VA roles are typically full-time, as it’s often unrealistic to expect a part-time assistant to meet the unique demands of two separate businesses — especially when specific skill sets are required.
For specialised tasks like social media strategy, web development, or graphic design, we recommend working with an outsourcing company that offers an in-house team of experts. These professionals can be brought in for one-off projects — for example, setting up your website — and can collaborate closely with your VA.
Once the foundations are in place, your VA can take over the day-to-day tasks such as updating content, posting on social media, and managing site updates. This approach ensures a polished, professional presence from the start.
It’s also important to match the role to the right level of experience. We advise hiring a VA for consistent, long-term support, rather than seeking a highly senior VA for tasks that may become repetitive over time. This helps ensure stability and long-term success for both sides.
The cost of Outsourcing varies among different outsourcing companies, depending on the level of support your VA is given.
1. Some companies expect you to train your VA in all aspects of your business and they take a hands-off “bum on seat” approach. This is the cheapest option – if you know what needs to be done and don’t require assistance.
2. Managed VA – There are a few companies that offer in-house training on a regular basis to ensure your VA is proactive and can suggest strategies, follow templates in social media etc. to assist you with tasks that you don’t have the expertise in yourself. We recommend this approach – to pay a little more but to have a VA that can promote strategies and call on a specialised internal team for support rather than relying on you and taking up your time.
In general a VA is about ⅓ of the cost of hiring in Australia.
To make outsourcing successful, it’s important to invest time upfront in setting clear expectations, providing detailed instructions, and offering regular feedback. Avoid overwhelming your VA in the beginning — start with manageable tasks and build gradually.
Over time, as your VA becomes familiar with your working style and preferences, they’ll naturally take on more responsibility. What begins with basic admin can grow into support with more specialised or complex tasks, becoming a valuable extension of your team.
