You're thinking about hiring a virtual assistant. You've got a list of tasks ready to hand off, and you can already picture how much easier your week could be with someone taking care of them.

There's just one thing you want to be sure about first.

Who exactly are you trusting with your inbox, your calendar, your client information, and all the little details that keep your business running?

It's a fair question, and one we take seriously at Time etc.

Before we ever introduce you to an assistant, our recruitment team has already spent time getting to know them, checking their experience, and assessing whether they're someone we'd feel confident putting forward to our clients.

While we keep the exact assessments and selection criteria private, we can share how the process works at a broader level, why certain checks are important, and what happens after an assistant joins us.

How are virtual assistants vetted at Time etc?

Our assistant recruitment team reviews applications, interviews suitable candidates, and carries out background checks before applicants are accepted as Time etc virtual assistants.

Each stage serves a different purpose. Together, they help us decide whether someone is suitable to support our clients.

What we can share about our screening process

You deserve to know how the person supporting your business was selected.

We're happy to explain our approach, but some details need to stay confidential. Sharing the exact questions, expected responses, and assessment criteria would make it easier for applicants to tell us what we want to hear.

Keeping those details private helps us assess candidates fairly and accurately.

Here's an overview of the main stages. If you'd like to know more, we can talk you through it in more depth during a free consultation.

Screening for relevant experience and suitability

Every prospective Time etc assistant starts by submitting an application, and every application goes through our screening software we've built and refined over time. This picks out the candidates who meet our initial requirements. We look at:

• Professional experience: only applicants with years of hands-on experience in relevant roles are considered.
• Education: we assess educational background, with a preference for a college education.
• Practical skills: written English, familiarity with common business software, and technical confidence.
• Working arrangements: availability, equipment, and working environment.
• Long-term suitability: we look for applicants who want to build lasting working relationships with clients.

That last point is particularly important to us.

When an assistant starts working with a new client, there's naturally a period of getting to grips with the work and how things should be done. The longer an assistant works with a client, the better they understand their tasks, preferences, and expectations. Over time, that familiarity helps them complete work faster and to a higher standard, while the founder spends less time explaining things or bringing someone new up to speed.

That's why we want to know if applicants are genuinely interested in building those relationships, rather than simply taking on a series of short-term assignments.

Testing, assessments, and interviews

Applicants who meet our initial requirements move on to testing and assessment. Our process includes practical exercises, communication and spelling assessments, and personality and psychometric testing. We also assess software knowledge and professional suitability.

Those selected to progress then interview with our assistant recruitment team.

Clear expectations on both sides

The interview gives our recruitment team an opportunity to get to know applicants beyond what's written in their application, explore their experience in more depth, and assess whether they'd be suited to working with our clients.

But the conversation runs in both directions.

Candidates also hear how Time etc works, what the role involves, and what clients expect from their assistant, so anyone who moves forward knows exactly what they're signing up for.

We do this because freelance virtual assistance can be a big change from a conventional employed role, particularly when it comes to managing your own workload and building individual relationships with clients. Someone can have all the right skills and experience and still find that Time etc’s way of working isn't quite what they had in mind. Better to find that out sooner rather than later.

Background checks and identity verification

Applications, tests, and interviews can help us get to know a candidate, but they can't independently establish every relevant fact about their background.

Applicants who pass the interview must go through a full background check before they're accepted.

Identity and address verification

Our process includes identity and address verification through specialist checking services. These checks confirm that applicants are who they say they are.

Criminal and financial background checks

We also screen for disclosed convictions and bankruptcy. As part of the application process, candidates consent to criminal record and other government-related checks, where permitted and appropriate.

These checks are considered separately from interviews, giving us additional information to weigh alongside everything else we've learned about them throughout the process.

While background checks provide insight into someone's history, they can't predict every future situation. That's why assistants are also subject to ongoing standards and agreements covering how they work with clients and handle business information (more on this below).

What happens after an assistant passes the vetting process?

There's more to becoming a Time etc assistant than just passing our selection process. Successful applicants also need to understand how the service works, prepare for client work, and meet our standards once they start.

Preparing assistants to work with clients

Once accepted, assistants go through onboarding to understand how Time etc works and what to expect when supporting clients.

But knowing the role and knowing a particular founder's business are two different things. Every client has their own preferences, priorities, and ways of working. That's where our Delivery team comes in.

When a new working relationship begins, the team member responsible for the client works with the assistant to agree on the best way to get started, clarify next steps, and provide support during the first few weeks.

Founders still work directly with their assistant, with the Delivery team available to help things run smoothly.

Protecting confidential business information

Time etc has solid confidentiality agreements in place with all our assistants. You're also welcome to arrange your own NDA if your business needs additional protection.

These agreements help protect sensitive business information once an assistant starts working with you. As with any other member of your team, it's also important to manage their access to the relevant files, systems, and accounts.

We take security seriously at every level, including our own platform, which is protected by enterprise-grade encryption.

You can read more about how we protect your information here.

Monitoring quality over time

Meeting our standards during recruitment is one thing. Continuing to meet them while working with clients matters just as much.

That's why we continue monitoring performance, work quality, client ratings, and responsiveness once assistants start working with clients. It helps us identify issues early and step in when needed.

And if, for whatever reason, things stop working out with your assistant, our lifetime happiness guarantee means we'll keep helping you find a better fit until you've got the support you need.

How we match you with an assistant

An assistant can meet every one of our selection standards and still not be the right fit for your business. That's why we take the time to find someone who suits what you actually need.

We'll start by getting to know what you need during a free consultation.

If you decide to move forward, you'll set up your Time etc account and we'll begin finding your match. Your initial payment helps cover the extensive recruitment and vetting behind our assistant roster, as well as the work involved in finding someone suited to your business.

You'll have the chance to review the assistants' profiles and speak with them before making the final decision.

How does this compare with hiring through a freelance marketplace?

If you've looked at outsourcing options like Fiverr or UpWork, you'll know there's no shortage of freelancers offering virtual assistant services.

And many will have gone through some form of platform verification. The bigger question is how much of the selection process you want to handle yourself.

With a freelance marketplace, you're generally responsible for comparing candidates, checking their suitability, and getting the working relationship started. With Time etc, our team handles much of that work for you.

If you have a one-off project and feel confident choosing a freelancer yourself, a marketplace may be a good fit.

If you're looking for an assistant who can become a regular part of your business over time, you may value having a team involved in finding the match and providing support as the relationship develops.

It's worth asking any provider what its checks cover. The word "verified" can mean different things, from confirming someone's identity to assessing their professional suitability.

Want to know more about how we vet our assistants?

Choosing someone to support your business is a big decision, and we want you to feel confident about who you're working with.

We've covered the main stages of our screening process here, but we know you might still have questions.

We're happy to talk through our approach in more detail, from what we look for in applicants to the checks we carry out and the standards we expect assistants to meet.

Book a free consultation to get your questions answered and discuss the support you're looking for.

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