Finding the Best Xero Accounting Virtual Assistants
It may seem like looking for a needle in a haystack. You need to establish the proper criteria first to lessen the search time.
What Skills Should I Look for in a Xero Accounting Virtual Assistant?
Gone are the days when accountants needed a pen, paper, and calculator to complete their work. Xero has automated most of the accounting process, so the bulk of the work now involves data entry into online software.
So, the most essential skill you need to look for is working on digital software. The candidate must have a good level of familiarity with basic online tools.
Aside from familiarity with online tools, a skilled Xero accounting VA must also have the following skills:
Data Entry
This is an essential skill for bookkeeping. It involves capturing details like transaction amounts, types of transactions, dates, and parties involved. It establishes the foundations of your record-keeping and ensures proper tracking of the money that goes in and out of your business.
Time Management
Bookkeeping is an integral part of every business. There’s a strict deadline for when the records must be updated so you can meet tax filing deadlines, financial report submission, and payroll. The Online Filipino Specialist for Xero accounting that you hire must adequately manage their time and avoid rushing through the data entry process. Otherwise, if they leave this task up to the eleventh hour, there’s a higher chance of committing costly mistakes.
Keen Attention to Detail
Not everybody can work with numbers on grids and spreadsheets for long periods and come out unscathed. Mistakes are bound to be made, especially if there is a lot of data to work on. However, any experienced Xero bookkeeper must review their inputs several times to ensure accuracy. This process requires tons of patience and a keen attention to detail. After all, even a single-digit mistake could be costly when it’s left unchecked.
Even though Xero automates many bookkeeping tasks, some parts of the process cannot be automated.
This is especially true when you encounter roadblocks. You need someone capable of solving fundamental problems and making informed decisions while also doing a bit of root-cause analysis. What if you’re not around to help the OFS resolve an urgent issue?
They’ll need to find ways to solve it without affecting the business’s financial deadlines.
This means that you must also screen candidates for the following:
- Critical thinking
- Ability to work and solve problems independently
- Organizational skills
These skills are primarily subjective, so how would you screen for them? The answer is simple: Look at their test scores on their Onlinejobs.ph profile.
What Tests Will Help You in Your VA Search?
There are three tests on Onlinejobs.ph for Online Filipino Specialists to take:
- DISC
- IQ TEST
- English Proficiency Test
The DISC test gauges applicants' subjective traits and ensures they complete the verification process by submitting the requirements.
If you want to take it further, you can also check their scores on other tests. Since Xero bookkeeping involves working with numbers, it would be helpful to check that the OFS scored well on the IQ Test.
We recommend screening candidates with a proficiency level of at least B2 or possibly higher for the English proficiency test.
English reading and listening comprehension are two critical skills that a bookkeeper must have. Since they’re dealing with numbers, they need to at least be able to simplify the terms for easy dissemination. This is very important, especially if your Xero accounting virtual assistant is working with a team of other remote workers.
Communicating well in English ensures efficiency and lessens the possibility of communication errors between colleagues.
Onlinejobs.ph has included employee testing to make it easier for employers and recruiters to find their ideal match. No need for you to go through hundreds upon hundreds of applications. All you have to do is look at the test scores to narrow the search for a skilled Xero accounting VA.
Check out our Comprehensive Guide to Virtual Assistant Salaries in the Philippines to understand the salary range to include in your job post.
How Do I Hire the Best Xero Accounting Specialist on Onlinejobs.ph?
The first thing you must do is sign up for an account on Onlinejobs.ph.
You can sign up for a free account, which should allow you to post a job and receive up to 15 applications. This should be good enough if you don’t have time to view more than 15 applications. However, once you find someone you’d like to interview, you won’t be able to reach out to them on the free account.
We also don’t recommend contacting candidates externally, as this practice leaves you vulnerable to scammers.
Once you sign up for either a Pro or Premium account, you get more protection by:
- Being able to communicate with candidates within the platform
- Read worker reviews from their former clients
- Conduct unlimited background data checks (Premium account only)
Contract and rate negotiations can be done through the Onlinejobs.ph inbox. You also get full support from the Onlinejobs.ph support team if you have any questions.
If you’re unsure how to proceed, check out our YouTube channel for tips and tricks on hiring reliable OFS.
You are under no obligation to continue the Pro or Premium membership. You can easily cancel the membership once you’ve hired your ideal Xero accounting virtual assistant.
If you need some first-hand information from a client, check out Outsourcing for Entrepreneurs: Onlinejobs.ph Review. This provides a step-by-step process for hiring Online Filipino Specialists on Onlinejobs.ph. It also answers some of the most common questions on how employers will benefit from hiring remote Filipino workers.
Need more people to add to your team? Here are more resources to guide you in your search:
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