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Full-time virtual assistant

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Ynah Edillor

Last updated: February 1, 2023 1 min read
Definition

What is a full-time virtual assistant?

Virtual assistants originally came from the term “personal assistants,” except they work remotely. Full-time virtual assistants handle their clients’ or company’s repetitive and mundane tasks, or other specialized work and one-off tasks. Virtual assistants generally can handle pretty much any tasks, but more technical responsibilities for medical or legal sectors require a more experienced VA.

What is a full-time virtual assistant?

Full-time virtual assistants are usually outsourced through business process outsourcing companies in outsourcing destinations like the Philippines. Full-time VAs in the Philippines can help companies save up to 70% on overhead costs, without sacrificing the quality and expertise of the employee.

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Do virtual assistants work from home?

Virtual assistants are “virtual” because they don’t work physically in an office. The jobs assigned to them can be done remotely, anywhere they want. They take care of their own internet connection, equipment, and other things needed for their work. 

While most virtual assistants have established their own home offices to have a conducive working environment, some choose the life of a digital nomad. Clients usually do not care wherever you choose to work, as long as the tasks are done efficiently and on time.

How much do Filipino virtual assistants make?

A virtual assistant’s pay depends on their expertise and years of experience. However, according to Payscale, an average VA makes a minimum hourly pay of $4. 

Where you find your full-time virtual assistant also plays a part in determining their salary per month. Freelance VAs hired through popular job platforms like Upwork and Fiverr start at $5 per hour, while those hired through outsourcing companies’ rates start at $8 per hour. With virtual assistants, you can save a lot of money on labor costs, but not to the point of consuming cheap labor.

How do I start working as a virtual assistant?

When you feel like you have the right skills and qualifications for the job, you may start working as a virtual assistant. There are different types of virtual assistants, like lead generation VA, marketing VA, legal VA, and more. The first step is to find your niche, so you can market yourself better for potential clients.

Aspiring VAs can create accounts on Upwork or Freelancer to find jobs, but some small to medium-sized companies prefer hiring through business process outsourcing companies to ensure workforce quality and stability. If a company is hiring more than one VA, it would be more practical to seek the help of an outsourcing company.

How do I become a successful virtual assistant?

Effective communication is the key to becoming a successful virtual assistant. Excellent communication skills, flexibility, and friendly attitude (for customer service) can go a long way. In addition, a successful Amazon VA needs to be updated with the latest sales, marketing, and social media trends in order to attract and retain customers.

Further, VAs in general need to have the following skills and characteristics: 

– Time management skills

– Organizational skills

– Problem-solving skills

– Adaptability and versatility

– Jack-of-all-trades

– Dependable and consistent

– Trustworthy and proactivity

– Efficiency and professionalism

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Derek Gallimore has been in business for 20 years, outsourcing for over eight years, and has been living in Manila (the heart of global outsourcing) since 2014. Derek is the founder and CEO of Outsource Accelerator, and is regarded as a leading expert on all things outsourcing.

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