Looking for a way to test out your new virtual assistant before you pay them any money? Well, then take the advice of countless teachers and go ahead and test them! There are different levels and techniques to make sure that your virtual assistant can really do what you require of them, but here are a few simple suggestions to help find out if your virtual assistant is skilled or simply puffing their resume.
First of all, if they claim to be skilled in MS office, Quickbooks, or any other fairly common software ask them to send you a blank template that contains their basic information in formats that are commonly used in the programs. For example, their name in a text box in MS Powerpoint in the left corner and their email in a photo box in the bottom left.
Simple tasks for sure, but finding out if they have the programs they claim to be proficient in to make the file transfer possible is a dead giveaway to their proficiency. Plus it shows they are not planning to run to the store for the program and a user guide after you accept them.
Second, you can ask for references and clients who were satisfied with their work. If you are working with a legitimate virtual assistant they should have a few numbers of people you can call and check out in the real world. Everybody in the internet world has a real life as well, so check it out to see what type of individual you are dealing with.