So, you want to hire a virtual assistant. However, you don’t want to commit fully yet because you’re still unsure if this type of collaboration can work for you and your business.
Don’t worry; virtual assistant outsourcing can work with that. If you don’t want to hire full-time VAs, perhaps a virtual assistant part-time?
Yes, you can hire remote professionals on a part-time contract and still receive the same amazing benefits.
If you want to know how it works, we’ll share all the things you need to know about part-time remote assistants and everything in between.
Can You Really Hire a Virtual Assistant on a Part-Time Contract?
Yes! You can dip your toes first before diving headfirst into virtual assistant collaboration.
There are plenty of remote workers who work as part-time VAs as they try to build on their skills and experience.
If you haven’t had the chance to work with a virtual assistant, virtual part-timers can be a great start to test the waters and see if it’s a great fit for your business.
One of the strengths of leveraging virtual assistant services is immense flexibility. You can always control the level of involvement of your assistants according to your needs.
So, during peak times or slow months, you can scale your support up or down without heavy financial consequences.
What’s a Virtual Assistant Part-Time?
A virtual assistant part-time is just like a virtual assistant who works full-time. In the sense that these remote professionals also handle the same list of business-related activities—from content writing to software development—except that part-time assistants work just under 40 hours a week.
What Do Virtual Assistants on a Part-Time Job Do?
As we mentioned, a virtual assistant on a part-time contract handles the same set of administrative activities and other job duties as full-time VAs.
Some of the common tasks delegated to a remote assistant are as follows:
- Respond to emails
- Arrange appointments
- Make outbound calls
- Arrange travel plans.
- Book tickets
- Create a comprehensive report and presentations.
- Set Appointments
- Conduct research
- Manage your company’s various social media handles.
- Answer client questions.
The number of tasks that you can delegate to your virtual assistant is endless. Just remember that these specific job duties will vary depending on you and the industry that your business is in.
Why is a Virtual Assistant Part-Time Advantageous for Your Business?
Perhaps, when it comes to deciding the right workforce to leverage in your operations, your major concerns are the demand, costs and company structure.
As a young venture trying to stand out against the competition, a part-time virtual assistant is an appealing solution to meet your changing demands. Though gravitating toward full-time workers seems natural when you’re looking to the future, you’d be surprised by the value a part-time online assistant can offer your business.
Here are the best rewards of employing VAs for only a part of the usual working day.
Lower Cost
Since you’re only hiring them for a couple of hours, part-time VAs cost less.
For small businesses, this is very economical. When you only need additional support to cover the holiday rush or back-to-school season, a slimmer workforce is a practical choice. You only need to pay for the time they worked without any other extra compensation.
Better Flexibility
Part-time VAs are so agile. They can adjust their effort so it aligns with your needs. This is helpful when the demand for your products and services often changes.
Unlike full-time virtual assistants, part-time remote workers can work around a flexible schedule for only a specific number of hours.
Many companies find this arrangement super convenient; just imagine filling shifts on only those areas of operation that require support and removing it afterwards when you don’t need it.
The ability to schedule your VA’s time whenever you want, even on weekends and odd hours, allows you to enhance productivity levels at a cheap price.
Lesser Responsibility
A virtual assistant part-time typically takes over short-term assignments. They’re basically hired to complete a certain project, of which they have shown great promise. In a way, they just come and go once the arrangement is fulfilled.
Therefore, there’s no need to train or onboard them. There’s no need to exert intense management or control over their work. You can let them do their thing while you focus on the tasks that you love doing.
Higher Work Quality and Productivity
Part-time virtual assistants are likely to be more productive. How so? They don’t have to rotate positions; they just work on a particular task. This means they have a wider space to accommodate other activities, like specialised training.
In a nutshell, part-time staff members are assets of your business. You can receive high-quality service without breaking your budget. That’s exactly what you need, as a startup and a growing business, to maintain a diverse workforce.
Related topic: Find out what it means to have a virtual assistant for your business.
How Much Do Virtual Assistants (Part-Time) Get Paid?
The price for hiring a virtual assistant for part-time employment can vary based on different factors, such as location, experience and the difficulty of the tasks they need to perform.
At large, you’ll be paying less for their service compared to hiring a virtual assistant working for 40 hours a week.
However, if you can find a VA just starting out and willing to take your lower rate offer, you can go dirt cheap with your remote working.
Plenty of these part-time online assistants thrive in places with low costs of living, which also significantly contributes to their low pay rates.
Here’s a breakdown of the several factors that can affect the hourly rate of your part-time assistant:
Experience level: The higher the experience, the higher the pay. Part-time VAs who have versatile toolkits are likely to charge higher.
Location:If you hire virtual assistants in countries with higher costs of living, be prepared to pay more.
Complexity of the Tasks:VAs performing administrative tasks like data entry or appointment setting take lower paychecks. On the other hand, a virtual assistant who performs tasks like graphic design or digital marketing is expected to receive a bigger paycheck.
Volume of Tasks:If you have a large volume of tasks to complete, you can negotiate with your assistant and pay them per task rather than by hour. This way, you may be able to reach an agreement on a lower pay rate.
Go ahead, shop around and leave no stone unturned. Search for your virtual assistant with the skills, qualities and experience you’re looking for at a price range within your budget.
How Many Hours Do Part-Time VAs Work?
Part-time VAs don’t work 8 hours a day and 40 hours a week. Typically, they work less than that, between 5 and 30 hours each week.
Nevertheless, their number of working hours depends on your budget, the tasks and their availability.
Here, take a look at how these factors influence the number of hours your part-time VA works:
Your Budget: How much are you willing to pay for your assistant’s service? If you have a bigger budget, maybe you can hire your virtual assistant part-time for more than 5 hours a week.
The Tasks: How many tasks are available? Your assistant’s working hours depend on the amount of work you have for them. If you have fewer tasks, there’s no need to hire them for more than 20 hours a week.
Their Availability: How much time is your virtual assistant willing to give up to work for you? Your VA might be working with other clients, which means they may have fewer hours to commit to your project. Talk to your assistant and come up with an arrangement that works for both of you.
Just an important reminder: Although part-time VAs only fill fewer hours in your business operation, they still are valuable to the success of your organisation.
No matter your arrangement, by simply outsourcing them, you are earning your time back and getting the investment you need to work on revenue-generating activities.
Conclusion
Is hiring a virtual assistant part-time worth it? Yes!
Can they offer you the same benefits as hiring a full-time VA? Yes, and more!
Your virtual assistant, whether part-time or full-time, is an investment. They are critical to your company’s success. By outsourcing tasks that take too much of your time, you can concentrate on the bigger matters and work towards growing your revenue.
If you need professional advice from a virtual assistant recruitment expert, connect with VAV Asia. We have all sorts of talented VAs for every aspect of your business operation.
Happy virtual assistant hiring!
Related topic: Smart Facts About Virtual Assistants