The SPOT.ph Guide to Being a Virtual Assistant in the Philippines

(SPOT.ph) As a result of the pandemic, a lot of people have already seen the advantages of working from home. One of the most common jobs that have been on the rise in the online work scene is virtual assistance.

What is a virtual assistant?

A virtual assistant (VA) is an umbrella term for an online contractor who provides various types of assistance for their client. Their work involves providing administrative and professional support for business owners and other individuals depending on their current needs. 

Some of the tasks of a VA include email management, customer service, virtual event coordination, and online research. In essence, they can be considered executive assistants; but instead of having a table right outside their boss' office, they're remote and online. 

Also read:
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Benefits of Being a Virtual Assistant in the Philippines

Being a virtual assistant has become increasingly popular in the Philippines, mainly because of the convenience and comfort that working from virtually anywhere brings. At the same time, the promise of having a higher paycheck seems to reel more people in to try out this venture. 

Another advantage of being a VA is you can work with different types of clients at a time. You can work with entrepreneurs, start-ups, large companies, and more. All you have to do is to choose your market, so you know who you’ll look for and offer your services. 

You also have the freedom to consider the specific services you’re planning to offer. If you’re a beginner, go for one service that you’re either comfortable providing or something that you’re willing to work on as you venture out into the freelancing world. 

Once you develop your know-how, it’s easier to determine the specific skill set you’ll need to better serve your market. If you think about it, the quest for learning and mastering your skills is unlimited, as long as you know how to maximize the available online resources.

As far as the clients are concerned, one of the main advantages of outsourcing their tasks onshore is having lower labor costs than what they are required to shell out should they hire someone from their country to do the work for them.

Skills Required to be an Effective Virtual Assistant

Time Management 

Whether you have one or 10 clients, managing your priorities and making sure you submit your deliverables on time is a must. At the same time, you should set the proper boundaries so you can continue to provide high-quality work without burning yourself out in the process.

If you’re having a hard time managing your time, there are different tools that can help you with that. If you’re not comfortable with those, even the tried-and-tested pen and paper or journal will do.

Communication

No matter how shy or introverted you think and feel you are, you still have to communicate with your client in written and/or verbal form. If you’re not confident with your writing or speaking skills, practicing will help you improve over time. Don’t overthink it as clients are generally not nitpicky when it comes to grammar during correspondence. As long as you can effectively convey your thoughts, you’re off to a good start. 

If you want to further improve your communication skills, you also have to expose yourself to English more. Read more books or long-form articles, watch more movies and series, try writing a 300-word essay per day (and edit it after), and have more conversations. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes along the way.

Tech Savvy 

The world of technology is a constantly evolving one, and it’s essential to stay ahead. Learning new programs and software that contribute to the different tasks that need to be done is essential in this profession.

Organizational Skills

This ensures that you can perform your tasks more effectively and efficiently without wearing yourself out. In line with this, proper documentation of the tasks that you’ve done is also helpful, so you and your client have reference materials to go back to in case there are questions, or you need to make changes in your process.

Online Tools Typically Used by Virtual Assistants

Take note that the tools you use may vary depending on your specific VA services. However, to give you an idea, here are some of the widely used online tools in the virtual assistant industry:

• Trello: This is a project management tool that helps you organize your tasks, set deadlines, and better track your tasks and progress.
• Asana: This is a similar tool to Trello, but with some additional features, such as seamless integration with Zoom, Google Drive, and Teams.
• Slack: This is a great messaging tool for virtual teams as it helps you stay connected with your co-workers without any trouble.
• Google Drive: This is a great repository to store your documents and other files securely.
• Skype: This is great for video conferences with clients and team members

Freelancing Platforms    

With the emergence of a lot of online jobs are the increasing number of freelancing platforms that promote the service of VAs while making it easier for potential clients to have a great fit for the assistance they need for their businesses. 

We rounded up five of the most common platforms that VAs typically use to look for their next clients:

• Upwork
• Freelancer.com
• Fiverr
• OnlineJobs.ph
• PeoplePerHour

Some of the advantages of using these platforms that bring VAs/freelancers and clients are the following:

• Middlemen or escrow systems provide lower chances of getting scammed.
• In case it didn’t work out for one or both parties, they can have disputes, with someone from the platform mediating for a peaceful resolution for everyone.
• Most platforms are easy to set up, access, and use.
• An easier hiring process for both parties.
• Online payment systems make it easier to send and receive payments.

Services Offered by Virtual Assistants

There are a lot of services that you can offer, depending on your skills and interests. These services may include the following:

• Graphic design: You can design logos, brochures, flyers, etc.
• Social media management: You can manage social media accounts, create posts, and plan future content for clients.     
• Web design and development: You can help create and maintain various business websites.    
• Administrative tasks: You can do basic administrative tasks such as making appointments, scheduling, database management, data entry, etc.     
• Customer service: You can be a customer service representative for certain companies or businesses who takes calls and even closes deals on behalf of your client.
• E-mail marketing: Ever wondered how it feels to pitch offers to a lot of customers without facing them? Use your word magic and make it happen by crafting email sequences and closing deals through this service.

Time-Based vs. Project-Based Services

Some clients prefer you to work with them while using a tracker, while some are fine without one, as long as you submit your deliverables. Time-based services charge per hour, while project-based services charge either a flat fee or milestone payments, depending on your agreement. 

Time-based services are great if you’re dealing with a client who wants you to work directly with them and be available when they need you. If you agree with this setup with your client, you’ll need to use a tracker to easily quantify your payment depending on how long you’ve worked on one or more tasks. 

Project-based services are great for those who don’t want to be chained to their computer for the whole duration of the project. You also get paid in full once you submit the deliverable. This is a good choice for those who already have an established system in place that they can replicate across different clients and projects.