Virtual Assistant: A guide for aspirants, managers and recruiters

A Virtual Assistant is a business hero. They make the life of an entrepreneurs easier at the same time they are entrepreneurs themselves. Being a Virtual Assistant can be a fulfilling job given you have the right mindset. While a busy business owner, manager or entrepreneur can definitely free up some of their time and invest in self investment by delegating some of their task to virtual assistants.

What is a Virtual Assistant?

From: THE VIRTUAL ASSISTANT INDUSTRY:

A Virtual Assistant (simply as a “VA”) is usually someone who is self-employed and works remotely, from their home or their own office. Although they make up a rapidly-growing global industry, the concept of a Virtual Assistant is still relatively unknown to some business owners and professionals.

Today’s technology, with many people now using cloud-based tools such as Skype and MS Office Online, means an increasing number of people are working remotely. In fact, even in 2011, 56% of UK companies had already incorporated some form of remote working into their business. This opens up a fantastic opportunity to expand your team, as and when needed, without the need to take on your own permanent staff and pay for an office to house them!

As business owners why should you hire a VA and what traits should you look for?

Your Virtual Assistants are your partners in business.

  1. They should be trust worthy and has to have a growth mindset.
  2. They should be willing to learn.
  3. They should know how to listen to you but will also be comfortable in voicing out their concerns and suggestions.
  4. They should be willing to treat your business as their own.

How can you look for these trait during the hiring process?

Do a through background check on your applicant. Ask situational questions during interviews instead of technical questions.

Virtual Assistants help you save time

Graph from Canadian Virtual Gurus
Graph from https://canadianvirtualgurus.com/blog/blog/why-you-should-outsource-to-a-virtual-assistant/

The graph above perfectly visualize how much time business owners, managers and entrepreneurs can save if they delegate some of their task like internet research, project . management, database management, evaluations, job descriptions, resume review, surveys and mailings.

Virtual Assistants Give Good Value

From: VIRTUAL ASSISTANTS- YOUR FASTEST TICKET TO GROWTH IN 2018!

Virtual assistants always deliver good value by simply freeing up one’s personal life from his professional work. VA in simple words optimizes tactics, tools and tips directed towards creating a pool of opportunities, replenishment and expansion in the entire personal sphere of a company’s founder/manager.

How can businesses retain top performing Virtual Assistants?

So you finally found your perfect Virtual Assistant. She’s been with you for more than a year and has considerably grown your business but now she just told you she might be quitting. There can be a number of reason for that which includes personal reasons which cannot be avoided. Although there are also reasons for quitting you can avoid.

Virtual Assistants are people too, although they may not be physically present like employees they are motivated by the same things. They want to feel valued and it can be done through verbal praises or bonuses.

Incentivize your people when they give good ideas and when they genuinely contribute to the growth of your business.

Outsourcing for Entrepreneurs – Work Less & Get More Done! will help you run an extremely efficient business with the power of outsourcing!

 

If you want to learn in-depth about outsourcing and virtual assistants consider taking the course: Outsourcing: Save Time with Inexpensive Professionals by Zach Miller

Why should you become a virtual assistant?

As a virtual assistant, many might have a wrong impression that they do small menial tasks but they are wrong. A virtual assistant job is a great stepping stone to learn about the business you are handling and for you to get influenced by the boss mindset.

Go get a good boss and imagine how lucky you will be to get paid to learn observing your boss and finding out their goals, motivations and mindsets.

My experience as a virtual assistant have definitely increased my personality and my skill set and has enabled me to expand my horizons.

How did I become a virtual assistant?

Part of growing up, I’ve already been doing assistant jobs by helping various people with their needs, from assisting my teachers with their works to my grandfather’s business. That is how I realized I liked helping people by assisting them in doing things with my abilities.

In 2016 I officially acquired the title Virtual Assistant when I was hired by Fashion Designer and Image Consultant Delby Bragais, author of Purple Pig Wears Red Lipstick.

I was tasked to assist her in turning her print book into an e-book purchasable in Amazon Kindle. Part of my task is to help her with launching the book and getting the word out in Social Media.

I also used my skill as a Multimedia artist to perform tasks related to her various needs from web design, development, social media, print, book and layout design.

Her book The Purple Pig Wears Red Lipstick is now available in Amazon.

It wasn’t an easy experience but it was great. I feel good whenever I see the work we did together and knowing that I helped her cross one of her to-dos in the few months that we worked together.

What should you do to become a great Virtual Assistant?

To become a great Virtual Assistant, first you should know why you want to do it. Think about your whys. Being a Virtual Assistant can become an exhausting job and if you don’t know why you are doing it you might become more susceptible to burn out. 

You should love seeing other people become successful. When you’ve become a virtual assistant for so long and you’ve brought success to many companies it should make you happy.

Be open minded and keep on learning. Maybe being a virtual assistant wasn’t your first career option but you can definitely use it as a stepping stone in reaching your goal. Don’t hesitate to take a detour in your journey as long as you keep all the lesson you learn. 

Present yourself well, build your knowledge so you can build your confidence. Invest in yourself.

 

If you want to learn more check out How to Start a Career as a Work at Home Virtual Assistant

 

 

You can also check out How to Start Your Career as a Freelance Virtual Assistant

Did you like this article? Never miss a post! Don’t forget to subscribe:

Loading


About the Featured Photo:

The original image is a from Unsplash.