Screen a virtual assistant with a written handoff exercise

A written handoff exercise shows whether a candidate can leave work another person can continue. The prompt should include a task, a source, and a next deadline. The reviewer should score the note, not the candidate's confidence. Keep the boundary visible in the place where the work is assigned. The assistant should record the owner and the date before the next shift. The client should know who is handling the question and when to expect an answer.

Keep the exercise short enough to finish in under an hour. A long exercise measures stamina, not the skill you need. Name the owner in the same line as the action. Keep the boundary visible in the place where the work is assigned. The handoff should say what the next person may decide without asking. The client should know who is handling the question and when to expect an answer.

Use invented names, addresses, and account numbers. Provide a read-only folder or a test document. Remove any live access and personal data. Keep the evidence with the record rather than in a separate log. Test the brief on one real task before applying it to the whole role. The client should know who is handling the question and when to expect an answer.

Write the brief with one routine task, one exception, and one question that requires a decision. The mix shows whether the candidate recognizes the boundary. A short note with four fields is easier to use than a long narrative. Write the deadline as a date and a local time. A short note with the requester and the next action is easier to use. Keep the source link with the task so the next reviewer can check it.

Use a scorecard with accuracy, source, next action, and boundary. Accuracy covers the facts. Source covers whether the note points to the evidence. A short note with four fields is easier to use than a long narrative. The client should know who is handling the question and when to expect an answer. Keep the source link with the task so the next reviewer can check it.

Give credit for a clear question when the brief is ambiguous. Penalize a confident guess more than a slow handoff. Name the owner in the same line as the action. Record the date and the source so the next reviewer can repeat the check. A short note with the requester and the next action is easier to use. The handoff should say what the next person may decide without asking.

Review the notes with the same reviewer and the same rubric. Record one example for each score. Do not let the interview overwrite a weak sample. Ask whether a new reviewer could act on the record without a conversation. Keep the source link with the task so the next reviewer can check it. The assistant should record the owner and the date before the next shift.

Ask each candidate to explain one decision. Listen for the source and the consequence, not just the outcome. A control that depends on memory is not yet a control. Keep the original note beside the corrected version. Keep the source link with the task so the next reviewer can check it.

Compare the exercise score with the first-month work. Update the rubric if the exercise misses a real gap. A screen that never changes is not learning. Keep the evidence with the record rather than in a separate log. Test the brief on one real task before applying it to the whole role. A short note with the requester and the next action is easier to use.

For the support model, review the [services page](/services) and the scope it describes. Use the [contact page](/contact-us) when the decision needs a written boundary. The [U.S. Small Business Administration](https://www.sba.gov/business-guide/manage-your-business/manage-your-finances) publishes public guidance on documenting recurring work. Keep the note with the task so the next reviewer can find it. The assistant should record the owner and the date before the next shift. Keep the source link with the task so the next reviewer can check it.