Do You Really Need Training to Become a Virtual Assistant

Copyright (c) 2010 Nick Clipton

If you are thinking of becoming a virtual assistant (VA), go ahead and do so, especially if you are already skilled.

There are some skills and expertise that are requisites before becoming a VA and succeed in the business. Some of you may already possess administrative, secretarial, translation, data entry, bookkeeping and other such skills because of previous work experience. Some of you may have acquired the skills through professional training or some are having naturally.

However, the bad news to the VA business which is actually giving it a bad name, are the scams that lure some of those who do not have the skills or the training to become a VA. These skills are learned and simply because you have the right equipment (high-end computer, headset, fax machine, internet service, etc.) do not mean that you can offer your services. You would need training or should already possess the skills that had been acquired because of the training.

For instance, if you apply for a VA job, make sure that you are skilled in that area which you are applying for. If applying, for example, for an administrative and secretarial assistance, then you should be able to type, write business letters, send e-mails, make spreadsheets, present data s and reports, keep an online filing system and record-keeping. There are other similar jobs that expect these other than administrative assistance and secretarial. If you can do any of the basic skills, you have to learn and get trained.

If you plan to offer translator services as an interpreter, or you apply for customer service using a foreign language, then you have to know how to speak that foreign language with skill and expertise. If you only know pidgin foreign language, don't attempt to apply. Highly specialized VA supports like bookkeeping and accounting are ideal VA jobs as they pay well, but if you don't have the education, certification or training, you could not only ruin your reputation but the reputation of the professional VAs.

There are a lot of companies now complaining about how the cheap VA services is equivalent to lousy service and this is sad because there are professional assistants out there who are highly skilled and do good work for the company they work for.

Go get the training that you need and don't just rely on the get jobs quick scams that are now advertised blatantly on the internet.