| Having been a Virtual Assistant since 2000 and | | | | qualification - if you have been a proof-reader for |
| involved with 2 VA organisations I am often sent | | | | 5 years in a company you should be qualified to |
| CVs with a request for work or how to start | | | | offer this as a service otherwise you would not |
| making money quickly. There is a lot of help on | | | | have been able to keep your job. I am a qualified |
| the Net for new Virtual Assistants but very few | | | | teacher in RSA word-processing in the UK to level |
| spell it out from the beginning that it is not easy | | | | 3 but I no longer offer this service having gained |
| to 'make it' in the profession | | | | qualifications in HTML and other skills as I have |
| What is a Virtual Assistant? | | | | built my business. |
| A Virtual Assistant is a person working from their | | | | Can you be a Virtual Assistant as a second job |
| own office on client's work. They are fully fledged | | | | and only work evenings and weekends? |
| businesses and are regulated by the local and | | | | You could but you still have to conform to tax |
| state tax and business regimes. The idea of a VA | | | | and other business regulations. Many clients need |
| is that they have multiple clients so are suitable | | | | to contact their VA during normal working hours |
| for SME's etc. Many companies would not be | | | | and so you could have a problem. Some clients |
| where they are today if they had not started in | | | | want work completed overnight and in this |
| partnership with a VA, the work growing as the | | | | instance it could work. |
| client's business grew. | | | | How much can I earn? |
| A VA Practice may consist of more than one VA | | | | That is down to you. It normally takes 6 to 12 |
| or even employees. It is a business and not a | | | | months to get your Practice really rolling. You will |
| 'home typing' scheme. | | | | have to learn and spend time marketing yourself. |
| What do Virtual Assistants do? | | | | You will have start-up costs and overheads that |
| This question for me is a real problem. They can | | | | you have to pay for as well as tax, health and |
| do anything they are qualified to do. I once knew | | | | pension considerations. You need start-up funds to |
| a virtual worker who had a huge server in her | | | | really get this going. |
| kitchen. She worked for a large multinational | | | | Can I live anywhere to do this? |
| testing their server software and strength. The | | | | As long as you have a reasonably fast Internet |
| only place they could cable it in was her kitchen | | | | connection you can do this from almost |
| but she ran it from her office upstairs. | | | | anywhere. I live in a remote part of France with |
| Many VAs specialise in digital transcription. That in | | | | better Internet and phone services than I had in a |
| itself is a minefield as you have to be very | | | | very large village in the UK. My clients are all over |
| experienced to cope with all the types of | | | | the world. |
| hardware that the files can be recorded on. It is a | | | | Is it worth it? |
| far cry from the tape based transcription | | | | For me it has been fantastic. I have clients that |
| systems. | | | | have been with me for over 6 years and new |
| In the US there are courses for Real Estate VAs. | | | | clients in France. I am not lonely as there are |
| It is best to find a niche and specialise. That way | | | | plenty of VA and non VA forums on the net and |
| you know who to market your skills to. | | | | it is often the case that someone you help on an |
| What qualifications do Virtual Assistants need? | | | | Internet forum will contact you months or even |
| You can be qualified by experience or specific | | | | years later for help and work. |