How to hire a virtual assistant for coaches and course creators

When I first decided to hire a virtual assistant for my coaching business, I thought it would be simple: just find someone who can handle my admin tasks, and I’d be golden. But a few weeks into the process, I realized I was missing a critical piece of the puzzle.

The reality? A VA for a coaching or course creation business is different from a regular VA. They need to not only manage your daily tasks but also understand the unique needs of your business from client interactions to course platform management and marketing.

Here’s the step-by-step guide I use now to hire the right VA for my business.

Step 1: Define What Your Business Needs

You might think you need a VA for “general admin,” but I’ve learned that it’s far better to narrow down exactly what your business needs. Here’s a breakdown of common tasks that coaches and course creators typically need help with:

• Client Communication & Support: Responding to inquiries, following up on leads, managing email lists.
• Course Platform Management: Uploading course content, managing student access, ensuring everything runs smoothly.
• Social Media & Marketing: Scheduling posts, interacting with followers, running ads, content creation.
• Calendars & Scheduling: Booking calls, setting reminders, organizing events.
• Billing & Payment: Sending invoices, managing payments, ensuring smooth transactions for courses or memberships.

Practical takeaways:

• Narrow your focus: Figure out which areas are taking up the most of your time, and look for a VA with skills in those areas.
• Don’t hire for “everything” at once: Start with one lane (e.g., admin, client support, or marketing).

Step 2: Choose the Right Type of VA

I’ve learned the hard way that specialization matters when hiring for a coaching or course business. A generic VA can do the job, but when it comes to platforms like Teachable, Kajabi, or Thinkific, you need someone who’s familiar with these systems.

Some common specialized VA roles for course creators and coaches:

• Client Support VA: Handles communication with clients, answers questions, schedules sessions.
• Tech VA: Manages your course platform, uploads new content, fixes technical issues.
• Social Media VA: Creates and schedules content, engages with your audience, handles social ads.
• Operations VA: Organizes your calendar, manages your email list, handles billing.

Practical takeaways:

• Don’t hire for “everything”: Choose a VA who excels in a specific area like tech or client support, and expand the scope as needed.
• Look for experience in tools you use: Whether it’s a course platform or email marketing software, experience with your tools can save you time during the training process.

Step 3: Write a Clear Job Post with Specific Expectations

I made the mistake of being vague with my first job posting. I said something like “looking for a VA to help with administrative work” and got flooded with applications from people who weren’t quite right for the role.

Now, I write clear and specific job posts that include:

• Your expectations: Hours of work, communication needs, time zone (e.g., "We need someone available 9am–5pm EST").
• Required skills: Specific software experience (Kajabi, Teachable, ActiveCampaign, etc.), marketing skills, or customer service experience.
• Key responsibilities: E.g., “You’ll be managing email sequences, responding to client inquiries, and helping us upload new course content weekly.”

Practical takeaways:

• Be specific in your job descriptions about what tools they should be familiar with.
• State the working hours and time zone upfront to avoid confusion.

Step 4: Use a Scorecard to Measure Success

Instead of just going by gut feeling, I now use a scorecard to evaluate my VA’s performance. This scorecard isn’t just a list of tasks it’s focused on outcomes, which makes it easier to measure success.

Here’s what my scorecard looks like for a 30-day trial:

• Role: Course Assistant VA (e.g., managing tech, client support, or marketing).
• Hours: 9am–5pm EST (also list UTC for clarity).
• 30-day outcomes:
  • 90% of weekly tasks completed on time.
  • Zero client complaints (tracked through email/social media reviews).
  • Regular updates and progress reports (e.g., weekly summaries).

Practical takeaways:

• Outcome-based scorecards work better than simply listing tasks.
• Track progress through measurable outcomes that relate directly to your business goals.

Step 5: Do a Paid Test Task

A big mistake I made early on was hiring someone based solely on an interview. But the real test comes when you give them a paid test task. This helps you gauge their skills in real-time and get a feel for their work style.

For example, I’ll have the candidate:

• Draft an email response to a client.
• Create a social media post based on my brand’s voice.
• Upload course content into my course platform.

This test is paid because I want to see their real effort. It's a two-way street. You get insight into how they work, and they get paid for their time.

Practical takeaways:

• Test the work before committing to a long-term hire.
• Pay for the test task to see their effort and skill in action.

Step 6: Onboard with a Simple Process and Clear Tools

After hiring, I make sure the onboarding process is straightforward. Here’s what I set up in the first week:

• Task management system (Trello, Asana, etc.)
• Communication platform (Slack for easy back-and-forth).
• File-sharing system (Google Drive or Dropbox for document storage).

I also set up clear processes for:

• How to escalate issues: If something is unclear or blocked, I expect them to flag it immediately and suggest solutions.
• Daily updates: They send me a quick summary at the end of each day (what they did, what’s coming up next).

Practical takeaways:

• Keep tools simple and consistent.
• Set up a daily check-in routine to make sure nothing slips through the cracks.

Summary: Hiring the Right Virtual Assistant for Coaches and Course Creators

Hiring a virtual assistant for your coaching or course creation business isn’t just about finding someone who can handle your admin tasks. It’s about finding a specialist who understands the unique demands of your business. Be clear about what you need, use a scorecard to track success, test their skills with paid tasks, and onboard them with clear systems.

My non-negotiables now:

• Clear job posts with specific responsibilities.
• A scorecard to track outcomes.
• A paid test task to gauge real-world skills.
• Simple systems for task management and communication.