What is Virtual Assistant

A self-employed administrator who generally works remotely for various clients is a virtual assistant. But with the onslaught of this skill, most people assumed “virtual assistant” as a secretary who works from home. The field is exploding with a variety of skill sets that maybe beneficial for the various working professionals. A lot of busy professionals cannot do without virtual assistants because they carry out the services that a full-time administrative assistant cannot do.

Why Virtual Assistants?

The biggest question that may arise in anyone’s mind after hearing the phrase “work from home” is “How do virtual assistants stay in the business?” It’s pretty easy to figure out. Money and convenience, where “convenience” is more important for people who cannot commute to work on an everyday basis. A full-time administrative assistant may earn up to $50000 or more (based on the level, beginner or senior) excluding the benefits and bonuses. A virtual assistant makes ends meet by working for multiple people or on multiple projects at the same time. They can easily be hired for hours, or the task that they need to do in a given span of time. And in any case, if someone needs to save some money, based on the priority of the task, they can be discontinued for their services until the time one has enough money to continue with it.

What can a Virtual Assistant do?

Depending on the varied skill sets, virtual assistants can be hired. Some may deal with the work of handling tough projects of clients that may deal with logistics and scheduling while others may excel at web-based services like manning email accounts, doing research or social media. Some of the few things virtual assistants can help with are mentioned below:

• Compile data into planned spreadsheets
• Any time-consuming or repetitive tasks
• Managing social media accounts
• Coordinating with clients
• Assisting in recruitment by doing all the preliminary research on the candidates
• Transcribe voice interviews, conference calls etc.
• Preparation of presentations
• Research
• Respond to important mails
• Place order for new products

Hiring a Virtual Assistant

With a surge in the number of virtual assistants choosing to work from home, the employment market has seen varied changes in the web-based companies that serve as the agent between employers and contractors. Some websites have an enormous amount of options for individuals across the world with a wide range of skill choices and expertise.

On these sites, clients can post their requirements for the assistants—the type of tasks and the maximum pay. In some cases, clients can even set up video and conference calls to interview the applicants and thoroughly assess their qualifications.

Before hiring a virtual assistant, the employer can ensure a good working reputation to the assistant in terms of detailed instructions about the various tasks he needs to perform. A written manual of the duties can reduce the risk of any confusion between the employer and the assistant because it is a remote working station after all.