Qualifying Applicants for an Assistant Job In this section, we’ll look at how to qualify applicants for the job you’re proposing. Dealing in thousands of miles and different cultures, I know and understand that this process is critical to your business success. It might involve going through hundreds of resumés or test tasks to find those most fit for the job. I want to teach you how to do this most effectively and efficiently. I look at several factors when considering applicants. First, as I’ve mentioned, I study the initial application they’ve emailed me, both for what it tells me about the applicants and to gauge whether they followed the basic instructions. Overview of the Interview Process I always conduct the interview process myself. For handling tasks in the U.S., an excellent grasp of English is mandatory, so that’s my first determination — whether this applicant sounds like he/she is in the next county or state, and not a neighboring hemisphere. Your virtual assistant (VA) will represent you on the phone and online and must be business-sharp in communications; you’ll also want to communicate with your assistant without difficulty, either by phone or via Skype. Personally, I prefer talking to the person over a live microphone, so I just put on my headphones or turn on my speakers, and I’m able to speak with the candidate. It’s important that, when engaged, the person responds quickly and easily. If they take a 5- or 10- second pause before responding to a question, their English skills may be insufficient, and understanding could be a problem. When I begin an interview, I start with a certain amount of small talk to break the ice. You might ask how the person is doing, what the weather is like, or about the area where they live. There are a few reasons to do this. You want to make the candidate feel relaxed and comfortable. They might be nervous about the interview, so allowing them to see that you’re a charismatic person is helpful. There might be instances in which speaking on the phone is not as important or even necessary. For example, if the assistant has a great deal of experience in data input (the task at hand), and they can communicate effectively through email, it might not be a problem that they don’t speak well on the phone. Some of my virtual assistants and I have never had a telephone conversation.
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