In the business world, there are many people in need of administrative assistants. Some know a lot about administrative work and some don’t know much at all. If you are considering hiring an assistant, it’s important that you know what to look for so that you can find the most qualified person for your needs.
Here are 13 signs that you may be working with a bad freelance administrative assistant:
| Takeaways |
|---|
| 1. Recognize warning signs of a bad freelance administrative assistant. |
| 2. Poor communication is a red flag to watch out for. |
| 3. Pay attention to missed deadlines and lack of attention to detail. |
| 4. Unprofessional behavior should raise concerns. |
| 5. Set clear expectations and communicate effectively with freelancers. |
| 6. Trust your instincts when selecting freelance administrative assistants. |
| 7. Be proactive in avoiding difficult clients for smoother working relationships. |
| 8. Protect yourself from virtual assistant job scams. |
| 9. Report scams and gather evidence if encountered. |
| 10. Stay cautious of unrealistic client expectations and non-payment issues. |
1. No Follow-Up
A good administrative assistant will keep you in the loop about your projects and promptly follow up on any tasks that you have given them. If you find yourself wondering what has become of a project, this is a red flag that your freelancer is not doing their job properly. Poor communication skills could also be a significant problem for someone working in this type of role make sure they can effectively communicate with both you and other parties involved in your projects.
The key to becoming a successful freelance administrative assistant lies in mastering a set of essential skills. Check out our comprehensive guide on The Top 14 Skills You Need to Be a Successful Freelance Administrative Assistant to enhance your capabilities and excel in your freelancing career.
2. Lack Of Self-Confidence
A lack of self-confidence is a big issue for many people, but it can be especially detrimental for an administrative assistant. If you are lacking this trait, it may impact your work performance and prevent you from getting the tasks done effectively, which will negatively affect your employer.
Every day in life, confidence can make the difference between success and failure; therefore, if you have no confidence in yourself or your abilities to get things done, this should be taken seriously.
There are several ways to build up your self-confidence and boost yourself so that you become more positive about your capabilities at work. The following tips will help with this:
- Knowing what makes you feel good about yourself; can include anything from taking up new hobbies or learning new skills to helping others in need by learning how to cook delicious meals for friends and family members. Whatever it is that makes you happy should be something that you take pride in doing well.
- Learn how to accept compliments; This is an important step towards building self-confidence because compliments are often given for a reason so rather than feeling embarrassed about these or not acknowledging them when they are given to you, try saying “Thank You” instead.
- Practice gratitude; Gratitude is a powerful tool for building self-confidence and taking control of your life. When you’re grateful for what you have, it’s easier to recognize the good things in your life and feel better about them. This can improve your mood, give you a sense of purpose and meaning, and help you bounce back from challenges.
- Start small; Change is challenging! It’s tempting to want to jump right into something new, but if you try too much too soon, it can be overwhelming and make it harder for you to stick with the change long enough for it to work its magic. Start by making one small change today maybe even something simple like writing down three things each day that made you happy and build from there over time until it becomes part of how you live your life.
3. Takes Longer To Keep Up With Administrative Tasks Than You Would
An assistant who is inexperienced in the admin industry is likely to take much longer to complete simple and repetitive tasks than a professional virtual assistant. You will be paying them for hours that could be better spent on other things, and the entire purpose of hiring an administrative assistant is undermined.
The only way around this issue is to use a Virtual Assistant who has years of experience in the industry, someone like myself.
Freelancing as an administrative assistant can sometimes be challenging, but staying motivated is crucial for your success. Discover 11 Ways to Stay Motivated When You’re Freelancing as an Administrative Assistant and learn valuable strategies to keep your productivity and enthusiasm high throughout your freelancing journey.
4. Can’t Make Difficult Decisions
More often than not, certain decisions need to be made on the fly. There won’t always be time to consult a coworker or supervisor to make an executive decision. When your freelance administrative assistant claims that they aren’t able to make a decision, you should take note.
A good administrative assistant understands when they can use their judgment and solve a problem without having to bother their boss with it. They know when they’re out of their depth and need assistance from someone else, but if they don’t even want to try solving problems on their own, then you must wonder where this person’s work ethic is.
If your freelance administrative assistant regularly avoids making difficult decisions by saying things like “I can’t decide”, “We should talk about this more”, “I think I’ll have my friend look over this” or “You really need to take care of this,” then it could be time for a change in your staff.
5. Is Not A Team Player
While this is part of the previous point, it’s so important that it deserves its section. And yes, I know you hired a freelance admin assistant, not a team member. But if you can’t work together as a cohesive unit, then no matter how many administrative tasks they handle for you, your business isn’t going to meet its goals.
