1. Tell me what are you normal working hours?
If you need someone available from 8am and the VA in question normally starts at 9am, you need to know this! It may be they would be willing to work from 8am, but will charge a higher rate. Get absolute clarity from the beginning to avoid frustration or disappointment further down the line.
2. Tell me how quickly do you respond during working hours?
While often overlooked, this question is something you should ask as it lets you know how long it will take your VA to get back to you via calls or emails when you need something. Always remember that communication between you and your assistant is vital. Therefore, anything that concerns it should be established and made clear early on.
3. Tell me what do you do when a client has trouble articulating their needs?
A good virtual assistant should be able to pick up on your needs and be perceptive enough to identify the source of a problem. This comes from understanding both you and your business. Asking questions to better understand the problems you're facing is a good sign.
4. Tell me what are your main communication methods?
If you prefer liaising by telephone but the VA prefers email, then it's not going to be the easiest working relationship. Find out what methods are available to determine if they are suitable for you too.
5. Tell me examples of the work you've carried out in the past?
This is a must. If you need them for a specific role, you've got to have examples of similar work. If they can't give an exact example, then it's up to you whether you decide to continue anyway (because after all part of your decision will come from gut instinct). It's also important to point out that for some VA's providing examples of work may be tricky if they've signed non-disclosures, so what I'd suggest is asking them to complete a ‘test' job to help you decide. Most VAs will be happy to oblige if it's a piece of business they want.
6. Tell me what are your primary skills and expertise?
This is necessary for obvious reasons. If you want someone to do something for you, like design a website, for instance, common sense dictates that you choose the person who knows exactly what he or she is doing. Otherwise, what's the point of hiring someone who cannot satisfactorily perform the role you want him to fill in? As such, you should determine if a prospective VA is qualified to assist you and has the specific skill set that matches the job description.
7. Tell me are you willing to sign a non-disclosure agreement?
As a final question and depending on your particular business, you may require your VA to sign a non-disclosure agreement. Most VAs' shouldn't have a problem with this, but it's worth confirming before appointing.
8. What are your strengths and weaknesses as Virtual Assistant?
This is not so much about the answers themselves but more about the way a prospective VA answers the question. A capable person, whether he is a virtual assistant or not, would be aware of his own strengths and weaknesses and will be able answer this question without a problem.
But if the applicant believes that he has no weakness, then obviously, you might want to move on to the next candidate. This basically means that that person is not open to growth and change. He might also have problems with accepting accountability or constructive criticisms in case he makes mistakes.
9. Tell me what are your interests? What do you enjoy the most about your job?
Not only will these questions let you know the things your VA is passionate about, which is something that can be quite handy in the future, they also say a lot of things about you as an employer.
It basically shows that you are genuinely interested in knowing the person not just on a professional level, but on a personal level as well. The mere fact that you took the time to ask questions that aren't deeply work-related gives the VA the impression that you're someone who's approachable and easy to get along with.
10. Explain me how do you manage relationships with difficult team members?
Depending on your business needs, you may rely on a virtual assistant to coordinate with other team members. However, some virtual assistants consider working with other team members to be outside the scope of their assignment. Make sure your expectations are clear. Again, having diverse past work experience is generally an asset.
11. Tell me do you have experience with ?
It isn't enough that you know that a prospective VA has the skills to do the tasks you have in mind. It is also important to get the assurance that he or she is good at doing his job. These days, there are virtual assistants whose qualifications and experience range from zero to mere entry level. Thus, it will certainly help to determine an applicant's level of competency and experience before hiring him. This way, you're confident that the VA you'll hire is well-equipped to handle the responsibilities his job entails.
12. Tell me what would you do if you have a deadline and your computer suddenly crashed?
According to Murphy's Law, anything that can go wrong will go wrong. As such, it is important to gauge the applicant's preparedness in case of accidents. Your VA should have a contingency plan in place to ensure that deadlines will be met and important tasks will be completed, no matter what the circumstances are.
13. Tell me how do you handle a situation when you may not know how to complete a task?
This question should give you insight into the candidate's work style. Generally speaking, it's better to ask questions than make mistakes, but good candidates should also be independent and proactive enough that they try to solve many problems without coming to you first.
14. Suppose you have a deadline and your computer suddenly crashes. What do you do?
Sometimes things go wrong. When this happens, you need a virtual assistant who's resourceful and dedicated. Good answers might include switching to a phone or tablet while they get their computer up and running, as well as checking to make sure that their work has been backed up online.
15. The most important question to ask a potential candidate is why they want the job?
Their answer will say a lot about them and will start to give you a glimpse of their attitude and work ethic. The more passion they show you in their answer, the better candidate they are to work as your virtual assistant.
16. Explain me have you had a client who had difficulty describing his needs?
Surprisingly, there are many employers who cannot exactly explain what they want from their VAs. By asking an applicant this question, you can gauge his capability to solve problems when faced with a similar situation. You can test his initiative and determine how he would react in case you want something done but can't provide enough details or don't have the knowledge on how to accomplish it.
17. Please explain what's your background, experience and do you have a specific skill set?
Find out what they've done. Dig deep to help you start to form some instincts about whether they're right for you. How did they become a VA? What industry sectors have they worked in? This question will also help determine their adaptability. If they've worked across a variety of sectors in differing roles their skill set will be broad, which if you need a good all-rounder who's not afraid of change or getting new tasks thrown at them will suit your business brilliantly. On the other hand, you may find they have worked in the same field throughout their professional life and therefore bring a wealth of experience and qualifications which may be exactly what your business needs.
