It is undeniable that the advancement of new technological feature such as digital communication and work from home system has brought significant improvement to working environment of the modern business. Such conditions have proved to be conducive for one business in particular, namely the virtual assistant industry. From the existing career, whether one is a beginning business or a professional virtual assistants(VAs) provide numerous services that may cut expenses and time. So, what does virtual assistant career or virtual assistants work involve and who employs virtual assistants? These are questions that will be answered in this article as well as many others.
What Are Virtual Assistant Jobs?
As a virtual assistant, one is expected to work with clients from various fields offering them administrative, technical or creative support from a… Unlike many other positions that require employees to go to their workplace, virtual assistants are most probably remote and can work from anywhere with the internet connection. The employees can be permanent, temporary, or work on freelance basis, while the type of tasks does not hold constant type of the work depending on the opportunities of the client.
Common tasks for virtual assistants include:
- Administrative tasks: Co-ordinate mails, co-ordinate appointments, arrange travels, co-ordinate files.
- Social media management: Generating the content, setting and putting it out, as well as engaging with the fans.
- Customer service: With consumer inquiries and complaints, and with overall client support.
- Content creation: Besides, the email, writing blog posts, managing websites, and the creation of graphics or videos.
- Bookkeeping: Accounts receivables, accountant expenditures, and accounts payable, pay roll services.
It means that virtual assistant jobs are popular because they are flexible. There is a high level of freelance VAs, so one can decide about working hours, rates he/she sets, and clients he/she cooperates with. Such flexibility is appealing because the virtual assistant jobs are suitable for people who are searching for remote employment or else, who are searching for part-time jobs.
Virtual Assistant Job Description: What Do Virtual Assistants Do?
Virtual assistant job description suggests a wide range of duties that an assistant may have to perform. Though, an exact list of duties may be quite different depending on the nature of the client and his specifications. Here’s a breakdown of common tasks and roles virtual assistants take on:
Administrative Support
- The common business communication skills include making and receiving phone calls and responding to emails.
- Managing appointments and meetings such as appointments calendars and business meetings among others.
- Looking after the data entry and management of all files.
- Booking travel and accommodations.
Content Creation and Digital Marketing
- Blogging, article and newsletter writer and editor.
- Handling official social platform and making post.
- Grammarly Editing Service can also help in developing graphics and marketing channels too.
- Helping SEO and maintaining the necessary websites.
Customer Support
- Answering clients’ questions and addressing problems affecting their use of the product.
- Receiving and handling orders, dealing with refunds as well as tracking of delivery.
- Maintaining of records for client’s accounts and general record keeping.
Bookkeeping and Financial Tasks
- Accounts receivables, accounts payable and wages.
- Tracking expenses as well as producing statements of account.
- Helping with the preparation of budgets and budgets adjustments.
Project Management
- Working with other team members so as to ensure that they deliver on their set work as expected.
- From charting the project, coming up with timelines and the regular tracking of the same.
- Informing clienteles and all the stakeholders in their operations.
Personal Assistance
- Scheduling of appointments, and performing other personal errands for businessmen and other business people in the society.
- Some of the things that can be easily arranged by the coordination center include running of personal errands like shopping or bill payment.
Due to the flexibility in the virtual assistant job description, it means that this is an ideal job opportunity for anyone who wishes to practice in many fields.
Who Needs a Virtual Assistant?
So which kind of an individual or a business requires virtual assistance? This is an all-encompassing question and it nearly has an all-encompassing answer. Virtual assistants work for business and private entities of all fields. Here are a few examples:Here are a few examples:
Small Business Owners
It is quite widespread that small business owners and managers struggle to manage their daily activities as well as paperwork which hampers adequate business functioning. This is made easier by a virtual assistant who in effect takes up these responsibilities thus leaving the business owner to concentrate on expansion and planning strategies.
Entrepreneurs and Startups
At the beginning of the company’s operations, it is most important to use as few resources as possible. Everyone has to start sometime, but hiring full-time employees isn’t always an option for any entrepreneur. A virtual assistant is cost effective, and provides the platform for accomplishing remote tasks like social media, email and researches.
Freelancers and Consultants
Many freelancers and consultants have made queries about how to navigate their schedules, juggle clients or deal with administrative support. That is the kind of support they get from virtual assistants in order to increase their productivity.
Busy Professionals
Employment vacancies such as executives, managers, and other business personalities with tight schedules are always in need of virtual assistants in organizing their time by doing tasks like scheduling appointments, booking for flights or even replying to emails among others. This enables them to pay much of their time on their work and responsibilities without worrying about such details.
E-commerce Businesses
An e-commerce business owner is able to delegate work such as customer relations, managing orders, stock and updating of products on the e-commerce site to virtual assistants. This aids the running of the business and can be done efficiently without much need for a big staff base.
Real Estate Agents
People who work in the property sector especially the real estate agents engage virtual assistants to handle property listings, facilitate communication with the clients, and scheduling appointments. This I suppose enable the agents to focus on closing deals and getting acquainted with prospective clients.
In other words, anyone who has tasks that they can outsource to somebody in order that they would be able to use their time more effectively or more productively could hire a virtual assistant.
