Professional services firms run on expertise, and expertise is expensive. Yet in most accounting practices, law firms, clinics, consultancies and recruitment agencies, highly qualified people spend a large share of their week on scheduling, document chasing, data entry and inbox management.
A virtual assistant can take that work on. But hiring well starts with a clear brief, and most firms don't have one. This article is that brief. Copy it, change the details to fit your firm, and use it to hire, onboard and measure your first VA.
Part one: the purpose of the role
Start your brief with a single sentence that explains why the role exists. For example:
"The virtual assistant keeps our clients' paperwork, appointments and communication organised, so our professionals can spend their time on advisory and billable work."
Every task in the brief should connect back to that sentence. If it doesn't, it probably belongs in someone else's job.
Part two: responsibilities by firm type
The core of the role is similar everywhere: calendar, inbox, documents and follow-up. What changes is the detail. Pick the section closest to your firm and adapt it.
Accounting and bookkeeping practices
Requesting and collecting client documents ahead of deadlines, and chasing missing items.
Data entry and categorising transactions in your accounting software, for review by a qualified accountant.
Preparing engagement letters and onboarding packs for new clients.
Managing the deadline calendar and sending reminders to clients.
Law firms
Scheduling client meetings and keeping attorneys' calendars up to date with key dates.
Formatting documents from templates and organising matter files.
Client intake: collecting information from new enquiries and booking consultations.
Following up on signatures and outstanding documents.
Healthcare and wellness practices
Appointment scheduling, confirmations, reminders and rebooking cancellations.
Answering general patient enquiries using approved responses.
Insurance and billing admin support, where your systems and policies allow.
Keeping practice calendars and staff rotas organised.
Consulting firms
Executive assistant support for partners: inbox, calendar and travel.
Formatting proposals and reports, and building slide decks from drafts.
Research summaries and competitor or market scans.
Tracking proposals and follow-ups in the CRM.
Recruitment and staffing agencies
Sourcing and screening candidates against a brief, and updating the applicant tracking system.
Scheduling interviews between candidates, recruiters and clients.
Writing and posting job ads, and managing replies.
Sending candidate updates so nobody is left waiting for news.
Part three: what stays with your professionals
A good brief is as clear about what the VA doesn't do as what they do. In professional services, that line protects your clients and your firm. Typically, your qualified staff keep:
Professional advice of any kind, whether financial, legal, medical or strategic.
Final review and sign-off on any client deliverable.
Decisions on pricing, fees and exceptions to policy.
Anything your regulator or professional body says must be done by a licensed person.
Write these down. It makes the role clearer for your VA and gives your team confidence about what's being delegated.
Part four: confidentiality and data handling
Client information in professional services is often sensitive, and some of it may be regulated where you operate. Your brief should cover:
Agreements: a confidentiality agreement signed before the VA starts.
Access: individual logins, the minimum access needed for the role, and a password manager rather than shared passwords.
Where data lives: client files stay in your firm's systems, never in personal accounts or devices.
Your rules: any specific requirements from your industry, which you should confirm with your own compliance adviser.
None of this is unusual. It's the same standard you'd apply to any new team member, written down so everyone knows it.
Part five: skills and qualities to look for
| Must have | Nice to have |
|---|---|
| Excellent written English and a professional tone | Previous experience in your type of firm |
| Attention to detail and accuracy with data | Familiarity with your practice management software |
| Discretion with confidential information | Experience with client intake or scheduling tools |
| Reliable follow-through on deadlines | Basic document formatting and slide design |
| Comfort asking questions when unsure | Experience supporting more than one professional |
Part six: interview questions that reveal the right person
Skip "tell me about yourself" and ask questions that show how a candidate thinks:
"A client emails asking for advice about their situation. How would you respond?" (You're listening for: acknowledges, doesn't advise, passes it to the right professional.)
"You've chased a document three times and the deadline is in two days. What do you do next?"
"Two partners both want the same meeting slot. How do you handle it?"
"Tell me about a time you noticed a mistake that wasn't yours. What did you do?"
"Here's a messy spreadsheet. Talk me through how you'd tidy it up." (A short practical task says more than any answer.)
Part seven: a 30-60-90 day plan
First 30 days: learn and stabilise
Take over calendar and inbox management for one or two professionals. Learn the firm's systems, templates and client base. Start daily end-of-day reports. Success looks like: no missed appointments and a tidy inbox every morning.
Days 31 to 60: own the routines
Take on document collection and client reminders for a defined group of clients. Build or update templates for common emails. Success looks like: fewer last-minute document scrambles, and professionals no longer chasing paperwork themselves.
Days 61 to 90: improve the system
Suggest and implement one process improvement, such as a better intake form or an automated reminder schedule. Expand support to more of the team. Success looks like: measurable time saved for professionals and smoother client onboarding.
Part eight: how to measure success
Agree on a few simple measures up front: hours of professional time freed up each week, documents collected on time, response time to client enquiries, and fewer scheduling errors. Review them monthly with your VA. What gets measured gets better, and it makes the value of the role easy to see.
Putting the brief to work
A brief like this turns "we need some admin help" into a role you can hire for, onboard quickly and measure. Copy the sections that apply to your firm, adjust the details, and share it with candidates so they know exactly what success looks like.
Prefer to skip the hiring process? At Virtual Raket, we match professional services firms with vetted Filipino Raketors experienced in executive assistance, client admin, recruitment support and more. Share your brief on a discovery call and we'll find the right person. You'll see their hours, tasks and daily reports in RaketBase, and you can begin with a free 3-day trial.
Book a discovery call and bring your brief, or a rough list of what you want off your plate.
