Thinking of Becoming a Virtual Assistant? Necessary Skills to Put You Ahead of the Rest
Do you love the idea of supporting business owners on the daily basis, but don’t like the concept of having to punch in every day from 9 to 5? Clerical support professionals are the oil that keeps the machine (company) functioning properly. Without efficient oil, the machine will ultimately begin to rust over making it difficult to carry out its responsibilities.
So if you’re looking for a career choice that isn’t going out of practice anytime soon, a virtual assistant is certainly the field to enter into. It is also one of the most flexible fields to consider as it can be done in the office, or from the comfort of your own home.
High Demand = Great Business Choice
The great thing about being a virtual assistant these days is that many businesses are looking for ways to streamline processes and save money. Virtual assistants can carry out the day to day tasks of an in-house secretary or administrative assistant without the overhead costs. Employers don’t have to worry about paying for office equipment, employee taxes, healthcare costs, and more. They essentially hire you on a contractual or as needed basis and pay you as per your predetermined rates.
What’s great about starting your own virtual assistance business is that you call the shots, set your hours, and even determine which companies you work for. This type of business is also easily flexible as it can be completed on your own, or you can expand to hire more assistance as your organization grows. However, before you simply start looking for clients, you’ll want to have a few key skills in mind to help you stand out from other virtual assistants.
Skills You Should Acquire
While most women who decide to be a virtual assistant have already worked in the clerical field or office setting before, there are some basic skills you’ll want to make sure you have so that you can appeal to your client’s needs. Below are a few of the most important:
Customer Service –
At the top of the list is customer service. No matter what services you intend to offer to your clients, you will need to be able to provide outstanding customer service. They’ll need to know that their needs and their customer’s needs are being met by you on the daily basis. SurveyMonkey.com points out some great methods for improving your customer service skills including the ability to practice patience, empathy, and consistency.
Basic Clerical Skills –
Having basic clerical skills will also be important to providing quality virtual assistance to your clients. While the clerical skills may vary based on your client’s needs, ideally you’ll want to know the following: phone etiquette, virtual filing, faxing, and copying, typing abilities, and the capabilities to use various databases and word processing applications.
Technological Skills –
Now because you’ll essentially be a virtual worker, you’ll need to have quite a bit more technological skills up your belt than the average administrative assistant. Again, the skills required will vary based on the clients you choose; however, some basic concepts might include: using cloud computing software, understanding of web design, how to use various hosting platforms, and more. The more technological skills you have, the more valuable you are to your clients. Even if you have the basics down packed, you may want to consider completing a graphic design degree program so you can offer web design services to your clients.
Of course the more skills you have overall, the better prepared you are to market your services to your target audience. From there, it’s simply a matter of establishing your brand and waiting for the customers to come to you for assistance. Though not for everyone, many women in particular have taken the virtual assistant route. It provides them with the means to care for their family while still making a living. If this is a route you think you’re interested in, first start by investing in yourself to ensure you have all the skills to put you ahead of the competition.
