7 Virtual Assistant Interview Questions You Need to Know to Get the Job

You got around to crafting that incredible resume for a virtual assistant job, submitted it, and thank goodness, you’ve been noticed and have received an invitation for an interview.

Now all you need to do is have a successful interview that will set you apart from the competition.

Remember, the employer wants to end up with the best person for the job. So, they will assess your experience and how compatible you’ll be with their company.

Virtual assistant (VA) jobs need some flexibility on your part. For one, you’ll get many global clients, and your timelines may not always be in sync.

It’s good to understand the client’s timeline, what hours they may need you to be available, and how that translates to your local time.

Another area that will require flexibility from you, the VA, is communication format. Familiarize yourself with different communication platforms such as Google hangout, Zoom, Slack, or any other platform that is commonly used by the client.

Here are seven other interview questions the client is likely to ask.

1: Tell Us More About Yourself

This is an icebreaker question. The client wants to ease you into the interview. They want to observe how you communicate and see if you can efficiently present yourself.

Don’t talk about what’s already on your resume.

Use this as an opportunity to humanize yourself. Tell the client two things about your personal life and two things that are related to your skills or personal development.

Example answer:

My partner and I recently adopted a rescue dog. Her name is Bella. She’s such a joy. I love cuddling up with her when I listen to podcasts about improving my VA skills.

I also create educational content about virtual assistant jobs on all of my social media platforms.

2: How Do You Prioritize Tasks?

As a VA, your job is to streamline the client’s processes, making them more efficient.

This question will give the client insight into your organization and analytical skills. 

Your client will outsource various VA tasks to you, depending on what they specialize in.

How do you evaluate the priority of a task based on the company’s goals and current needs? 

Tips for answering this question:

• Explain how you would prioritize the client’s goals for a set period, identifying time-sensitive tasks and ones that can wait.
• Let them know that you understand the amount of work you can handle at once, and that you’ll therefore only commit to that much at a time.

With this, the client may ask a follow-up question to understand how you’ll handle a situation if you don’t meet their deadline.

If this happens, explain that you’ll:

• Give an advance notice with an alternative deadline
• Explain why you can’t meet the deadline
• Over-communicate from that point on and deliver on the new deadline
• Make a plan to avoid similar situations in the future

3: What Password Security Measures Do You Use?

The client is looking for someone who is responsible and understands data security.

As a VA, the client will trust you with passwords to sensitive information, and they want to know the data won’t be compromised from your end.

Example answer:

I know that data security is a big deal, especially in a virtual work environment where I’ll be using my device and the internet to access your information. 

I have taken several measures to ensure a secure connection from my end. For one, I have private Wi-Fi, and both my phone and laptop are secure.

I have enabled Two Factor Authentication, I use Cloud Storage, and all my devices have updated Anti-Virus, Anti-Malware, and Anti-Ransomware software installed.

4: What Do You Do in a Situation When You’re Not Able to Handle a Task?

A VA job is diverse and dynamic. You’ll definitely come across tasks that you’re not familiar with.

The client wants to know about your problem-solving skills and how you handle obstacles. 

Are you able to be innovative, observe different outcomes, and figure out a way to complete a task you’re a novice to? 

Or are you quick to ask for directions if you can’t figure something out?

Tips for answering this question:

You want to show the client that you’re open to learning new skills, but that at the same time, you’re not afraid to ask for clarification when you get stuck.

Tell them how you’ll try to research the task, gain information, and then try to solve the issue. 

If you can’t do that, tell them that you’ll opt for the next best economic solution by immediately asking for a way forward without wasting further resources or time.

5: What Tools Do You Use as a VA?

This question will give the client an idea of your level of experience as a VA. Seasoned VAs are familiar with various tools, including social media management, financial, scheduling, and file-sharing tools.

How to handle this question:

Start by mentioning essential Google tools like Docs, Sheets, Calendar, and Chrome.

If you’ll be working on multiple projects or with teams, let them know some of the project management tools you’re familiar with in this realm, whether it’s Asana, Notion, Trello, or monday.com.

You may need to mention tools specific to what you’ll be doing for them. For example, if you’re a social media manager, either mention Later, Hootsuite, Buffer, or any other tool you use to manage social media accounts.

The table below showcases common VA tasks and tools that you’re likely to work with to complete them.

You don’t really need to know these specific tools. Any tool that performs a similar function is okay. 

And a client is more likely to hire you if you know how to use various tools. They’ll be confident that you can learn to use the programs they use as well.

6: How Can You Proactively Articulate and Address a Client’s Needs?

With this question, the client wants to know if you can identify flows within their systems and offer a streamlining solution before they feel the need to reach out.

Tips for answering this question:

Identify scenarios where you highlighted past clients’ inefficient systems and suggested solutions. 

Or if you did a background check on a particular company and identified some flows within their system, present your solutions.

Here are some examples of proactive scenarios to make you stand out as a VA:

• Identify a cheaper vendor for a product your client uses
• Suggest payment automation for regular business expenses
• If your client has regular meetings with customers, for, let’s say, maintenance or status updates, suggest an automatic scheduling option to reduce the customer’s efforts
• As a social media manager, tell your client how conducting social listening to follow keywords and hashtags related to the business can help improve customer satisfaction and brand image
• Suggest creating a knowledge database featuring articles, tutorials, and FAQs so customers can access solutions outside of calling support

7: What Is Your Availability?

A VA position can either be full-time—8 hours a day, five days a week—or part-time, depending on the number of hours you agree on with your client. 

Clients may prefer that you work during their business hours in case they need to schedule a meeting or assign urgent tasks to you.

With this question, the client wants to establish your availability depending on their needs, so clearly state that you’re okay adjusting to their working hours.

Keep in mind that this may mean a significant time difference for global clients. For instance, if you’re based in the Philippines and your client is located in California, they may be 7 hours ahead of you.

Become a Professional VA With Us

The second round of VA interviews involve skills tests from employers. They may test your proficiency in proofreading, language, online research, software tasks, and file management practices.

At Small Revolution, we have an excellent Virtual Assistant Course that will put you well on your way to landing an executive VA job.

The course covers all the essential VA training you’ll need, from internet basics, working with online tools, best file management practices, password security, and more.

You can choose to enroll in the bundled course or opt for a specific course like Best File Management Practices or eCommerce Basics for VAs among others. With this kind of flexible education, you have the freedom to direct your learning however you like.

VAs who have taken online classes and training say that VA training programs empower them with knowledge and prepare them to become successful.

20four7va.com

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