Showing posts with label Business Services. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Business Services. Show all posts
Personal assistant right hand of businesspersons
Personal assistant is must for the big business persons who have busy schedule and require a person to handle the schedule and make schedules for them as per the requirement. Meetings, board meetings, appointment with important persons, everything is being handled by the personal assistant of business persons. Personal assistant referred as PA is required to be more active and quick to handle everything efficiently. He/she should be active mentally also to handle the situation in case any problem arises due to any reason. While hiring a personal assistant few things have to be kept in mind like suitability of the person as PA personality wise as well as knowledge wise.
Personal assistant must be enhanced with few qualities. While selecting the PA it should be noticed that how much well organized the person is, whether he/she will be able to handle and maintain the schedule as per requirement. The person who has applied for the post of PA must be detail oriented i.e. must know the procedure consisting the detailed information regarding any particular individual, company or matter. The PA should be trustworthy so that one can assure the maintenance of secrecy of confidential matters. Priorities in arranging the schedules must be understood by the PA to ensure the scheduling as per importance of the particular.
Personal assistant should be responsible as he/she has to handle number of responsibilities together, without missing a single responsibility. Mishandling of a single responsibility can create messing up in the complete schedule. PA should be professional completely that he/she be able to deal with every kind of professional personnel’s. Professionalism is an important factor; as if PA is not professional completely it will be difficult for him/her to deal with professional persons. Personal preferences, matters, feelings are required to be kept apart while dealing in professional world. The Personal assistant should be resourceful, as some information is required to be taken out from sources like information of competitors etc. Many times issues have to be settled internally, for the purpose one requires resources to do the job.
Businesspersons look forward for the personal assistant, on whom they can rely and depend. PA must be dependable in case of handling the meeting arrangements, document arrangements, scheduling meeting etc. Businesspersons avoid maintaining such records and therefore hire PA’s to do the needful for them in a better way. Many a times PA’s represent the meetings or individuals on behalf of their boss, in this case they are required to be capable of delegating in different matters. At times it is required to be resilient in some matters as aggressiveness can spoil the matter more. Being resilient till is also a quality of personal assistant, as no businessperson will be requiring a PA who is aggressive and talk even not being asked. PA has the right to speak only when being asked. A self- starter PA is demanded the most as they start the work by themselves and with the permission of their boss. They don’t bother their boss in deciding schedule or handling matters.
Personal assistants are the chosen ones with lot of responsibilities being shouldered on them.
Author Description :
"Pankaj Modi Says:" We offer plans to fit their exact needs – whether it’s booking a motel in Montana, or engaging the entire floor of a hotel in London. With over 350 thoroughly trained concierges and personal assistants located in some 85 cities around the world. http://www.goxpacs.com
Hiring Virtual Assistant Services
What is a virtual assistant? A virtual assistant is a trained and skilled individual who works in the comfort of home or their own office. Virtual assistant services is to report and work in collaboration with small and big business owners and entrepreneur providing administrative support without being physically present in the office.
In the recent times, we have seen high growth of this job due to the fast phase of technology. One can now work in remote place while reporting to some other countries. Many big and small companies across the world are now hiring virtual assistant services. You can check online for the list of all the companies providing service VA, you can choose the company and country of which you would like to work with. Companies can save more when they get a services because VA's are sub contractor and they are not entitled to employee benefits nor pay any tax like those working inside the office. Though VA's do not have the same privilege like those working in the office, the good thing is that they have their own advantage like they can do their job anywhere as long as there is an internet connection.
Most of the service provider assisting you to get virtual assistant have flexible terms and you can take the service for an hour or a day or a month as per your need. While companies get benefited by paying only for the job done unlike regular employee, the candidate get help by doing the job in part-time or full-time as per the requirement.
Considering the importance of VA's, you have multiple options to hire one, however it might take a time to select one and there are high chances that you might pick the wrong candidate and they will fail to deliver your expectation. So you should always prefer to hire professional services that are in this business from long. They take care of screening the candidates, teaching them the skills and they always perform well.
Hiring a professional virtual assistant services has become more popular especially for those with small and home business. It is very efficient to keep the business working smoothly. It is also a viable option for those businesses who wants to cut their operating costs. Having done that, the company will save a lot from simple office supplies to paying off the electricity. A company, small or big has the option to hire a virtual assistant as a regular full-time employee or a part-time employee.
Author Description :
Visit us to get the best and affordable Virtual Assistant Services. You can visit us at rajpromotions.com
Become A Virtual Assistant
He or She works from home and provides professional, technical, administrative, or creative assistance. Virtual Assistants work as independent contractors. They are hired by other agencies or organizations that need assistance, either for a particular job or even on a long term basis. The money they earn by becoming a Virtual Assistant is dependant on the performance of the person. Virtual Assistants are similar to those who perform outsourced work.
How does the process of making money work for a Virtual Assistant?
VA is a business entrepreneur and in order to be successful must provide good service. This is predominantly a work from home job and therefore requires discipline, focus and dedication. Virtual Assistants make money by working on tasks delegated to them, through e-mails, telephones or fax.
