Before you hire anyone, it is important to know exactly what you are hiring them for and how much you can afford to pay them.

It is a good idea to write these things down and provide a copy to anyone who expresses interest in applying for the job. This will ensure that you both understand the expectations that there are no surprises.

An easy way to get started with hiring virtual assistants is through freelance job sites such as elance or guru. These sites allow you to post a job that you want done, and people who are interested in the job will apply through the website with the amount they would charge for the work.

You can also post jobs for free on craigslist. You can pick what geographic area you post in, which will allow you to work with someone local or far away. If you express in the ad that telecommuting is ok, your ad may get picked up by various work at home websites and job boards, giving it maximum exposure. You may find yourself flooded with applicants!

Forums are another great place to find prospective virtual assistants. There are many business oriented message boards and forums available online. Many people display a signature line, which will include their website URL. As you read the posts, you will get familiar with which members have what type of businesses. If you find a virtual assistant who you would like to work with, contact them and let them know the details about your opening.

These message boards and forums also allow you to meet and interact with other business owners, some of whom have surely hired virtual assistants in the past. You may want to contact some of the members you respect through the private message system of the message board and ask them if they can recommend a good virtual assistant to you.

Before you hire anyone, take some time to look at each of their websites. Their websites are their calling card - are they professional and attractive? If things are sloppy or misspelled on their own website, they probably won't take the time to do a good job on your work, either.

In most cases, their websites will have a page that outlines their services and rates, as well as samples of their work. It is very important to look at examples of their past work and see if they have the ability to handle the type of job you need done.

Also, you may want to look for testimonials from past clients displayed on their site. If you dont see any, this is a clue that they are either new or that they don't have any satisfied past clients.

Finding a good virtual assistant may take a bit of time at first, but once you find one, you will see that you are able to get more work done and effectively grow your business.