It's undeniable that Virtual Assistant jobs are on the rise. In fact, the number of VAs has increased by over 290% in just the last year. And with this growth comes a lot of questions — like: Can a BPO employee be a freelancer? Can a College undergraduate be a freelancer? Can a stay-at-home mom or dad be able to work as a virtual assistant? Well, today I am going to give you the answers to some of these questions and more!
Virtual Assistants (VAs) are people who work from home, or from an office that is separate from their primary working place or employer. Potential Virtual Assistants can be former BPO employees, college undergraduates, stay-at-home parents, and full-time workers in other occupations besides VA. A VA's main responsibility will be to provide administrative support for businesses or clients as well as do small tactical work that helps with the day-to-day operations of a business or client. The work is designed to be flexible enough so you have time to attend family events and home activities while also considering the needs of your boss.
And whether which lifestyle you are currently in, the answer lies in your skills, experience, and even willingness to work hard. May I also add that the keyword here is fit — not ability!
The perception that you have to be an expert in the industry or field where the company is looking for VAs, is wrong.
You need to be true to yourself.
You need to understand what your strengths are and how they can help you succeed in this new industry.
You need to know what type of personality will suit well with others in this kind of environment.
Does it suit your personality?
It depends on how much time and effort you put into finding out what suits your personality best in order to get hired as a Virtual Assistant!
When I was first starting out, most of the clients I paired with were those that warranted me to be online and working 8 am to 5 pm their time. I thought since I was transitioning from corporate employment to freelancing, I don’t want to suddenly just be working at a lesser amount of hours each day as per what I did when I was still at the office. Also, I thought that by working a rigid 8 am to 5 pm shift, I will be able to learn fast and thrive in that setting.
However, as clients come pouring in and my kids are also growing, leaving me less time to relax and actually sleep, I left some of my clients and reached out to those that will allow me to work more flexibly. So, I went on accepting jobs that are not time-sensitive, meaning so long as I can deliver the task in excellent quality and the deadlines are pretty much acceptable, then I’m okay with it.
There are a lot of clients out there and you really don’t have to worry that if you don’t accept a client which actually won’t match your lifestyle and your personality, then it’s the end of the road for you. You can always find a ‘perfectly matched’ client for you. One that will allow you to be who you are and where you want to be. A client or a project that will harness your full potential is what you should always aim for.
You need to be passionate about what you do.
You need to be excited about your potential and what it can bring to the table. You need to be driven, creative, and willing to help others in your community. These are all things that make up a successful virtual assistant—and they're just as important as being able to do the technical stuff.
Let me give you another personal experience of mine. As you know, I started as a corporate employee who transitioned to becoming a Virtual Assistant and a freelancer. I was even too proud to tell my husband that in a month or a couple of month’s time after resigning from a very good paying corporate job, that I’d be hired as a Virtual Assistant. Months passed and I wasn’t hired. It took me more than a year to land my first client. The funny thing here is my son’s therapists are my first clients.
Most start up VA’s to build their portfolio will try to get some gigs from the people they know, maybe family members or relatives or even friends who own a business and will need a helping hand doing their day-to-day stuff. That is actually a good thing to do as you get to test the waters first and try to learn the ins and outs of virtual assistance.
There will be a lot of learning and studying that you will need to do when you begin doing this job as a VA. So, if you are a person who is not tech savvy or doesn’t know much about computers, then you will have to train yourself and learn how to use the computer and all the tools that go with it. It just gives you so much edge if you know how to quickly learn applications, online tools and platforms.
Then, more to that, you have to learn how to market yourself, how to price your services and which services to offer.
It can be really overwhelming to someone who has been staying with the kids or been just doing office-based work but as I always say nothing is impossible.
And here’s where your passion steps in. If you have the right mindset and if you are really committed to making it in the VA and freelancing industry then whatever it takes, you'll surely do it.
You must be willing to learn new things.
You will be asked to learn how to use different programs and how to use different software programs. You will also need to learn how to work with people and how to interact with them online. All of these things are important for being successful as a virtual assistant.
To get the most out of your career as a virtual assistant, you need to be able to adapt and grow with your clients. You should have an open mind and willingness to take on new challenges. These new challenges can be a daily thing, especially for newbies in the industry.
You need to unlearn what you have learned before, especially to those who used to work in an office-based setting as most of the stuff we know at the office does not really apply when you are working online.
You need to have the right tools.
Do you have the right software or hardware to perform your job? If not, how will you be able to work effectively and efficiently in a virtual setting? Do you have any other tools that can help make your work easier? If so, what are they?
Virtual assistants need to be able to use a wide range of tools, from spreadsheets and word processing software to web design programs, video editing software, and more. If you don't have any experience in any of these areas—or if they're not something you're interested in learning—you might want to keep searching.
You'll need a computer that's powerful enough to support all of your product needs and keep pace with the latest software updates. You'll also want one that's reliable—you don't want your workday interrupted by technical issues!
One of the most asked questions by a client during a discovery call or an interview is about your computer, your workstation, your internet speed plus backup and power outages in your area.
Computers and the internet are your major initial investment if you wish to become a digital nomad (a person who can literally work anywhere even on a beach so long as there’s an internet connection and power!).
Check out our regular FREE Webinars to know more about the BASIC things you need to put together to get started on your Freelancing Journey. Sign up below.
You must have a strong work ethic and time management skills.
Of course, it's not just about looking good and having a good personality. It's important to be able to work well with others, as well as interact with clients via email, chat, and phone. You need a strong work ethic and time management skills if you want to be successful in a virtual assistant job.
You can't just come in whenever you feel like it and expect the work to get done—you need to put in some time each day or week to keep things moving. You also need to be organized so that everything gets done in an efficient manner without wasting any time or money!
The type of company that hires for these positions is typically small businesses or startups looking for extra hands (or heads) on deck as they grow their business. Remember: Being available 24/7 isn't always necessary because sometimes it's better than being available every day!
I am a mom of a child with Autism, the other one is suspected to have ADD. So, imagine the chaos at home while I have to deliver what my client wants but with the right work attitude, strong work ethic, and your ability to manage your time, I tell you this VA career can be your bread and butter. It can literally replace your office-based salary and this is a business you can grow.
At the moment, I have several clients so I do hire people to train and help me deliver the projects to my clients. Modesty aside, you can earn 6-figures and more as a freelancer each month.
Exciting isn’t it?
So, don’t forget to sign up below and get notified of our next free webinar so you can get started in this career and business real soon.
With these attributes in mind, you will be able to do the job right. If you have all of the qualifications above and are willing to apply your skills properly, you will be well on your way to landing a virtual assistant job that promises rewarding opportunities for growth and advancement.
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