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​​Whether you want to give yourself the flexibility of working from home or are looking for a way to earn some extra cash, becoming a virtual assistant may be one of the best decisions you’ve made in your life. This industry is quickly exploding, and it will not be uncommon to find an entire company run primarily by a team of VA’s. Gone are the days where a personal assistant is typically responsible for managing their employer’s business affairs, household management, and organization. Virtual specialists have transcended into new territory as they have become sought after professionals that offer their skillset to complete any task — no matter how big or small.

Although this industry functions over the internet from anywhere in the world, it’s important to understand VA work still invokes an image of a 9-5 office job that requires you to be at the computer for hours on end. Thanks to modern technologies and software, you can now work from home with your laptop or iPad regardless of where you are and even when traveling abroad. In fact, a majority of virtual assistants prefer working remotely because they have more flexibility in determining their own schedule as well as where they perform their tasks.

What is Virtual Assistant Work?

As mentioned above, VA work is not limited to just completing administrative tasks such as making travel reservations or booking restaurant reservations. The actual job of a virtual assistant is much more broad and encompasses a variety of services that can be performed by anyone. Therefore, VA work is not restricted to any particular industry as there are a number of services that can be completed by virtual assistants working in virtually any field.

Some common types of services that are generally performed by virtual assistants include: blogging, social media management, copywriting, and graphic design. In addition to these common tasks, the specific duties for each client really depends on the type of project being worked on. For example, a VA working with your small business may be responsible for conducting online marketing research or writing press releases. A VA working with a literary agent may be required to deliver book proposals and manage proofreading.

Most clients are typically seeking out a virtual assistant for specific services and tasks that can easily be completed from home, so this is why you’ll hear these tasks referred to as "on-demand" (as opposed to "off-premise" projects). Others that prefer working from their office in the traditional manner will simply hire VA’s for certain days or specific hours. For instance, if your employer is only hiring an assistant for an hour each day, the job could be distributed amongst your team such that it is all accomplished during that time frame.

Heading into this industry, there are many misconceptions regarding the tasks that are typically completed by VA’s. For example, many believe that they’re only responsible for writing blog posts and completing other professional tasks. While this is definitely part of what virtual assistants do, it’s just not the majority of their work. In reality, these are some of the most common services provided:

● Bookkeeping is a very popular service in this industry as it doesn’t require a lot of interaction with clients (which makes it perfect for those who want to focus on their own personal/business matters while avoiding clients).