Become a self-employed virtual assistant

June 27, 2024

Becoming a self-employed virtual assistant administrative is not difficult when you have the qualities and skills necessary to practice the profession. You just need to find out about a certain number of points before getting started, such as the types of clients to find, the legal obligations to respect and the management of accounting.

Before starting the activity, it is also preferable to be well informed about the advantages and disadvantages of the profession. And to optimize his chances of succeeding in the field, it is recommended that the self-employed virtual assistant follow certain training programs.

What is a self-employed virtual assistant?

Basically, the self-employed virtual assistant is responsible for providing remote virtual assistant administrative support services to one or more companies. But their services can go much further than telesecretariat. Indeed, they depend on the needs of the client.

The virtual assistant is also called an “ independent secretary ”. As its name suggests, its main mission is to support business managers and thus save them considerable time.

Training

The profession of self-employed virtual assistant generally does not require possession of a university degree , except in certain specific cases, to be authorized to work as a medical secretary for example.

There is no compulsory training to follow to become a virtual assistant. Most freelance secretaries learned on the job. It is possible that they came from a school of:

Communication ;
Management ;
Business management ;
Digital Marketing ;
Accounting ;
Administrative management.

To get hired, the self-employed virtual assistant must therefore above all highlight his professional skills. Solid experience acquired within a firm would also be a real asset.

But to progress in the field, it would always be wise to train in the fields of activity that you have the least control over. Many courses exist online. As examples, they may concern:

Knowledge of the profession (main missions, prerequisites, etc.);
The use of digital tools;
Web marketing;
The organization of the activity;
The choice of platforms to use;
Writing ;
Visual design.

On the other hand, if you plan to become a self-employed virtual assistant after high school , it would still be preferable to have either a baccalaureate:

Pro Management, administration;
Techno STMG.

To carry out his work , the independent secretary must simply have:

From a computer;
From a Smartphone;
Unlimited internet connection.

To make a career in the field and make a place for himself on the market , he has the choice between taking additional courses, while exercising his activity. In order to attract customers, it is in his best interest to highlight all the training he has followed. Certain habits can also be of great help to him to be strong in the field:

Reading ;
Participation in group discussions;
Viewing workshops;
Participation in conferences.

To work in collaboration with platforms specializing in virtual assistance, it is advisable for the virtual assistant to also pay particular attention to writing his CV. In all cases, he must be able to demonstrate that he:

Has a perfect command of a language;
Master the connection tools;
Knows how to use all common office equipment;
Is able to organize a complicated trip.

And in order to optimize its production, it can use applications and software such as:

Trello;
Dropbox ;
Skype;
WhatsApp.

You should also know that, depending on your skills, you have the choice of becoming:

Accounting Assistant;
Computer assistant;
Administrative secretary ;
Communication assistant.

Main missions

Working part-time or full-time, the self-employed virtual assistant performs the tasks of an executive secretary remotely. He can be paid for one-off or regular assignments. In all cases, he does not have to travel to a company to carry them out. He carries out his activity and manages the relationship with his clients from home. To carry out his work successfully, he must be familiar with the digital field and master various IT tools. He is methodical and knows how to demonstrate:

Versatility;
Autonomy;
Flexibility;
Organization ;
Determination and rigor.

Today, recruiting a self-employed virtual assistant is common. It is a choice that allows the business manager to concentrate on his main role and to focus on tasks with high added value.

A large number of missions can be assigned to the independent secretary. With the digital transformation of companies, they continue to evolve. The more the self-employed virtual assistant diversifies its offers, the more customers it will attract. He can help both professionally and personally. In the long list of tasks that can be entrusted to him, we can cite:

Drafting documents;
Website design;
Video subtitling;
Data entry and management;
Work planning;
Calendar management;
Organizing a business trip;
Rewriting, correction and proofreading of texts;
Document layout;
Transcription of an interview;
Technical assistance;
The translation ;
Animation of a website;
Billing;
Recovery of payments;
Management and monitoring of suppliers and customers;
Email management;
Internet research;
Making appointments;
Social media management;
Blog management;
Graphic design;
Client service ;
Creating newsletters;
Event planning;
The dissemination of job offers;
Writing meeting reports;
E-reputation management;
Updating product sheets;
Order management;
The development of a press review;
Management of staff working at the client's home.

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