July 27, 2007, Newsletter Issue #117: Virtual Assistance: Your Key to Success

Tip of the Week

Entrepreneur.com Tip: A home based business opportunity that is growing in popularity among new millennium entrepreneurs is working as a virtual assistant for businesses. A virtual assistant fulfills the duties of a secretary or administrative assistant from the comfort of his or her home. Duties may include answering the phone, sending faxes and emails, scheduling appointments and making travel plans for employers. Clients are usually other work-from-home entrepreneurs, but can also be small offices that do not need a full-time assistant.

Working from Home
The nature of virtual assistance means that it is not required to work in-house. All activities can be performed remotely. With a computer, phone, Internet connection and fax, a virtual assistant can work quite comfortably.

You don’t have to live near the companies that hire you, since everything can be done from the home. Occasionally, the employer may want you to join in a conference call to be updated on company activities.

Some VAs prefer to freelance and apply for individual job postings. They may have one client or several. Another option is to work for a VA company that has several VAs, each with a specified set of clients to work with.

Training
The basic skills for a VA include at least 5 years experience working as an executive assistant, secretary, legal assistant, paralegal, legal secretary, real estate assistant, office manager or related position. You should also have great phone skills and in-depth computer knowledge, as well as general office skills.

There are a variety of online certification programs that can give you specific knowledge in order to be a great VA. In these programs, you’ll learn how to run a business from home, how to market your VA business, and how to use technology effectively in your business.

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