Last week we talked about some of the skills and attributes you need to be a successful Virtual Assistant… Here are five more:

Are you prepared to work harder and longer hours?
Being your own boss is very rewarding but also a lot of hard work. You now wear all the hats and have to learn a lot of new skills. You need to be prepared to put in the work and hours to make your business a success.

Can you afford to start up?
One of the first questions many new VAs ask is: “How long does it takes to get clients?” Some people have clients lined up before ‘opening their doors’, others find it takes them up to six months. You need to make sure that you have sufficient capital to cover your expenses until your business is in a position to pay you a salary. I recommend that you have enough capital to cover your costs for approximately six months.

Can you be self disciplined with your time?
Your time is now money. However, you will find that not everyone values your time as you do. The main offenders will be your family and friends, who believe that you only work part-time and spend your time sitting at home watching daytime TV!

You need to be self-disciplined and create boundaries for your friends and family; they need to appreciate that your work time is just that.

Do you have support from your family and friends?
The support of family and friends will motivate you to make your business a success. You may need to make some sacrifices with your time in the early days. This will be easier if they understand why your business is important to you and how they can help.

Have you conducted all the research?
Starting up in business is a very serious decision to make, and is one that should not be taken lightly. The first steps you need to take are research, research and more research. This way you are fully prepared for the journey you will be taking towards a full, thriving and successful VA business.

By becoming a VA, you are entering an exciting industry, full of supportive people. Join the organisations and become involved – this way you will get to know your fellow VAs.
 

So, you want to be a Virtual Assistant? Well done for finding this exciting and rewarding career.

However, running a VA business is hard work and isn’t a get rich quick scheme. Before taking the leap into running your own business, you need to consider the following to make sure this is the right route for YOU.

Can you motivate yourself?
Moving from the corporate world to self-employment requires quite a mind shift – you now need to think as a business owner, not as an employee. This is something you need to come to terms with quickly. Self-motivation is essential, as you no longer have a manager to motivate you.

Are you extremely organised?
As a VA, you will be working with a range of clients from different sectors, as well as running your own business. Your time management and organisational skills have to be strong to ensure that you complete all work to the agreed deadlines.

Working for a range of clients can be interesting but difficult for some people to switch their minds from task to task – you need to have a system that works for you.

Do you have the right skills?
There is much debate on the international VA forums about the necessary skills for a VA. Some believe that a successful VA should have a minimum of five years’ upper-level administrative experience, while others feel that set skills are not required. The only thing I recommend is that you should be skilled, experienced and competent in the services you offer, as clients are paying you for these tasks.

As a rule in my VA business, I do not offer any service if I feel that I do not have the necessary skills to undertake them.

Do you need office banter?
The life of a VA can be quite lonely, as you may not leave your office for several days, and when you do, it is to attend a networking event. At the end of a long day, when you are with your family or friends, you may realise that you have not seen anyone else for a while.

If you need the interaction with other people, why not try to meet other VAs or home-workers in your area to get together for a coffee.

Next week, we will continue with five more necessary attributes for aspiring Virtual Assistants.