Is your day spent jumping between client calls, inbox overload, and a mountain of admin work? If so, you are not alone. This is a common problem for many businesses down under.
Across Australia, business owners are reassessing how they use their time, and many are assigning their routine tasks over to virtual assistants.
Hiring a VA is no longer seen as a luxury or a shortcut. It is a smart operational move. From small firms to tradies, professionals are bringing on remote support to improve productivity without inflating costs. This doesn’t only apply to blue collar jobs either. Handymen and plumbers, too, are outsourcing their admin work to VAs while they spend more time on-site.
A Deloitte study found that 59 percent of businesses outsource to focus more on core operations. That is not about doing less. It is about doing what matters most.
We’ve put together this guide to show you how to find, hire, and onboard the right virtual assistant for your business. No fluff. Just straight answers and proven steps.
Let’s get started.
Identifying Tasks to Outsource
Ask yourself this.
If you had an extra ten hours a week, what would you actually do with them? Catch up on client work? Build out that new service you’ve been putting off? Or maybe just get home before dark for once.
This is where a Virtual Assistant in Australia earns their keep. You’re not hiring someone to look busy or while away their days at the office. You’re bringing in targeted help for tasks that eat your time and attention without giving much back in return.
Think admin first. Piles of emails. Calendar mix-ups. Document formatting. If reading these tasks shot up your anxiety, it probably belongs on your VA’s plate.
However, where do you start? What do VAs do? What can you really outsource? If you’re confused, we’re here to set things clear.
Phone Call Management
If your mobile is always buzzing while you're in the middle of a job or a client call, a VA can take over call screening, prioritisation, and forwarding. They can log messages, send you follow-up reminders, and keep communication flowing without pulling you away from your work.
Appointment Scheduling
Missed appointments hurting your business? VAs handle full calendar management, send automated reminders, and smooth out rescheduling conflicts. For many professionals, this task alone makes the hire worth their money.
Office Administration and Email Management
Virtual assistants can filter and prioritise your emails, manage data entry, handle document storage, and coordinate internal meetings. It’s the kind of support that keeps your business running smoothly in the background without your constant supervision.
Customer Service
Many Australian business owners use VAs to handle customer queries, send out timely follow-ups, and resolve minor issues before they become major ones. Customer support makes or breaks a business, and you don’t want an angry customer email to stay unattended for too long.
Social Media Management
If posting to socials feels like a full-time job, it’s because it is. A Social Media Virtual Assistant can schedule posts, manage engagement, track metrics, and provide monthly performance updates. What does that mean for you? Less screen time, more brand visibility.
Bookkeeping and Financial Tasks
Entering expenses, issuing invoices, helping track payments and assist with reporting are just some of the tasks Accounting and Bookkeeping Virtual Assistants excel at. If number crunching isn’t your strongest suit, you might want to consider outsourcing it.
Data Entry and Reporting
If your business has a lot of spreadsheets, dashboards, or client data, a Virtual Assistant can take over the admin with ease. Those time consuming tasks like data collection, routine reports, and quality checks? Consider them done!
Content Creation and Editing
Need help writing blog posts, polishing copy, or proofreading your emails before they go out? Many VAs can support your content calendar by drafting, editing, and scheduling content to keep your brand presence strong.
Market Research
Knowing your target audience can help you give them a better experience, but who has the time for research? When it comes to spotting trends or keeping an eye on the competition, VAs can assist with collecting and analysing industry data. You can then use this data to improve your business strategy.
HR Support
Virtual assistants also can assist with onboarding virtual assistants or other staff, respond to employee questions, and help collect internal feedback for better team communication.
The beauty of remote work in Australia is that your assistant can be in Byron, Brooklyn, or Bahrain, it really doesn’t matter. What matters is that the work gets done right, without you doing it all yourself.
Here’s a Quick Exercise: Task Audit
Before you hire a VA, take stock of your own workload. List every recurring task you handle in a typical week. Mark the ones that don’t require your direct involvement. Estimate how much time they take. Then, ask yourself how much time a VA could save you—and which of those tasks would make the biggest impact if you stopped doing them yourself.
This process lays the groundwork for smarter business support in Australia, and ensures your new assistant is set up for success from day one.
Local vs Overseas Virtual Assistants
Choosing between a local or overseas virtual assistant depends on a few factors. If your VA is going to be handling sensitive information, speaking to your clients in your time zone, or managing tasks that rely on local knowledge, hiring a Virtual Assistant in Australia might be the better choice.
Local assistants bring an understanding of Australian communication styles, business norms, and legal requirements. You won’t need to explain things like super, GST, or what a public holiday in Queensland means for delivery timelines. They’re also easier to reach during business hours.
On the other hand, overseas assistants can be incredibly cost-effective, especially for back-end tasks like data entry, research, or content formatting. Platforms like MyTasker, offering virtual assistant services in Australia now often include overseas options. If you're working to a budget and your tasks are well-documented digitally, this can work very well.
Whichever way you choose, it’s worth thinking ahead. Will you need after-hours coverage? Are client calls involved? Is data security a concern? The right answer is the one that fits how your business actually operates, and not always the most convenient or the easiest on your pocket.
