Should you do a Paid Trial Before You Hire Someone?

As the owner of a growing company, you understand the value of delegating tasks to virtual assistants (VAs) to save time and resources. But, with so many candidates, how do you select the ideal VA to fit your specific requirements? The solution is to perform trials! In today's blog post, I reveal how to organize paid and free trials to choose the best VA for your company.

A trial is an ideal opportunity to assess candidates' ability to follow instructions, demonstrate their talents, and evaluate their work style. You can pick between a free trial (under 30 minutes) and a paid trial, depending on the nature of the activity and the time required to finish it (longer than 30 minutes).

Free trials are ideal for small writing or general VA work jobs. These trials allow you to determine whether or not the candidate can follow instructions and has a solid grasp of the English language. A paid test will enable you to trail more demanding tasks like video editing or programming.

Setting a reasonable price for a paid trial is critical. This demonstrates to the candidate that you appreciate their time and work and avoids potential misunderstandings. Remember that many Filipino VAs have had employers who failed to pay them for their work, so offering a paid trial can put their minds at ease.

First, select your top three to five prospects and inform them of the trial. Be open and honest about your expectations and the schedule for the trial. If you need a video editor, for example, give them the same footage and the same directions to each and watch what they come up with. Allow them enough time to finish the task, keeping in mind that some candidates may have other jobs they wish to leave to work for you but can't risk losing that job while they find out if you want to hire them. They may also have other responsibilities, such as childcare to work around.

When the trial period ends, analyze the work presented and pay the candidates accordingly. Remember to pay for the trial even if you do not use the work created. It's a trial, not a paid work gig. You are fostering a fair and professional environment in this manner.

If the trial incorporates a writing task, you may choose a free trial if it takes less than 30 minutes. If the task is more involved, provide a little incentive to encourage involvement. PayPal is a simple choice for one-time payments, but Wise money transfer is a better option for recurring staff payments.

Mention in your job advertisement that you will be conducting paid trials for shortlisted individuals to set the setting for a successful trial. This prepares candidates for what will happen next if they are being considered and provides transparency from the start.

Finally, trials are an excellent technique for choosing the most suitable applicant for your organization. You may evaluate possible VAs and decide who to recruit by offering free or paid trials based on the task.

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