Though the concept of a virtual assistant is relatively new, it is one of the most demanding jobs in 2024. Imagine what an assistant does. From administrative services to client support, an assistant usually covers work that falls under the spectrum of office management and may even branch into other delegations. A virtual assistant does all of that, except in a remote capacity. Here’s all there is to being a virtual assistant and what it takes to become one.
What is a Virtual Assistant?
It has been a common practice for offices and working professionals to employ a full-time assistant to take over administrative tasks. However as the concept of a hybrid work environment grew mostly due to the pandemic, the idea of a virtual assistant also became a reality.
A virtual assistant is essentially an independent contractor for the company who works in a remote and partially limited capacity. This allows businesses and companies to bypass certain benefits and gratuities that are otherwise compulsory for full-time employees. It’s a concept similar to gig workers or platform-based workers where the service is offered on a contractual or project basis.
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What Does a Virtual Assistant Do?
There is no fixed JD for a virtual assistant. What a virtual assistant does depends mainly on two key factors. First, what are the assistant’s areas of expertise; second, what are the requirements of the company or individual?
Depending on the area, the work of a virtual assistant can range from finances to emails to even routine office management. But the typical virtual assistant jobs include:
- General administrative work like sorting and drafting emails, calendar management, answering phone calls, and making appointments along with similar on-site tasks
- Project management tasks like budget and life cycle monitoring
- Bookkeeping tasks like finance and payroll management, and creating budget statements
- Research work like due diligence and coming up with new ideas that align with the company or brand image
- Customer support
- Data entry tasks
- Identification of target audience and running customer research
- Email marketing, website, and social media management
- Transcription-related tasks.
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How to Become a Virtual Assistant
If you have expertise in any of the above tasks, you can build a career as a virtual assistant. The process begins by signing up at any of the leading freelancing platforms like Fiverr or Upwork.
Here’s how you can become a virtual assistant in a few easy steps.
Skill Identification
It is important to play on the strength when it comes to virtual assistant gigs. Identify the skills that are your strengths and look for gigs in that exact niche. Some essential skills include computer literacy, communication, organization management, editorial skills, etc.
Outline the Service
The key to success as a virtual assistant is to sell the skill. The next step after skill identification is to clearly outline in detail what will be offered and what will be the charge. A proper presentation of the service can be a make-or-break aspect in this regard.
Get the Equipment
There might be a requirement for additional equipment depending on the nature of the assistant gig. A laptop is a great option alongside a PC for working on the go. There might even be a need for a separate phone for cold-calling gigs. Then there are printers and scanners as well. So it is important to prepare beforehand based on the service offered.
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Searching for Jobs
It is unlikely that the first day will bring tons of virtual assistant gigs. Rather than aiming high from the get-go, try and take up smaller low-paying gigs to get started and build connections in the platform.
Create a Portfolio
The smaller jobs of the early days will help to build a solid portfolio for a virtual assistant. A person can show their project details, deliverables covered as well as the reviews left by the hiring personnel to attract new and better opportunities.
Specialize and Market the Specialization
Instead of trying several areas at a time, it is better to focus on a single niche and build expertise in it. The skill level or expertise will determine the pay level as it will compound exponentially.
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