Guess what, folks?
Administrative support (that is, Virtual Assistance) is a specialization all its own. It’s not some lowly job for flunkies. You don’t have to know how to do everything else under the sun, like shoppingcarts, web development and graphic design. Nor do you also have to be someone’s writer, copywriter, internet marketer, marketing consultant, bookkeeper, or whatever other hats people keep trying to foist upon you . As a Virtual Assistant, the only thing you have to be is an expert provider of administrative support.
Because guess what else? Those other things aren’t administrative support (Virtual Assistance). They are separate specializations; professions unto themselves. And, if you are doing something other than administrative support or to the point of exclusivity, that’s not a Virtual Assistant business.
That’s not to say that you can’t also offer those things if you like in addition to your Virtual Assistant support. Just remember that those specializations are values for which you can charge clients separately.
And don’t let the pickpockets out there con you into thinking that an administrative support business (i.e., Virtual Assistance) is something of less value and not worthy of charging professional fees. You’re running a business, a professional service–doing work that is the backbone and absolutely essential in every business, I might add.
Aren’t you sick and tired of having your expertise, your very profession, being degraded like that?
Thanks for commenting. Yeah, the virtual assistant term is really completely idiotic to...
5 Comments
Danielle, that’s an excellent perspective to embrace — professional, ongoing administrative support is its very own brand of specialization -YES!
I love the fact that you’re calling out the pick pockets. What I find increasingly disturbing is that I am seeing many people hanging out their shingle as VA’s and accepting absurdly low amounts of money for what they do. I know we’re not supposed to be “setting” rates for each other, but there’s too much disparity between someone charging $8 per hour when the norm is more $25-$35 industry wide. I’m not just referring to those in other countries, I’m talking about VA’s here in the US. I think this only lends credibility to those who would discount our value.
Thanks… I often forget that I am worth it. The other part of this that is so FRUSTRATING is that VAs are being lumped with web designers, bookkeepers, accountants and graphic designers. Administrative work is an art… it does take years to hone our skill set, build relationships and establish a presence. I have always been proud to be an EA!!! Thank You for reminding me of the value I bring to my clients.
I believe in today’s advanced market it is important for VA’s and professional admin support to know such things as shopping cart and at least web and blog maintenance. Our skill set needs to advance along with our knowledge of Word, Excel, Publisher, Adobe CS4, etc. I believe you can be a Virtual Assistant in whatever field you want. That is the beauty of being a VA you can assistant in whatever market you have expertise and you can do it virtually.
See, that’s the problem, Lisa. Not everything is Virtual Assistance. Of course, anyone can be in whatever business they like. But that doesn’t make everything Virtual Assistance. Virtual Assistance is the business of ongoing administrative support. It also doesn’t have anything to do with whatever market you serve. The “advanced market” you’re talking about is the market that wants everything for nothing. It’s fine if that’s the business you want to be in, or if you want to also provide those things, but that’s doesn’t make them Virtual Assistance. They are separate values for which anyone would be a fool to train their market not to expect to be charged additionally/separately for. What you’re describing is not Virtual Assistance.