As an administrator in any company, you must be able to:
- Take initiative and direction well
- Accept feedback and address areas of improvement
- Collaborate with others to get results
6. Misses Deadlines, Over And Over Again
Most of us are familiar with the concept of “deadlines” from our school days, where they were often accompanied by bad consequences, like getting docked points for a homework assignment turned in a day late. That idea carries over into adulthood and the professional world.
Deadlines are important because it’s generally assumed that things will be done by that date or time; after all, you have to finish your work before the next step can be taken. If work is still being done after the deadline has passed, it can cause severe problems; other people might not be able to do their jobs if they’re waiting on the information you need to provide them but haven’t finished yet.
Additionally, it can look unprofessional and lead people to view you as unreliable if you don’t meet deadlines consistently. That being said, we’re all human and sometimes stuff happens that’s beyond our control. You could get sick or have an emergency arise at home; your freelance administrative assistant might not know everything about their job just yet and need more training than originally anticipated.
A colleague in another department could hold up processing some paperwork you can’t finish without receiving it first. If this happens once or twice throughout your work together, there isn’t much of a problem just talk with your freelance administrative assistant and figure out together how to make sure it doesn’t happen again in the future! But if this keeps happening if your freelance assistant misses deadline after deadline it may be time to consider whether they’re right for this job.
It’s essential to identify the warning signs of a bad freelance administrative assistant to avoid potential pitfalls and ensure smooth collaboration. Explore our article on 13 Signs You Are Working with a Bad Freelance Administrative Assistant to recognize the red flags and take proactive measures for a more efficient working relationship.
7. Makes Mistakes
A good administrative assistant will own up to the mistake, apologize, and work with you to figure out a fix. If you see that your assistant is making the same mistake multiple times, it’s time to take action. You can choose to give them a warning or fire them immediately.
If they’re on a trial period, it might be worth firing them right off the bat; if they’ve been working for you for years and this is their only issue, it could be worth giving them one last chance. Either way, make sure you follow up on your decision by having a conversation with your administrative assistant about why the mistake was made and how to avoid it in the future.
Giving clear instructions upfront can help prevent any further mistakes from being made by your administrative assistant to ensure their job performance improves over time
8. Blames Others For Their Mistakes
Things happen, and mistakes get made. It’s a fact of life. But what separates the good administrative assistants from the bad is that good one take responsibility for their actions and learn from their mistakes.
The bad ones just keep making them over and over again and then blame it on someone else usually you or another employee. If you’ve been working with someone who doesn’t acknowledge the part they played in a mistake, won’t admit to it when they mess up, or keeps doing things wrong after they’ve been corrected, they’re probably not a decent admin assistant. You don’t want to work with someone who refuses to take ownership of their actions; it will only lead to more problems down the road.
9. Requests An Unreasonable Compensation Package
One of the biggest red flags to keep an eye out for is a compensation package that doesn’t make sense. If your virtual assistant asks for an hourly rate significantly higher than the industry standard, you’ll probably have to pass on their services.
On the other hand, if the hourly rate is far lower than what’s expected in this field, it could be because they don’t have enough experience yet or worse, that they plan to conduct very little work and then bill you for far more hours. If your budget is tighter than most and you’re looking to save as much as possible (but not at the expense of hiring an inexperienced VA), think about discussing a fixed-fee contract rather than an hourly one.
This way, your assistant will need to stay within that budget by completing tasks efficiently and you’ll know exactly how much money will be coming out of your account each month.
10. Does Not Take The Time To Understand Your Business Operations
You and your business are a special snowflake, but not everyone gets you. A good freelance administrative assistant will understand that your business is a living, breathing entity. They’ll appreciate that it’s important to stay up to date with current offerings, processes, and procedures. They’ll get the importance of understanding a client’s business operations to offer the best possible service.
You want a freelance administrative assistant who can walk into a company meeting and not only be able to take notes, but also empathize with coworkers, think on their feet, and use humor or charm to lighten the mood. You want someone who can communicate well with others, who understands how people work together as part of a team, and who can handle stress when it is time to get down to business.
A bad freelance administrative assistant will be happy doing the same thing over and over again without paying attention to changes within your business or industry.
Effective time management is a fundamental aspect of being a freelance administrative assistant. Learn valuable tips and techniques in our guide, The Freelance Administrative Assistant’s Guide to Managing Your Time, to optimize your productivity and achieve a healthy work-life balance.
11. Does Not Offer Suggestions For Improvements
Yes, you’re the boss, and yes, you’ve put time and effort into building your business. However, it is possible that an administrative assistant who has been in the field longer or seen more than you has some ideas on what could help your business grow. If they don’t suggest anything at all, it could be a sign of a few things:
- They don’t want to offend you by suggesting changes to processes that work perfectly well for you (even if they are inefficient).
- They don’t know what they are doing and aren’t up to speed on industry best practices.
- They are afraid of criticism from their boss and will instead just do what they are told and fix errors after-the-fact rather than proactively prevent them from occurring at all.