What resources or skills does one need to be a Virtual Assistant?
To be a Virtual Assistant, one needs excellent communication skills, ability to coordinate research, and to organize the process efficiently. One should also be skilled at canvassing and marketing products or services if required by the company or individual they work for.
How can one acquire these skills?
A Virtual Assistant may be required to do many things including writing articles, researching or even creating a website. With a little direction and training it is possible for VAs to excel in this field and make a lot of money. There are many short term courses offered to help fine tune skills.
How much investment is required?
The person who wants to earn money by being a Virtual Assistant can kick start with ease as this does not require high investments. Apart from learning the course, VAs needs a good computer with internet connectivity. The person who is engaged in this business does not have to rent a separate office. Sitting at home, equipped with excellent communication skills, VAs have to communicate with clients and deliver online.
Who are the competitors?
Competitors for Virtual Assistants are others who work in a similar field. If you are good at your job and skilled in organizing and communicating, then companies will definitely offer you great opportunities. You can either advertise your services independently or be a part of VA service providers to access good opportunities.
How difficult is it?
For those who are disciplined, committed and skilled, being a virtual assistant is not difficult at all. As this is a work from home job, you can work on it as an additional source of income, at a mutually convenient time. Once you establish your reputation in the market and find a few reliable clients, your job becomes easier and money starts rolling in.
How much can one earn?
Virtual Assistant pay depends on the skill, training and type of job. It also depends on how efficient, quick and useful the assistant is. The more skills one offers to clients, the more money they can make.
How does the process of making money work for a Virtual Assistant?
VA is a business entrepreneur and in order to be successful must provide good service. This is predominantly a work from home job and therefore requires discipline, focus and dedication. Virtual Assistants make money by working on tasks delegated to them, through e-mails, telephones or fax.
What resources or skills does one need to be a Virtual Assistant?
To be a Virtual Assistant, one needs excellent communication skills, ability to coordinate research, and to organize the process efficiently. One should also be skilled at canvassing and marketing products or services if required by the company or individual they work for.
How can one acquire these skills?
A Virtual Assistant may be required to do many things including writing articles, researching or even creating a website. With a little direction and training it is possible for VAs to excel in this field and make a lot of money. There are many short term courses offered to help fine tune skills.
How much investment is required?
The person who wants to earn money by being a Virtual Assistant can kick start with ease as this does not require high investments. Apart from learning the course, VAs needs a good computer with internet connectivity. The person who is engaged in this business does not have to rent a separate office. Sitting at home, equipped with excellent communication skills, VAs have to communicate with clients and deliver online.
Who are the competitors?
Competitors for Virtual Assistants are others who work in a similar field. If you are good at your job and skilled in organizing and communicating, then companies will definitely offer you great opportunities. You can either advertise your services independently or be a part of VA service providers to access good opportunities.
How difficult is it?
For those who are disciplined, committed and skilled, being a virtual assistant is not difficult at all. As this is a work from home job, you can work on it as an additional source of income, at a mutually convenient time. Once you establish your reputation in the market and find a few reliable clients, your job becomes easier and money starts rolling in.
How much can one earn?
Virtual Assistant pay depends on the skill, training and type of job. It also depends on how efficient, quick and useful the assistant is. The more skills one offers to clients, the more money they can make.
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Efficient Working with A Virtual Personal Assistant
Since outsourcing and virtual assistance might be new to some people, many may wonder how best to interact with their virtual assistants and how they can establish good rapport with them. Well, there are a lot of different types of virtual assistants just as there are a lot of different types of bosses and employees. Working in a “virtual office” just made it a lot easier and a lot more straight-to-the-point.
The basics? When getting a virtual personal assistant of your own, be mindful of a couple of things to get work done more efficiently and smoothly.
Be specific.
You have a virtual assistant and you have specifically chosen him/her for the task you want. Now it is best to be specific what he or she ought to do in working it. Expect the questions that will be asked beforehand and get ready to answer them. When orienting your virtual assistant, you can either talk to him/ her by phone or write down your instructions. Either way, a clear definition of the purpose and the work will help your assistant tremendously.
Establish good communication.
Checking up with your assistant daily is not really that difficult. All it takes is just an email away. Some clients and their virtual assistants require a progress report, but it ultimately depends on your management style. A good thing to establish early on is rapport and good communication. Have an effort to know your virtual assistant and what times are convenient for him or her. Again, you can do this through phone call or through a chain of emails, your choice.
Define and expect a goal.
Set goals and standards that your assistant should follow. It is actually helping your assistant into creating or developing the kind of work you have in mind, the output that meets your expectations. Voice out these goals and lead your virtual assistant in your headed direction. Eventually, often soon, your assistant will be able to know what you want and present the work that you like ahead without you even telling them. This is what good rapport does for you.
Be open for suggestions.
As a good plus, your virtual personal assistant has probably had previous experience working for other clients and accounts, making him or her a seasoned and skilled person at his or her work. Keep your mind open for suggestions and techniques you may not have heard before. These ideas only serve to produce better work. Its quite alright if you do not like them anyway, you have the final say what goes.
Provide feedback.
