Walk Like a Giant, Sell Like a Madman

19.4. Finding a Qualified and Experienced Virtual Assistant

You can Google "virtual assistants" and find links to hundreds of thousands of VAs and VA groups on the Web, most of whom are well-qualified to handle any number of basic tasks.

However, searching for VAs using a standard search engine does nothing to weed out unqualified VAs or highlight the best of them. To improve your chances of finding a qualified VA dedicated to providing the top-notch service you desire, search VA association directories to find registered, certified VAs. Here are a few great VA sites where you can begin your search:

• International Virtual Assistants Association (IVAA) at www.ivaa.org

• Virtual Assistant Networking Association (VANA) at www.vanetworking.com

• Elance—outsourcing to freelance programmers, Web developers, logo designers, illustrators, and writers at www.elance.com

• REVA Network (Real Estate Virtual Assistants Network) at www.revanetwork.com

If you need 75 hours of VA assistance a week, probably you would be better off engaging three VAs at 25 hours a week rather than one at 75 hours to gain better control and better use of each VA's area of expertise.

Once you get in contact with your virtual assistant, you will need to interview the person just as if you were interviewing candidates for full- or part-time employment in-house. The following worksheet provides you with the most important questions ...