| Are you overwhelmed by administrative tasks in | | | | a weekend run, with internet coverage. This ad |
| your business, and are considering hiring some | | | | may or may not yield the new hire you are |
| help? Have you decided that a Virtual Assistant, | | | | looking for. On the flip side, if you utilize a |
| or VA, is the best choice for your business, but | | | | reputable virtual staffing agency, one simple phone |
| don't know how to take the next steps? If you | | | | call gets the ball rolling. Most services have an |
| answered yes to any or all of the above | | | | extensive pool of virtual assistants they can tap |
| questions, it's time I show you how choosing a | | | | into to meet your needs quickly. |
| quality "virtual staffing agency" can be the | | | | What happens if you choose to hire your own |
| difference between finding a quality professional | | | | Virtual Assistant, and he or she is not right for |
| to assist you in growing your business, and | | | | the job? What do you do, if the VA you hired |
| spending your personal time, money, and energy, | | | | quits? Well, when you hire a VA on your own - |
| only to find you've hired a Virtual Assistant who | | | | it's back to the drawing board. You're going to |
| couldn't "hack it." | | | | have to spend the time, energy, and money all |
| So, you've decided it's time to expand your | | | | over again, to find a replacement. When you hire |
| business by hiring a Virtual Assistant. | | | | a Virtual Assistant through a service, you call or |
| Congratulations! You have just set yourself apart | | | | email, and a new VA will be assigned to you. |
| from many entrepreneurs, because you are willing | | | | Let's talk about what you're going to pay your |
| to embrace the staffing solutions of the new | | | | assistant. If you hire your own VA, you're going |
| millennium. Your competition, who may still be | | | | to have to pay him/her the general going rate; |
| insisting on hiring an "on-site" assistant, is having to | | | | which is currently between $18.00 - $50.00 per |
| run expensive employment ads, create and initiate | | | | hour, depending on the expertise level required by |
| training with their new hire, pay for additional | | | | the assistant. Obviously, it would cost more to |
| phone lines, computers, and desk supplies, AND be | | | | hire an "agency" VA, right? Not really, when you |
| bothered by dealing with payroll taxes and | | | | look at the big picture! Imagine not having to |
| benefits for their employee. What an antiquated | | | | purchase expensive office equipment, adding |
| system! | | | | additional telephone lines or internet service cables. |
| On the other hand, you've decided you want to | | | | You won't have to deal with payroll or payroll |
| "go virtual," by hiring a Virtual Assistant. The VA | | | | taxes either. In fact, the high expense associated |
| you hire will have a fully functional home office, | | | | with Worker's Compensation won't be a concern |
| complete with unlimited long-distance, virtual fax | | | | of yours at all. |
| capabilities, a virtual PBX, cellular phone, computer | | | | Let's break down the costs in black and white: |
| with high speed internet access, a printer, and a | | | | Hire VA on your own |
| quiet work environment. Best of all, you have the | | | | - initial time and costs for employment ads |
| ability to hire your Virtual Assistant as an | | | | - pay your VA while training |
| independent contractor, which will save you when | | | | - utilize your VA for a specific number of hours |
| dealing with the IRS, and your state and local | | | | each week |
| taxing authorities. | | | | - no replacement, if the relationship does not |
| Now you have to decide whether or not it is to | | | | work outadditional expenses when hiring |
| your benefit to hire your Virtual Assistant on your | | | | replacement |
| own, or go through a "Virtual Staffing Agency." | | | | Hire through a Virtual Staffing Service |
| The first thing most of us think of when we think | | | | - NO upfront costs |
| of going through an agency, is EXPENSIVE. Why | | | | - No contract length commitments |
| would anyone want to go through a virtual | | | | - Satisfaction Guarantee |
| staffing agency, when they can just run an ad | | | | - Only 2 hour per week minimum |
| and hire a VA on their own? | | | | - Each VA is tested, trained, and qualified |
| Let's do a cost analysis on hiring your own Virtual | | | | - No replacement costs |
| Assistant, versus hiring a VA through a Virtual | | | | - Hourly rate comparable to rate paid when hiring |
| Staffing Agency. First of all, if you plan to hire a | | | | on your own |
| VA on your own, you are undoubtedly going to | | | | Hiring a Virtual Assistant can be one of the most |
| have to run employment ads; so you're going to | | | | cost-effective means of growing your business. |
| invest your time and energy, creating and | | | | While hiring a VA on your own can work in some |
| submitting your advertisement. If you run an | | | | cases, it comes with no guarantees the |
| employment ad that has a cost involved, for | | | | relationship will work out. Utilizing a virtual staffing |
| instance, in your local paper, you're looking at an | | | | agency can be the win-win situation you need - |
| average cost of approximately $300 - $400, for | | | | just do the math! |