It is quite helpful when you provide feedback every now and then. Your evaluation points out what needs to be done and how your assistant is doing. Just be constructive and all will fall into place. Praises and a pat in the back are also good in boosting up morale.
About the author:
Agents of Value Virtual Personal Assistant is a webmaster staffing company based in the Philippines that provides direct access to motivated agents for cost-effective web services.
Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com
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Personal Assistants - "Not Just For Celebrities"
First allow me to start by ending the false perception that one must be a celebrity or very wealthy person to have a personal assistant; this is not the case. Busy individuals, students, families; senior citizens and small businesses are utilizing personal assistant services more and more every day.
The average person’s life is filled with priorities from work, family life, groups, memberships or organizations not to mention personal life. Having a personal assistant is not just a luxury it’s a necessity for many people in today’s society.
Who Can Benefit From a Personal Assistant?
Busy individuals, college students, families, senior citizens, entrepreneurs and small businesses all can benefit from the services of a personal assistant. Having a personal assistant can bring about efficiency and eliminate stress. There is a great benefit for businesses to contract personal assistant services as they save on health, employment and payroll expenses.
What Can A Personal Assistant Do for Me?
A personal assistant can provide many different services however; many personal assistants will tailor their services to meet the needs of the individual. Listed below is a general list of services a personal assistant can provide:
Administrative Services o Make Travel Reservations o Monitor & Reply to Emails o Answer & Return Phone Calls o Plan & Coordinate Meetings o Open, Review & Sort Mail o Bill Payment Assistance o Generate Reports & Presentations o Conduct Research o Create Filing Systems o Create & Update Data Bases
Errand & Messenger Services o Grocery Shopping o Pharmacy Runs o Pick Up & Drop Off Packages o Pick Up & Drop Off Dry Cleaning o Gift Delivery o Bank Runs
Organizing The Home & Office
Homecare Services o House and Office Cleaning o Manage Home Improvements
Event Planning Assistance o Locate and Visit Venues o Coordinate Caterer, Music, Photographer, etc. o Order Invitations and manage RSVP’s o Shopping Assistance o Provide Day of Event Assistance
Can I Afford A Personal Assistant?
Personal assistants are not as expensive as people think. Many personal assistants provide services for a little as $10.00 up to $40.00 per hour depending on the service. A good personal assistant will provide a consultation to discuss your needs and advise the number of hours required to accommodate your request. Many people utilize personal assistants for a few hours a month to assist with their personal and business needs.
What to look for in a good personal assistant?
A personal assistant will have all the characteristics stated below:
Organization A personal assistant is involved in the direct management and organization of her clients’ life and more directly making sure the day to day goes smoothly. This can involve things like scheduling, organizing meetings, making travel plans, event coordination and phone and e-mail management.
"Go-To" Person A personal assistant has to be able to handle a lot of responsibilities. She must be highly organized and be able to deal with a hectic day.
Upbeat Energy A personal assistant is constantly working and often does not have a chance to have a break. Individuals seek assistants who not only have the required skills but can also keep up with the demands of a fast-paced environment and work long hours.
Advanced Computer Skills Personal assistants should have excellent computer skills for organizing spreadsheets in Excel, writing invoices and maintaining the contacts of their client. Personal assistants also have a lot of emailing and online research as part of their duties, so they will have to be able to communicate and solve problems online efficiently.
Trust & Commitment Personal assistants deal with sensitive and personal information, so individuals need assistants that they can trust and who are willing to commit the time and efforts required.
Thank you for inquiring about the services of a personal assistant. Your comments on this article are greatly welcome.
Lakisha Melvin - COO Uniquely Coordinated - Personal Assistant Boutique 400 Perimeter Center, Suite 900 Atlanta, GA 30346
P: 678-656-9409 E: lakishamelvin@uniquelycoordinated.com W: www.uniquelycoordinated.com
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The Virtual Personal Assistant Process
Not literally though. For the most part, virtual assistants are taking over what other employees used to do. Because of the many benefits that they provide for businesses, they are fast becoming the most sought after workers that a business cannot do without.
You have probably heard of business owners tell about how they have found a good virtual assistant. And you wonder about how they got so lucky. Luck has nothing to do with it actually. It is all about the hiring process.
Now, how do you go about hiring a virtual personal assistant that is best suited for your business needs?
1. List your specific needs.
What do you need the virtual assistant for? And what are the skills you require?
Virtual assistants are capable of doing common office work like typing, compiling and answering emails. There are also that are capable of maintaining websites, programming and even internet marketing.
There are really no limits to what a virtual assistant can do. Most assistants have already work with other clients in the past. Take note of what they can do best. And check if they are willing to do other things besides what they already know.
Providing a detailed job description will make it easier for the assistant to check if they are capable of doing what you need them to do.
2. Give an initial test project.
Reading about what the virtual assistant can do is not enough. To be certain about their capabilities, you can give out a test project for the assistant to complete.
Make sure that the test project is related to what the virtual personal assistant is supposed to do once he or she is hired. Through the test you can test the skills of the assistant, plus the speed, quality and accuracy in which the project was done.
