A post-pandemic study by McKinsey showed that remote work has changed the way we collaborate. Instead of focusing on technical skills, companies are now keen on developing qualities like leadership, adaptability, and empathy to keep up with the unique challenges of remote work.
Remote work has a lot of benefits — but it also comes with a bunch of challenges.
Unlike in an office setting, for example, remote teams have little opportunity to collaborate in real time. This can be an isolating experience for your assistants. If your team doesn't know how to communicate well, things can fall apart pretty quickly.
Distractions can also affect productivity. Without managers physically overseeing projects, progress will depend on your team’s ability to stay focused and take ownership of tasks.
Other factors like poor time management, tech issues, and cultural differences can also make remote work challenging.
A combination of strong interpersonal skills, emotional intelligence, and other positive personal traits can help your team:
So, what soft skills should you look for in virtual assistants? Here are 8 crucial ones:
Communication skills go beyond speaking good English with a neutral accent.
Hire a virtual assistant who knows how to communicate with clarity. These assistants don’t need big, fancy language to express themselves. Instead, they use simple words to break down complex ideas — all without losing meaning.
They should also be exceptional writers. Remember, you’ll spend a lot of time communicating through email and chat. Find an assistant who knows how to convey tone and nuance in their messages. This is a huge plus, especially if you need them to interact with different stakeholders on your behalf.
Knowing how to take and receive constructive feedback is also important. They should know how to tactfully navigate tricky conversations, especially when dealing with customers, team members, and investors.
Lastly, make sure that they listen. The best communicators are actually just good listeners. Keep an eye out for virtual assistants who actively listen and take the time to understand your needs.
Multitasking is one giant myth. Studies show that humans are actually not capable of doing two things at once. At least, not effectively. Switching from one task to another causes lots of mistakes and can even affect your assistant’s ability to concentrate.
So instead of looking for someone who’s “good at multitasking”, go for Filipino virtual assistants who know how to prioritize tasks based on importance and urgency.
They should have solid productivity methods in place (like the Eisenhower Matrix above) so that they can deliver high-quality work on time — even when they’re wearing different hats.
Your assistant is not just managing their time — they’re also managing yours. If they don’t have solid time management chops, they can make you late for important appointments or miss deadlines. Hire someone who can help you free up more time, not cause bottlenecks.
Sometimes, it’s the little things.
Attention to detail is what separates excellent VAs from mediocre ones. They know that producing high-quality work matters, so they thoroughly review their output for mistakes and inconsistencies before they submit it.
These skills can be applied anywhere, but they’re especially useful if you’re delegating data entry, bookkeeping, and other administrative tasks.
These assistants are also excellent at catching your non-verbal cues. They’re keen and observant. They’ll be able to anticipate your needs even before you verbalize them.
Related: Interview green flags to look for when hiring remote assistants
Being able to learn quickly is essential when working remotely. Things happen fast and decisions have to be made on the fly. An excellent virtual assistant must be able to thrive in this fast-paced environment, absorbing lessons and applying them as they go along with their daily tasks.
Of course, having SOPs and knowledge bases can help them learn faster, so make sure you have those in place.
In lots of cases, it’s easier to work with a newbie who’s willing to be trained versus someone more experienced but is stubborn to adapt.
Pick an assistant who has an “empty cup” mindset. Yes, they’ll need training, but they’re usually more open to new learning experiences.
Aside from being able to think on their feet, an excellent assistant must also know how to make sound decisions.
Filipino assistants are good at following instructions, but they’re even better when you give them room to think for themselves. When recording walkthroughs or delegating something, share your thought process with your assistant. This way, they’ll know the rationale behind your method and come up with solutions of their own when things don’t go as planned.
Developing critical thinking among your remote staff helps you delegate bigger tasks — and free up more time.
Even with time-tracking tools, you still won’t be able to monitor your VA’s every move. That’s why it’s important to hire folks with initiative.
Stay away from thumb-twiddlers. Instead, hire a remote assistant who can take ownership of their tasks with minimal supervision.
Assistants with great initiative take more tasks from your plate, not add to it. They’re also proactive. They know how to anticipate your or the team’s needs. Lastly, they keep an eye on friction points and potential challenges before they become full-blown issues.
Filipino assistants are known for their resourcefulness. To support this, provide them with the tools they need to succeed. This could come in the form of software, training, upskilling, or constructive feedback.
Integrity and trustworthiness are paramount when it comes to remote work. You need to hire people you can trust — even when they’re halfway around the world.
This applies especially to executive assistants. You’ll be integrating them into your schedule and daily life. They’ll have access to sensitive information like credit card numbers, contact details, and logins. They must know how to keep information confidential and apply professional discretion at all times.
Use a headhunter agency like Somewhere to hire trustworthy assistants. Every candidate hired through Somewhere goes through an extensive screening process that involves behavioral interviews and background checks. We make sure that every candidate we present is trustworthy and reliable.
Related: How to share confidential information safely
Last but definitely not least, look for emotional intelligence in your assistants. Being able to get along well with others is such an underrated virtual assistant skill, but it plays a huge part in team dynamics, morale, and overall productivity.
Say you hire the most talented virtual assistant in the world. They’re excellent at what they do, but they’re also rude, arrogant, and a pain in the butt to work with. Do you think you’ll have a great working experience with them?
Remember: you can always train skills, but it takes a lot of time and effort to change behavior. Hire assistants with high EQs.
On the contrary, they’re integral to building a remote team that’s productive, independent, and happy.
These skills are universal and are applicable to all aspects of your business. Hiring a virtual assistant with excellent communication skills, emotional intelligence, self-awareness, and adaptability will help you take your growing business to even greater heights.
Here at Somewhere, we help business owners like you find candidates with strong “soft skills” — at a fraction of the local cost. Start a search today.
Here are 8 soft skills that you should look for when hiring a virtual assistant
Hiring assistants with a great set of soft skills helps you overcome the challenges of remote work. Assistants who have strong interpersonal skills and high emotional intelligence tend to work better with others than those who don’t.
Use Somewhere. We’re a headhunter agency for remote talent. We help business owners find, screen, and test assistants from the Philippines. All you have to do is let us know about the positions you’re hiring for, wait for the shortlist, show up for the interviews, and then hire your virtual assistant. It’s that easy!
We'll find you amazing remote employees in the Philippines.
