Interview With a Virtual Assistant
<p>Virtual assistants are more and more popular. Since it is a relatively new job, we had many questions on what a virtual assistant is and how you can become one. We then decided to interview Valérie La Salle, who is nicknamed ‘’the virtual assistant queen’’ to tell us more about her work. </p>
<h3><strong>A few words on Valérie La Salle</strong></h3>
<p>Valérie La Salle, the ‘’the virtual assistant queen’’ is born to become a virtual assistant. Her mother passed on her passion as a legal secretary for 36 years. With her own 20 years of experience, Valérie can say that it is in her genetics to be an assistant!</p>
<p>In fact, it is with a business just like her that she managed to combine her two passions at work: design and secretariat. As an entrepreneur, she understands well the needs of her large clientele. She is a cheerful, rigorous, and organized person. Her work is always fulfilled with thoroughness and passion.</p>
<h3><strong>1- What exactly is a virtual assistant?</strong></h3>
<p>My husband likes to compare me to an administrative assistant working in pyjamas; however, you must guess that there is far more than that. In fact, a virtual assistant is an administrative assistant that works remotely. She can do a lot of different tasks or be specialised in some others. She works with many other self-employed workers, SMEs, and businesses.</p>
<h3><strong>2- Are virtual assistants mostly self-employed workers too?</strong></h3>
<p>Indeed, virtual assistants are self-employed workers. Therefore, they are not attached to one employer, but they have the chance to work with many clients at once. Some virtual assistants have a full-time job, and focus on their business during their free time; however, most virtual assistants work full-time devoting themselves to their profession. </p>
<h3><strong>3- How can we become a virtual assistant?</strong></h3>
<p>Some experience in administrative work or training is required to become a good virtual assistant. I will not hide that this job became very trendy in the last years. Many women want to become a virtual assistant because it seems to be an ‘’easy’’ option: we work from home, it is easier to balance work and family, we choose our work schedule… But do not be fooled! </p>
<p>When you become a self-employed worker, whether it is as a virtual assistant or a vacuum seller, the only person that can make your business successful is yourself. You need to work hard to stand out, find customers, and become the reference in your field. The work of a virtual assistant must be taken seriously; one does not become a virtual assistant overnight. We have what it needs, or we do not. </p>
<h3><strong>4- What can do a virtual assistant for a self-employed worker or a freelancer?</strong></h3>
<p>The question should instead be what she cannot do! A virtual assistant can do a lot of different tasks like:</p>
<ul>
<li>
<p>Management of your agenda</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Management of emails</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Writing</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Proofreading</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Translation</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Page layout</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Accounting</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Cold calls</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Event management</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Web searches</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Newsletters</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Websites</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Bookkeeping</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Management of social media</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>CRM</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Transcription</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Graphic design</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Data entry</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Direct mail campaigns</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p>The main goal of working with a virtual assistant is to break free from the tasks that we hate in order to focus on what we love the most about our business.</p>
<h3><strong>5- What do your clients look like?</strong></h3>
<p>I currently have about twenty customers. Some are occasional, some are recurring. I work with a speech therapist, a trainer, an inventor, many business coaches, a stylist, a dog trainer, a sewing school, a fitness instructor, a graphic designer, a social media manager, a dance school, a naturopath, a mortgage broker… The list goes on and on.</p>
<p>Most of the time, I work with women, but I sometimes work with men even if it is quite rare. The beauty of my job is that I can collaborate with many businesses and professionals. I am passionate about it.</p>
<p>Many virtual assistants will be specialized and will only work with lawyers, mortgage brokers, or notaries, to name but a few. For my part, I like change and what I can learn from it. </p>
<h3><strong>6- Many self-employed workers diversify their services by being virtual assistants. What do you think about that?</strong></h3>
<p>I think that the job of a virtual assistant takes a lot of flack. Although I sincerely believe that there is a place for all, it is a profession, and one does not become a virtual assistant because you are good with a computer, for example. You need to have sharp skills to be a great virtual assistant!</p>
<p>A good virtual assistant could apply to any administrative assistant job in a business. It is not everyone that could have that work, as not everyone that can say they are a mechanic. This analogy makes us think. </p>