While evaluating the possibilities that one can obtain from the concept of a virtual assistant, there arises the question:
Which Virtual Assistant Is Best?
It has become quite difficult to compare the two virtual assistants and determine as to which one is the best between Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa. To achieve your needs, it depends on your level of requirement on certain features. Virtual assistants work in all sorts of fields or can be specialized in specific ones and that is why the best one for you will be the one with the most expertise within areas that you need assistance. Here are a few factors to consider:
Skills and Specialization
If you require assistance with technical matters such as website maintenance or online marketing, be sure to hire a virtual assistant that has (technical) background. On the other hand if you need someone to help manage your calendar and emails and schedule and coordinate all of your projects look for an Administrative professional.
Communication and Reliability
The major requirement of virtual assistants is to be able to convey information as accurately as possible. Given that you deal with them online, you require a individual that reacts promptly and frequently informs you of developments. Furthermore, hi reliability is important but very crucial when it comes to the issue of punctuality as well as confidentiality.
Experience and Portfolio
Hire a VA that fits the specific tasks easily by reviewing a VA’s experience and portfolio. Most virtual assistants may have a webpage or at least have an account with upwork, fiver, or linked where their experience together with feedback and skills are shown.
Accessibility and time difference
Take into account whether the virtual assistant is available and what time zone he or she is in. If an employee has to work at a certain time or do certain duties at particular periods, ensure that he or she is available at that time.
Budget
This means that the cost factor will also have to come into play in deciding the most appropriate virtual assistant for your business. Again the rates may differ depending on the experience of the VA, special skills possessed or geographical location of the VA. Freelancers or virtual assistants from the developing nations where the price of living is lower may charge a lower price but provide quality service.
What Are Virtual Assistant Services?
What exactly is Virtual assistant services? They include various services to cater for the needs of business or individuals as the case maybe. Here’s an overview of common virtual assistant services:
Administrative Services
Managing of emails and appointments on the calendar.
The preparation of documents and formatting of documents, data entry of the findings.
Co-ordination in civil matters such as meeting scheduling and appointment.
Tourism services ranging from bookings for travels as well as booking for events.
Marketing Services
This involves engaging in social media page management, and creating as well as scheduling of posts.
Particularly creating blog entries and posts, articles, and newsletters.
Managing the all email marketing activities and newsletter.
In this regard, the update is to realize the SEO optimization and website updates.
Customer Service
Supervising the complaints of the customers and answers to the questions the customers may have.
Handling consumers’ orders, refunds, and returns.
The management of the customer relationships through the CRM platform
Bookkeeping and Accounting
This involves billing the clients and monitoring of the payments that are made to the business.
Finance management involving files and costs.
Counting and paying employee wages and salaries; generating accounting records.
Creative Services
Marketing communication tools such as adverts, posters, promotions, or social media and company’s website.
Video production, motions graphics and content creation.
Web design and development.
Research and Data Management
To execute market research and an assessment of the competitors.
Standing and databases / database or customer relationship management (CRM) systems.
Collecting information on performance of a company for preparing business reports or for presentation.
Project Management
The aspects of organizing the project calendar, the project tasks and the coordination of the project team.
Monitoring of the implementation process the performance and achievements that are in line with the set goals.
Giving out information an organization has generated, analyzed, and the results of a particular project it has undertaken.
Virtual assistants, being a flexible and versatile product means that business and professionals can outsource work without having to take on extra hands on employees.
Are Virtual Assistant Jobs Legit?
Ultimately, one of the questions most often that individuals ask is “are virtual assistant jobs genuine?” The reply to this is indeed, virtual assistant jobs are genuine, but just like with any other field, one should not forget about the scams present in the working world. Here’s how to find legit virtual assistant jobs and avoid pitfalls:Here’s how to find legit virtual assistant jobs and avoid pitfalls:
Use Reputable Platforms
Web sites such as Upwork, Fiverr, Freelancer, and Indeed offer a lot of genuine virtual assistant job offers. These platforms have the review and payment systems to protect the interests of the clients and freelancers and clearly defined job responsibilities.
A quick investigation on the Client or company
Aspirant should avoid taking any job offer without completing a research on the client or the company to confirm whether it is a legal operating business. In this case you should search for their reviews, their profile in LinkedIn or maybe they have their company’s website.
Do Not Trust Fraudsters and Con Men
Do not get carried away by employment offers that appear to be too lucrative or those that first require you to furnish numbers of your bank accounts. This is actually a common phrase we hear around frauds or scams, legitimate businesses don’t usually communicate through social media and email but through business related professional tools and they don’t ask for money upfront before they start work.
Check Reviews and Testimonials
If you are using a freelancing website, read the reviews of that client from previous freelancers that have worked for him/ her. However, if the company has negative remarks or the clients have complained that payments are delayed, approach the organization with a lot of care.
The service is on the rise as many business and self-employed individuals continue to seek ways through which they can outsource these tasks given that it is cheaper than employing someone in-house. Whether you are in the process of seeking employment or looking to employ a virtual assistant it is evident that this line of work is a modern day profession that will continue to grow. Based on **how virtual assistant
