subject: Virtual Assistant Professionals [print this page] A virtual assistant is as a professional who helps businesses and other professionals to coordinate and complete inside work smoothly. These professionals who work virtually for a business are also known as VAs. Generally the work activities of VAs include all the technical, professional and other related work relevant to a specific industry.
VAs are considered as independent contractors and as such they do not have to commute to work and do not have set work hours. They are hired by a specific industry and depending on the nature of the work or the projects duration, all the relevant costs for their services are to be determined on an ongoing basis. Hence a VA can work from his or her home or any other location based on their own convenience. Though as a general rule, a VA will not make personal visits to the clients business location, through telephone conferencing and online communication they obtain a great understanding of the current needs and problems for which they are being hired. A VA is considered to play a major role in the success of the businesses for which they work.
Not all VAs are doing the same job in all industries as they each come from different industry backgrounds and each has their own areas of expertise. For this reason, the nature of their work will vary depending on the specific industry standards and the needs of the firm or business. Often a VA will have a great deal of knowledge and basic qualifications in the same field in which they are working so that they are familiar with many of the the tasks they are given, which may include technical, administrative, accounting etc. When a qualified VA is hired for a specific business firm in a specialized industry the business owner or industry professional can feel certain that the VA will carry out the business tasks, find solutions to the problems and complete the work activities they are being given and do it all within a specified time interval. In order to carry out these tasks, a VA will stay in touch via telephone, fax transmittal and online contact with the business.
Utilizing the services of VAs have the added advantage of allowing for the smooth functioning of any business even though virtual assistants are independent contractors and not employees. The nature of the work they do which allows them to retain their independence, privacy and personal convenience is a great incentive for them to remain dedicated to performing excellently for the businesses for which they work. The company that hires VAs then reaps the reward of not having to pay employment taxes, insurance or other benefits related to a regular salaried employee.
