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Your All-In-One Guide to Hiring a Virtual Administrator

 

Are your daily administrative tasks taking up too much of your time lately? If so, you need to enlist the help of an expert administrative assistant/administrator.

Employing a professional administrator helps you save time and effort by doing these mundane yet no less vital tasks - so you can focus on running your business.

Virtual admin staffing offers a cost-effective and flexible way to boost your and your in-house staff’s productivity.

 

Understanding the Administrator Role

 

If it’s your first time employing a virtual Administrator, here are some things you should know:

 

Key Responsibilities and Expectations

Companies typically assign the following responsibilities to administrators they recruit:

 

Answering phone calls and emails
Making travel arrangements
Scheduling meetings
Managing filing systems, updating records, and organizing documentation
Preparing and organizing databases and reports
Issuing invoices to company clients
Providing recommendations based on your target audience’s needs and preferences and
Directing company clients to the appropriate department for their needs.

 

Full-time vs. Part-time vs. Freelance Administrators

 

Do you need full-time, part-time, or even freelance admin services? Here are the key differences between the three:

 

Full-time Administrators:

 

Works for forty (40) hours per week and follows a regular schedule
Often considered a company employee and thus receives benefits like health insurance, paid time off, etc.
Provides constant and dedicated support to your company and is focused solely on the tasks assigned to them
Is usually more committed to the company than a part-timer or freelancer.

Part-time Administrators:

 

Works less than forty (40) hours per week
May or may not receive benefits, depending on the arrangement
Still works within a fixed schedule or during designated hours for work
May have other commitments or roles elsewhere

Freelance Administrators

 

Operates as independent contractors or self-employed individuals
Works on a per-project basis or as needed, often without a fixed schedule, and could be providing admin services to multiple clients
Don’t usually receive benefits from their employer/s and
Offers flexibility since you can scale as needed

 

Generally, you should recruit an administrator based on your company’s needs.

 

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Ideal Remote Workforce?

 

The Importance of Administrative Assistants

 

Here are some reasons why hiring an administrative specialist will significantly benefit your business:

 

Streamlining Operations


An expert administrative assistant streamlines your operations by handling routine tasks like making your schedule, answering calls and emails, handling data entry, etc. They facilitate smoother workflows, improve communication between your departments, and help complete tasks on time.

 

Enhancing Productivity


Having an administrator on board helps manage routine tasks, organize workflows, and facilitate seamless operations more efficiently.

Admin services enable your in-house officers and team to focus on their core functions, promote efficiency and timely accomplishment of tasks, and foster a more productive work environment.

 

Contributing to a Positive Work Environment


Admin staffing makes things easier for your in-house team by optimizing task management, work communication, and collaboration.

 

Identifying the Right Type of Administrative Support

 

How do you identify what kind of admin specialist you need for your company? Here are some points that can help:

 

Differences Between
Administrative Assistants, Executive Assistants, and Virtual Assistants

 

One of the most common questions companies recruiting administrators for the first time have is: “What’s the difference between administrative, executive, and virtual assistants?”

Here they are:

 

 

Administrative Assistants

 

Focus primarily on general administrative support such as scheduling, correspondence, and data entry.

 

Executive Assistants

 

Provide high-level administrative support to top-level executives or senior management and
Handle complex tasks, manage schedules, coordinate meetings, and participate in strategic planning and decision-making processes.

 

Virtual Assistants

 

Can work on a wide range of tasks, including administrative support, such as customer support and marketing
Offer versatility and can handle various business needs.

 

In short, administrative assistants focus primarily on general admin services for you or the entire company, executive assistants generally support high-level executives, and virtual assistants are generalists who provide various support besides the usual administrative tasks.

 

 

Specialized Administrators (E.g., Legal, Medical)

 

Aside from general administrative tasks, some administrators carry out specialized administrative functions, such as legal, medical, human resources (HR), and financial services.

If you need the assistance of one of these specialized admin services, specify the type of specialist you need in your job ad.

 

Ready to Build and Retain your
Ideal Remote Workforce?

 

Where to Find Quality Administrative Assistants?

