How to Hire a Virtual Assistant for HR and Recruiting Teams

When I first thought about hiring a virtual assistant for my HR and recruiting team, I assumed it would be an easy fix. I needed someone to help with admin tasks and scheduling, right? Well, a few months in, I realized that hiring a VA for an HR and recruiting team requires a lot more attention to detail than I initially thought.

The key takeaway? A VA for HR and recruiting teams isn’t just someone who manages tasks; they need to understand the ins and outs of recruitment processes, confidentiality, and employee management systems. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to hire the right VA for your HR and recruiting team.

Step 1: Define the Exact Needs of Your HR Team

Before jumping into the hiring process, take a step back and assess your HR team's needs. What tasks are bogging down your HR or recruiting team? The clearer you are, the easier it will be to find the right person.

Some common tasks you can delegate to VAs:

• Job Postings & Candidate Sourcing: Posting job openings on various platforms (LinkedIn, Indeed, Glassdoor) and sourcing candidates through various channels.
• Screening Resumes & Applications: Reviewing resumes, screening applicants, and helping shortlist candidates for interviews.
• Interview Scheduling & Coordination: Setting up interview appointments and coordinating with hiring managers and candidates.
• Onboarding & Documentation: Assisting with employee onboarding, sending out offer letters, managing onboarding forms, and handling initial paperwork.
• HR Administrative Support: Organizing employee records, managing schedules, and maintaining HR databases.

Practical takeaways:

• Don’t hire a VA for "general HR tasks". Focus on the specific HR functions you need help with.
• Be clear about which tasks are priority: do you need someone to focus on recruitment, admin, or a mix of both?

Step 2: Look for a VA with HR and Recruiting Experience

I made the mistake of hiring a VA without specific experience in HR and recruiting. It took a while to train them on industry terminology, recruiting software, and confidentiality requirements.

Here’s what you should look for:

• Experience with recruiting software: Make sure they’re comfortable with Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) like Workday, BambooHR, or Greenhouse.
• Familiarity with job boards and candidate sourcing: Look for a VA who knows how to post on job boards, search LinkedIn effectively, and source candidates.
• Understanding of HR processes: They should be aware of the legal requirements for hiring, onboarding, and maintaining employee records.
• Strong communication skills: Since they’ll be interacting with candidates and hiring managers, they need excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Practical takeaways:

• Hire for specific HR and recruiting experience: Look for candidates who are already familiar with the tools and processes you use.
• Check for familiarity with HR laws and confidentiality: A VA in HR needs to understand privacy laws and ethics when handling sensitive information.

Step 3: Write a Detailed Job Description with Specific Expectations

I learned the hard way that vague job postings lead to unqualified candidates. A well-written job description will not only help you find the right VA but also save time during the interview process. Include:

• Job responsibilities: Be specific about what the VA will be doing on a daily basis (posting job ads, screening resumes, scheduling interviews, etc.).
• Required skills: List any necessary skills or software experience (e.g., ATS platforms, Microsoft Office, Google Suite, Zoom).
• Expected working hours: Clearly state when you expect the VA to be available and if they need to work within certain time zones.
• Confidentiality and privacy expectations: Include a note about handling sensitive information and maintaining confidentiality, especially regarding employee records and personal data.

Practical takeaways:

• Make your job description specific and include all the tools, systems, and expectations they’ll need to meet.
• Clarify confidentiality requirements upfront.

Step 4: Evaluate Candidates with a Scorecard

Once you start receiving applications, use a scorecard to evaluate each candidate objectively. A scorecard allows you to measure their ability to meet specific goals and ensures they’re the right fit for your team.

Example Scorecard for a Recruiting VA

Role: Recruiting Virtual Assistant

Hours: 9 am–5 pm EST (or your required hours)

30-day outcomes:

• 95% of job posts are live on time.
• Zero scheduling conflicts with interviews.
• 90% of candidate applications are pre-screened and organized properly.
• Weekly reports on sourcing and candidate progress.

Red Flags (things to watch out for):

• Lack of detail in their responses.
• Delayed responses during the hiring process.
• Over-promising without clear examples.

Practical takeaways:

• Use a scorecard to objectively measure candidate performance.
• Look for evidence of past successes in similar roles, not just promises.

Step 5: Test Their Skills with a Paid Task

A good way to test their skills is to assign a small paid task. This helps you evaluate their ability to perform real-world tasks related to the job. Some examples of paid test tasks:

• Post a job listing on a site like LinkedIn and ensure it's optimized for search visibility.
• Screen a batch of resumes and send you a list of the top 5 candidates, explaining why they made the shortlist.
• Schedule a mock interview with candidates and send you a calendar invite and detailed agenda.

By assigning paid tasks, you’re not only testing their abilities, but you’re also paying them for their time, which helps build trust.

Practical takeaways:

• Test candidates with real tasks to see how well they handle the workload.
• Pay for the test task ensures they’re fully engaged and gives you a fair assessment of their skills.

Step 6: Set Up a Clear Onboarding Process

Once you’ve found the right VA, create a streamlined onboarding process to set them up for success. Provide them with:

• Access to necessary software: Whether it’s your ATS, HR management software, or communication tools, make sure they have access to the systems they’ll be working with.
• Detailed workflows: Ensure that they have clear guidelines for tasks like posting job ads, managing candidates, and scheduling interviews.
• Daily/weekly check-ins: Set up a process for daily or weekly progress reports to keep communication open and ensure they’re on track.

Practical takeaways:

• Give them access to all tools and systems they need from day one.
• Create clear processes so your VA knows what to do and how to do it.

Summary: How to Hire a Virtual Assistant for HR and Recruiting Teams

Hiring a VA for HR and recruiting teams is a powerful way to lighten your workload, but it requires more than just finding someone to fill an administrative role. You need to Hiring a VA who understands recruiting processes, confidentiality, and the tools that power your HR systems.

My non-negotiables for hiring a VA for HR and recruiting:

• Specific experience with recruiting tools like ATS.
• A detailed job description with expectations and confidentiality requirements.
• An outcome-based scorecard to measure success.
• A paid test task to assess their real-world abilities.
• A structured onboarding process to ensure smooth integration into your team.

By following this process, you can hire a VA who will help streamline your recruiting and HR processes, giving you more time to focus on growing your business.