| The economic downturn in recent years has | | | | to start their own businesses. Virtual Assistants |
| forced companies large and small to find new | | | | are independent contractors who work from |
| ways to save money while continuing to deliver | | | | home providing a variety of services to |
| value to the customer. This necessary shift | | | | businesses. This trend allows these highly skilled |
| combined with the high unemployment rate has | | | | professionals to bring their knowledge to bear for |
| forced new trends to emerge in the workforce. | | | | a whole range of companies that would otherwise |
| The first trend is towards self-employment. | | | | not have access. The range of VA specialties has |
| Entrepreneurship is at an all time high. With the | | | | exploded in recent years encompassing the entire |
| high rate of unemployment, many job shoppers | | | | spectrum of professional skills. If it can be done |
| have decided to "hang out a shingle." According to | | | | from home, there is a VA doing it – Human |
| an article in the New York Times, June,2010, an | | | | Resources, Web Design, PR, Social Media, Online |
| analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics by an | | | | Marketing and so much more. |
| outplacement firm, Challenger Gray & | | | | What companies are starting to appreciate is that |
| Christmas, showed that 8.9 million Americans | | | | Virtual Assistants cost companies a fraction of |
| were self-employed last December, up from 8.7 | | | | the cost of actual hires. A company employing |
| million a year earlier. | | | | Virtual Assistants can utilize the services of a |
| | | | | whole range of professionals instead of having to |
| However, once out of the corporate world, many | | | | choose which specialty is needed most as the |
| small business owners find that they have | | | | company grows. For the cost of one salaried |
| budgets too small to access the level of talent | | | | Administrative Assistant, a business owner could |
| that they took for granted in the corporate | | | | utilize over 1000 hours of assistance divided |
| environment. A small business owner will typically | | | | among any number of top professionals. Utilizing |
| have to choose which skill set is needed most | | | | Virtual Assistants allows businesses access to the |
| when deciding to hire. In other words, the decision | | | | exact services that they need, it also allows |
| to hire is driven by a need for human resource, | | | | businesses to shift gears more quickly and |
| administrative, financial, marketing, sales, legal, skills | | | | efficiently by investing in growth rather than |
| etc. The problem, of course is that the budget of | | | | payroll because they are paying only for the time |
| a small growing company will often require a | | | | spent on their project. There is no longer a |
| choice as to which specialty is needed most, to | | | | reason to worry about taxes, benefits, vacation |
| the exclusion of the others, while also limiting the | | | | pay, and time wasted by the water cooler. |
| level of professional one can hire. | | | | These trends have made the utilization of Virtual |
| A second trend is the success of Virtual | | | | Assistants a better idea than ever. Go ahead and |
| Assistants. Virtual Assistants are typically some of | | | | give it a try. You have nothing to lose but your |
| the professional level people mentioned above, | | | | to-do list! |
| who have left the confines of corporate America | | | | |