| The term "virtual assistant" was virtually unheard of a | | | | Additionally, companies with on-site assistants must |
| decade ago. Today, they are common in the business | | | | pay an hourly wage, regardless of whether there is |
| world. You can become a virtual assistant if you have | | | | pressing work to be completed or not. During times |
| computer and Internet skills or are willing to learn them. | | | | when business is slow, this can be expensive and |
| A "virtual assistant" is just like a regular administrative | | | | inefficient. |
| assistant working in a real company. The difference is | | | | Virtual assistants, on the other hand, are not "regular" |
| that virtual assistants don't have to come to a physical | | | | employees. They are hired and paid either on a |
| office. Instead, they "telecommute". In other words, | | | | short-term, per-project, or contract basis. This means |
| they do their jobs by remotely logging in to a | | | | that a company can use and pay one only when the |
| company's server or by doing business via email. | | | | workload is such that one is really needed. There is no |
| VA's do a wide range of jobs for the companies they | | | | need to pay a full-time assistant during periods when |
| serve. They may do tasks like: | | | | work is slow, and companies don't have to pay |
| * Data entry | | | | benefits or worry about payroll taxes or employee |
| * Manage customer emails | | | | paperwork. |
| * Handle bookkeeping | | | | You can become a VA in three ways: |
| * Look after the company's advertising and/or media | | | | 1) Open up an account with a freelancing website. |
| communications | | | | There are a number of these on the Web. They allow |
| * Do desktop publishing | | | | you to create a profile and advertise your services |
| * Manage appointments | | | | and some even provide a forum in which to bid on job |
| * Answer phone calls | | | | contracts. |
| * Schedule employees | | | | 2) Apply for work with a virtual assistant agency. |
| Basically, a VA can do just about anything that a | | | | These agencies are the online equivalent of the office |
| regular assistant might do on-site for a boss or | | | | temp agency. You'll have to go through an application |
| company. | | | | process just like any regular job. Once you are hired, |
| Virtual assistants are becoming more and more | | | | you do all of your work from home on a contract |
| common today, mainly because of their cost | | | | basis. |
| efficiency. Company's which hire administrative | | | | 3) Start your own virtual assistant business/agency. If |
| assistants who work on site have to treat them as | | | | you have a bit of business savvy, you can be your |
| regular employees. This means paying employee | | | | own boss. Get a website, advertise online, and solicit |
| benefits, payroll taxes and other employee-related | | | | business. You may eventually get busy enough to start |
| costs. | | | | hiring your own virtual employees. |