What Is A Virtual Office Assistant?

A virtual office assistant is really just a more descriptive way of saying virtual assistant.  This is a growing profession with the ever growing use of the internet for full time jobs.  Virtual office assistant is sometimes confused with a secretary, and this could not be more wrong, a virtual office assistant does so much more than a secretary could ever be.

So What Is The Difference Between A Virtual Office Assistant And A Secretary?

To begin with a virtual office assistant you never see, you strictly work with them over the phone and on a computer, where as a secretary you see more than once a week on a computer screen.  A virtual office assistant also has a more flexible schedule that a secretary perhaps.  A secretary would be the ultimate multitasking secretary, doing many things simultaneously as they are never solo.  A virtual office assistant can do many things on their schedule as the office moves ahead.

So What Does The Difference Between A Virtual Office Assistant And A Secretary Matter?

To some people a virtual office assistant is just a virtual secretary, who can choose to work more than one job at any one time.  Other virtual office agents may simply provide administrative support while the main focuses of the virtual office assistant is the phone and the computer.  In fact sometimes a virtual office assistant will be given the responsibility of the computer as well as the phone, using them both at the same time.  It depends on the virtual office assistant’s skill in managing communications both over the phone and over the computer.

Is A Virtual Office Assistant Salary Equally Difficult To The Professional Overseas?

Yes, Very Difficult!  Virtual office assistants are absolutely needed in the international business community and are becoming more and more sought after with each passing day.  Why? Because the mothers and grandmother of the mailing device have already been experiencing the challenges of keeping in touch with one another on a business trip to Europe, the Caribbean, or some other country.  In fact, the use of the telephone is actually abroad, with people communicating everything from business details to location details, family visits, livestock leasing contracts, business winning bids, advert openings and more, with minimal translation.  So, what is the big deal about hiring a virtual office assistant, and how does it affect your ability to win a bid?

Bidders can be cut off at the pass because they lose contact with their campaign and its staff.  Some companies will subcontract the jobs but others will have strict office rules about their employees and their work.  They want to win on the big Day, so they’ll find the best virtual office assistant they can, and if they need someone shortlisted through a recruitment agency, they’ll often contact such a company to shortlist candidates.

So what is that fee, and why is it so high?  Firstly, the cost of the virtual office assistant role is only a small part of the total cost of employment.  Employers pay around 20 to 30% of the total annual salary in commission, so around 10 to 20% of your starting annual salary goes to the recruitment agent.  It’s also important to consider that you don’t need to be happy with your working day to be a virtual office assistant, and a day in the life of a virtual office assistant is often hectic, filled with all sorts of crazy and fun stuff.  I work from a home office with a fairly small team of around eight members, so a lot of my work is done at home (as if that wasn’t enough!) and we do a lot of fun stuff.  What I can tell from my experience is that it is definitely not a job for everyone, there is a lot of admin work to do and you need to be able to organise your day effectively.  A small amount of fun with the work has to be replacing the ability to do a useful job. So if you are looking for a virtual office assistant job, do yourself a favour and do the leg work to find out if it is right for you!