The past few years have been full of growth and change.  Now, as our world continues to shift into a new sense of normalcy, we as a society get to decide what changes (both personal and on a corporate level)  were short-lived, and what we will take with us into the future. One of the changes that is here to stay is our renewed sense of self-care and prioritizing our mental health while balancing the demands of work, family, and social life. Enter the world and profession of executive virtual assistants.

So, what is an executive virtual assistant?

In short, an executive virtual assistant is a self-employed professional who assists their clients in any variety of tasks they may need. This can be from business to personal, administrative to technical to creative, all from a remote setting. Often given the freedom of freelancer status, your executive virtual assistant isn’t tied to specific job roles or titles and therefore can assist in a variety of formats. This means that a job that may originally have been considered strictly corporate  (administrative, technical or communicative tasks) or solely personal (scheduling appointments, finding childcare, updating calendars) now can be found in one highly valued person. 

If you are in a corporate setting you may be asking yourself- why look outside of the business pool when I have company resources to fill a position? For a multitude of reasons- your executive virtual assistant is your personal go-to. Rather than shuffling tasks from multiple departments, hiring a virtual assistant assures that you have all hands on deck for any tasks that you need specific help with. This ensures an extra safety net in your profession, someone who always has your back, a valuable resource for anyone.

When it comes to personal executive virtual assistant needs, the question typically comes down to: do I need to hire someone when I can physically do these tasks myself? To which I ask the rebuttal question: how much is your time worth? How much time and mental energy would you save yourself each and every day if the time you spent putting off specific tasks (like, say, finding a new dentist and actually taking the time to fill out the new patient paperwork) you were able to spend doing tasks that you actually want to be doing. While most of these tasks may seem mundane in nature, to your virtual assistant they are a way of giving back to someone else, of making their client’s life better, easier, happier, more fulfilled simply by making a phone call or completing a google search. 

So you’ve decided to hire an executive virtual assistant- that’s great, congratulations! How do you know if you are the right fit? As with any hire, personal or professional, getting to know the person and their services is crucial. Before jumping into a working relationship with someone, make sure that you are the right fit. 

A few questions to remember when looking for an executive virtual assistant are:

• Are there specific tasks or items that I need help with? Does this person have experience with those tasks- what  prior knowledge do they have?

• Do I fit their typical clientele? For instance- some executive virtual assistants have more experience in either corporate or personal. Do I need help in both areas, or more-so in one area than the other? This should all be discussed during the introductory clarity call/

• Where am I feeling overwhelmed? Take a few moments to sit and make a list of the tasks and times where you feel stressed in your day. Where is there resistance? Is it responding to emails? Trying to balance carpooling and your afternoon meetings? Being crystal clear with exactly what you may need help with will make it easier to find an executive virtual assistant that is the right fit. 

• What is my budget and how much does an executive virtual assistant cost? This is all dependent upon you and your needs. Most virtual assistants have multiple clients that they balance on a part-time basis. If you have a need for a full time assistant this is going to look different in terms of where you look than someone that only works for you a few hours per week. Be realistic with how much time you will need when narrowing down what tasks you would like to hand off and then decide what your budget will be. Most virtual assistants charge between $20 and $40 an hour, depending on where they are based. If you have a budget or specific amount of time and money you are able to spend on make sure to disclose this during your introductory clarity call. Most virtual assistants are more than willing to stick to an allotted time frame per week.  

• What if I’m not sure if I have enough tasks to hand off? Is it ok if some weeks I have more than others? Of course! Unless you are in a strictly corporate setting, most executive virtual assistants understand that there is going to be a certain degree of fluctuation in workload per week. This typically evens out over time but it is not unusual to have weeks that are heavier (or lighter) than others. As long as you know that most weeks you have a consistent task load there is no cause for concern.

From client testimonials to spontaneous conversations with strangers, everyone who has experience with hiring an executive virtual assistant can agree that it is absolutely a game-changer. An extra pair of hands and more free time in your day, less worry and no resistance from tasks that you just can’t bring yourself to finish. There is a world of possibilities open to you when you can admit to yourself that you need help, or at the very least would benefit from an extra person on your team. All that’s left to do is ask.