Virtual Assistants are also known as Super Heroes. Here’s why.
A P.A. on call? I think not… We are Super Heroes!
Being a Virtual Assistant is not doing whatever you want whenever you want. It’s really hard work to schedule your own time, schedule your client’s or your contractor’s time and still get everything done.
If you thought anyone can do it, it’s a piece of cake… It’s not.
Being a VA entails you being a Jack/Jill of all trades. An all rounder being able to transcribe studies on factory processes, to organising a year-end function for your client. I can’t stress the diversity of our skills enough. We really are a lucky packet, and not the R5 kind, the cool ones with the colourful stickers inside.
We sometimes get second guessed, especially when you’re trying to explain to someone that has never heard of a VA before. No, we are not a PA on call, we are not mobile secretaries. We are business people, making sure the back-end of your business doesn’t fall flat when you’re out there doing what you need to do to grow your business. We are your support structure, your go to person behind the scene that remembers that important client’s birthday when you forgot.
Most people don’t realise that we work 16 hour days to meet our client’s deadlines. We don’t get sick leave days and holidays, because if we don’t work we don’t get paid.
Before I put anyone off of becoming a Virtual Assistant I would like to point out what I love about being a VA.
I love that if I don’t feel like working from the office today, I can stay at home and no one would know the difference. I love that when the plumbers need to fix the leaky tap at my house, I don’t need to ask anyone permission to pop home for an hour so that can be done. I love the look in people’s faces when I tell them I work for myself, I set my own hours and my own salary. If I continue to receive the blessings I am, I will probably never go back to working for a boss ever again. The freedom of being a VA is indescribable. It’s hard work, but if you put in the time you’ll reap the benefits.
For a potential Virtual Assistant reading this I have the following advice: be true to yourself, don’t second guess your abilities. You wouldn’t know if you don’t give it a try. Work hard, remember you’re doing this for yourself and no one else. Never stop learning and never sit still, you might think that customer service course you’re doing won’t help you get any clients, think again. Learning a new skill isn’t always about the skill you’re learning, the fact that you decided not to become stagnant and keep moving says a lot about your character.
All in a day’s work for a Virtual Assistant… We are the little oompa loompas that keeps the cogs turning but don’t underestimate the powerful position we are embracing – we are not just VA’s we are Super Heroes!
