The pandemic, which hit for almost two years now brought multiple impacts in our lives, in the aspect of health, education, industries, business endeavors, human relations and employment. Last year, everything went digital and virtual. It didn't just make offices virtual. It has also made office workers virtual.
Though millions of people were already working remotely from home before the Covid-19 pandemic, work-from-home jobs have become even more popular last year. More than half of employees today say they would prefer to be remote at least three days a week even after the pandemic.
Remote work, work-from-home or online jobs are some of the interchanging terms with regards to this kind of shift from the traditional work set-up.
This suggests that all of the workforce doesn't necessarily have to be in physical offices. Some companies even discovered that oftentimes it is beneficial to have them out of the office.
Most workplaces transitioned from physical to virtual, thus the rise of a new kind of assistant — a virtual assistant (VA) — who is trained to meet the needs of this changing labor force.
But what's a virtual assistant? And what are the tasks?
What is a Virtual Assistant?
A virtual assistant is a freelancer or a self-employed individual who provides administrative, professional, creative assistance or technical support for clients remotely, usually from a home office. They often have college degrees, valuable skills, extensive work experience, and the perfect disposition to work effectively in a remote environment
What are the tasks of a Virtual Assistant?
The virtual assistant performs variety of tasks, depending on clients' needs and expectations, and also the nature of the businesses or projects they have. Anything that can be done on a phone or computer can be done by a virtual assistant. This includes content writing, search engine optimization (SEO), social media management, graphic designs and general administrative tasks like managing calendars, appointments and email accounts, among others.
Tasks can also be more specific on the technical and professional fields such as accounting, law, medical, real estate and the like.
Hiring a Virtual Assistant
During the pandemic, demand for virtual assistants is on the rise. Outsourcing sites, such as Upwork or Fiverr, and other freelancing platforms have made it possible for virtual assistants and freelancers to take their craft one step beyond and offer their assistance and expertise to business owners and clients.
Employers and entrepreneurs are beginning to seek out and hire virtual assistants according to the value of their skills and experiences.
Virtual Assistance or Freelancing can be done on a project-based, part-time or full-time status. Pay per hour can also vary dependent on the expertise and skill to render for the project or contract.
If you are an aspiring Virtual Assistant or a Freelancer, or you already are in that kind of career, continue to be empowered through trainings and different learning platforms and expose yourself to various opportunities, in order to acquire and give more worth and value in the freelancing world.
Also, if you are a business owner seeking for Virtual Assistance or Freelancer expertise, we at OutWorK VA & Freelance Solutions can provide you administrative and technical assistance suitable for your business and brands.
Reference: https://www.fvaconsultancy.com/
I am Deborah Tumaliuan, a virtual assistant based in the Philippines. Connect with me so we can support each other in this freelancing journey.
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