You can also create a test project which will help you determine how professional and how the assistant will respond to deadlines and stress. Through these tests, you can get an initial understanding of what kind of worker you are getting.
3. Interview.
Being on other sides of the planet should not hinder you from communicating with each other. Thanks to the internet, you can now interview candidates through mediums of communication over the internet like Yahoo, MSN or Skype.
Do not let distance hinder you from interviewing your chosen virtual assistant. Even after he or she has passed the tests with flying colors, you still need to talk to them personally and see if the both of you are comfortable with each other.
Clear and constant communication is necessary in the virtual assistant set up. Check to see if you are getting through the assistant clearly and with no problems at all. If not, then that assistant is not what you are looking for.
Keep these things in mind during the virtual personal assistant hiring process. They will serve as your determining factors to help you distinguish if the assistant is perfect for you or not.
Agents of Value Virtual Personal Assistant is a webmaster staffing company based in the Philippines that provides direct access to motivated agents for cost-effective web services.
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Reasons for the Virtual Personal Assistant Boom
Thanks to the advancement of technology, these problems are now things of the past. All people have to do nowadays is to go online and get themselves a virtual personal assistant.
Virtual personal assistants are now taking over the work of any regular employee. Their capabilities are basically the same. The only difference is that virtual assistants are more technology-wise. They make use of modern tools to provide their clients with the best of service.
Below are some of the reasons why many people are getting their own virtual assistants:
1. Virtual personal assistants are capable of multi-tasking.
You will be surprised with the many skills virtual assistants are capable of. From sorting out emails to logging important files, you name it and it is done. Some virtual assistants can even do site maintenance and web marketing on the side.
Think how easy it would be for you to just rely on one person what would have been a task delegated to three or more persons. And imagine how reassuring it is for you to know that you do not have to train or teach your assistant everything.
2. Virtual personal assistants know what it like running a business.
Many virtual assistants have prior experience about running a business. Some are even business owners themselves. You know you are in good hands when a virtual assistant is helping you with your business.
For all you know, they might be able to share their ideas about how a business should go about. Experiences they had in the past makes them capable of giving sound advices and even strategies that can help your business become successful.
3. Virtual personal assistants are affordable.
A virtual assistant is your best option if you are on a tight budget. They do not cost as much as your regular employee.
In addition, you can agree upon certain terms of payment which will help you manage your finances better without getting a big hole in your pocket. You can hire the assistant on a per project term, months or years. It all depends on you.
4. Virtual personal assistants can start working for you ASAP.
Virtual personal assistants are not only equipped with the required skills, they also have with them the materials needed to start working immediately.
You do not have to worry about renting an office space or equipments. All you have to do is designate the tasks, specify your requirements and set deadlines and the virtual assistant is all set.
Lack of space, limited budget and work experience should not bother you anymore if you are just starting your business. What you should be concerned about is finding the person who can get the work done.
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How Do I Choose A Virtual Assistant
| There are an increasing number of small and start-up businesses that are turning to Virtual Assistants to provide hands on support for their businesses. The profession has been around for more than 20 years but demand for services is rising steeply as businesses discover the huge range of benefits and flexibility of using virtual support. As the profession is unregulated, anyone can set themselves up as a Virtual Assistant. That means businesses have to carry out thorough checks to ensure that they employ the services of a reputable Virtual Assistant. This guide has been designed to give small and start-up businesses a better understanding of the Virtual Assistant profession and the checks to carry out if they are considering virtual support. What exactly is a Virtual Assistant? A Virtual Assistant is someone who can provide a range of services to support businesses. They work remotely from their own office using their own equipment. A reputable Virtual Assistant will be member of one or more of the representative bodies reflecting their commitment to upholding quality standards. The experience and expertise of Virtual Assistants varies widely so research is needed to ensure that any prospective virtual support can meet your business needs effectively. Virtual Assistants can work on one-off projects or provide support on an ongoing basis including providing valuable call answering services ensuring that new business opportunities are not missed. A virtual office provides all the benefits of a physical office without the additional staffing, equipment or location costs. In general, Virtual Assistants charge between GBP18 and GBP30 per hour for their time, with some charging more. What are the benefits of using a Virtual Assistant? There are many benefits to using a Virtual Assistant: Their status - they are not an employee so you have no employer liability in terms of paying an annual salary, National Insurance, holiday or sick pay Flexibility - they can fit with the needs of your business exactly, providing support for ad hoc projects or on a long-term basis as and when required Growth - there is more scope for businesses to expand with a safety net by outsourcing tasks as and when they need to. It also means that there is more opportunity to call on support when work comes in, rather being forced to turn the work down because resources are unavailable Cost effectiveness and budget management - with Virtual Assistants you only pay for the time you use. This is important for small and start-up businesses so that they can track expenditure and change their plans accordingly Business profitability - for all businesses time is money. Often, it is cheaper for business owners to outsource tasks to a Virtual Assistant rather than do it themselves (because their own charge our rate will be more expensive than that of the Virtual Assistant). So, it makes more sense for business owners to use their time to focus on growing their business and looking after customers. Specialist skills - Virtual Assistants bring a wealth of skills and experience. Businesses can save both time and money by using the services of someone who can do a job quickly and