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Client Tip: Get a strong start with your Virtual Assistant *before* you agree to work together
posted
12/18/08
The foundation for your relationship will begin with the interview/consultation process. What you do here is as important as anything else you will ever do with this relationship.
Be aware that as you are interviewing the Virtual Assistant, she's also interviewing you. The fit has to be there for both people, or the relationship will never be successful. Don't be offended when she behaves as your equal and a business owner in her own right. She is your equal, a business owner in her own right, and deserves to be treated with the same respect you do. Trust me…you really don’t want it any other way if you want to work with someone capable of working with you at a high level, and if you find someone who behaves like an employee (asks permission, seems timid or unsure of herself or her services, hesitates when talking about, well, anything, defers to you in an employee-like manner or behaves as though she believes that you're more important than she because you're the prospective client, etc.), end the conversation--there's no point in continuing.
In the interview/consultation, go beyond the “what can you do for me” kinds of questions. Remember, you’re bringing someone into your life and work who will be your right hand. As such, it’s critical that she fit you like a glove—and that fit is actually more important than any skill set (beyond administrative) you think you need. Skills can be learned. Fit can't be faked.
To get a strong start, be willing to talk as many times as either of you need to to delve into deeper topics that would tell you whether you are a good match for one another. These are topics the likes of which you would never be able to ask when interviewing an employee, but here--where you're interviewing another business owner--they're all fair game.
An easily understood example of one of those topics would be:
How do we communicate being upset?
If you tend to yell a lot, or if your Virtual Assistant tends to blame, aren't those things you should know about each other before you agree to work together? After all, it's easier to not get involved at all than it is to deal with the pain of having to extricate yourself from a relationship that never should have happened in the first place.
Think about your values. Think about what bothers you. Think about who you are in a relationship and who your complement would need to be. Come up with discussion topics about them. The Virtual Assistants you interview should have their own that they'd like to discuss as well.
While this lengthens the interview process, if what you really seek is a partner for your success, it's time well spent.
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