While listening to their suggestions is both polite and potentially valuable, try not to be too quick to jump on board with every change your administrative assistant suggests especially if it involves a departure from the way things have always been done.
After all, it took you years to get where you are today; implementing a new process can be scary! But by working together with your administrative assistant to brainstorm fresh ideas and strategies that work for both of you we guarantee your business will thrive as never before!
12. Engages In Gossip
One of the hallmarks of a bad freelance administrative assistant is that he or she gossips. Gossip is an incredibly toxic waste of time in any setting, let alone the workplace. Not only is gossiping unprofessional and a bad habit to foster among employees, but it can also become a legal issue if it involves discrimination or harassment. This kind of behavior will turn a business toxic and lead to turnover in staff.
13. Seems Unprofessional Or Dishonest
You can trust a bad administrative assistant will give you plenty of reasons to question them. Maybe they don’t show up on time, or they show up in inappropriate attire. Maybe they’re not taking the job seriously (i.e., they are rude to clients and coworkers, and spread rumors about colleagues/clients).
Maybe their behavior makes this more overt they have a habit of being untrustworthy, not following directions, or not taking responsibility for their mistakes. All of these can be early warning signs that your new hire is going to end up being a poor fit for the job over the long term.
Before venturing into the freelance administrative assistant field, it’s crucial to assess your readiness and suitability for the role. Our comprehensive guide on How to Tell If You’re Ready to Be a Freelance Administrative Assistant provides valuable insights and self-evaluation criteria to help you make an informed decision and embark on a successful freelancing career.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, you know that if you want to hire a good freelance administrative assistant, you need to proceed with care. Hiring the wrong person can cost your company money and time. One of the best ways to avoid problems down the line is to take care in choosing who you hire.
Make sure that any candidates have proven themselves in the past, and have references from former employers who will speak highly of them. It’s worth taking the extra time to hire the right person so that he or she will be able to help your business grow for years down the road.
Further Reading
Here are some additional resources for further reading on related topics:
Avoiding Difficult Freelance Clients: Gain insights into strategies for identifying and avoiding challenging freelance clients, ensuring smoother working relationships.
15 Early Warning Signs of a Bad Freelance Client: Explore a comprehensive list of warning signs to watch out for when dealing with potential freelance clients, helping you avoid unfavorable situations.
Virtual Assistant Job Scams: Learn about common scams in the virtual assistant job market and gain knowledge to protect yourself from fraudulent opportunities.
People Also Ask
Do I Need A College Degree To Be A Freelance Administrative Assistant?
While a college degree is not strictly necessary, many employers prefer candidates who have one. If you are just starting as a freelancer without any paid experience, it can help compensate for that. Even if an employer doesn’t require it, you should consider earning one anyway so that potential clients know you are serious about your career.
How Do I Become A Freelance Administrative Assistant?
For starters, you must have excellent communication skills in both writing and speaking. You will also need knowledge of basic office software like spreadsheets, word processing programs, and email programs along with the ability to learn new ones quickly. Of course, the most crucial skill of all is being able to multitask efficiently even when there are numerous demands on your time.
What Are The Duties Of An Administrative Assistant?
As an administrative assistant, your duties will vary depending on the type of business and the needs of your client at any given time. Since there is no one set path for this career field, flexibility is key.
You may also find yourself taking on additional responsibilities not typically required from full-time employees such as answering phones or making copies while they’re away from their desks during lunch breaks or other times when they’re unavailable due to meetings with other staff members or clients outside of work hours.”
What Are The Benefits Of Being A Freelance Administrative Assistant?
Being self-employed means you get to set your schedule and work from home (or the beach if that’s what floats your boat). Plus, since you don’t have to worry about benefits, health insurance, or overtime pay, it’s not as big of a financial risk as starting your own business from scratch.
What Are The Duties Of An Administrative Assistant?
An administrative assistant supports a team or individual by managing the day-to-day activities and tasks of their department or business. They ensure all business operations run smoothly, perform clerical duties, coordinate schedules, and manage correspondence.
What Skills Do You Need To Become An Administrative Assistant?
The role of an administrative assistant requires organizational skills, communication skills, and technical know-how. Attention to detail is also highly valued in this role as they are often responsible for managing important documents and sensitive information.
What Does A Virtual Assistant Do?
A virtual assistant provides support from a remote location. For example, if you’re on vacation but can’t miss important meetings or calls for your business, you might hire a virtual assistant to take notes for you during meetings and relay information to your colleagues back at the office. Virtual assistants might also handle things like scheduling appointments or answering phone calls.
What Does An Executive Assistant Do?
An executive assistant provides general support to senior executives within an organization. The job duties vary depending on the industry but may include everything from scheduling travel arrangements and taking meeting notes to performing research tasks and managing calendars.
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