efficiently Space - as Virtual Assistants work from their own office you do not need to think about desk space or equipment. What types of services do Virtual Assistants provide? Virtual Assistants can provide a range of services, including: typing - of business and official correspondence, legal documents and contracts, minutes, mail shots, dissertations, manuscripts, CVs, transcription (from tapes or digital files) travel arrangements - comprehensive domestic and international itineraries including car hire, flights, train travel and accommodation; provide maps and directions internet research - research and reports of findings and recommendations diary management - planning of business meetings and conference calls; providing helpful reminders for important dates business liaison - call minder service, message taking, filtering emails, contacts database management project support - act as administrative coordinator for a variety of projects, e.g. arranging courses, workshops, change of address cards personal life management - plan and organise grand celebrations, theatre bookings, restaurant reservations, receptions, invitations, Christmas card distribution, holidays, weekend breaks, collate quotes for home/car insurance renewal, research that special product or gift, organise cleaner, gardener, handyman etc. Where can I find a reputable Virtual Assistant? Personal recommendation is always a good start when you are seeking expert help or to outsource work. What information should I check before employing the services of a Virtual Assistant? Virtual Assistants vary in their expertise and experience. A reputable Virtual Assistant should, however, adhere to strict standards in terms of professionalism and quality. The following checklist will help you to make an informed decision about whether the prospective Virtual Assistant adheres to those standards and would be able to meet the needs of your business. A reputable Virtual Assistant will: be able to provide references/testimonials for previous work have personal indemnity insurance have processes and systems to ensure client confidentiality be registered with the Data Protection Act have a professional looking website and business cards etc have risk management procedures in place to protect their business and yours have separate home and work phone lines have business security processes, procedures and systems in place put in place contracts for any work to be undertaken be a member of the relevant professional bodies undertake study and training on an ongoing basis to keep their skills up-to-date be happy to provide timesheets for any work undertaken. How to get the most out of your VA There are a number of steps you can take to help ensure your working relationship gets off on the right foot and progresses smoothly. Suggestions include: agreeing in writing the nature of the work to be carried out, the specific activity, timescales, time inputs and the respective fees ensuring any contract makes clear the arrangements for billing and any other costs that may be incurred any changes to the agreement should be noted in writing to avoid any confusion later agreeing how activity will be recorded and reported agreeing specifics regarding confidentiality and security agreeing in advance availability (office hours etc). How else can I tell whether a Virtual Assistant is right for my business? Websites, business cards and email addresses are a good indicator of the level of professionalism of the Virtual Assistant. If they do not look professional then you should check carefully the processes and systems that they have in place and whether they can support your business needs. In addition, cheapest is not always best. It is better to seek the services of a Virtual Assistant who has the necessary support systems and personal indemnity insurance, but may be a bit more expensive, than someone who can provide cheap services without those reassurances. |
| Author Resource:- Lilach Bullock runs 2 full time businesses, asklilach providing virtual pa services & Virtual PA Training, helping people set up their own successful virtual assistant business. Lilach recently attended an Award Ceremony at Downing Street for best Mumpreneur. http://www.asklilach.co.uk. |
| Article From New Ezine Articles |
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Great Contribution of a Virtual Personal Assistant
| If you think that you can do limitless administrative tasks on your own without the aide of anyone else, then, you must be a superhero. If not, you cannot possibly do it or if you just did, your social and familial relationship is seriously inadequate. A balance of the different aspects in ones life is always a necessity so as to live a life that is full and satisfying. A virtual personal assistant can greatly help you to divide these administrative tasks so as to lessen the load of work that you have on your desk. The browsing of resource sites in the internet to seek the aide of a personal assistant is the best thing that one can do. This is not a draining task for you since you simply browse in the internet and find the sites that cater to such things. This is a convenient alternative if you do not have the time to read thick resume of applicants as well as the taxing interview of potential personal assistants that can take too mush of your time. They will simply do it for you and provide a personal assistant that can do loads of things for you for the reason that they are trained to be flexible and efficient in many ways. The hired personal assistants also have the proper qualifications that a personal assistant must have since they are screened thoroughly before they are even hired. They can perform a task from a difficult and complicated angle like decision-making and accounting overheads to the simplest ones like running errands for you. A personal assistant is trained to assist you in every way they can. They are prepared to do the typing, answering the phone, writing business letters, calculating expenditures, taking down important notes, making a schedule, organizing papers and many more. They should also possess a special ability like good communication skills and excellent interpersonal proficiency since they are the ones who will attend to the clients. Their impressive qualifications are also needed to keep up with you on your administrative tasks. Of course, all these credentials should be recompensed with a reasonable salary. Well, if you think that you have spent much on your personal assistant that is exactly untrue since having an assistant helps you to be more efficient in a high-speed time given that two heads are better than one. It will simply make you more effective and able to cover a whole lot of loads than you can ever think of. Therefore, a virtual personal assistant should be present in every establishment to provide organization and efficiency in a high-speed time. |
| Author Resource:- Matthew Stanton writes an article about Virtual personal Assistantand how it gives great contribution and benefits to you. Simply visit this site for information at http://www.personal-virtual-assistant.com/ar/virtual-personal-assistant.php |
| Article From New Ezine Articles |
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Hiring A New Assistant?
