Is Being a VA For You?

There are lots of things about being a Virtual Assistant that are great. Setting your own hours, choosing who you’ll work with, deciding what kind of work you want to do and determining how much money you make… all while working at home wearing your favorite clothes. What’s not to love?

And, there are some things to consider when deciding whether or not to become a VA. Here are some important questions to think about:

1. Are you willing to invest in your business? While it’s tempting to use your old laptop and outdated software when you’re first getting started, it’s important to have the tools you need to run your business. It will make you more efficient, more productive and, believe it or not, happier. Hardware and software are not that expensive these days – so get everything you’ll need in place at the beginning.
2. Are you focused? It’s important to think of your working time as “your job” and set specific working hours. Otherwise, it’s easy to wander away from your desk during the day and find yourself sorting laundry or just catching the last episode of a show you’ve been binge watching. As a guideline, you can ask this simple question: “If I worked for someone else in their office would I be doing this right now?”
3. Are you organized? No matter what your specialty, as a Virtual Assistant, it’s critical to be organized and stick with a system. You’ll undoubtedly be juggling several clients at a time and it’s important to be able to know your deadlines, hit them and have both paper and digital files in order at all times.
4. Do you want to run your own business? This is the question I think many aspiring Virtual Assistants overlook. Enjoying and being good at client work is awesome, but it’s important that you treat your own business with the same thought and care that you give to client work. You’ll need to track your income and expenses, find new clients, maintain your website, set your prices and continue to acquire new skills.

Lots to think about, but important to go in knowing what to expect so you can make the most of being a Virtual Assistant.

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A business workflow and productivity expert with 25 years of experience, RocketGirl Solutions Founder Belinda Wasser is hired by small businesses on a contract basis to act as their part-time, “business manager.”

In addition, she is the Founder of the VA Connection, a professional online community with the goal of educating and connecting independent virtual assistants around the world. Join her free online classroom here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thevaconnection/