Finding the Right Virtual Assistant
Finding the right person is less about scrolling endless applications. The clearer your expectations, the better your hire will be.
Start by listing out the tasks you want to hand over. Then look for someone who has specific experience in those areas. If you're in real estate, it makes sense to find someone who’s worked with listings and inspection bookings. If you're a tradie, look for a VA who’s familiar with quoting software or customer call handling. Industry context is important in finding the right person for the job.
There are plenty of options out there. You can hire through agencies like MyTasker that specialise in virtual assistant services in Australia, or use freelance platforms like Upwork, Airtasker, or even some Facebook groups. Each route has pros and cons. Agencies tend to handle vetting and payment, while freelancers offer more flexibility but require more effort on your part in finding a good VA.
Make sure to review their resume, test their skills with a task, and always check references. You’re hiring someone who will contribute to your business support in Australia with professionalism and reliability, so take your time in finding the perfect fit.
Evaluating VA Companies and Candidates
Look for demonstrated experience with Australian businesses. Familiarity with local software, compliance standards, and communication expectations will save you time and headaches.
If you’re hiring through a provider of Virtual Assistant Services Australia, ask how they screen candidates and whether they offer replacements if the fit isn’t right. If you’re hiring a freelancer, check for verified reviews, client testimonials, and portfolio samples.
Cost matters, but don't chase the cheapest rate. Prioritise clarity, communication skills, and reliability.
The Interview Process
You’re looking for someone who’s proactive, organised, and genuinely understands your business goals.
Start with a casual video call. Ask about their experience with businesses like yours. Have they worked with Australian clients? Do they understand your industry tools or platforms?
Ask how they handle difficult tasks or shifting priorities. You want someone who can step in, not just follow orders.
Remember, the interview is your filter. Use it well.
Setting Up Effective Communication
Start by agreeing on preferred tools, such as email for formal updates, messaging apps for quick questions, and a shared calendar to stay aligned. Tools like Slack, Zoom, or Google Workspace are commonly used across remote work in Australia.
Set expectations early. When should updates be sent? What’s the preferred response time? How should urgent issues be flagged? A five-minute daily check-in and a weekly review can prevent most misunderstandings.
Define your preferred level of formality, especially if your VA interacts with clients. If you're working with someone overseas, take time zones into account and build overlap where it makes sense.
Tools for Remote Collaboration
Working efficiently with a Virtual Assistant in Australia depends heavily on using the right tools. The goal isn’t to overwhelm your VA with software, but to create a simple, clear system they can jump into from day one.
Here are the essentials most Australian businesses use:
- Task Management: Asana, Trello, or ClickUp for assigning tasks and tracking progress
- File Sharing & Storage: Google Drive or Microsoft OneDrive for quick, secure access
- Communication: Slack for team messaging, Zoom or Google Meet for video calls
- Password Management: LastPass or Bitwarden to share logins safely
- Calendar Coordination: Google Calendar with shared access and reminders
- Project Documentation: Notion or Confluence for SOPs, onboarding notes, and shared resources
Before your VA starts, check that permissions are set correctly and that they’ve got everything they need.
Onboarding Your Virtual Assistant
Treat it like hiring a new team member, not just a contractor. A proper onboarding plan makes all the difference in long-term success.
Start with a welcome call. Introduce your business, explain your goals, and set expectations for communication, reporting, and working hours. Provide access to essential tools, a point of contact for questions, and clear documentation of daily tasks.
Break the first few weeks into stages. Begin with simple, high-frequency tasks so they can build confidence and familiarity. As trust grows, gradually delegate more complex responsibilities. This staged approach is especially useful if you’re onboarding a virtual assistant for the first time.
Schedule check-ins during the first week, then move to a regular weekly or bi-weekly catch-up, or as needed.
Performance Evaluation
Regular performance checks ensure you and your VA are both getting value from the business relationship.
On your part, start with clear key performance indicators (KPIs). Track task completion rates, communication clarity, accuracy, and responsiveness. These don’t need to be overly formal, but they should be consistent.
If you're hiring from an agency that provides virtual assistant services in Australia, ask if they offer reporting tools or evaluation report templates to make things easier.
On their part, listen to your VA’s feedback. A great assistant will offer insights, suggest improvements, and highlight gaps. That kind of initiative is worth keeping, and gives you reassurance that your business is heading in the right direction.
Wrapping things up
If you’ve made it this far, you know by now that the right VA can shift your work week from reactive to productive.
The process is simple. Identify the tasks you can delegate. Decide whether a local or offshore assistant suits your needs. Use the right tools, communicate clearly, and build trust through good onboarding and regular check-ins.
With Australia’s remote work culture thriving and the demand for flexible support growing, more businesses are embracing virtual assistants as essential team members. Done right, a VA isn’t just a helping hand. They’re a long-term asset that adds structure, clarity, and breathing room to your work life.
Want to give your business the assistance it deserves? Schedule a consultation with MyTasker today and we promise to find the right fit for your business.
