The Rise of ‘Virtual Assistants’

Virtual Assistant: A person who helps someone else - usually a business owner or small business - with a variety of tasks from a remote location. (1)

10 years ago, the term ‘Virtual Assistant’ or ‘VA’ did not exist. Nowadays, the concept is one that is still relatively unknown to some. However, the demand for VA’s has increased significantly in the business world as people are realising the economic benefits they provide; cost effectivity and efficiency of work. 

Technology has improved dramatically over the past 10 years or so, such as; smart phones (where would we be without them?), internet connectivity, Skype, document sharing etc. It has all played a key part in the increased popularity to work remotely. In fact, even in 2011, 56% of UK companies had already incorporated some form of remote working into their business. (2) Without all these technological developments, the role of a VA would not be as seamless as it is today. This means, being tech savvy is one of the top requirements for this position. There are now also platforms such as LinkedIn Virtual Assistant Groups where VA’s can network, help each other with any queries and can even assist with finding their next client. These groups are extremely popular as the majority of VA positions are developed organically by word of mouth. 

If you think becoming a Virtual PA is for you, here are our top tips to make it happen:  

-    Networking is key. (LinkedIn Groups) Word of mouth and referrals is how you will grow your position. 
-    Keep up a good reputation. Make sure you complete all work to deadlines and to your best ability. Don’t take on work that could be over qualified for you in the beginning. This could lead to poor performance of a task and bad feedback. 
-    Make sure you are financially stable for a couple of months when you first start. Building up your position may not happen straight away, this may mean working for less hours and at a lower wage before you have built up your Client base. 
-    Be motivated as tasks will not just be handed to you. Moving from an office environment to working alone can be a shock to some people. You will need to look for your next Client without being prompted. 

Here at Tiger Recruitment we work on several Virtual Assistant roles. To view our roles, click here.
 

(1) THE BALANCE
(2) VIRTALENT