Virtual Assistants: What They Do & How to Hire

Many companies, including global companies, are hiring virtual assistants. A Virtual Assistant handles many administrative tasks from set-up to travel arrangements. Most tasks for virtual assistant jobs are available as full-time and part-time jobs. However, virtual assistants can be a good start for a remotely-employed career, especially in companies and startups. Virtual assistant work opportunities in Canada are broader. When looking for a virtual assistant job, check the list below to know what tasks they generally do or can be asked to do.

Virtual assistants can

Check emails, schedule appointments and meetings. Search for information on the Internet and provide relevant information to an executive assistant or other staff members. Process invoices, credit card payments, purchase orders—information gathering from different sources about trade shows/ conferences in their geographic area. Take follow-up actions from one of the above tasks: emailing people, booking tickets, making travel arrangements and attending conferences. Run errands for the executive assistant or other staff members.

Prospective employers in Canada are willing to pay up to $15/hour for virtual assistants with some experience. In addition, you will find remote jobs working as a virtual assistant on Geolance. Geolance also has a good list of Canadian virtual assistant companies that you can check out.

What Does a Virtual Assistant Do?

A virtual assistant provides business services to business owners through remote locations. They can be outsourced. They do not need to be anywhere near the business owner, as they provide their services through an online platform such as Skype or Google Hangouts. Their most common tasks include answering phone calls, responding to emails and travel arrangements (i.e., booking flights and hotels ).

Types of Virtual Assistants

Virtual assistants can specialize in different areas, such as Administrative Support: These virtual assistants help with daily activities that may involve scheduling meetings, managing calendars and making travel arrangements for executives and other staff members. Sales Support: This type of virtual assistant uses social media tools to connect with potential customers and generate leads for further sales processes by the company team. Event Planning: Virtual assistants who work in this area help with event preparation

The most common parts of a virtual assistant job are:

1. Online job management
2. Data-entry
3. Administrative tasks
4. Travel arrangements
5. Managing e-ventures
6. Social media marketing
7. Preparing for events.

A virtual assistant can make most things happen. In this article, we will discuss it all in detail.

How Do I Become a Virtual Assistant?

The concept of becoming your own boss by getting remote work and spending more time with your family is now a reality to many people. You have the freedom to start remote work from any part of the world just as long as you have access to high-speed internet.

Even the International Virtual Assistants Association protects your rights as a VA. You could even start your own VA business so you can make some extra money from it. And first, in the virtual assistant market, you have a couple of important things you should know before starting.

You can help people to manage their daily tasks by either finding time for them or just taking over the responsibilities. Some people are happy to outsource their daily activities so they can give more time to work on their business.

If you think your skills will impress an employer, why not try freelancing as a virtual assistant? Before you start looking for clients, make sure that your profile is complete. Higher chances of getting hired if you have experience in the exact industry the client needs someone for. Plus, consider having your own website where clients can contact you directly but make sure it looks professional and has good reviews online.

What Makes a Good Virtual Assistant?

Best virtual assistant job seekers have fantastic communication and writing abilities. In addition, the need for time management and organizational skills is emphasized, as is the ability to manage a situation properly and plan the solution according to the client's satisfaction.

Clients hire virtual assistants to relieve pressure and disorganization, complete administrative tasks, make massive data entry, travel arrangements and all kinds of tasks. So don't let it stop you before someone asks you to do specific duties. If you see a client struggling, offer to do something you're not currently doing.

This gives you plenty of work and helps people depend more strongly on you. Finally, those who hire virtual assistants lessen the stress and mind their work and life balance.

Customer Service

Customer support was one of the first areas in which virtual assistants were utilized. Because your clients aren't speaking directly to you, a remote work customer agent is an excellent option for business. Your virtual assistant should discuss with you what you have to offer and be prepared to answer any queries. You may always hire a full-time team member if a virtual assistant has difficulties assisting customers with their problems. Set up a secure method to view clients' screen views instead of the less safe method of screen-sharing using Co-Other-browser software like Talkative.

Managing Finances

Small company owners sometimes believe they can handle their own taxes. Virtual assistants are unable to account and merely assist you in managing your money. These individuals may keep budgets, buy items, and monitor expenses. What was your take on it? Avoid the last-minute strain of tax season! For small business owners, this is not a simple way to avoid last-minute tax season. Visit the link for more information on tiny buses for further reading).

How Much Do Virtual Assistants Make?

The starting pay for virtual assistants can vary depending on the skill level, years of experience, and industry and clients; PayScale offers a wide range of salaries for virtual assistants, which can be based on skill level, years of experience, and industry and client. The median annual salary is $36.272. Virtual assistant jobs typically pay a total yearly compensation of $15.387 to $65.379 per year, with a median hourly rate of around $16.95 an hour.

Companies that Hire Virtual Assistants

Most businesses are searching for VITA assistant jobs, according to Geolance's database. Look for a virtual assistant, administrative duties assistant, administrative assistant, personal assistant, executive assistant, or similar employment. Furthermore, there are numerous outsourcing firms that employ primarily virtual assistants.

Managing Your Virtual Assistants

In general, I believe virtual offices may go wrong in too many situations. Some, on the other hand, are quite simple. We consider typical locations for remote work management. A virtual assistant or anybody who is an independent contractor may handle certain tasks.

