What Does A Virtual Assistant Do?
Virtual assistants are often independent workers. They operate from a remote location for businesses, allowing them to carry out their duties from home. They work with business personnel via phone, email, or video chat. Virtual assistants are responsible to enter data into spreadsheets or updating office calendars. They are responsible for taking client calls, managing transfers, writing memos or newsletters, and helping with travel arrangements. Additionally, they could also be in charge of assisting their employers with the upkeep of customer service or social networking platforms.
Virtual Assistant Skills And Qualifications
A successful virtual assistant should have excellent spoken and written communication skills. They should be capable of handling various types of administrative projects. Some companies look for virtual assistants with specialised training. These are the major skills and qualifications that a virtual assistant should possess:
- Tech-Savvy, having a wide range of computer skills.
- Excellent bookkeeping skills.
- Capability of doing basic accounting tasks.
- Understanding of current technologies, like desktop sharing, cloud services, and VoIP.
- Knowledge of word-processing software and spreadsheets such as MS Office.
- Understanding of online calendars and scheduling such as Google Calendar.
- Excellent communication skills including phone, email, and instant messaging.
- Capable to do time management.
- Excellent organisational skills.
- Ability to perform multitasking.
- Ability to work with minimum supervision for delivering high quality.
- Must have a PC and strong internet connection in case of working remotely.
- A high school diploma is the minimum requirement to become a virtual assistant.
Virtual assistant Experience Requirements
A candidate with two to three years of experience is suitable for data entry and other basic tasks. Calling, email marketing, lead generation, and social media management are specialised functions. These may require more experience and expertise in specialised domains. Employers should look for the specialised experience if they want to hire for specialised tasks. They should have experience in working with common internet technologies like VoIP and desktop-sharing applications. A virtual assistant can set their own hours of work according to the projects assigned to them.
Virtual assistant Education and Training Requirements
To become a virtual assistant, a candidate should have a high school diploma. This makes them effective enough to understand and execute the instructions. Some companies prefer bachelor’s degrees for more specific skills. A candidate with specialised training and certifications will be able to handle specialised tasks assigned by employers. Doing a course in basic word processing and typing will be helpful for preparing presentations and data entry tasks. Certifications in social media management can be helpful in handling the social media accounts of the company. Various colleges and online ed-tech platforms also offer certifications in virtual assistant skills.
Virtual Assistant Salary Expectations
The typical yearly wage for a virtual assistant is ₹3,00,785. On average, a virtual assistant works for less than a year. The level of education and experience of the candidate, together with the industry and locale of your company, may all have an impact on the pay. These wages are based on the 87 wages listed on Indeed.com.
Job Description Samples for Similar Positions
If Virtual Assistant is not quite the position you are planning to recruit for, here are some other job description samples for closely related positions:
Virtual assistants Job descriptions FAQs
What makes a good virtual assistant?
Someone who is proficient in technology and software is a good virtual assistant. This makes it possible for them to carry out their jobs remotely. They can prepare professional documents and converse with business clients professionally because they have great written and verbal communication skills.
What is the difference between a receptionist and a virtual assistant?
Virtual assistants often work from a remote location and report to one business professional. As a result, they concentrate on offering support in a variety of areas, such as scheduling, taking calls, or carrying out research on their behalf. Additionally, virtual assistants may come from a background in marketing, customer service, IT, or human resources, depending on the needs of their superiors. On the other hand, receptionists work in an office setting. They provide administrative and clerical help to the whole office. They answer incoming calls, draft emails and organise office supplies.