7 Essential Traits a Solopreneur Should Look for in an Admin VA

Most people dream of owning a business at some point in their lives. While some prefer to work up the corporate ladder, many take the risk of starting their own. Solopreneurs take it up a notch by having little to no support throughout their entrepreneurial journey—from launch down to operations.

Only little can compare to the rewarding feeling of seeing your dreams come to life, all because of your hard work and dedication. However, being a solopreneur can wear even the most diligent people out.

Running a business while assuming all the duties and responsibilities is a lot to ask of one person. But thanks to modern technology, solopreneurs can now contract the help of different people worldwide to reduce the hassle of in-person onboarding.

There are many types of virtual assistants (VAs), but businesses often seek the help of a virtual administrative assistant as an extra pair of hands in handling office management and other bookkeeping tasks. 

Contracting the right virtual admin services is similar to hiring on-site personnel for your business. You’ll want to outsource a virtual assistant who can help scale your business and ease any wrinkles in the operational process, not add to it. 

If you’re interested in hiring a virtual administrative assistant with solopreneur work experience, this article can help you get started on what traits you should look out for in a candidate!

The Importance of an Administrative Assistant

For businesses across the board, administrative assistants are often the backbone of the office. Booking meetings and answering phone calls can be the last thing on the long to-do list of a busy business owner. An admin virtual assistant can be responsible for these and handle all necessary clerical tasks off your hands.

Solopreneurs can clear the same tasks off their tables by enlisting the help of a virtual administrative assistant. Virtual admin services can vary depending on your business needs. Commonly, it involves carrying out organizational duties to keep your business operating smoothly. Some of these tasks include: 

• Organizing travel flights and accommodations 
• Writing meeting minutes
• Coordinating with vendors for inventory purposes 
• Answering customer inquiries
• Preparing important documents and reports 
• Scheduling appointments and meetings

7 Traits to Look for When Finding the Best Admin VA for Your Business

Knowing your virtual administrative assistant candidate can ease some of your worries when assigning someone to work on vital tasks of your business. Here are seven of the many crucial traits of a virtual assistant you should note. 

1. Excellent project managers 

Hire a virtual administrative assistant who’s an efficient multi-tasker with an organized work system. They have to be dependable in juggling multiple responsibilities and streamlining processes. While this can be a lot to ask for one person, the ideal admin assistant can work hand-in-hand with you to make all these happen. 

2. Precise with every detail 

Maintaining accuracy in every document and report is essential when running a business. An outsourced administrative assistant should be detail-oriented—one who double, even triple, checks every deliverable to save you time and stress when evaluating tasks and approving paperwork. 

3. Well-versed in research 

Although you can’t expect a virtual administrative assistant to know anything and everything about your brand and industry, a valuable one should have the right system to find the correct information to accomplish a task. It can be as simple as knowing the right contact to source their answers to your questions.

4. Direct and clear communicators

Your ideal admin assistant should be transparent and communicative with you every step of the way. They must also be excellent listeners to address your concerns and collaborate well with you. Being able to effectively get their point across, whether verbally or through written messages, can significantly help improve your business. 

5. Proficient in technological tools 

Unless the nature of your brand requires it, a virtual administrative assistant doesn’t have to know complex coding solutions to be tech-savvy. However, they must have some skills in navigating cloud-based office and business applications, especially since they’ll provide remote support.

They should also meet you, your customers, and your vendors on any platform like Zoom, Slack, and Google Chat without a problem. 

6. Good ability to work well under pressure 

Virtual admin services can entail a lot of work. Your ideal virtual administrative assistant should be able to complete their duties, create outstanding outputs, and meet deadlines that work within your schedule without having to seek your close guidance or instructions constantly. 

7. Efficient time management

Chances are, your outsourced administrative assistant is in a different time zone than you. Since they work remotely, your admin assistant must have excellent time management skills to manage their time well to meet where you and your business need them. 

Get Admin Help for You and Your Business

Virtual administrative assistants can help take the world off a solopreneur’s shoulders and into their hands. Hiring a person with the right traits of a virtual assistant to add to the small team of their business can be a big step towards outstanding performances and excellent production. 

If you’re a solopreneur looking to expand your business and hire remote professionals to take charge of administrative duties, Outsource Access is your all-in-one solution!