Description
What is virtual assistant ?A virtual assistant is an independent contractor who provides administrative services to clients while operating outside of the client's office. A virtual assistant typically operates from a home office but can access the necessary planning documents, such as shared calendars, remotely. People employed as virtual assistants often have several years of experience as an administrative assistant or office manager. New opportunities are opening up for virtual assistants who are skilled in social media, content management, blog post writing, graphic design, and internet marketing. As working from home has become more accepted for both workers and employers, the demand for skilled virtual assistants is expected to grow. Virtual assistants can also help with more specialized tasks such as data entry, making PowerPoint presentations, performing market research, doing social media marketing, or working on Search Engine Optimization (SEO) for your website. You can even hire assistants to build your website, design graphics, or translate marketing materials to other languages. Benefits of a Virtual AssistantFor the client, one advantage of hiring a virtual assistant is the flexibility to contract for just the services they need. Depending on the terms of the agreement, some virtual assistants may be paid by the task rather than by the hour. In contrast, employees in a traditional office setting usually must be paid for a fixed number of hours per day. For small business owners, hiring a virtual assistant can help them free up valuable hours to focus on growing the business and generating revenue. It can be easier and more cost-effective to outsource tasks that are tedious and time-consuming, to someone who is skilled at them. KEY TAKEAWAYS A virtual assistant is a self-employed worker who specializes in offering administrative services to clients from a remote location, usually a home office. Typical tasks a virtual assistant might perform include scheduling appointments, making phone calls, making travel arrangements, and managing email accounts. Some virtual assistants specialize in offering graphic design, blog writing, bookkeeping, social media, and marketing services. For an employer, one advantage of hiring a virtual assistant is the flexibility to contract for just the services they need.
