The average US employer spends $5,475 to fill a nonexecutive role, according to SHRM’s 2025 benchmarking survey of 2,371 active members. That’s the cost before you even find out whether the hire works out. A VA search skips most of that spend, but not the risk of getting it wrong. A bad VA hire still costs you the weeks you spent explaining your business to someone who wasn’t going to work out, plus whatever slipped through the cracks while they were learning. Vetting well upfront is what keeps that risk from becoming a repeat expense.
Where to source a VA
Agencies. You’re paying a markup, but you get a vetted candidate, a backup if they’re out, and someone else handling HR basics. Best option if this is your first VA or you don’t have time to screen candidates yourself.
Direct marketplaces. Platforms where you interview and hire someone yourself, no agency in between. Lower cost, but you own the vetting, the contract, and the backup plan if they leave.
Referrals. Another franchise owner’s VA, recommended directly. Skips a lot of the guesswork since someone already vouches for the work, but slots are limited and availability isn’t guaranteed.
Questions to ask before you hire
“Walk me through how you’d handle [a real task from your franchise].” Not a hypothetical, an actual task you need done. You’re listening for whether they ask clarifying questions or just guess.
“What hours can you work, in my time zone?” Get specific. “Flexible” isn’t an answer. If the role needs to be live during your business hours, confirm the actual overlap before you commit.
“What tools have you used?” Ask about your specific CRM, scheduling software, or POS system by name. Experience with the exact tool matters less than how fast they say they can learn it, and whether they’ve used something similar.
“Tell me about a time a client or manager was unhappy with your work.” How they answer this tells you more than almost any other question. Look for ownership, not blame.
For customer facing roles, get them on a call. If the VA will ever talk to your customers, franchisor, or vendors, a phone or video screen is not optional. Reading English well and speaking it comfortably on a live call are different skills.
Red flags worth walking away from
- Won’t do a paid trial or short test project before a full commitment
- Vague or evasive answers about availability and time zone
- No questions back to you about your business or the role
- Pressure to skip the trial and commit to a long contract immediately
- Can’t point to specific past work, only general claims of experience
Structure a trial before you commit
Run a paid 2 to 4 week trial on a narrow, well defined task before expanding what they handle. Pay a fair rate for the trial period, this isn’t about getting free work, it’s about seeing real output before you commit longer term. Give clear written instructions, a deadline, and a way for them to ask questions. What you’re testing is whether they follow instructions, ask good questions when something’s unclear, and hit the deadline without you chasing them.
What good looks like by day 30 and day 90
By day 30, they should be handling the trial task independently, with minimal correction needed. By day 90, they should be flagging problems before you notice them yourself, and you should be handing off a second task without much hesitation. If neither is true by day 90, the fit probably isn’t right, and it’s better to know that at 90 days than at nine months.
Frequently asked questions
Should I always run a paid trial before hiring a VA?
Yes. A short paid trial on a real task tells you more in two weeks than any interview will. Agencies that resist this are worth a second look.
How long should a VA trial period run?
Two to four weeks is usually enough to see how someone handles real work, follows instructions, and communicates. Longer than that and you’re likely just delaying a decision you already have enough information to make.
What’s the biggest hiring mistake franchise owners make with VAs?
Skipping the live call for customer facing roles. Written communication and phone communication are different skills, and the gap only shows up once a customer is on the line.
If you want help vetting candidates or setting up a trial for your own franchise, reach out here and I’ll walk through it with you.