Virtual Assistance
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A Virtual Assistant (or VA) is a professional service provider who specializes in providing remote administrative office support services as an independent contractor who works with clients in an ongoing, collaborative professional relationship.
Virtual Assistants work from their own offices and utilize today's technology to deliver their services and communicate with clients.
A Virtual Assistant's support is foundationally administrative, secretarial and clerical in nature. However, many Virtual Assistants offer additional specialties that fall under creative and technical services.
Virtual Assistants come from a variety of business backgrounds, but the single-most important qualification to become a Virtual Assistant is at least five (5) years administrative experience earned in the real (non-virtual) business world working in upper level capacities such as administrative assistant, executive assistant, secretary, legal assistant, paralegal, legal secretary, real estate assistant, office manager, etc.
From this level of experience, a VA is expected to possess the superior skill sets, training and business knowledge which are the hallmark of a truly qualified Virtual Assistant.
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[edit] Services Commonly Offered by a Virtual Assistant
- Document Preparation
- Spreadsheets
- Copy Writing
- Proofreading/Editing
- Transcription
- Bookkeeping
- Statements/Billing
- Event Planning
- Internet Research
- Realtor Support
- Resume Writing
- Email Management
- Travel Arrangements
- Project Management
- Phone Answering
- General Administrative/Clerical Work
[edit] Differences between a VA and an employee or temp
Virtual Assistants are independent contractors, not employees, who structure their own rates and operating standards and policies, pay their own self-employment taxes, and control management of the work and how it is carried out.
Employees are managed and directed by the employer they work for. They are paid a salary with employment taxes deducted by the employer. Work is directed, managed and supervised by the employer.
Temps are employees of a staff agency who go on-site to employer customer premises. They are paid by the staffing agency they work for, while their on-site work and activities are managed, directed and supervised by the employer customer of the staffing agency.
[edit] Differences between Virtual Assistance and secretarial/business support services
Secretarial/business support services focus on task-based projects and piecework to any customer willing to pay. Virtual Assistance hinges upon the relationship aspect, where the VA works in long-term collaborative partnership with clients of their choosing where greater and greater efficiency and value can be delivered.
[edit] Technology used to allow work to be done virtually
- Computer
- Cable broadband or DSL Internet connection
- Fax
- Phone
- Intranets and/or shared workspace tools and programs
- FTP