You don't need a six-round interview loop to hire a great VA. Five focused questions tell you most of what you need before a paid trial.

1. "Walk me through how you'd handle [your #1 task]"

Replace generic "tell me about yourself" with a real workflow — inbox triage, support tickets, or weekly reporting. Listen for:

Clarifying questions they ask *you*
Tool familiarity (Gmail labels, Notion, Zendesk, etc.)
How they document recurring work

2. "What do you need from me in week one?"

Great VAs request access lists, Loom walkthroughs, and escalation rules upfront. Red flag: "Just send tasks and I'll figure it out" with no structure.

3. "Show me something similar you've done"

On Orca, check their profile outcomes and portfolio first — then ask for one concrete example in the interview. Specific beats generic every time.

4. "How do you communicate blockers?"

Async hiring fails when VAs go quiet. You want a defined channel (Slack/email), response window, and examples of proactive updates.

5. "What would make this a bad fit for you?"

Honest answers about timezone, workload, or skill gaps save both sides a bad trial. Mutual fit matters.

After the interview

Don't debate forever — run a $30 trial project with a clear deliverable and deadline. On Orca you can message 2–3 finalists and trial the best fit without platform lock-in.

Ready? [Browse VAs](/virtual-assistants) or use [Scout Concierge](/scout-concierge) for an AI-ranked shortlist.

How to Interview a Virtual Assistant (5 Questions That Matter)