 

Finding expert administrators can be a long and stressful process.

First, you must identify what type of admin services you need. Then, you advertise an opening on job sites and forums and wait for applicants. Finally, you must filter and interview these applicants to find the best candidates.

What if there was a way to skip most of these steps?

 

 

Working With Staffing Agencies


The best way to find expert administrative assistants is by partnering with experienced staffing agencies like Remote Staff. Our vast talent pool of qualified candidates is bound to produce a suitable administrator for your needs.

Just submit your requirements to us, and we’ll handle finding, screening, and matching appropriate the candidates.

Once we find suitable candidates, we’ll coordinate your interviews with them. If you don’t find anyone suitable from the initial batch, we’ll generate another one.

Otherwise, one of our Client Relations Executives (CREs) will contact you to schedule the onboarding date of your chosen applicant/s.

What to Look for When Hiring an Administrator?

 

Here are the most important things you should be looking for when hiring an administrative assistant:

 

Essential Skills and Competencies

Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Great organizational skills
Tech proficiency
Superb time management skills
Adaptability
Excellent problem-solving skills
A keen eye for details
Multitasking skills
Strong customer service skills and
Integrity when it comes to handling confidential matters.

 

Cultural Fit and Soft Skills

 

Today, technical skills alone aren’t enough to make an excellent administrator. Besides these, they must also possess the right soft skills, like professionalism, critical thinking, reliability, and the ability to work well with others.

Aside from these, you must also consider whether their culture is a good fit with yours.

Fortunately, one advantage of hiring Filipino administrators is their familiarity with Western culture and proficiency in English. This simplifies communication and ensures a harmonious working relationship between you two.

 

The Hiring Process

 

Hiring an administrator for the first time? Here’s a step-by-step process for recruiting one:

 

 

 

Screening and Shortlisting Candidates

 

Once applicants start responding to your job ad, it’s time to filter out which ones best match your requirements so they can move on to the next step of the hiring process, which is usually an interview.

 

Conducting Impactful Interviews

 

Interviews are the perfect opportunity to get to know your applicants and gauge their competencies and whether they fit your needs.

Thus, you should also prepare yourself and your questions before interviewing your applicants. Ask about their prior experiences, skills, and values to see if they align with your own.

Additionally, don’t forget to provide additional information about your company and encourage them to ask their own questions at the end of the interview.

 

SEvaluation And Selection Criteria

 

Once you’ve finished interviewing all the shortlisted candidates, it’s time to evaluate which one best suits your needs and aligns with your company’s values.

Use the requirements you’ve indicated in the job ad and the interview results as your criteria for selecting the most suitable candidate.

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Ideal Remote Workforce?

Onboarding and Training

 

Before your selected candidate can begin, you must onboard and train them.

If it’s your first time onboarding a virtual administrator, here’s how it goes:

 

Best Practices for Onboarding New Administrators

The first step in successfully onboarding your new administrator is to brief them about their role, expectations, and objectives.

Next, ensure your administrator has and knows how to use all the tools, platforms, and software they need.

To help them better acclimate to their role and your company’s culture, assign someone to guide and assist them during onboarding. Regularly check in with them to ensure smooth integration.

Finally, continue to support them beyond the onboarding process to ensure continuous success.

 

Training for Company-Specific Systems and Procedures

First, provide them with written guides and manuals for company-specific systems or procedures.

Do this during a virtual call so you can provide hands-on assistance and answer any questions they may have. Next, give them a trial period to practice and get the hang of it.

Finally, regularly check in on their progress so you can provide further support or address any issues they may have.

 

FAQs in Hiring an Administrative Assistant

 

Here are some common questions asked by other companies hiring virtual administrators for the first time:

 

Hiring an administrator for the first time can be very challenging. Fortunately, there are many outsourcing companies today that can help you.

One of the best in the business is Remote Staff. With sixteen years of experience, our tried and tested process ensures you’ll find the right administrative assistant for your needs.

 

What are you waiting for?

 

Contact one of our Client Relations Executives (CREs) today and get started!

Ready to Build and Retain your
Ideal Remote Workforce?