The online service industry boom may be a viable alternative for your apparent human resource needs. More and more small businesses and even larger companies are turning to virtual office assistants to handle their administrative tasks.
Does it sound too complicated or new-fangled? Well, there are good reasons to at least consider the option.
Let's take a look at a few of the benefits that a cyber employee has over their in-office counterpart.
-Insurance, taxes, and other benefits do not apply to most online service providers. They provide services as a contractor or freelance provider.
-Your relationship with the provider you choose is just that: service provider to client. Imagine having all your employees treating you as their favorite client all the time, doing their best work each time to ensure your repeat business Conversely, have you ever been dissatisfied with a project you asked your assistant to complete. It probably, wasn't feasible(or legal) for you to fire that person on the spot. Online you determine whether to continue that relationship by allowing them to work on future projects for you or not.
-It may not seem like a lot, but take a moment to think of all the capital you invest in each new employee you hire. Every extra phone line, data port, software license, cubic foot of office space, furniture, and anything else a person would need to sit in your office and conduct business reduces your bottom line.
Obviously, virtual assistants have some limitations. Online providers can handle just about any need that could arise. Consider that you may miss the personal aspects of working side by side with someone you know and trust. It's the human and spatial aspects that are difficult to duplicate online. Extraordinary technology exists for communication and collaboration. However, none of that can ever guarantee you that if you stick your head around the corner and ask for an opinion or some help, you'll get it immediately. Most likely they won't attend your office holiday party or join the softball team!
There are many different types of companies online that can help you run your business more efficiently. You can hire on a project basis. You can put an assistant on retainer. If you have administrative needs that aren't being met, you may want to consider your options before running into your local classifieds office, ad in hand.
Article Source: http://www.articlenorth.com
Dana Wallert is the owner of DW Office Solutions. Find out more about Dana and her virtual assistance solutions and sign up to receive her free monthly newsletter at www.dwofficesolutions.com
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Make life easier with the help of a personal assistant
These things not only refer to those that are covered in the workplace such scheduling for meetings, accepting or declining phone calls, mail matters such as daily monitoring of mails—either snail mails, emails, or other correspondence, documentation reviews, research works, booking and reservations for meetings locally and internationally and so much more.
But now, the term "personal assistant" is not only applicable to the people in the business or corporate world but in other fields such as in healthcare, communications, and the like. Surveys show that more and more personal assistants are being hired to assist older people or people that have certain medical conditions and restrictions. These personal assistants are also being called "personal aide" because they specifically assist in maintaining stable medical condition.
In the field of communications, personal assistants also take the job of the secretary for doing exactly the latter's job. In this field, personal assistants are more popularly called "PA," its abbreviation. Since they are in a more complicated industry, they have more responsibilities, duties, and tasks.
Today, the responsibilities of a personal assistant doe not only involve work in the office setting job but also include some menial tasks asked by their employers. These tasks even include ordering and delivering food, laundromat services, dealing with stylists and photographers for photo shoot and other matters that their bosses can no longer take care of.
And since the responsibilities are heavier, more and more qualifications are being required for the applicants for this position. They must be able to represent their employer in more important roles such as meetings, company and business negotiations, briefing of people who will face the boss and the like.
Why is there a need to hire a personal assistant?
Hiring a personal assistant is common to people who have high profiles in the society such as politicians, celebrities, entertainment moguls, professional athletes, and business executives. This is because these people have a handful to do and needs a helping hand in all the things that they need to do. They also need personal assistants so they can accomplish more things in a shortest possible time. Since "time is gold' for these people, they would rather pay someone to do menial jobs instead of them doing those things on their own.
They also need personal assistants so they can concentrate more on the bigger things that they need to do instead of worrying over simple things that can be done by other people with their specific instructions.
But now, with the times changing, even people who don’t belong to the sector of high profile individuals need personal assistants to make their life easier. In fact, over the years, personal assistance for the middle class has an increasing demand because more and more families need it. Personal assistants in middle class families usually serve as nannies who take care of the children or the family's personal secretary who takes care of all the documentation needed for the internal affairs.
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What are the Usual Personal Assistant Jobs and Where to Find One?
If you are looking for personal assistant jobs, you need to make sure that the job is really for you before you commit yourself to anyone who will get your services. Did you know that with the advent of the Internet, such jobs can be turned into a home based biz? With only a few hours of your time, you can already earn from being an assistant of someone from the other side of the globe.
If you are going to do this on a home based set up, these are the usual tasks that your employer may ask you to do.
• Hotel and airline reservation.
• Billing concerns and complaints
• Scheduling of meetings and other important events
• Planning of family gathering or vacations
• Reminders of important tasks and dates
• Organization of appointments
• Sending out direct mailing pieces or seasonal cards to clients
• Researching of important topics needed by the superior
• Inquiries regarding different information as required by the employer
Are you up for the challenge? The abovementioned are the usual tasks that you may be assigned as a Virtual PA or even on an office based set up. You need not worry about other tasks like the house chores of your boss. The most likely personal tasks that you may be asked to do are the following.
