Thanks to the internet, the dream of working from home is quickly becoming a reality for many people around the world. It has given birth to a variety of new positions, including virtual assistants who, in some cases, have begun to fulfil the role of the traditional office assistant from the comfort of their home.

Overview

A virtual assistant serves many of the same purposes as a traditional office assistant, with the main difference being that they telecommute. This allows a person to work from their home office remotely while performing many of the same tasks. Their duties may include schedule management, bookkeeping, phone calls, and technical writing.

Required Skills

Though the exact skills needed will vary based on employer and project, there are a variety of basic skills that any good virtual assistant will need to be effective at their job. First, you should be able to type at least 60wpm on a consistent basis throughout the day. This is a critical part of productivity. Accuracy is also key, as you’ll most likely be responsible for typing important memos, emails, and company notices throughout your workday. Any spelling mistakes or grammar issues will reflect poorly on your superiors.

A good virtual assistant is able to work quickly and accurately under pressure. For this reason, it is vital that you have a good knowledge of computers with an ability to work with many open windows at once. You’ll most likely be doing many things at the same time.

Circumstances

Before deciding to become a virtual assistant, you should take a good look at your current living arrangement and lifestyle in an effort to decide if the job is right for you. Any telecommuter needs to be extremely self-motivated. You’ll be working from home, which could potentially mean there will be distractions you must account for. How well you set those things aside during your workday will have a direct reflection on the quality of your work. If you are going to be answering phones throughout your day, many employers will require that you work in a quiet environment. In some cases, noisy kids or a barking dog may pose a problem.

You will also be responsible for maintaining a good working environment, including your computer and other equipment. Your internet connection needs to be reliable, and there may be other restrictions regarding your connection speed as well. Also, you’ll be responsible for your computer, which should be updated with the latest anti-virus software and any other components as required by your employer. If needed, you may need to purchase office software, a headset microphone, or additional hardware.

Benefits

For the employee, a home working environment presents a unique opportunity. Many people loathe their daily commute and the stress that comes with it. Virtual assistants enjoy what is known as “one minute commute”. This reduction in travel allows them to spend more time at home. In fact, many people with small children are turning to the virtual assistant field and a variety of other telecommuting positions in order to improve their overall family life. This can lead to decreased stress and a better work performance.

For the employer, there are many financial benefits as well. Because virtual assistants are almost always responsible for their own equipment, there are no computers to buy and no office space to maintain. Also, virtual assistants are typically less expensive to take on than standard employees, which potentially leaves valuable resources to be spent elsewhere.

A Word of Warning

Unfortunately, work from home opportunities are a common target for con artists, so it’s important that you do some research before accepting offers. A legitimate employer will not:

• Ask you for money as a condition of employment
• Charge you money to apply for a job
• Promise hourly wages that seem too good to be true
• Ask you to wire money

If a prospective employer asks you to do any of these tasks, you should be very wary about revealing personal information. In almost every case, these employers are using a website as a smoke screen to get money without performing a service. To safeguard yourself against this type of fraud, remember that the hiring process should be similar to more traditional job openings.