Virtual Staff Philippines Service

5 Basic Apps for Virtual Assistants

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As we all know by now, a Virtual Assistant’s tasks can vary depending on what their client needs. There are a lot of digital tools out there that can help a Virtual Assistant do their jobs and more efficiently. These tools will depend on the kind of job they need to perform for their clients. There are tools for web development, social media, content creation and management, email, among others. 

 

Here are some of the tools a Virtual Assistant should understand and be familiar with before they start with the job. 

 

Slack 

Effective communication is vital to increase productivity and build good relationships in a working environment. A company needs to have a way to communicate constructively and also be able to protect information and files within their workspace; that is where Slack comes in. Slack is one of the most commonly used messaging platform tools used by Virtual Assistants for communication. 

One good characteristic of Slack is better organization of projects, tasks, and files; this helps users avoid getting lost in conversations on messengers or emails. You can also connect Slack to cloud storage like Google Drive or Dropbox when sharing files and data. 

 

Zoom 

Holding video meetings are also frequent with people working online. Skype was the most widely used video conferencing app before, but today most people use Zoom. The significant difference between the two is the number of participants it can accommodate for each video conference call.

The key features of Zoom that make it innovative are its screen sharing and recording options. Screen sharing allows a presenter to share their computer’s screen on the video conference call for better visualizations. It also allows users to record the Zoom meeting for easier documentation. 

Explaining your work and making your participants understand your presentation by just using words is sometimes challenging. The screen sharing option on Zoom can make it easier to grasp what you want to convey as they can see your notes and visuals. You also have the choice to record the Zoom meeting so that participants have an option to go back and watch the presentation again. It is valuable for someone who has a hard time taking down notes as they can focus more on the presentation itself.

 

Google Apps 

Google Apps, formerly known as G Suite, is the most popular business app available right now. Aside from Google Apps being incredibly easy to use, it also offers a wide range of collaboration and productivity tools. It includes emailing, organizing schedules and tasks, having enough Cloud storage space for files like photos, spreadsheets, presentations, and even doing video meetings. Another good thing about Google Apps is that it’s available on mobile devices.

 

Buffer 

Buffer is a social media management tool. It allows users to access multiple social media profiles in just one place. It helps manage social media accounts and save time posting on different platforms. 

Another great feature of Buffer is being able to plan and schedule posts. Buffer gathers data and gives information on when is the best time to publish posts. With this information, organizing the time of each post will make it more effective in reaching the intended audience.

 

Canva 

Canva is very popular now specifically for people who are not Photoshop savvy. Canva is a simple graphic design platform that has a wide range of templates for all kinds of content. There are options to create Facebook posts, Instagram posts, make art for marketing images, flyers or posters, and even illustrations that are very much customizable depending on what you need. It will also allow you to create presentations and present it, create video and video thumbnail arts, even logos and gifs. 

These tools are just some of the basic online tools needed when you start to work as a Virtual Assistant. You may need to learn a few more tools as you go that will help you kick start your VA career. 

And when you have gained enough confidence to be a full-time Virtual Assistant, you can get help from us HERE.

4 Proven Steps to Become a VA

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4 Steps To Become A Virtual Assistant

 

With our previous article, we shared all about what a Virtual Assistant does, and why online jobs are the way to go.

Now that you understand what a Virtual Assistant is, and have decided to become one, what is the next step?

Let us go through the checklist of the things you need before embarking on being a Virtual Assistant.

 

1. Make Sure You Are Work-From-Home Ready 

Just like when you prepare for regular office work, you have to make sure you have the right attire, are not late, and are familiar with the tools needed for the job. With work from home, it’s the same. You need to make sure that you are all set before starting your online career.

Here are the things you need to prepare to be work-from-home ready. 

  • A computer/laptop. 

We recommend getting a computer rather than a laptop if you are a first-timer. With desktops, you can update your system unit if a higher specification is needed or if you need to add peripherals to your computer set-up. They are also cheaper than laptops. If there is any downside, that is, it won’t be portable. However, you can easily upgrade to a laptop once you have stable employment.

  • A stable internet connection.

If you are to spend money on your new work-from-home set-up, we highly advise that you invest more in your internet connection (if at all possible). A fast and stable internet connection is a must if you plan to work from home. It helps with your productivity and saves you from the nightmare of a buffering internet when you need to attend online meetings or interviews.

Another tip is to get a reliable backup connection like a pocket-wifi – this is a lifesaver when your primary internet connection suddenly becomes unstable. 

  • Noise-canceling headphones

There is hardly a zero-noise environment unless you are in a soundproof room. And most times, you need a quiet space to have a peaceful and focused conversation with your client or even when you are just working on your tasks. Investing in affordable but decent noise-canceling headphones will help you greatly when working.

 

2. Make Sure You Are Interview Ready 

In one of our articles, we shared Five Ways To Impress Your Recruiter Even Before The Interview. Here is a summary of that article: 

  • Have an organized resume that showcases your skills, talents, and employment history. 
  • Have a prominent online presence and ensure that your social media accounts or online profiles have professional content (if public).
  • Research your prospective employer’s business. It is always a plus if you put a lot of effort into knowing the company you are applying for because this shows your future employer that you are interested in working with them.
  • Go through some possible questions and practice answering them. 
  • Make sure your computer, headset, and video cam are working, and the internet is stable before the interview. If your internet is unstable, tell your interviewer or client and advise on how long it would take you to get back online or to reschedule it all together. Sometimes technical difficulties are unavoidable even if you made sure that everything is ready. With the right response to your interviewer or client, you might get a second interview or meeting. 

 

3. Make Sure You Are Training Ready 

It makes a good impression and shows commitment to being a Virtual Assistant if you have undergone Virtual Assistant training/courses. 

There is a lot of free and paid training for Virtual Assistants that you can go through. However, if you can’t afford to buy training yet, you can probably use your existing skillset and leverage it. 

In our article, “How To Make Money From What You Know,” we explained how your previous office-based experience could help you land a work-from-home job without an online course.

 

4. Make Sure You Are Payment Ready 

With PhilTeamFinder, once we have placed our candidate with an employer, their trial period is already paid. It is in your best interest to set up a PayPal account, the most popular online payment platform used by overseas employers, to get paid without hassles.

 

Starting from scratch may be difficult, but remember that anything worth having will require some work. Do what’s needed, work smart, and stay focused on your end goal.

Now that you have more information about the steps to being a Virtual Assistant, are you ready to become one? Our team can help you get started here.