24/7 Customer Service Support

Some businesses have a virtual office. They're not open at any one particular time, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday through Friday, for example. It may appear strange, but it's actually quite common. And why not? Shut off your computer if you don't need to interact with people in person. For example, if your virtual assistant works for many individuals, taking customer service calls on weekends might be inconvenient for him or her

Job Sharing

You're a business, yet you don't have to hire someone every time. Is your virtual assistant capable of handling employee problems? Some businesses allow their employees to collaborate on tasks. If more than one person works for your firm at any given moment, they can still be considered full-time. The major issue with this is that it may influence staff benefits. If you pay your virtual assistant a salary, you'll need to fulfill the same standards as other full-time assistants. It's a good idea to prepare some contracts in case someone sues you later on.

Better Use of Your Employees

Virtual assistants may be used to help with a variety of activities that were previously impossible. You can focus on more critical matters while at work during the day. The results? Using a virtual assistant at the office can save you time and energy by allowing you to complete daily, routine tasks efficiently. Using a virtual assistant at the office might also assist you in completing email and financial errands that are difficult to do most of the time.

How Do I Pay a Virtual Assistant?

When you hire a virtual assistant through an agency, the payment process is usually straightforward. You pay the firm, and then the virtual assistant gets paid. But what if you don't have one of those agencies? Is it possible to find someone on my own? What happens after that?

Paying a virtual assistant independently can be done in the same way you would pay an employee of your business. You can offer a salary or, if they're freelance based, you can pay them per hour or project. Where a solo v-p may justify higher earnings than other virtual assistants due to lower overhead costs (and no agency fees), the risk is greater because there are no checks and balances over time spent on tasks or payment which is agreed upon up front.

For example, if you hire someone at $15/hour for 20 hours each week for two weeks to handle filing, data entry and research - that's 40 hours at $15/hr = $600 divided by 2 equals $300 per week. If it takes them an average of 8 hours to complete the tasks, then you're paying $37.50 per hour for their services.

Another option is to pay what they accomplish rather than by the hour. If you hire them to write a report and it takes them 3 days (assuming 8 hr workdays), you'd consider how much work they did each day and add these together - in this case about 37 hrs (3 * 7 = 21 + 3). So using the same rate of $15/hr that would be $525 divided by 37 = 14.25 or rounded up to 15 dollars per hour worked on the assignment.

Who Will Be Paid, How Much, and When?

Virtual assistants have a slew of issues that emerge only when you want to hire them into your company. The rules on who gets paid first - the employer or employee - apply everywhere, however. If someone is not compensated on time, it might lead to additional difficulties, so bear this in mind. Look at the agreement you make with your virtual assistant to make sure that both of you know what's expected. If your payment is late, be prepared for some issues to arise.

In conclusion, virtual assistants are here to make your life easier. Whether it is to make your doctor’s appointment or manage your schedule - hire one from Geolance today!

Firing Someone

When you discover that a virtual assistant isn't working for any reason, it's critical to have a plan in place for what will happen next. What will happen if your employee terminates their employment? Firing a virtual assistant is no different from firing anybody else.

Is It Worth Hiring a Virtual Assistant?

Is it appropriate for your company to hire someone via an agency or as a worker? Is there any way you will be able to hire someone from the US legally? Do you have any concerns about hiring someone from outside of Canada if you are not in Canada or do business with a person from the United States?

Hire a Virtual Assistant as an Employee

Hiring a virtual assistant does not necessarily imply you'll have someone onsite. If your virtual assistant is going to be working remotely (at home or elsewhere), there are several legal concerns to consider. You don't want to fight the current. Make sure you hire someone who is authorized to work in their field of competence and isn't doing anything else. Make sure they have all of the necessary paperwork so that you don't incur penalties or worse.

In Canada, the rules vary depending on where you are. If you want to hire a virtual assistant who is based in another state or nation outside of Canada, it's important to understand the legal framework and seek counsel from specialists. Then, your virtual assistant can answer any queries or concerns they might have.

Legal Issues

If you employ a virtual assistant who works in the United States, you must ensure that your hiring criteria are satisfied. This may also pertain to a virtual assistant from another nation. You could face fines or imprisonment if you make mistakes on immigration documents.

Also, familiarize yourself with any relevant state laws that apply to your employee's job. Where can you find a competent virtual assistant? When it comes to selecting a virtual assistant, one of the most important questions to ask is where to find them. Not many individuals are aware of where they may be found.

Find Virtual Assistant Jobs from Home with Geolance

On a freelance basis, the greatest virtual assistant works with numerous clients. Many virtual assistants take on multiple part-time projects and build a full-time business. You've come to the correct place if you're looking for a virtual assistant that may work as an additional source of income. Geolance offers remote employment in over 50 job categories, which are updated on a daily basis.

Apply to Freelance Marketplaces

There are plenty of independent freelancers, but there aren't enough people on marketplaces. The best approach to have long-term success is to build a website and make positive connections. However, not everyone has the ability to do so. Freelance websites are still an excellent starting point for more opportunities. Thousands of job openings are out there, but it takes time for many to develop your website.

A Better Way to Hire

There are several websites that provide flexible employment opportunities. Some of the individuals have years of personal expertise in Office administration tasks, bookkeeping, and social media management with a wealth of experience. They are quick learners who get things done quickly! Many Virtual assistants have also had previous experiences, allowing you to hire an executive assistant as well as a personal assistant on the same platform.

Start Finding Virtual Assistant & Freelance Jobs Today!

We would be delighted if you are interested in management or administration with a lot of expertise in customer service, marketing, or project management. Get started with Geolance!