I’ve been looking for some new associates to add to my VA team lately, and if you’re going to be doing the same sometime in the future, be prepared that it will take up a lot of your time.
First of all you have to post your RFP, which isn’t actually a very time consuming task in itself, but sifting through all of the responses that you will get is where you will spend your time. Be prepared for a whole load of doo doo to be mixed in with the gems, you wouldn’t believe what some people’s applications will look like! I’d suggest sorting them into piles of definitely no, potentials, and super potentials. Go with your gut, and contact the “definitely no” candidates right away to let them know.
Now you can contact those that you have slotted into the Super Potentials group (a.k.a. your short list). Set up a series of interviews, and try to have them close together if possible, within a day or so of each other, so that each is fresh in your brain when it’s time to sit back and evaluate them all. Make sure to follow up on the references you’ve received as soon as possible too, so that the candidate is still fresh in your mind.
From this point you should be able to determine who will get a second interview or even get hired right away.
All in all the whole process will take at least two to three weeks, most likely more than that, so be prepared. Hiring Associates or Subcontractors is a big step for your business and you want to make sure that you make the right choice. Be organized, be prepared, take your time, and find whatever it is that you’re looking for – this is definitely not something that you want to hurry through!