Written by: Teekwa Scarborough, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
As a virtual assistant, your job will be to assist a company, individual, or small business owner over the phone, over email, and even through video chat. Virtual assistants are a valuable asset to many organizations in many different industries. Their diverse skill sets allow them to be an asset to clients needing administrative or technical assistance. As more people become entrepreneurs, remote work is becoming popular with entrepreneurs, so they don't have to give up their freedom.
What is a virtual assistant?
Virtual assistants are people with skills who can work remotely and assist with any tasks requested by their clients. They can provide administrative support, small business support, customer service, and content writing. As the virtual assistant industry grows, we will see more work from home opportunities for high-tech skills like IT or programming professionals. Virtual assistants who have these skills would be able to assist companies remotely while working from home.
The virtual assistant industry is growing and will have double the number of virtual assistants during 2020. The way companies do business is changing, and workers are learning to adapt to the changing marketplace. While the height of the COVID-19 pandemic saw over a third of the American workforce — that's roughly 59 million workers — doing freelance work, this trend was already developing before the pandemic. According to Upwork's annual Freelance Forward study, while this is a 22% increase from pre-pandemic numbers, it has also come as a result of younger and highly-skilled professionals seeking flexible alternatives to traditional employment.
The Financial Benefits of Being a Virtual Assistant
Working remotely or becoming a virtual assistant is becoming more popular. There are many benefits to doing so, which is why it's becoming more common.
The primary benefit of being a VA is financial independence. For some people, the opportunity to work from home or on the go has given them a way to earn money without relying on an employer for their income.
Furthermore, for self-employed people, working independently can allow them to be their own bosses and set their own schedules. If they don't like one of these aspects, they can adjust accordingly with ease.
Being a VA also gives people an increased ability to travel and explore the world outside of what might be otherwise possible if they had a 9-to-5 office job at home or elsewhere. Remote work is not about spending all day at home on the couch. It is about being able to work anywhere, anytime, hence the name "remote working." The financial independence that comes with working from home as a virtual assistant can also help people with mortgages or other expensive living costs.
One of my clients, Sheyel Rorie, of Virtual Way said, "I enjoy being a virtual assistant because it affords me to live my best life, and knowing I can take of my grandchildren and live a legacy is the best feeling."
Working Remotely Means Longer Vacations or No Vacations at All
Vacation is one of the benefits that virtual assistants have that is not offered in any other type of job. Virtual assistants can take a vacation without worrying about being replaced since no one else needs to do their job. The disadvantage of taking vacation as a virtual assistant is that they have to factor the time and expense in their revenue, and if you don't meet you goal, you will not be able to go on vacation. If you work for a company, you get paid vacation, but you will not have to worry about not taking a vacation if you plan out your revenue goals as a VA. Additionally, the best thing about being a virtual assistant, you can take your work with you and plan to work a couple of hours a day if you want to while on vacation. Your client will not miss a beat.
Advantages:
Work any time of the day
No commute or office work
No time or location constraints
Low costs of living and fewer taxes
Disadvantages:
Work never stops regardless of your current situation. Lifestyle can be tough to maintain while working as a new virtual assistant. Once you get your systems in place, they will be more manageable.
Choosing to become a virtual assistant reduces stress and allows for a healthier lifestyle, both of which can lead to more extended vacations.
My client Phillppa Parkinson, of Virtual Consultancy says, "Working as a virtual assistant means I get to work remotely from anywhere in the world. I am not tied down to going into an office and watching the clock all day. I work with my client to build their business, which means I am more invested in making this arrangement between 2 business owners work."
Does Working as a Virtual Assistant Means Less Social Interactions with people?
Many virtual assistants do not have an office or cubicle traditionally associated with their occupation, opting instead to work from home offices or coffee shops. This lack of social interactions with coworkers and colleagues can be both a pro and a con. On the one hand, they have more time to devote to their work without worrying about commuting to the office or being interrupted by colleagues. However, this lack of human interaction can lead to feelings of isolation and depression, which is why many VA's are prone to taking breaks from their work for fifteen minutes.
The Benefits:
Working from home means less social interaction with people. If you can't deal with people daily, this job is perfect for you.
Working from home, you have the advantage of meeting different people around the world to make more connection.
You get to work flexible hours and only work when you want to. You can take a break whenever you feel like it, and there is no one telling you what to do.
Virtual assistants can make a lot of money if they set up their business right. In some cases, they can earn as much as $1000 or more per day!
Disadvantages:
There are no office perks such as free food or coffee, so those looking for those types of things should stay at their 9 to 5.
You do not get the medical or dental benefits; however, you can research this independently.
You do not have a colleague who can back you up in your absence. You will be on your own until you can hire a team.
You might think that working as a VA means fewer interactions with people, but in reality, this is not true at all. VAs still need to interact with their clients over phone calls and video conferences.
My client, Jasmine Stradford, said, "There is no feeling like working full-time while working on my virtual assistant business. I am on my way to becoming a full-time business owner!"
In summary, it just comes down to what you want from your career and your willingness to change your lifestyle. Virtual Assistant work is a great way to save money and have a more flexible schedule, but it is a lot of work. You'll have to become a self-starter and put a lot of energy into your business. If you have what it takes to be a Virtual Assistant, don't let me stop you from living your best life. While there are plenty of benefits to becoming a virtual assistant, there are also some cons. Your home office should be organized, comfortable, well lit, and have the tools you need to get the job done.
Teekwa Scarborough, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Teekwa Scarborough is a leader in the virtual assistant industry and empowers single women through her singles ministry embracing your season of singles. Having a baby at 19 was not her plan, but through the struggle, trials, and tribulation, she did not let it stop her from pursuing Bachelor's degree. She has maintained that drive and hunger, which has enabled her to launch PowerPro Assistants, a virtual assistant agency, and coaching women under this umbrella. She has empowered 100s of women from different countries to start, grow and launch their businesses. Teekwa said, “starting the business is the easy part, but growing and establishing yourself in the industry is challenging.” Therefore, her organization's main objective is to have a memorable, life-changing experience that will be talked about for years.
