What Is A Virtual Assistant Anyway?

Have you ever found yourself at a social gathering talking to someone who tells you what they do, yet you have no idea what that job entails?

Or maybe you are the one who does something that no one else knows what the job involves.

The title of virtual assistant is still fairly new. Therefore, most of the time when I tell someone my job title, I am greeted with a blank stare and we quickly move on to another topic. 

But wait! What is a virtual assistant? What does a virtual assistant do?

By definition, a virtual assistant is someone who provides assistance to a business owner by completing tasks from a remote location.

Okay, so that is the Wikipedia definition, but I’d like to break that down a bit more.

Who Enters This Remote Field

First, I think it’s important to discuss the reasons why someone might want to pursue this remote career.

• They are tired of the typical 9-5.
• They are out of work and decide to try their hand at trying to make money this way. Doesn’t hurt, right? They are out of work anyway.
• They are a mom and want to stay home with their kids. This is a way for them to do that and still contribute to the family income.
• They’ve been a stay-at-home mom and the kids are starting to leave the nest.

As you can see, there are many reasons why someone may choose the path of becoming a virtual assistant. This list is not exhaustive.

What Does A Virtual Assistant Do

While some virtual assistants may offer general services, most end up specializing in an area they are skilled in or find interesting.

A small list of tasks virtual assistants offer include:

In addition to this list, there are many other tasks that virtual assistants offer. Click here to see the tasks I handle.

If you have a business need, there is someone out there in the online space who can do it for you.

And if you can’t find someone, there is always going to be someone who is willing to learn.

The pool of virtual assistants to choose from to complete your tasks is huge. This field is growing everyday as women (and men, for that matter) decide they want to move away from the typical 9-5 day to a more flexible schedule.

So now when your friend tells you they are a virtual assistant, there’s no need to change the subject. You can actively engage in a conversation about what it is they do!