How to Hire a PST Time-Zone Virtual Assistant

The first time I posted for a “PST virtual assistant,” I thought I was being super clear: Work 9–5 PST, be available for calls, respond fast.

Two weeks later, we missed a client call because my VA (smart, capable, genuinely trying) was following PDT while I kept saying PST like they were the same thing. That was my fault, not theirs, and it taught me the single biggest lesson about hiring Pacific Time support:

Hire for “PT coverage” (Pacific Time) and write your hours in PT + UTC. It removes ambiguity instantly and survives daylight saving changes.

Here’s the exact process I use now.

First: PST vs PDT vs PT (this is where most hires go sideways)

Pacific Time changes during the year:

• PST = UTC−8 (standard time)
• PDT = UTC−7 (daylight time)
• PT (Pacific Time) is the safe umbrella term when you mean “whatever Pacific Time is right now.”

In the U.S., daylight saving time generally runs from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November, which is why Pacific Time flips between PST and PDT.

Practical takeaways

• In your job post, say PT, not PST, unless you truly mean UTC−8 year-round.
• Always list hours as PT + UTC (example: “9am–5pm PT / 17:00–01:00 UTC”).
• Add one line: “We follow U.S. Daylight Saving Time.”

Step 1: Decide what “PST time-zone VA” actually means for your business

When I say “I need PST,” what I usually actually need is one of these:

Full overlap (best for meetings + client work)

VA works something like 9 am – 5 pm PT

Ideal for: founder inbox, live support, account coordination, scheduling-heavy roles

Partial overlap (best for execution + daily handoff)

VA overlaps 3–5 hours with PT

Ideal for: reporting, content ops, admin, CRM hygiene, project updates

“After-hours PT” coverage (best for support desks)

VA covers evenings/weekends PT

Ideal for: customer support queues, moderation, urgent routing

Practical takeaways

• Don’t hire “a PST VA.” Hire a coverage model.
• If the role touches clients' lives, I default to full overlap.
• If it’s production work, partial overlap is often enough (and easier to sustain).

Step 2: Pick the right VA lane (so you’re not hiring a unicorn)

When I’ve seen VA hires fail, it’s usually because the role was “help with everything.” Instead, I hire into one lane first:

• Executive/Operations VA (PT-aligned): inbox, calendar, reminders, travel, docs, follow-ups
• Customer Support VA (PT coverage): ticket routing, macros, refunds/escalations prep, daily queue summaries
• Sales/RevOps VA (PT overlap): lead enrichment, CRM cleanup, meeting scheduling, follow-ups
• Marketing Ops VA (PT overlap): social scheduling, reporting templates, content uploads, project coordination

Practical takeaways

• One lane = faster onboarding and fewer mistakes.
• A clear lane makes it easier to measure success in 30 days.
• You can expand the scope later once trust + SOPs are in place.

Step 3: Write a scorecard (this fixed my hiring more than “better interviewing”)

I stopped writing long job descriptions and started writing “success outcomes.”

Scorecard template (copy/paste)

Role: PT-Aligned Virtual Assistant (choose lane)

Hours: 9am–5pm PT (also include UTC range)

30-day outcomes:

• Recurring tasks completed on-time (X%+)
• Zero missed meetings due to scheduling confusion
• Daily end-of-shift summary sent (open loops + next steps)
• SOP improvements suggested weekly (even small ones)

Red flags (I actually use these)

• Doesn’t confirm time zones back in writing
• Vague “yes I can” answers with no examples
• Disappears when stuck instead of escalating

Practical takeaways

• Outcomes beat “must know 25 tools.”
• Put time-zone confirmation inside the scorecard, not just the job post.
• The end-of-shift summary prevents the “what happened today?” spiral.

Step 4: Interview with a PT reality check (the simplest filter that works)

I always ask these three questions:

• “If it’s 3:00 pm PT, what time is it for you right now?”
• “What does your day look like if you’re working 9–5 PT consistently?”
• “When PT shifts between PST and PDT, are you comfortable staying aligned with PT?”

This isn’t about catching people out. It’s about avoiding the exact mismatch that burned me early on: PST vs PDT confusion.

Practical takeaways

• I’m screening for clarity, not math skills.
• “Yes” isn’t enough; I want them to describe their routine in plain language.
• If they hesitate, I tighten my written hours (PT + UTC) and move forward only if they’re confident.

Step 5: Use a paid test task that happens during PT hours

If PT alignment matters, I test it inside the PT window.

My go-to paid test (45–60 minutes)

Give them: a mock inbox + a scheduling request + a short task checklist

Ask them to deliver:

• Draft replies (using your tone guidance)
• One scheduled meeting in PT (with invite + reminder)
• A 6-bullet “end-of-shift summary”

Practical takeaways

• Testing during PT hours reveals responsiveness and communication style immediately.
• Paying for the test gets you real effort (and it’s fair).
• The “summary” shows how they think and not just what they type.

Step 6: Onboard with one simple PT operating rhythm

The best PT VAs I’ve hired weren’t magically perfect. They had a cadence that kept everything visible.

What I set up in week one

• One task system (ClickUp/Asana/Trello—pick one)
• One chat system (Slack/Teams)
• One file system (Drive/Notion)
• Escalation rule: “If blocked >15 minutes, post with 2 options.”

Daily cadence:

• Start of shift: top 3 priorities
• End of shift: open loops + next steps

Practical takeaways

• PT overlap is wasted if communication is scattered.
• Cadence prevents dropped balls without micromanaging.
• The goal is predictable handoffs, not heroic last-minute saves.

Summary: The PT/PST VA hire that actually sticks

If I were doing this again, I’d stop obsessing over “PST” and hire for PT coverage with zero ambiguity. That means I’d write hours as PT + UTC, mention daylight saving time, choose one lane (ops, support, RevOps, or marketing ops), and run a paid test during PT hours. Pacific Time alignment is incredibly powerful, but only if it’s backed by clear expectations and a simple daily rhythm that keeps work visible.

My non-negotiables now

• “PT” wording + UTC listed (always)
• A scorecard with 30-day outcomes
• A paid test task inside PT hours
• A lightweight daily cadence (start priorities + end-of-shift summary)