So You Want to Become a Virtual Assistant - the First 5 Steps to Take When You Decide to Become a VA

I still remember the day I discovered the job classification of Virtual Assistant. I was searching online for ways to work from home because of health issues and the rising cost of gas. The ad said "Virtual Assistant needed with these skills..."The more I read the job description the more excited I became. Shortly after that day I began my journey to opening my VA practice. Here are the steps I recommend and some pitfalls for you to avoid on your journey to become a Virtual Assistant.

First explore the industry. You need to find out exactly what a VA is and more importantly is not. You will discover there are many definitions for Virtual Assistants. The IVAA describes a Virtual Assistant as an independent service professional that helps other individuals or businesses by providing support services remotely using currant and breaking technology such as the Internet, email, fax or phone. Those services can be standard administrative tasks or more advanced services such as internet marketing assistance or website maintenance. The industry is new, exciting and growing exponentially. Working remotely is one of the few job categories to see growth in this current economic climate.

Step Two - Examine yourself and your qualifications . Be realistic, are you entrepreneur material? You need to be honest with yourself. Are you prepared to take responsibility for paying your own taxes, obtaining the proper licenses and registration and doing the necessary marketing? Are you a self starter or do need constant prodding to get your work accomplished? Are you organized enough to keep up with your home life and your clients? Only you can answer these questions.

Step Three - Find your niche. Who do you want to work with? Don't think mistakenly that you can work with anyone because it's impossible to market to the whole world. No one wants to hire someone who does a little of everything but is not proficient at anything. People expect experts in today's market. You are much better off specializing and providing excellent service in your niche. Doesn't worry about limiting yourself because if you become an expert you will soon have more clients than you can take care of.

Step Four - Get appropriate training and certifications. Once you identify your niche there will probably be some training you need to provide service in your niche. The list of tools and technology available to prospective clients is growing everyday and it is important for you to become proficient in the ones necessary for your target market. You need to be proactive, because usually your client does not know what they don't know. It's up to you to educate them about what is available. There are no colleges or trade schools that have a Virtual Assistant degree yet but there are several independent training schools that provide their own certifications to help to establish your credibility.

Step Five - Connect with other VAs. You can do this by joining the several virtual assistant organizations such as the Virtual Assistant Networking Association (VANA) or the International Association of Virtual Assistants (IAVA.) It's important to network with other more experienced VAs who will keep you informed of what is new in the industry. There are also many groups specific for VAs on Facebook and Twitter. Most VAs are generous people who are willing to share their expertise and to point out common pitfalls to avoid.

Step Six - Finally follow through and open your doors. After you have completed the previous steps there is nothing left to do except choose a name, get a license, print your cards, and get a website up so you can open your virtual doors. Becoming trained as a VA is a journey not a destination so just jump in. To provide the best possible service you must always be willing to get more training, learn a new skill or try a new direction but don't let that fact stop you from actually getting your first clients. As you are presented with real life situations you will soon figure out what other training you need, so just begin.

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So You Want to Become a Virtual Assistant - the First 5 Steps to Take When You Decide to Become a VA