So you want to be a virtual assistant?

Go from a brand new Virtual Assistant to fully booked in no time with these 4 Steps

In 2021 our environments have changed. Employment opportunities have shifted. Businesses have pivoted to being primarily remote at an all-time high. Not only are people struggling with learning technology, but also with hiring good remote talent.

Some positions in the workforce have become memories while others are booming. It can be scary starting something new.

It’s no surprise that Virtual Assistants are in high demand and now is a great time to pivot into a secure source of income that you can do right from home. All you need is a computer, a skill, the ability to communicate well with people, and an eagerness to learn.

So how do you do it? How can you get paid sustainable work quickly?

Here are 4 steps that will get you started with clients faster than you probably expect.

• Assess your skills
• Start right away
• Find a thriving community of support
• Learn more from a proven mentor

Write down all the things you know you could do for people remotely today

Then from that list circle the things that give you energy. Things you feel like you know well, and you actually like doing.

Before becoming a Virtual Assistant, I went from driving a meat and deli truck to a Cosmetician almost overnight. As someone who went from warehouses to highways, and then to bed using my pillow as my makeup remover, and shampoo to wash my face, it was quite intimidating.

As I walked the aisles of thousands of skincare and makeup brands I began wondering if I would ever be able to help customers navigate through the brands and choose the right products for their needs.

My Cosmetic Manager Leigh Anne said to me, “Karen, take a look at this list of all the luxury and dermatological brands we carry. Please start by choosing 3 brands. Use them, study them, get to know them inside and out. Once you have a full 3-month experience and knowledge, you can move to another group. You will find big similarities. It will be easier to learn.” She was right. I was one of the top cosmeticians within a year and had many clients requesting consultations daily. I knew each and every brand inside and out which also fuelled my confidence on the sales floor.

Starting with 3-5 things and doing them well will set you up for success and allow the room and space needed to grow and adapt to your new position. You know you learn and adapt well, but establishing your anchor of expertise will also establish a level of trust and credibility with your clients, and quite frankly yourself.

Get started right away

You will get better with practice. It’s something that has to be done. There will always be a first client. You might feel a little uncertain, but just dive in.

In the book “The Talent Code” Daniel Coyle speaks of “the sweet spot” which in paraphrasing means learning by doing, learning and correcting, and learning and doing all over again – in that sequence. This was the road to becoming great at what you do. The art of deep practice.

Find a thriving community of support

Applying to work with a well-established agency like the Virtual Gurus will help you more than trying to get hired on your own. You will have support and mentorship with others just like you.

You are still working for yourself, choosing your own hours, but you will be paired with clients looking for those powerful 3-5 skills that you have indicated. Moreover, there are things like promoting yourself and invoicing that automatically come off your plate freeing up more time to learn and grow more into your new position.

Learn deeper in one of your core interests from a proven mentor

I got my first job when I was 15. It was at Dairy Queen. My manager Gail was in charge of training staff. She had been in the family business since she was 4 and at the time I was hired she was in her early 20s. If there was anyone that knew the ins and outs, and upside downs that this job could bring it was her.

The first thing we had to do is the special DQ shape and ‘D’ on the top of each cone and sundae. She not only taught us what to do, but she also made us dive right in and practice with a bucket beside us until we had it mastered. She also went over what not to do; how to properly serve customers, mistakes and difficult experiences she had along the way, and her resolutions.

I learned a lot from that job, and at a very young age, I became a confident team leader because I was given guidance from a mentor that could teach from all angle points.

The Virtual Gurus Academy offers courses for Virtual Assistants to hone their skills and gain experience from a Virtual Assistant’s point of view.

Sure, you can search for tutorials on YouTube and get a condensed version of learning new skills in the virtual space, however, it is usually taught from one point of view, and most of the time you have to piece together and search for hours to get a process.

With Virtual Gurus, you can start broadening your skillset with a variety of courses tailored to and created by Virtual Assistants.

Check out the Virtual Gurus Academy here and begin your career as a Virtual Assistant today.

Take a closer look at what it means to be a VA. Read more on A Typical Workday in the Life of a Virtual Assistant.