Hiring a Virtual Assistant: Hourly vs Project-Based Best Practices
A virtual assistant can help you with a lot of tasks, not only clearing emails and scheduling appointments. Hiring a virtual assistant lightens your daily load and gives you time to grow your business.
However, before you hire one, you need to know what type you need depending on the kind of support you expect from them. This is a basic guide to help you figure it out.
Hourly or Project-Based
What you pay your VA will depend on the type of work they’ll be doing for you.
Hourly VA = you are paying for their time. You pay them for eight hours if they work eight hours.
Project-Based VA = You pay for the end product. You agree on a price for a certain result. It doesn’t matter if it takes them two hours or ten.
| Hourly VA | Project-Based VA | |
|---|---|---|
| The Cost | You pay them hourly. This often requires a time tracker tool. | You agree on a flat rate before you start the job. |
| Flexibility | Super high. You can throw new tasks at them as needed. | Average. They stay within the scope of the project. |
| Predictability | Prices can rise or fall. It all depends on how busy your week is. | Solved. You know what to expect to pay. |
When does an hourly VA make sense?
If you need help with day-to-day operations, an hourly VA may be your best bet. This kind of VA is most helpful for tedious tasks which take too much time.
Typical examples include reading emails, finding new leads, answering customer queries or setting up appointments. Hourly VAs are also dependable for random issues that need to be handled immediately.
Hourly VAs are flexible when it comes to scope adjustments. Don’t worry about contracts because they can change fast if your business priorities change.
When to Hire a Project Virtual Assistant
If you know exactly what your project is, you should hire a project-based VA. So you have a specific goal and what your VA will be doing.
This is best for one-off setup jobs such as integrating a new software, migrating to a new website or adding automation to your existing CRM. You agree on a flat rate so no need to stress about the finances (as far as payment goes). The price is identical every month.
How to Choose What Is Best for You
Choosing a VA isn’t a “right” or “wrong” thing. It’s really just about what your business needs at this moment.
Use hourly if you need an extra set of hands for day to day ongoing management.
Choose project-based if you only need to get a specific project done.
You can also mix and match – get a regular assistant to help you with the admin but bring in the experts on special projects. Before you start searching for your VA, spend five minutes writing down exactly what you want to delegate.
Prepare a list of questions to help specify the role, and the type of VA you’ll interview. You may begin with these.
- Do I need this person to be on standby to do whatever work comes up or can they work on their own time?
- Do I need an expert or will the person be doing basic admin work?
- Do I want to have a fixed budget or do I want flexibility on price?
Check out our other guides for more VA tips. And if you want to avoid the hiring headache altogether, check out our recruitment services to see how we can help you find the perfect VA.