It’s an exciting point to get to in your business when you need to hire help, but it can also feel a little daunting. After all, you know your business inside and out, so how could an outsider possibly help? And can you even afford their help in the first place?
Enter the Virtual Assistant (or VA). The number of VAs in the UK is on the rise, many of whom are ex-PAs and EAs who were excellent at their job but wanted more flexibility and less of a commute after having children. VAs are either self-employed or operate as a Limited Company, and they generally offer their services through blocks of hours or retainer packages. This means that you can get truly excellent support for the time you need it and at a fraction of the cost (and no national insurance, sick pay or pension to think about). In the UK, VAs charge upwards of £25 an hour, so the equivalent of an hour’s support a day would mean a £500 per month investment.
Where to start?
When starting your search for your VA, a good place to begin is by asking your personal and professional network for recommendations. The chances that someone will know a VA or someone that does are pretty high. Spread the word at networking events too. At every networking event I’ve been to there has been at least one other VA present.
Each VA offers different services but generally they can support you with email and calendar management, general admin, social media services…the list goes on. A good way to decide what you need help with is to look at repetitive tasks you do that don’t need your individual expertise. Take some time to document the process from start to finish, either by recording your screen or taking screen shots and writing a step-by-step process. Spending time doing this in order to outsource will save you hours in the long run, and free up your valuable time to spend on revenue-generating activities.
Remember to ask these questions before hiring:
- Are they registered as a data controller with the Information Commissioner’s Office?
- Do they have professional indemnity insurance?
- If they will be helping you with any bookkeeping type activities, are they registered for AML?
- Do they have a UK specific contract for you to sign?
And, of course, clarify things like working hours and turnaround times!
Off to See My Lawyer offers a Virtual Assistant Starter Pack for VA’s and for those wishing to hire a VA, we offer a Freelance Contractor Agreement template.
This post was written by Amy Gould, an ex-London PA turned VA in 2016. Alongside her VA work, Amy runs a VA training programme for aspiring VAs and can recommend a talented pool of VAs for frazzled business owners.
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