What Does a Virtual Assistant Do Exactly?

Remote work is growing at a rapid pace as we progress through the digital age. Between 2005 and 2017, there was a 159% increase in the number of employees working from home.

Even if you, yourself, don’t work from home, it can make perfect sense to hire a few employees who do.

For example, you can hire a virtual assistant to cut down on the cost of in-house technology, save space in the office, and still get all of the assistance you need.

What does a virtual assistant do? Keep reading to find out.

What Does a Virtual Assistant Do?

Virtual assistants are just about as versatile as any in-house assistant. In some cases, you might find companies that hire out virtual assistants who focus on a specific kind of task, but generally, there are a few areas you can always expect them to cover.

Basic Marketing and Online Management

Some virtual assistants will come in with marketing and management experience. No, this doesn’t mean that they’re going to manage a team of people. What it means is that they can manage things like your social media accounts and event scheduling.

In addition, most virtual assistants will manage things like your company’s appointments and ensure that the calendar is updated to reflect any obligations you or your team have to meet.

Document Preparation

Your virtual assistant may be able to assist with the preparation of documents. These often include expense reports, business proposals, and other documents you may need for meetings.

To be clear, a virtual assistant won’t necessarily be able to craft these documents from scratch. That would require insider and industry knowledge they may not possess. Instead, they can take the information you provide them to create legible, clear documents.

Assistance with Personal Tasks

Most virtual assistants will excel in helping you with personal tasks. Because they’re remote, they can’t run out and get you a cup of coffee or pick up your dry cleaning!

What they can do, however, is make any reservations you may need. That includes booking flights and hotel rooms and making arrangements at restaurants or other event venues.

How to Hire a Virtual Assistant

Now you see that virtual assistants can fulfill the majority of the requirements you’d expect from an in-house assistant. The question is, how do you hire a virtual assistant?

First, look for a reputable company that sets businesses up with reliable virtual assistants. Then, make sure you know what you expect from your virtual assistant and ensure that anyone you hire can meet those standards.

Add a Virtual Assistant to Your Workforce

Now that we’ve answered the question, “What can a virtual assistant do?” it’s time for you to ask yourself how a virtual assistant can help your business. No matter your needs, there’s a virtual assistant out there for you.

We’re here to cover everything an entrepreneur needs to know to start and maintain a successful business. Take a look at the rest of our content to find out how you can start a booming business that will last for years.