Since e-commerce has become an important business model, the need for Virtual Assistants has greatly increased as well. Virtual Assistants are the people behind the internet that makes e-commerce possible. More and more business owners depend on Virtual Assistants to help them grow their business.
Being a Virtual Assistant (VA) is not an easy task. Think of it as doing the tasks you would if you were in an office environment, only you are doing them remotely. The responsibilities and challenges of a VA are not different from that of a regular office worker, although you have the advantage of doing them at the comfort of your own home. This is the major reason why more and more professionals are switching to the VA wagon. If you are planning to dip your toes in the world of VA, here are the basic skills that you must have.
- Computer skills
Since all the tasks of a VA are done on a computer, you need to have good knowledge of how to use a computer and the internet. Apart from basic typing, you will also need to understand the different apps and programs that are needed to run the business. Nowadays, there are many different apps that business owners use to monitor the progress of the job and to organize all the members of the team like Asana, Trello and Slack to name a few. As a VA, you need to be able to understand how these applications work.
- Word processing
Word processing is a very basic skill that a VA should possess. This includes typing and data entry. You should be able to write 80 to 100 words per minute at a minimum. This may seem intimidating for beginners, but with a little practice, you will be able to type faster.
- Excel worksheet
A Virtual Assistant should have a basic knowledge of how to use excel. Excel is not only for accountants and auditors to input their formulas. Excel worksheet has many different functions that are essential to a VA like charts and tables. Although you will not need to do complex formulas in an excel worksheet, having a basic understanding of what you can do using this program is an advantage.
- Good English writing and speaking skills
Having basic English writing and speaking skills is not enough. You need to have good English communication skills. A VA should be able to communicate well using the English language, particularly written communication. Most of the communication happens via email or chats and being able to express yourself well in words is a must for a VA.
- Social media skills
With the influence of social media on how the new generation live their lives, it is not surprising that as a VA, you will be tasked to handle one social media account. So it is best if you have the knowledge of how to run a social media page for a product or an individual.
- Internet navigation and research skills
The internet is a pool of information that is available with just one click of the mouse. But not all information that you will get from the internet is reliable. A good VA knows her way around the internet and can dig reliable information from the internet. A VA with good internet research skills knows which websites are trustworthy and which information is accurate.
- Organization Skills
Most Virtual Assistants do not only handle a single task or client. A VA handles multiple jobs and clients at any given time. That is why organization skill is very important. Being organized helps a VA to have a clear picture of which tasks need urgent attention or which tasks need more resources. A good VA should be able to handle her schedule in relation to the other members of the team working on the same project.
If you have these qualities then we welcome you to the world of Virtual Assistants!
