Personal to Virtual; Making the decision to become a Virtual Assistant.

Going self employed is a big decision to make, it is essential to spend time planning, and thinking

through the pitfalls, and potential benefits of a decision that will affect your life in so many ways.

As a Personal Assistant, thinking about taking the plunge and becoming a Virtual Assistant can be

incredibly tempting, and incredibly rewarding. But it isn’t without its potential problems. Learn as

much as you can about the differences between the roles, and it might just empower you to make

the right, informed choice.

The Good:

There is a lot that is good about a career as a self employed V.A; most obvious of those is the

freedom that comes with being your own boss. You can wake up in the mornings, knowing that the

work you take on, you take on your own terms. You can decide the hours, and the type of work you

wish to undertake. Need a day off? Or feel like enjoying a long weekend? The choice is yours. With

the right decisions and a good level of service, you can grow your reputation, winning more work for

a business that is yours.

The not so good:

There are pitfalls, and being the captain of your own ship is not for everyone. If you are the type of

person who thrives as part of a team, it may be a real culture shock not having the support of

colleagues, or the direction of a manager when decisions need to be made. You alone will be

responsible for the income you earn, without a guaranteed regular salary, so sound financial

planning skills are a must. You’ll need to advertise too, and network to gain clients; Skills that a

Personal Assistant rarely needs.

Thinking practically:

There are key differences between a Personal, and Virtual Assistant, as a P.A your admin and

organisational skills will be first class, and that will serve you well as a V.A, but as a freelance V.A you

will need to add fantastic customer care skills and a strong sales technique to your repertoire to rise

above the crowd and win new business.

If you are considering appointing a Virtual Assistant, he or she can be a real cost-effective and time

saving asset to your business. Reputation is everything for a successful V.A, and at times, the ones

with the very best reputation can be hard to find. Researching and finding out as much as possible

about potential assistants is important, if they are good, they won’t mind telling you all you need to

know. Word of mouth is also another excellent resource, speaking to other businesses or even

colleges for recommendations can get you in touch with the very best graduates and existing V.A’s

out there.

Blog for client found at http://www.businesszone.co.uk/community/blogs/souters/virtual-

businesses-and-being-your-own-boss