Virtual Assistant is one among the fastest growing careers in today’s web-driven global economy. If you believe you have what it takes to be one, it can be more than just a modest way to make a little extra money from home. In fact, yes, you’ll be able to work from home, but you can also turn it into a real, long-term career that is perfect for both paying the bills and building valuable employment experience.

What is a Virtual Assistant?

It’s simple. 20 years ago, when a company or a businessperson needed someone to help out with administrative or personal tasks, they had to go out and hire an employee through the traditional channels, and then they usually had to have that person work on-site. These days, the internet makes it easy for the same employers to hire people remotely and to conduct all interactions via email and phone.

This benefits employers, as off-site workers are cheaper to employ; and it benefits Assistants, as they get to work from home.

What Does it Take to be a Virtual Assistant?

It helps if you have some experience doing the types of things that assistants do, including:

• Typing
• Writing business letters with proper grammar and spelling
• Making phone calls with a professional phone manner
• Setting appointments and organizing schedules
• Making travel arrangements
• Putting together mailings
• Working with office software such as Word and Excel

If you meet all these criteria and you have a solid resume (or at least the beginnings of a solid resume), you can be a Virtual Assistant.

However, there is one important thing you have to remember. Many people make the mistake of thinking that just because they’re working from home they don’t have to take the job seriously. If you take this approach, your Virtual Assistant career will be short and not very sweet.

As a Virtual Assistant, you will be working with highly demanding businesspeople who need serious assistants to meet their needs in a professional manner. So, if you want to be a Virtual Assistant, you have to be serious, and you have to be ready for a challenge.

How to Get Started

To be a Virtual Assistant, you’re going to need an up-to-date computer with all of the latest office software. You’re going to need a reliable internet connection, and many employers will want you to have Skype.

Work can be found through online Virtual Assistant forums. Look around on Google, find the sites that are not scams and that have real, thriving Virtual Assistant communities, and join up. You can also try to find work through freelancing sites, but be prepared to compete with overseas Virtual Assistants who charge a fraction of what Australian (or U.S. or U.K.) workers typically expect.