What Is a Virtual Assistant? Definition & Meaning
Every virtual assistant job is a small bit different, of course, but there are some general components to expect. Most virtual assistants provide support to their employer or clients in the form of answering emails, transcribing documents, preparing statements and letters, organizing files, coordinating schedules and calendars, making travel arrangements, and by and large taking commission of administrative tasks to help a customer focus on the other aspects of their jobs ( or personal lives ) .
The good news for anyone hoping to work remotely as a virtual assistant? Virtual administration is one of the fastest-growing distant career fields, according to FlexJobs data.
What Does a Virtual Assistant Do?
virtual assistants can work as executive assistants, administrative assistants, personal assistants, and in early relate positions, depending on the client. A typical virtual assistant job description may include any combination of the follow :
- Calendar and schedule management
- Travel arrangements
- File and document organization
- Email monitoring and organizing
- Answering and directing calls
- Billing and accounting activities
- Writing and maintaining records
- Vetting potential clients, projects, partnerships, etc.
- Maintaining or updating a client’s social media or professional profile
Because so many virtual assistant duties are done through a calculator, excellent typing skills and being highly comfortable using different calculator programs are a must .
How Do You Become a Virtual Assistant?
If you have no directly experience or are looking for virtual assistant jobs for beginners, hera are some ways to get started. Have you booked appointments, made travel arrangements, managed person ’ s calendar or electronic mail, blogged, or promoted something on social media ? All of these are common virtual assistant tasks. even if you believe you have no experience, you may have assignable skills that can set your resume apart .
You may already have the good skills to become a virtual assistant without realizing how valuable they are. To give them the proper context, these skills should be detailed in your virtual adjunct cover letter. If you need to brush up on some areas, virtual assistant training and certifications can be obtained through self-study or taking on-line virtual assistant courses to learn best practices .
As a virtual adjunct, you can work directly for employers, or for a virtual assistant agency that provides services to other companies, or offer your own services on a contract footing. If you wish to go into business on your own, determine ahead of prison term which virtual adjunct services you ’ ll offer, perfect your sum up, and start network.
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If you offer social media, web design, contented output, or creative services, consider maintaining an on-line portfolio with examples of your oeuvre. After becoming a virtual adjunct and working for your first clients, be indisputable to collect convinced testimonials that can impress new clients .
How to Find Virtual Assistant Jobs & Companies That Hire Virtual Assistants
According to the FlexJobs database, the companies below frequently hire for virtual adjunct positions :
There are many early companies that normally hire for virtual assistants, excessively. When it comes to virtual adjunct job titles, be on the lookout for titles like virtual administrative assistant, administrative coordinator, virtual secretary, personal adjunct, executive assistant, and exchangeable titles .
What Makes a Good Virtual Assistant?
great occupation candidates possess virtual assistant skills like phenomenal written and verbal communication and open and transparent communication practices where they are viewed as a reliable, approachable partner by their clients. Time management and organizational skills are a must, as is a natural ability to take charge of a position and organize it for the benefit of a customer .
besides, experience with or cognition of cloud-based communication technologies like file sharing, password managers, and telephone and video conferencing is significant.
last, people who hire virtual assistants are looking to lessen the stress and disorganization in their lives. Don ’ t wait to be asked to do specific tasks—if you see a client is struggling, offer to help them with something you aren ’ deoxythymidine monophosphate presently doing. This gives you more make to do and lets them trust even more heavily on you .
Virtual Assistant Salary: How Much Do Virtual Assistants Make?
PayScale shows a wide-eyed stove of pay for virtual assistants, depending on their skill tied, years of have, industry, and clientele .
The compass is $ 21,000 to $ 56,000 per class, with the median annual rate at $ 36,272. Hourly virtual assistant pay ranges from $ 10.16 to $ 29.49, with a medial hourly pace of about $ 16 .
