# How to Vet and Interview a Virtual Assistant

Published 2026-10-16 by Sid Jashnani.

Vet a virtual assistant in five steps: a written brief, a paid work sample, structured questions, references, and a trial. Hire full-time from $1,800 a month.

The most reliable way to vet a virtual assistant is to watch them do your work. Write down the job, give each finalist the same short paid task, ask the same structured questions, check one or two references, and then use a trial week to confirm. An interview alone tells you how someone talks. A work sample tells you how they work.

Rekruuto does the first round for you: we accept only the top 2% of applicants, and you meet a shortlist. You should still run your own check on the one you pick. This guide is the checklist.

## What are the five steps to vet a virtual assistant?

| Step | What you do | What it tells you |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1. Write the brief | One page: the tasks, the tools, the hours, and what good looks like | Whether you know what you are hiring for |
| 2. Work sample | A 60 to 90 minute paid task using your real tools | Quality, speed, and how they handle unclear instructions |
| 3. Structured interview | The same questions for every finalist, scored 1 to 5 | Communication, judgment, and fit |
| 4. References | One or two short calls about past work | Reliability and how they handled problems |
| 5. Trial week | Real work, a daily check-in, and a written review on day five | Whether the first four steps were right |

Skipping the work sample is the most common mistake. The [work sample test](https://www.rekruuto.net/glossary/work-sample-test) is a short, paid task that looks like the job, and it separates strong candidates from good talkers faster than any question.

## How do you run the interview?

Use the same questions for every finalist and score each answer out of five before you compare. Good questions ask for a past example, not an opinion.

1. Walk me through a recent task like this one, from the request to the result.
2. Tell me about a time an instruction was unclear. What did you do?
3. How do you decide what to do first when three things are due today?
4. Describe a mistake you made at work and what you changed after it.
5. Which of these tools have you used most, and what did you do in them?
6. How do you keep confidential information confidential?
7. What would you need from me in the first week to do your best work?

The free [interview question generator](https://www.rekruuto.net/interview-question-generator) builds a list for the role you are hiring. For a developer, see [how to vet an offshore developer](https://blog.rekruuto.net/how-to-vet-an-offshore-developer), and for an AI seat, the [AI automation specialist interview questions](https://blog.rekruuto.net/ai-automation-specialist-interview-questions).

## What are the red flags?

- Vague answers when you ask for a specific example.
- A work sample that arrives late without a message.
- Answers that avoid saying what they personally did.
- No questions about your business or your tools.
- Pressure to skip the sample or the references.

A candidate can have one of these on a bad day. Two or more is a pattern.

## What should the trial week prove?

A trial confirms what the earlier steps suggested. Give real work, hold a short check-in each day, and write down three things on day five: what was done on time, what needed rework, and whether you would hand over more. The free [VA onboarding checklist](https://www.rekruuto.net/va-onboarding-checklist) covers the first week.

Every Rekruuto hire starts with a 1-week trial. If you are not satisfied, we find a replacement or refund your money.

## What does it cost to hire a vetted virtual assistant?

A full-time hire through Rekruuto is $1,800 a month for most roles, based in the Philippines and working your hours. Software developers and AI Implementation Specialists start at $2,500 a month. Hiring and onboarding take 14 days. The [instant quote](https://www.rekruuto.net/quote) shows the price for your role, and the [executive assistant role](https://www.rekruuto.net/executive-assistant) is the usual first hire.

**Related reading:** [the top 7 tasks to delegate first](https://blog.rekruuto.net/top-7-tasks-to-delegate-to-a-virtual-assistant-for-maximum-efficiency) and [virtual assistant legal services for law firms](https://blog.rekruuto.net/virtual-assistant-legal-services-comprehensive-guide-for-law-firms).

## Frequently asked questions

### How do you vet a virtual assistant?

Write a one-page brief, give each finalist the same paid work sample, ask the same scored questions, check one or two references, and confirm with a trial week. The work sample is the step that matters most.

### What should you ask a virtual assistant in an interview?

Ask for past examples: a recent task from request to result, an unclear instruction and how they handled it, how they prioritize, a mistake and what they changed, and which tools they have used most.

### How long should a work sample take?

60 to 90 minutes is enough for most assistant roles. Pay for it, use your real tools, and give every finalist the same task so you can compare the results.

### Do you need a trial period for a virtual assistant?

Yes. A trial week shows how someone works on your real tasks. Rekruuto's first week is a trial with replacement or refund.

Pricing: Most roles $1,800/mo (£1,395 + VAT in the UK, €1,650 in Europe). Developers and AI Implementation Specialists from $2,500/mo (from £1,945 + VAT in the UK, from €2,295 in Europe).