What is a Virtual Assistant?

In the last decade, the virtual assistant industry has become an increasingly popular one. It’s an attractive option for businesses because it’s much cheaper than hiring an in-house assistant, and it’s an attractive option for people who want to work from home because of the flexibility it offers.

But what exactly is a virtual assistant and what do they do?

Put simply: a virtual assistant is an independent contractor who works remotely and provides administrative support to their clients. Virtual assistants usually work out of a home office and can provide a wide variety of services for their clients.

Typical virtual assistance work

A virtual assistant’s job will vary from client to client, and from assistant to assistant. Some of the more typical tasks include managing email, scheduling appointments, data entry, making online purchases, paying bills, travel planning, internet research, and calling people on behalf of a client.

Some virtual assistants also specialize in specific tasks. This could be social media management, web design, graphic design, video editing, bookkeeping, digital marketing, or content creation.

A virtual assistant can provide most of the same work that an in-house assistant would take care of. Instead of doing their work in person, their role is to assist their client by email or phone.

Virtual assistants with expertise in specific areas will cost a little more than a virtual assistant who focuses strictly on administrative work, but the price is usually worth it for the quality of the work in the long run and it’s still cheaper for the business to hire virtually rather than in-house.

Why virtual assistants are a good business decision

Having a virtual assistant can completely change a client’s productivity. With the virtual assistant working on the day-to-day tasks like email management, appointments, and research, the client can focus more on the big picture aspects of their business.

While an assistant can focus on the more tedious work behind the scenes, their client is able to free up time for working on the really important parts of their work. There’s only so much time in a day, and a business will struggle to thrive if one person is doing all the work.

Virtual assistants are also much cheaper than hiring someone in person and can usually do most (if not all) the same work. In the United States, the average base salary of a virtual assistant is around $22 per hour, according to Indeed, and many virtual assistants rarely work full-time for a single client. With a virtual assistant, a client only pays for specific hours or the work done; with an in-house assistant, the client will be paying 40 hours per week regardless of how much work there is to do.

Assuming a virtual assistant works part-time around 20 hours per week for $22 per hour, that will cost a business just under $23,000 a year. For comparison, the average base salary for an in-house executive assistant, according to Indeed, is around $56,000 a year.

In both cases, of course, the more experienced an assistant is (whether virtual or in-house), the higher their salary will be; however, because virtual assistants are independent contractors, the client doesn’t have to pay for vacation, sick time, or any kind of benefits, which can be a huge advantage for businesses who don’t want to pay out of pocket for those expenses.

Finding the right assistant for your needs

There are a lot of ways out there to find a virtual assistant who is best suited for your needs. They can often be found through Facebook groups, LinkedIn, and sometimes even on Google. There are also plenty of companies out there who can pair you up with a virtual assistant.

In addition to the budget you have in mind for your virtual assistant, it’s also important to be clear about your needs and expectations. Do you want someone who communicates with you every step of the way on a task, or do you want someone who only bothers you once a task is complete? Do you want someone who’s good with the phone, or will their work be done strictly over email? Do you need someone who can work the occasional evening? Do you need someone with certain skills for a specific project?

Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Don’t be afraid to be clear about your needs. Don’t be afraid to say “no” if you feel like someone isn’t a good fit for you or your business. A good virtual assistant will be happy to talk to you about the work and help you decide whether they’re a good fit for you.

Finding the right virtual assistant for your needs might take you a little bit of time initially, but will absolutely save you time (and money!) in the long run.