By now, most of us know what a VA (virtual assistant) is. Still, let’s spell out the basic definition: A Virtual Assistant is a team member who happens to work remotely.
Virtual Assistants complete work under contract:
- by a single task or project
- by the hour
- by the week, month, or year
Virtual Assistants are not employees—business owners hire VA’s under contract. The business owner is not obligated to pay employment taxes, nor are they required to provide benefits. Office space and equipment falls to the sole responsibility of the VA, a plus for any business owner.
Today, Virtual Assistants fall into different roles, or categories. Examples (which are fast-changing in today’s business world):
- GVA (General Virtual Assistant)
- OBM (Office Business Manager)
It is entirely up to the business owner to determine what needs they want or need to have met by a Virtual Assistant. These are some of the questions I recommend business owners think about when considering hiring a VA:
-
- Do you need an assistant to help you get organized?
- Do you need an assistant that has the ability to operate your back office—virtually?
- Do you need an assistant to complete your administrative tasks?
- Do you have specific needs, such as, video editing, podcast transcription, or email maintenance? Blog or email writing? Proofreading?
- What tasks/areas do you not get done, persistently put off/cannot do yourself?
The types of work and roles that can be filled by a VA are nearly endless, and as I mentioned earlier in this post—similar to most things in business today (social media, for example)—virtual assistance is a fast-changing field. It morphs all of the time!
I hope I answered any general questions you might have about the role of a Virtual Assistant, and if not, I would love to see your comments!
Reliance Outsourcing 
Thank you for sharing! I never really put much thought into the role of a virtual assistant–mainly because I don’t have the budget for a VA–but your insight got me thinking. I’ve been trying to find some part time gigs to fill in the financial hole while I build my business, and this might be an intriguing avenue to explore!
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There are many opportunities out there, depending upon your skill set. I am glad you found the blog post helpful.
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It is amazing that digital technology has allowed up to hire all over the country and the world if needed.
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Yes, we really can work together from afar!
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I haven’t hired one, but am thinking of it. This is just the perfect information that I would need to take that next step.
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I am glad it helped you. I will be writing more on this topic in the upcoming weeks.
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Great post! I think it’s wonderful how the working world is slowly coming round to the ide of virtual/remote working ??
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Thank you! Yes, I think it is great how the world is warming and realizing the idea of virtual work!
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Good post! Virtual assistants are great because you can spin off non-essential processes, which helps your company focus on its core competencies.
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Yes! You can work “on” the core of your business—work on it instead of “in” it when you utilize a Virtual Assistant.
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There are several pros & cons for outsourcing, all of which you should carefully consider before deciding to adopt a plan of action. Outsourcing can profoundly affect corporate culture – this is not a task to take lightly.
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I absolutely agree! Thank you for your input.
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