14 Top Skills For Virtual Assistants In 2023

30th November 2020 | Virtual Assistant, Virtual Assistant Skills | 0

Around the globe, businesses will see Skills For Virtual Assistants as strategists rather than mere remote workers in the upcoming years.

2020 helped organizations unleash the true potential of these remote professionals unlike in any other previous years.

COVID-19 caused shift in the workforce culture resulted in more businesses running purely on the support of these virtual professionals. Yes, brick and mortar will see its ultimate fall soon.

Well, these super assistants are now expected to have more skills and take up more responsibilities.

So, this blog will give you a fair idea of the top 14 skills that your Virtual Assistants should have. Read on.

Contents hide

1 Skills For Virtual Assistants

2 Well, the above given are the major skills of a VA, but here is a list of the extra and very important VA skills:

2.1 THE CONCLUSION

2.2 Well, if you want to learn more about the in-demand skills of a VA, write to us at info@ossisto.com. We are more than happy to connect with our readers.

Skills For Virtual Assistants

SKILL #1

COMMUNICATION SKILL:

Great communication skills will help a Virtual Assistant in navigating a project in the right direction and to establish smooth relationship with the clients.

While working from remote locations, it is just the ability to communicate that would bridge the time gap.

SKILL #2

TIME MANAGEMENT:

A Virtual Assistant should constantly monitor productivity versus time because; the number of tasks on the ‘To-Do’ list will be never ending.

Sometimes, a Virtual Assistant must be handling multiple projects of various clients on the same day. In such a case, quality project delivery is possible only if the Virtual Assistant is good with managing time.

SKILL #3

ORGANISED SCHEDULE:

A Virtual Assistant should be quick in responding to feedback and in sending updates.

This can be done only if the Virtual Assistant has organizing skills.

Being organized also indicates working efficiently.

SKILL #4

CULTURAL TOLERANCE:

A Virtual Assistant should be capable of tolerating cultural differences existing within the clients’ organizational structures.

This is applicable more skills for Virtual Assistants who are working on projects of clients living in different time zones.

So, it is important to learn the culture before taking up the project.

For example, if there is an issue within a project, Americans would want to solve it straight on but a Chinese would want to analyze the problems first and then get into the solving process.

A Virtual Assistant should be flexible, understanding and tolerant towards the culture in which a client operates.

SKILL #5

DISTRACTION ELIMINATION:

An independent Virtual Assistant would be working from a comfort zone and the chances of distraction are huge.

A Virtual Assistant should have dedicated work space for a focused work completion.

Those professionals working for an agency like Ossisto are monitored throughout for quality and productivity.

SKILL #6

ALWAYS APPROACHABLE NATURE:

One of the reasons why businesses rely on an external agency or a freelance Virtual Assistant is to gain support and resources at any point of the day.

A Virtual Assistant who is always available to his or her clients, receive more appreciation and monetary benefits than who is operating only on flexible timings.

A friendly approachable nature of a Virtual Assistant can create more confidence and trust among the clients.

SKILL #7

INBOX MANAGEMENT:

Efficient inbox management will reduce costs drastically.

So, if a person is a VA for a CEO or of someone from a top managerial level, inbox management is a necessary skill.

From reducing mailbox cluttering to emptying the spam folder, a VA should do it all.

SKILL #8

SOCIAL MEDIA SKILLS:

Today, every organization use social media for reaching out to their target audience and even to stay in touch with the existing customers.

Conquering social media and winning over competitions is one of the major goals of all the major businesses.

A VA with social media and digital marketing skills are in great demand.

He or she expected to have skills in setting up various social media profiles, managing the pages, content creation and much more.

SKILL #9

COPYWRITING SKILL:

In the modern world, ‘Content is the King’. A virtual assistant is expected to have great copywriting skills.

Some people have natural flair for writing but majority needs to learn the skill.

As a new VA, he or she needs to polish writing skills. A VA job demands sending emails, create ads, write customer friendly notes, make blogs and produce many other written documents.

There are chances of audience leaving a web page of the company or a social media profile due to incomprehensible language and postings.

SKILL #10

TECHNICAL EXPERTISE:

Micromanagement is almost impossible in the VA sector.
Only professionals who are adept in modern technology and platforms can survive.

As the VA offers his or her service independently from a remote location, establishing a communication mechanism and handling technical aspects of a project will all be done single-handedly.

SKILL #11

BOOKKEEPING AND ACCONTANCY MASTERY:

Like writing, numbers are not many people’s fortes.

Also, bookkeeping and accounting calls for constant attention of a professional.

A busy business owner cannot afford to spend hours together updating files and books.

So, the smart option is to gain support of a virtual bookkeeper.

In the coming years, a virtual bookkeeper will be the most wanted ones among other professionals in the VA sector.

SKILL #12

QUICK DATA ENTRY:

Chances are that a VA will most probably be approached by businesses that need to complete repetitive and monotonous tasks.

A VA should have the skill to do tasks such as data entry without boredom and in precision.

Data entry may not be a full time task for a VA, but at some point in time, they would be expected to do it.

Incorrect task completion will incur loss to the client, so a VA should know the inside-out of entering information and storing data.

SKILL #13

TOTAL RESOURCEFULNESS:

A VA should be a reliable person in times of emergency and at expert knowledge requirement junctures.

As an integral part of a business’s team, a VA is expected to give suggestions and insights to improve processes drastically.

SKILL #14

WORK UNDER PRESSURE:

A VA needs to handle various projects for multiple clients, but also needs to make every client feel that the project can be done smoothly.

To work under pressure is a skill.

A Virtual Assistant can work from his or her comfort zone, but the amount of tasks to complete within a stipulated time will be enormous.

Each minute of their work hours are charged and valuable.

Well, the above given are the major skills of a VA, but here is a list of the extra and very important VA skills:

Multitasking ability –In rapid-fire succession, a VA should be capable to complete different tasks.
Creativity – Even though a VA is expected to complete repetitive, time-consuming tasks, creativity in the process will bring value-additions in the project.
Quick learning capacity – Unlike an in-house employee, a VA will not receive intense training and induction classes. A VA is expected to be a fast learner and an independent researcher.
Networking – A VA should be able to network with other industry leaders to understand the best practices and the norms.

He or she should have a close-knit relationship with other employees in the project team.

Planning skill – From planning the project direction to creating resource planners, A VA should be keen.
Take-charge attitude – As an independent contributor, a VA should be a true leader to see opportunities in a project and help businesses gain operational efficiencies.
Eye-for- detail – A VA should be capable of noticing minutest details in a project to help businesses gain a cutting edge over its competitors. This skill will also help the person to produce an error free project output.
Ready for research – Google should be a VA’s best friend. From competitor research to detailed searches for newer ideas; businesses look for research talent in a VA.
Specialized skills – A VA with a specialized skill will get more projects that a general VA. . From coding on a platform that is in top demand to Search Engine Optimization to Grant Writing to anything that requires a certification and in-depth studies can be categorized under specialized VA skills.