A lot of small business owners and human resources managers run into these issues. Yes, hiring new employees is your responsibility.

However, it is certainly not your only responsibility. You can't always spend as much time dealing with prospective employees as you might like. Somebody has to finish the payroll, handle all the benefits claims, schedules and everything else that's on your plate everyday. People would certainly notice how much you have going on if they didn't receive their paycheck on time or get their vacation time!

A lot of small business owners and hr managers are now choosing a new option to help them deal with all the hassles of advertising positions, pre-screening employees and setting up interviews. Outsourcing all or part of your hiring process can provide some much needed relief. Some virtual assistant companies are now offering these services.

Hiring a virtual assistant (VA) or virtual hiring assistant can be a very cost-effective and efficient way to handle all the tasks filling a position requires.

Virtual assistants can assist you in the hiring process at any and all levels. You decide what steps you'd like to outsource to them and how involved you'd like them to be in the process.

Four of the most common hr services virtual assistants provide in this area are:

1)Placing Employment Ads- Not only can this save you time, but if you find a virtual assistance provider that regularly provides hr services, it can save you lots of time researching the best places to place your ads. You can use your virtual assistant not only as a service provider but also as a consultant. Ask them if they've placed ads for similar positions in the past and where they got the best results.

2)Handling All Initial Responses- This is one area where you can really decide to what degree you want your virtual assistant involved. Most VA's who provide this service can set up unique response e-mail box when posting your jobs with autoresponders. They can also set up an incoming phone number that they can answer to deal with all the initial inquiries.

3)Pre-Screening Applicants- Most you have probably experienced being overwhelmed with resumes and applications. They can come in such a flurry that its hard to even distinguish those who are actually qualified from those who simply aren't. Your virtual assistant can filter through the resumes for you based on criteria you provide or even perform pre-screening phone interviews with questions you provide.

4)Reference checks- Actually getting in touch with your prospective employee's references can be an on-going hassle and game of phone tag. A virtual assistant can dedicate a lot more time to being available for references to call back because they aren't tied down to all of the responsibilities you have at the office. They can check personal and professional references for you.

A virtual assistant can really simplify your hiring process. If you are a small business owner or hiring manager who is always strapped for time, you may want to explore this option.