Which VA is the right VA… for you?
There’s been a huge rise in the number of Virtual Assistants over the past couple of years and that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
The role is flexible, accessible, and attracts people with a wide range of transferable skills (I know because it is what attracted me 6 and a half years ago). In a tough job market, it’s also become a natural option for many talented professionals who are figuring out their next move.
Where I do see challenges is when business owners assume that all VAs offer the same level of experience, because I am here to tell you, they don’t.
There’s a meaningful difference between a VA who has spent years as a PA / EA / Office Manager, and someone who has moved into the VA world because it’s relatively easy to enter.
Neither is “wrong”. But they are very different and for a busy business owner, that difference can really matter.
How do you navigate this? After all, there isn’t a “Check A Trade” for VAs!
Much like hiring an employee, you can find out a lot about a VA from a discovery call. Here are a few things I believe it is worth asking before you onboard a VA in addition to finding out if they can do the specifics of the job:
How many years of administrative experience do they have?
What prompted them to become a VA?
Is this their full-time role or are they running a VA business alongside another job?
Have they previously supported senior leaders or busy founders in real, high-pressure environments before?
Do they have experience handling confidential and sensitive information?
Are they comfortable communicating with stakeholders of all levels and adapting their communication style accordingly
And importantly, are they building a long-term VA business, or is this a stop-gap until the “next role” comes along?
I’ve had too many conversations with business owners who felt burned after hiring a “VA”. Not through lack of effort or intelligence, but through lack of exposure and experience.
AI tools like Copilot and ChatGPT are brilliant (I use them too), but they don’t replace judgment, discretion, emotional intelligence or the human touch, especially in complex or sensitive situations.
Please understand, this isn’t about gatekeeping the VA industry.
There is space for people at every stage. It is more about helping business owners make informed decisions and recognising the depth of value that comes from years spent supporting busy, demanding businesses from the inside.
The right VA isn’t just someone who can “complete tasks”.
They’re someone who understands how a business actually runs and the importance of providing the right support, in the right way.
Look beyond the ‘VA’ title
If you’re thinking about hiring a VA, or reassessing the support you have, it’s worth taking a moment to look beyond the title and into the experience behind it.
What support do you actually need and does the skillset and experience of this VA match that?
Our credentials
Take a look at our Virtual Personal Assistant Services for Small Businesses page to find out more about the VA Services we offer and Michelle’s background and experience.
