The First Pick Difference: Why Choosing The First Pick VA Group Just Makes Sense!

Since the start of the 2020 pandemic, working from home has changed dramatically in a relatively short amount of time. What once was considered unconventional has now become a very common way to conduct business, and with this change comes an increased need for professional virtual help. Online freelance platforms like Upwork and Fiverr are experiencing rapid growth and fierce competition for remote jobs. However popular freelance platforms also come with many limitations. This can make finding competent virtual help difficult for businesses due to a lack of training and sensible pricing - not to mention the sheer number of applicants!
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That’s where First Pick comes in. Because we are a small agency, we can focus specifically on the areas large platforms cannot. Our VA’s go through a rigorous recruitment and hiring process and are only selected if we determine their skills and experience will be a good fit for our clients. VA’s with specialized skills are only brought onto the team if they have a minimum of two years of experience and valid certifications or equivalent education depending on their area of expertise. 

After they’ve completed the hiring process, each VA completes a week-long training program which covers topics such as email and calendar management, social media basics, task management strategy, Google Suites, and most importantly customer satisfaction. This program gives our virtual assistants a standardized and solid foundation for providing the absolute best and most reliable service possible. Once they have completed their training, VA’s undergo a two to four week trial period in which an experienced team member mentors them and monitors their skill growth to ensure they are ready to work with clients. 

At First Pick VA, our top priorities are 1) happy clients and 2) happy team members. Because of this, we pay our VA’s based on their qualifications and experience and allow them to set their own prices with management guidance. This differs from standard agencies with standardized pricing or freelance platforms where anyone can set any price for their services. This helps to take the guesswork out of pricing for you and helps ensure you are only paying for what you need and nothing extra! 

​The goal of our hiring process, training program, and trial period is to ensure that you get the professional virtual help you need quickly and with minimal hassle. No more sifting through hundreds of applications or wondering if the VA you hired is qualified - you can rest assured knowing your First Pick VA is competent, reliable, and trustworthy. 

With dedication to our clients in mind, we’ve instilled these three practices: extensive training, experience-based pricing, and easy recruitment to ensure a consistent, reliable, and happy experience working with your new freelancer. Whether you find us online or through a referral, all it takes is a quick (free!) consultation where we talk through what type of VA you are looking for, which services you need, and how we can help you the most. If you’re ready to take the next step, we’ll have you do a meet and greet with your new VA, sign the paperwork, and *presto* you’re back to getting things done.

Looking to learn more about the difference between freelance agencies and platforms, check out our blog "Freelance Agency or Freelance Platform: What’s the Difference?" ​