Virtual Assistant Interview Questions: What & How To Ask

Virtual assistants are an amazing resource that businesses large and small use to get more work done in the office. Hiring the right virtual assistant can significantly enhance productivity, but the process can be tricky given the multitude of countries, websites, and resources to hire from. There are a lot of resources out there, but not a lot of wisdom to help guide businesses to make great virtual assistant hires.

After you have found some potential virtual assistant candidates from your hiring sources (agency, job board, or freelance site), you need to know the right questions to ask your VA candidates during an interview to see if they are a good fit. Not all VAs, even experienced ones, will be what you’re looking for, and you need to really understand your specific needs to know what are the right questions to ask.

To help you create your virtual assistant interview questions, let’s explore some key questions that can help you identify the best virtual assistant candidates for your needs. Use these questions to structure your interviews and to think about what you really need for your virtual assistant to demonstrate competency during the interview.

Questions to Understand Their VA Experience

1. Can you tell me about your previous experience as a virtual assistant? This will help you understand the candidate’s background, their familiarity with the role, and the types of tasks they have handled in the past.
2. What software and tools are you familiar with? Virtual assistants often need to use various online tools, ranging from email clients to project management software. A good understanding of these tools is crucial for efficient work. Even if the virtual assistant doesn’t know your specific tool, if they have learned a lot of tools, it’s an indicator that they could learn your tool fast.
3. Can you provide examples of projects or tasks you’ve managed in the past? This can give you insights into the candidate’s capabilities and how they could potentially benefit your organization.

Questions to Assess Their Work Habits and Ethics

1. How do you handle deadlines and manage your time? Time management is critical for virtual assistants since they might be handling multiple tasks and clients simultaneously.
2. What steps do you take to ensure confidentiality and data security? As a virtual assistant may have access to sensitive data, it’s crucial to understand their commitment to confidentiality and data protection.
3. What would you do if you saw a manager doing something inappropriate? This is a great question to see how the candidate responds to authority and to misconduct. Personally, I’d like to see a measured response here, showing that it would depend on the severity of the infraction and how much of a trust/personal relationship they have with the manager to deal with the situation.

Questions to Probe Their Problem-Solving Skills

1. Can you describe a situation where you had to solve a problem or overcome a challenge in your role as a virtual assistant? This question can help you gauge the candidate’s problem-solving skills and their ability to handle difficult situations.
2. What do you do when you cannot solve a problem? Work me through your process. You’ll want to see here how they go about solving something they don’t know how to do. Do they ask for help from supervisors or colleagues? Do they review documentation or how-to videos? The key here is action: you want your candidate to show that they are active in solving the problem and don’t just waste time in indecision.

Questions to Verify Their Communication Skills

1. How do you handle communication with clients and team members? Since virtual assistants often work remotely, excellent communication skills are a must to ensure smooth cooperation and prevent misunderstandings.
2. How would you define your communication style? Direct? Clear? Can you provide any examples of clear communication in emails that you’ve done before? Clear communication is very key to being a VA. You’ll want your candidate to demonstrate that 1) they think of how communication could be understood in multiple ways and 2) how they make sure their communication is clearly written to combat misunderstandings.

Questions to Examine Their Ability to Learn Fast

1. What is the latest tech tool that you have learned? The best virtual assistants are those who continually learn and adapt to changing environments.
2. Tell me how you like to learn new tools. Do you read the how-to’s, or do you just jump right in?

Questions to Learn Their Personality

1. How would your previous employers or clients describe you? This question can offer insight into how the candidate perceives their working relationships and their self-awareness about their strengths and weaknesses.
2. What motivates you in your work? The response can give you a glimpse into what drives the candidate, which is particularly important for remote roles that require self-motivation.
3. Can you describe a challenging situation where your patience was tested and how you handled it? Patience can be a vital quality in a virtual assistant, especially when dealing with difficult tasks or clients.

Questions to Assess Their Working Style

1. How do you prioritize your work when given multiple tasks at once? This question can help you understand the candidate’s organizational skills and how they handle pressure.
2. What kind of work environment do you thrive in? As virtual assistants usually work remotely, it’s important to know whether they prefer a structured routine or are comfortable with a flexible schedule.
3. Can you describe a time when you received critical feedback? How did you respond? This question can reveal the candidate’s ability to accept criticism, learn from it, and improve their performance — all crucial factors for a remote role.

Conclusion

These are some fundamental questions to ask when interviewing virtual assistant candidates. Remember, the goal is not just to assess their skills and experience, but also their work ethics, communication skills, and their potential to grow with your organization. With these questions in hand, you’ll be well-equipped to find a virtual assistant that’s a perfect fit for your team.

Remember that the questions are merely a starting point. You should customize and tweak these questions based on your unique needs and the specific requirements of the role. Happy hiring!

Want some help finding your perfect virtual assistant? Global Hola can help! We find amazing virtual talents for small to medium-sized businesses to do more.