• Manage the office budget and household finances.
• Hiring of people that may be needed to the business and even the household staff.
• Accompanying your boss, their loved ones and relatives to important appointments like at the doctor’s office, in buying gifts and other personal errands.
• Go to the person or contact the person your boss should be meeting with if they would be late or can no longer make it to the meeting.
The Earnings
Your salary will depend on the services you choose to give and to what industry your boss work at. And when you do this on a home based set up, your salary will depend on the number of hours that you spend on the tasks. You will be paid on a hourly basis even if you have finished your tasks for two days or you did not finish the assigned tasks for the day. You just have to make sure that if the latter occurs, you will be ready to make up for it on the coming days.
Finding Jobs
On an offline set up, you would have to go through the usual process of going through an agency to find you the right company and the right job. You can also opt for referrals or finding gigs through leads.
It will be easier when you do this online. There are a lot of web sites where you can sign up to and apply for the available PA jobs. If you have become accustomed to the whole process, you can even acquire a lot of employers at a time. Just make sure that you will be able to give your best shot at every task given to you.
Finding personal assistant jobs can be easy. This is true as long as you have the will to do it and the capacity to carry out everything that will be assigned for you to do. Just be sure that before you apply to any PA gigs, you are well equipped with the skills and you can commit to the time that you’ve agreed to work for an employer.
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Hiring a Personal Assistant
Process of hiring a personal assistant
Today, the demand for efficient personal assistants continues to increase because more and more people are busy with so many things. With this at hand, the employment for personal assistant has become a lucrative employment target.
If you have an extremely busy life, a time-consuming executive career or your own business, or if you are working in a large home taking care of handling daily operations that involves business or office, then it is a must that you hire a personal assistant. Since a personal assistant will have a great responsibility in your life and business, you cannot just hire somebody for the position. To effectively hire a personal assistant, you must:
1. Write down the description of the job that the personal assistant needs to do. This list should contain specific details of what you really need the personal assistant is for.
2. Advertise your need for the personal assistant depending on your requirements. You can do this by placing a small advertisement in the local newspaper. Make sure that you include your contact details so the applicant can reach you easily.
3. Choose at least the top five among the applicants based on their resumes and credentials. To save some time, make sure that you pick those that have previous experience in being a PA in your work setting. This can be very convenient because it will take you lesser time to train the PA, all you need to do is conduct an extensive briefing and that would be it. In some cases, it will also be wise to hire qualified college fresh graduate because you can benefit from their vigor.
4. Set the schedule for the interview. Scheduling an interview should take place in one single day. By doing this, you can readily compare each applicant and there's a greater chance of hiring a new personal assistant when the interview sessions are over. If you are not in a hurry to hire one, you can conduct a two-part interview to properly screen the respective candidates. On the second interview, ask somebody—a friend or a co-worker—to come with you and conduct an observation. This can be beneficial for you because you can get a feedback from other people.
5. After you have chosen the best candidate, prepare an orientation. This is very important because he or she exactly would be briefed on how the office or the business works. During the orientation, be prepared to discuss the salary and other benefits he or she will be getting.
6. Set a trial period. This is a wise move when hiring a personal assistant because you will never really know if he or she is fit for the job unless the PA is doing the work. A three-moth period is suitable to know if the hired personal assistant is fit for the job requirements that you need or not.
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How to Get a Job as a Secretary, Getting Hired as a ...
How to get a job as a secreatry, personal assistant, legal secretary and how to get hired in ANY economy and a recession.
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How One Becomes a Personal Assistant?
Often times, personal assistants also take care of the menial tasks such as meal orders, office interiors, laundy issues, and other fetishes of their employers. And at times, they are the errand boys and girls who takes care of appointments and represents the boss in meetings and other functions or events.
Becoming a personal assistant
If you were thinking of becoming a personal assistant, the first relief would be no specific educational background and course training matter. This is because the major requirement would be the skills of the person to remain calm during pressure and stress. If one can handle pressure and stress with ease, then, he or she can be a candidate to become a personal assistant.
Other main consideration would be being in the right place and in the right time. If you are working in a corporate world and if you have a clean track record or if you have secretarial experience, then you are the foremost candidate for the position. People who usually work near the boss or the line of work usually deals with the employer are among the options once the boss decides to hire a personal assistant.
Aside from working near the boss, people who have friends that know high-ranking executives may also get the position through recommendation. This can be very helpful especially if the future employer trusts the backer. But in this case, the candidate for personal assistant should be very careful because once he or she commits something unpleasant, the trust in him or her is not the only thing at stake but also in the person who gave the recommendation.