18. Basic Virtual Assistant Job Interview Questions:
☛ How long have you worked as a Virtual Assistant?
☛ What's your background, experience and do you have a specific skill set?
☛ What are your strengths and weaknesses?
☛ How many clients do you have?
☛ What are your main communication methods?
☛ What do you enjoy the most about your work?
☛ How quickly do you usually respond to emails during your working hours?
☛ What security measures do you have in place?
☛ You have a deadline when your computer suddenly crashed. What would you do?
☛ What were some of the trainings you've had that make you good at ______ (name specific skill/skills you are looking for)?
19. Difficult Virtual Assistant Job Interview Questions:
☛ Why are you looking to leave your current job?
☛ What do you know about my organization?
☛ What are you looking for in a new role?
☛ What experience do you have in relation to what I do?
☛ Does your skill set meet my requirements?
☛ What have you done in the last 12 months to improve your skills?
☛ How long would you expect to work for me should you get the job?
☛ If I were to hire you today, what would make you an asset to me and my company?
☛ Tell me about yourself. What do you like to do on the weekends?
20. General Virtual Assistant Job Interview Questions:
☛ Do you already have another job? If so, where are you working and how many hours are you working?
☛ How much money are you looking to make?
☛ Have you worked for foreign employers before?
☛ How long have you been doing (state type of work you're hiring for) work?
☛ Please send me a link to your onlinejobs.ph profile.
☛ Please send me three references and examples of your best work.
☛ Please write a paragraph of why I should hire you. Don't send a list of your experience; describe it to me.
☛ When would you be available to start work?
☛ Do you have your own computer and Internet access? If you have access, how fast is your connection?
☛ Will you work from home or from an Internet café?
☛ Where are you in the Philippines?
Hiring a virtual assistant should help you become more effective and efficient. To accomplish that, they need to be able to prioritize tasks based on your particular needs and goals. A good candidate should be able to identify which messages are time-sensitive and which can wait.
22. Tell me what do you consider your core skills and services? Which ones are outside your scope?
Because there are many different kinds of virtual assistants, it's important for you to have a clear idea of what you're looking for. Do you need someone to organize your schedule, book travel, and arrange meetings? Or are you looking for someone to help with bookkeeping and data entry?
23. Please explain what is it that makes it difficult for you to work from a remote location?
With excellent communication means nowadays, answering this question in the negative is a bit difficult. Working from a remote location is not difficult at all, however, one does sometimes miss having company.
24. Tell me which kind of skills do you believe are the most important for virtual assistants?
There are many. Exceptional research skills, the ability to be organized and meet deadlines and capability of handling several tasks at the same time are just some of them.
Whether or not you consider your company to be “corporate,” this question should give you insight into a candidate's maturity, professionalism, and communication skills. Great candidates will have organizational experience, as well as a high level of comfort with different work and communication styles. For this reason, candidates with a few years of office experience tend to make more effective assistants than people right out of school.
26. Explain me how do you bring professionalism in your work, working in a domestic setting?
I have a proper space set for myself in my house. It is like a mini office. So it is not a domestic setting that I am working in. The hours that I dedicate to my work are for that particular work only. Even my pet is not allowed to come to my work space during the hours designated for my work.
27. May I have details of a work reference I can contact?
Ask your own questions and find out first hand what it's been like for an existing client to work with this VA. This should help put your mind at ease that they are reliable, professional, and trustworthy.
28. Please explain a time you proactively addressed a client's need?
This question is pretty open ended and good answers will vary depending on your business needs and the candidate's specialties. Great examples include identifying and streamlining inefficient processes to cut down on meetings, or identifying more cost-effective vendors for particular goods or services. The best candidates won't just solve problems when you assign them; they'll be constantly looking for ways to streamline and improve your workflow to help you save time and money if possible.
29. Tell me what is your hourly rate?
To make sure it's not outside of your budget! If there is a pricing structure, make sure it's clear so you know what you'll be getting billed each week / month.
30. Tell me how many clients do you have?
The reason for asking this is just to ensure that they have enough time for you. The last thing you want is to find a fantastic VA who has 20 other clients without any support and is therefore difficult to get meet your deadlines.
31. Tell me how long have you worked as a Virtual Assistant?
Immediately you can gage the experience this VA has. Have they set up their own VA business rather than simply freelancing? If so, they will understand your needs not only from an assistant's perspective, but from a business point of view as well.
32. Tell us what methods do you prefer for communication?
This question is about making sure your work styles are aligned. Are you tied to your email all day? Or do you prefer to text while on the go? Do you like talking face-to-face over Skype or Google Hangouts? The ideal candidate will be comfortable communicating with you through the channels you use most naturally.
33. Please explain what timezone are you in and what hours are you available?
Because virtual assistants may be based anywhere in the world, it's important to make sure you're able to communicate. If you're based in New York and your virtual assistant is in India, for instance, they may be almost 10 hours ahead of you. What matters is that you clearly establish their availability and your needs so that you can tell whether it's a good match.
34. Tell me do you have references I can contact?
While there are virtual assistants who have reviews and testimonials you can read on their blogs or website, it is still important to contact the applicant's previous clients who can vouch for his professionalism so you can validate his claims. If there is any sign of hesitation on the applicant's end when you ask this question, you might want to think twice before hiring that person.
35. Tell me what are your working hours?
Knowing the best times and days you can contact your VA is essential to your business. As such, you should get the VA's working hours and compare them to your requirements. And if you're going to hire someone located on the other side of the world, be mindful of the time difference.
