A virtual assistant can be defined as someone who performs work that is secretarial or administrative in nature and can be done from a remote office. A virtual assistant generally works independently and offers specialized administrative, technical, or artistic help to clients remotely by telephone, fax, or computer. Clients can make use of a virtual assistant for many different purposes such as receiving bookkeeping, secretarial services, shopping, legal, financial, or medical assistance. In fact, it’s possible to find a great number of virtual assistant job listings on the internet. Finding a virtual assistant job should not be difficult, provided you’re equipped with the necessary research skills.
For example, if you are looking to hire an assistant, you need to first set your goals. Do you want to start a home business with virtual assistants? Is your current business just starting out? All these questions are important to know before you hire a virtual assistant, so you can determine what type of assistance you need to hire.
Before Hiring
Before hiring a virtual assistant, it is important for you to have a working relationship with them. You will need to know how they will handle your tasks, how often they will be available for your tasks, and what their fees are. A good way to get a feel for your working relationship is to send them a short note describing your needs and duties for a project and then wait for their reply. If the assistant’s response is satisfactory, continue to use them for other tasks. If the reply isn’t satisfactory, you should then try another virtual assistant. Make sure you clearly outline your working relationship with the person you are hiring.
Virtual assistants usually operate on a per-project basis, which means that you will only be billed for the actual hours they spend working for you. The best virtual assistant will be able to bill you based on the amount of time you spend meeting your needs, but it is up to you to make sure that each VA you hire meets your billing needs. Some common tasks included in the services of a virtual assistant include telephone answering, data entry, making appointments, mailing letters and invoicing, maintaining client files, updating and customizing website, etc. To save money, some people choose not to hire a VA and handle their appointments and file management themselves. While this may be less expensive initially, if you do need to bring the VA to your office for help, you will not have the benefit of their expertise.
Delegating Routine Tasks
A great advantage of having a virtual assistant is the ability to delegate routine tasks to the VA. If you don’t want to spend time doing administrative tasks, you don’t have to. The virtual assistant can perform these tasks for you, saving you time in the long run. You will also be relieved from the stress of remembering to do many small tasks each day, which can be a source of stress and frustration for the small business owner. Because most virtual assistants work in a different time zone, this also reduces the chances of any confusion or misunderstandings between the client and the administrative assistant. Most people don’t realize the importance of scheduling meetings, making travel arrangements, speaking to clients, and so forth – all of which can be extremely time consuming.
Hiring a virtual assistant works out well for both the small business owner and the person hiring the VA. Many people have benefited from this work at home opportunity. A virtual assistant works for an employer as a third party. Virtual administrative assistants are highly sought after by companies who are on the look-out for administrative assistants who can perform a variety of jobs in addition to their regular duties.