Although becoming a persona assistant does not really require outstanding academic background, having a clean track record and reliable credentials can help a lot. People who are interested to become personal assistants should bear in mind the major qualities and technical skills needed for the position including the:
- strong work ethic because the job requires all the patience and perseverance any person could have;
- self-discipline because the position entails a lot of responsibility;
- ability to do multi-tasking because this is needed for the busy and hectic schedule of the boss;
- people skills because forming a good rapport earns the trust of the executive or the boss;
- ability to stay calm despite pressure because it will make the person think straight;
- computer skills for handling technical matters such as electronic correspondence, research, etc.
- telephone etiquette because good manners is a must in communicating through phones;
- superb style in communication because he or she represents the boss at times;
- keen problem-solving skills to rule out everything that the boss needs;
- excellent time management skills to make sure that the boss in not lagging anything behind; and last but not the least, a personal assistant must have outstanding organizational skills to ensure that everything and in place when the boss inquires about it.
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The Job Description of a Personal Assistant
A lot of people employ a personal assistant. But what does a personal assistant really do? What is his or her job description?
The personal assistant is called by many names. They can also be referred to as executive secretary or executive assistant. He or she works closely with the manager then coordinates with the various departments.
But most of the time, this person deals with administrative and secretarial tasks like answer the phone, enter, welcome the visitors, make appointments, deal with deliveries and faxes, make schedules, take dictation and minutes, produce presentations, do background research, organize meetings, liaise both internally and externally, arrange travel accommodations, organize paperwork and make decisions in the absence of others.
In order to be an effective personal assistant, you should be able to know the company and the business inside and out. This will allow you to get in touch with the right people when you are instructed to. Given that you handle matters that are important to the company, you should be trustworthy and exercise confidentiality and discretion at all times.
The personal assistant may sometimes be instructed to do other duties. This may involve handling accounts and budgets, carrying out a specific project and take some of the manager’s load which means being given the opportunity to be involved in the decision making process. Some companies do that while others don’t and just stick to the basics as mentioned.
Celebrities, professional assistants and politicians are just some of the few examples of people who need a personal assistant. Small businesses also do and the average salary of a personal assistant these days is $37,000.
If you think about it, there is no specific educational degree that lands you the job of a personal assistant. It just happens which is why a company who feels the need for one will probably hire someone internally before posting a job posting.
In order for the two to work together, both the manager and the personal assistant should have good rapport otherwise nothing gets done.
Should you consider being a personal assistant, keep in mind there are some drawbacks. For one, you will have to work 40 to 80 hours or more especially when your boss has a late night meeting or tells you to accompany him or her to a business out of town. You may be on call 24/7 so you may have to rush from one place to another even late at night or the in early hours of the morning.
But there are benefits for being a personal assistant. You get to meet other celebrities and high level executives that could lead to better job opportunities. You get to attend business dinners or even parties. Those who travel get to work and go on vacation at the same time which often includes free travel and an expense account.
Working any job even that of a personal assistant has its ups and downs. Those who can take it will be able to stay in this position for a very long time while others who have tried but could not stomach it will look for a better job role. For you to succeed here, you have to be trust worthy, hard working, can work under pressure and have a strong work ethic.
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Personal Assistant for the Disabled
Celebrities and executives are not the only ones who need a personal assistant. The disabled also need such individuals to help them do things that they can’t do on their own.
The task required of the personal assistant to do for the disabled include bathing, cleaning, cooking and dressing among other duties. If there are other things that the personal assistant will be instructed to do, this should be agreed upon and written in the contract.
The client may decide to write down what needs to be done daily as part of a routine so it will be easy for the personal assistant to follow. This allows the client to live within the community rather than being shipped off to a nursing home or assisted care facility. Unfortunately, not that many people are aware of this.
Just about anyone can become a personal assistant to the disabled as long as they are 18 years of age, have a social security number, passes through the screening process which includes the background and health check. The personal assistant can even be a member of the client’s family as long as he or she is not the spouse or a parent of a minor child.
You don’t have to be internet savvy to get this job. Just be able to do some simple chores and tasks as required by the client.
When the personal assistant is off into the field, the client becomes the acting employer so he or she must do what is necessary to enhance the client’s ability to live independently as well as respect the individual and their property.
The pay rate of a personal assistant for the disabled varies depending on the state where one is employed. This may increase after a year while other benefits are at the discretion of the employer. One example if giving the personal assistant an incentive for bringing another client to the business like perhaps a neighbor of the person you are caring for right now.
In order for you to work well as a personal assistant, both you and the client must have a good relationship. This means you are able to communicate openly with each other. This is why certain house rules are set. There are regulations set by the employer but you also have to know what are the rules which the clients wants you to follow.
Just like working for a celebrity or an executive, the personal assistant should not reveal any information about the client to anyone. You have to know which matters should be kept so their privacy is not violated.
Being a personal assistant to the disabled is not that popular yet unlike other occupations. This means that the pay is also not that high but if you are willing to put yourself in the service of others that is all the matters.
The personal assistant service these days is not only for the disabled. This is now being used to benefit seniors, doctors, clergymen and financial planners with the fees being economically priced to meet a range of budgets as the number of people who will be over the age of 65 will jump to 21% by the year 2040.
Truly, the government should have done something better in terms of healthcare way back in the 1960’s but there is nothing we can do about that now except promote the use of personal assistants.
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