The virtual assistant job seems like a very promising one, especially in a period where remote working has become the norm. But becoming a professional VA is not an easy task, and it’s definitely not something you can do overnight. It requires building some indispensable skills and gaining enough experience to start understanding what clients want from you.
The good news is, these skills can all be developed as long as you are willing to put some effort into it. When it comes to becoming a virtual assistant, you need all the tools in the box, but it takes time to develop them. This is why you need to start with the basics. So, to help you out, we have put together a small list of must-have skills a VA can’t exist without.
Communication skills
If you want to start landing virtual assistant jobs, you need to make sure your communication skill levels are as high as possible. You are probably going to do plenty of tasks that require both written and oral communication skills, including writing emails, responding to calls, making presentations, or completing and sending out reports.
Not only will you need to be able to type and think fast, but you will also need to make sure the type of content you write is accurate. This can mean anything from being able to transform a one-hour meeting into a 500-word briefing or putting together a newsletter email to send to potential clients.
Computer skills
Virtual assistants work remotely, which means they will need to use a computer for the majority of tasks they perform. If you are not good with computers, it will be very difficult to manage a job like this, so consider going to some courses to help you master the basic programs.
There is no limit to the type of programs you will be using, as clients have different needs and methods to do business, but you do need to at least have mastered the Microsoft suite, navigating the web, and using a calendar to manage schedules.
Discipline and motivation
Being in control of your schedule is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, you get to decide when and how much you work, but on the other hand, you still need to manage your schedule in a way that allows you to do all of your designated tasks.
Discipline is the key to any kind of remote or freelancing job, as there is no one to remind you of the deadlines coming up, and the last thing you want is clients to start questioning your competencies. Learn to keep distractions away during your working hours and try to focus on the tasks you need to complete before thinking about where you should eat at lunch today.
Intuition and quick thinking
The ability to make the right decisions quickly is paramount for any VA, especially when a client assigns a task and won’t be around for clarifications. There will be times when you will need to use all your resources to find the best solution fast instead of waiting around for a client to provide a response.
Use your intuition and resources to tackle the problems that come your way and try to come up with at leas one potential solution before going to the client and asking for their input.
