What does it take to become a virtual assistant?
How do you become a virtual assistant if you have little to no experience in this job? Here are some details.
What is a virtual assistant? What skills are needed? What are the responsibilities?
This remote job mainly provides employer or client services like answering emails, transcribing documents, preparing statements and letters, organizing files, coordinating schedules and calendars, making travel arrangements, and many others.
Typically, an assistant does any combination of the following tasks:
- Calendar and schedule management
- Travel arrangements
- File and document organization
- Email monitoring and organizing
- Answering and directing calls
- Billing and accounting activities
- Writing and maintaining records
- Managing or updating a client’s social media or professional profile
While the job is in demand, one cannot easily just become one. If you have little to no experience, you must consider some experiences like booking appointments, making travel arrangements, blogging, or promoting something online.
A candidate must have exceptional skills in written and verbal communication. Having a knowledge of cloud-based communication technologies is also essential.
What are the must-skills?
- Communication
- Time management
- Bookkeeping
- Email management
- Organization
- Writing and typing
- Basic IT knowledge
- Self-motivation and concentration
- Detail-orientation
- Reliability
- Social media management
- Creativity
Being a VA is among the 10 Most In-Demand Jobs in the Philippines 2022. You would have an advantage if you are tech-savvy, possess a wide range of computer skills, and have impressive proficiency with commonly used software and business programs.
And if you are an individual without past experience, taking training courses to learn the needed skills will be a great help.
The only difference between being a VA and being an in-person assistant is that the former has to do all of the tasks remotely which, to some employees, is a less stressful environment.
What can you say about this? Let us know!