A Virtual Assistant is essentially someone in the administration field who performs their duties from their own computers. Online business owners often hire virtual assistants to help them with their daily business tasks. As owning their own company, their time is precious, so they look outside to other resources to get help.

What does a Virtual Assistant Do?

A virtual assistant can perform many different job tasks. Every assistant has their own specialized areas that they offer their services in, but here are some of the more popular duties that they take on:

• Transcription
• Writing
• Web Designing
• Bookkeeping
• Customer Service both by phone and email

Not every virtual assistant performs all of these duties. Some offer a few of them and others even offer more services, such as marketing.

What type of equipment does a Virtual assistant use?

A Virtual Assistant will need their own office space within their home. This space must be located in a quiet area away from loud noises, due to the phone work you may be providing your clients.

The office area should include:

• Computer with high-speed internet
• Printer/Fax
• Phone with headset

Your computer will need some software programs installed. This will depend on what duties you will be performing. Some of the software programs you may end up needing are:

• Word processing program
• Web designing program
• Bookkeeping program
• Audio program for transcribing

Some companies will supply you with the appropriate software programs, but most of the time, you should be providing your own.

How much can a Virtual Assistant Make?

Each company offers a different rate of pay. The pay rate is factored with how much experience you have, and the types of duties they need you to perform. For those that perform with minimal skills the pay rate could be around $10 an hour.

Those with more experience could see up to $25 an hour. If you’re providing a specialized type service, such as web design, then you could see a pay rate of up to $60 an hour. Some get even more.

It’s important to note, though, that not all companies will pay you for the amount of time you’re scheduled for. For example, let’s say that you’re dedicating 9-12p. for your virtual assisting duties for a company. During that 3 hour time period, you only perform about 2.5 hours of work; then you would only get paid for the 2.5 hours of work and not the full 3. Each company will lay out how they do things in your interviews.

Are there any special skills I need to have?

A majority of the companies that hire Virtual assistants expect you to have some experience performing the tasks they want you to do. For instance, Web designing. They want to hire someone who can do the job.

Here are a few other things employers will look for:

Someone who’s professional- You may be working from your own home, but you are still employed in a job. That means, you will be expected to perform all of your duties in the time they give you to do it. Make sure those around you know that at designated times, you are not to be disturbed.

Dedicated phone line- If you’re going to perform phone work for your employer, you should have a designated business line to use specifically for your job. While some use their home phones, it is still not recommended. You are representing your employer and if your grouchy spouse happens to answer the phone while a client is on the line, your job may be in jeopardy or history.

Virtual assisting can be a very rewarding job for those who have administrative skills and who want to work from their own home.

Nell Taliercio has been working at home full time since 2004. She’s worked as a telecommuter, virtual assistant and affiliate marketer. In 5 years she’s discovered many secrets to finding legitimate work at home jobs and securing them. You can find her work at home job information and tips at: http://www.justonlinejobs.com

Susan Holmes is an author and professional speaker. She travels frequently and hates coming home to piles of bills, unheard telephone messages and thousands of e-mail. Susan works harder and harder spending most evenings and weekends doing administrative chores and spends the workday servicing clients. No matter how hard she works Susan cannot get ahead. She begins to suffer from the symptoms of stress. She can’t sleep, doesn’t bother to eat regularly, suffers from anxiety to the point of feeling paralyzed when confronting the mess on her desk.

Susan wishes Superman really exists so that he can swoop into her home office and rescue her from the foot high stacks of paper on her desk that are threatening to topple over. Susan tries to keep up as best as she can but soon she is so overwhelmed that she turns away paid speaking engagements in order to do administrative work.

Can you identify with Susan? Do you dread opening your office door because it isn’t a pretty sight? Hopefully you have a friend like Michelle. After months of trying Michelle finally talks Susan into having lunch. Michelle is taken aback at how tired Susan is and how unhappy she seems. After Susan confides in Michelle she gets silent and stares at the table. Michelle jumps in an offers Susan a solution that will both relieve her of her stress and allow her to pick up more speaking engagements.

What is this magical solution? It is a Virtual Assistant (VA). Michelle has been using a VA for several years because she once was in Susan’s position. Michelle explains to Susan that her VA handles all of her administrative and marketing tasks in addition to answering the phones from a remote location. The benefits of working with a VA becomes clear for Susan as Michelle tells her that she only pays for the time her VA works for her and that benefits and taxes are not an issue. Susan begins to think about all of her tasks she can outsource to a VA that would allow her to take on more speaking engagements. Susan also realizes that a VA can market her book and her articles and search for more lucrative speaking engagements. Michelle then explains that a Virtual Assistant handle a multitude of tasks including:

Answer phones
Business correspondence
Article Submission
Paperwork
Design marketing materials
Typing
Document formatting and clean up
Proofreading and editing
Marketing
Direct mail
Voice and e-mail monitoring
Research
Select and ship gifts
Travel arrangements

Lunch is soon finished and Michelle is suprised to see that Susan looks more alert and happy. Michelle offers to search for and screen VA’s while Susan organizes the work that needs to be turned over when someone is hired. Finally, Susan tackles those stacks of paper on her desk and the dust bunnies with gusto. Within just a few hours she is ready to delegate work and a few days later, thanks to Michelle, she begins working with Alice. Susan and Alice create a set of tasks that Alice will handle daily and then Susan packages up all the paperwork from her desk and sends it to Alice. In addition to the daily work Alice does she also motivates and supports Susan in her business goals.

Several months down the line Susan shares the secret of her success with her other friends and one by one they seek out and hire a Virtual Assistant. Lives are improved and businesses grow at a fast pace.

If you can identify with Susan then you need a VA. Don’t let money issues hold you back. A VA can be suprisingly affordable when you calculate how much more billable work you can accomplish instead of handling daily tedious tasks. Go through that messy pile of papers on your desk and organize them with an eye towards delegating everything that you can. Seek out and hire a VA that will help you avoid going crazy and you will be glad you did!

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Bonnie Jo Davis is a Virtual Assistant who helps small businesses succeed by taking over those daily tasks that can drive even the most level headed entrepreneur crazy. For more information about Bonnie visit Davis Virtual Assistance.