Virtual Assistant Vs. Real Employee: What Does a Virtual Assistant Do

The debate between a virtual assistant vs an employee is more crucial than ever for any entrepreneur or business owner.

Both employees can perform many responsibilities, including social media management, office management, and routine administrative work.

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Virtual Assistant Vs. Real Employee: What Criteria Do You Use to Decide Which Is the Better Choice for You?

We’ll assist you in comparing a virtual assistant to an employee in this article.

We’ll look at what a virtual assistant does and everything else there is to know about virtual assistants.

Who Is a Virtual Assistant

A virtual assistant is a self-employed person, either a freelancer or an independent contractor, who, depending on their skill set, delivers administrative, marketing, or business activities to free up your time so you can concentrate on the expansion of your firm.

Depending on the person’s skill set, the precise tasks performed by a virtual assistant can range from administrative to technical.

Virtual assistants might work for staffing companies or as independent contractors.

Some assistants work for a single employer, while others hold multiple employment contracts at once. Typical jobs carried out by a virtual assistant include:

Making calls and scheduling appointments
Bookkeeping
Managing customer service
Creating and maintaining databases
Carrying out research
Creating accounts on social media
Utilizing graphic design expertise to create marketing materials
Doing simple editing and proofreading on papers that are both internal and external

Who Is an Employee?

An individual with a contract of employment is referred to as an employee if they work either full- or part-time. They are subject to obligations and have rights.

This person (traditional employee) is a permanent team member on your staff and is tasked with carrying out a specific task.

They typically collaborate with you while they are present in the workplace.

They can, however, continue to be a part of the team permanently while working remotely (remote employees).

Virtual Assistant Vs Real Employee: Salary

The salary for a virtual assistant varies based on their level of expertise and available talents.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics does not compile data on salaries for virtual assistants.

These numbers assume a 40-hour workweek for secretaries and administrative assistants.

Median Annual Salary: $40,990 ($19.71/hour)
Top 10% Annual Salary: More than $67,510 ($2.46/hour)
Bottom 10% Annual Salary: Less than $26,880 ($12.92/hour)

Virtual Assistant Requirements

Virtual assistants need a mix of education, experience, and technical abilities to be effective in their roles.

There may be general expectations, but the specifics of these needs will vary depending on each virtual assistant’s work.

Education

Although some businesses prefer a bachelor’s or associate degree, particularly if the assistant does specialized activities, many virtual assistants can find employment with only a high school background.

A virtual assistant might earn a degree in marketing, business administration, or communication, depending on their work.

Training

Online training programs are widely offered for virtual assistants. Word processing, spreadsheets, databases, business, and management are all available as electives.

Additionally, training is offered in graphic design, website development basics, and social media administration.

Additionally, virtual assistant training programs instruct students on the fundamentals of remote administration.

Certifications

Although there are no prerequisites for being a virtual assistant, certification can show commitment and specific knowledge in several fields.

You can receive accreditation as a virtual assistant or in certain fields.

Skills Required for a Virtual Assistant Position

A good virtual assistant possesses several fundamental hard and soft talents, such as:

Organization

The virtual assistant’s ability to stay organized is crucial to finishing assignments on time.

Communication

When taking calls, you must be able to speak properly, listen attentively, and convey information.

Computer Skills

You should be capable of using email, word processing, and the internet, especially for research.

The ability to conduct virtual conferences and participate in video chats is also quite desirable.

Time Management

Virtual assistants must coordinate not just their schedules but also those of their clients.

Multitasking

A virtual assistant must handle various jobs for various clients.

Job Outlook

The BLS predicts a 9% decline in administrative assistant and secretary jobs from 2019 to 2029. 2 Virtual assistant job growth statistics are currently unavailable.

Still, there is room for growth in this field as more and more businesses move to remote operations and hire part-timers to complete tasks that previously required full-time employees.

Work Environment

Vas frequently do their jobs from home. They can rent their own office or space in a shared office or coworking environment if they want to leave their home or apartment.

Work Schedule

Virtual assistants can typically choose their hours. To finish a client project that is urgent or last-minute, they might have to work on the weekends and evenings.

Conclusion

Now you know the difference between a virtual assistant Vs. a real employee, their salary structure and all.

Irrespective of their differences, both employees can perform many responsibilities, including social media management, office management, and routine administrative work.