always happening that is unexpected. The important thing is to determine how prepared your VA is in case you have to resort to an alternate plan that allows them to meet the dates established for the tasks.

8. What was your experience with your last client and why did the working relationship end?

It’s true that you can always ask for recommendations but nothing talks about someone as much as how they feel about a past work relationship. Pay attention to the adjectives they use to refer to their last employer. The reasons they give are important in determining whether you want to establish a relationship with this person.

9. What experience do you have with the software we use?

In addition to evaluating soft skills, it is equally important to evaluate role-specific skills and ensure that this person will be able to perform the tasks that are required for his or her position.

10. Explain how your company works, its principles, and having given context you can ask: what can they offer to the company?

It will be interesting to know what their perspective is according to what you have said and also if they have the ability to create a sense of belonging to reflect the image of the company.

If you still have doubts about how to choose the best candidate or simply prefer someone else to do it for you, There Is Talent is here to help you!

We enjoy the whole process of recruiting and selecting personnel and connecting you with the ideal person for your needs.

So don’t hesitate and book a strategic call with our director Claudia to find out what our team of  VAs can do for you!