Becoming a Virtual Assistant

As one of the fastest growing home-based businesses in America, Virtual Assistance is constantly being redefined and recreated every day.  More and more, small and large businesses alike are turning to these once-overlooked offsite contractors to work on special projects, fill in for absent employees, do overflow work and even provide full-time support for their offices.

What is a Virtual Assistant?
A Virtual Assistant (VA) is an independent contractor who provides a variety of administrative tasks for clients in a number of fields.  Some Virtual Assistants work specifically in real estate, some work specifically with lawyers, some specifically in the medical field.  Some are considered “general assistants” providing support without specifying their niche market.  Administrative support can consist of anything from secretarial support, scheduling, customer service, and other “administrative assistant” types of tasks to marketing assistance, web design/maintenance and more.

What are the basic skills needed to become a Virtual Assistant?
Because being a Virtual Assistant is a lot of hands-on work on the computer, a basic skill for becoming a VA is computer knowledge and being internet savvy, good customer service skills, good emailing and phone etiquette and basic administrative knowledge.  If you’re looking into becoming a Virtual Assistant, you should have some administrative work on your resume or in your work history.  You should also want to be your own boss and have an entrepreneurial spirit.  A willingness to learn new things and a good listening ear are also great qualities for someone looking to become a Virtual Assistant.

Why choose to be a Virtual Assistant?
The women and men who choose to become Virtual Assistants have a wide variety of reasons.  A lot will say that they choose to work from home in order to have more flexibility and control over their schedules or because of childcare/elder care responsibilities.  Many also admit to always wanting to own their own business or wanting to be their own boss.  Some were downsized from similar jobs and started working from their home as freelancers.  The reasons are vast, but people don’t just fall into becoming a Virtual Assistant.  Most research this field before jumping into the commitment of starting their own business.

How do you go about becoming a Virtual Assistant?
This is often debated in different Virtual Assistance groups.  Some people swear by coaches/mentoring programs.  Some swear by college degrees.  Some VAs swear by experience.  Really, a good mix of all three are needed.  Finding a great coach or mentor who works well with you is great to help you get your business up and running, taking classes in areas where you are lacking or struggling will help you develop any skills you need and the experience on your resume will help you “sell” yourself to potential clients.

The first step in becoming a Virtual Assistant, though, is research.  Research what other Virtual Assistants in your area are offering and at what rates.  Be honest with yourself and examine your experience and knowledge base.  Make a list of what you do know, what you need to know, and anything else you can think of when you’re doing your research.

Recommended Resource

The Five Key Steps to Your Successful Virtual Assistant Business  - This book covers everything from what are virtual assistants to services you can offer as a VA. It also goes into detail about starting, operating, and growing a profitable and successful virtual assistant business, pricing your services and more.