Time for a Career Change? A Home Office Could be the Solution
What was already a growing trend of telecommuting is now on the fast track to establishing a new modified workplace. The evidence is everywhere, and telecommuting and self-employment are at an all time high. A recent article in the popular news source Newsblaze.com states, “Virtual assistance (VA’s) is one of the latest and hottest home based businesses in today’s market”, and was listed in the Spring 2008 issue of Entrepreneur’s Startups Magazine as one the 15 Hottest Businesses.
The list is growing longer of the many industries that have already gone virtual. We are witnessing a shift take place before our eyes of leaner and greener business practices with both the recession forcing our hand, and technology empowering the changes. The workplace is evolving alongside this revolution, and doing business in 2009 and beyond demands new ways of reaching customers and marketing solutions.
A Sign of the Times – Virtual Assistants in Demand
Whether by choice or the result of layoffs, leaving the confines of the corporate cubicle opens a world of possibilities of leveraging the technology at our fingertips to continue working in a new way. The movement of working from home allows skilled professionals to provide their knowledge to a global range of companies and organizations that would otherwise not have access to the pool of talent in the marketplace if they hired one onsite employee. This opens a new world of opportunities for matching VA’s with clients all over the world.
Outsourcing is a practical, winning solution for small business and larger corporations and organizations with specific project needs. The benefits of cost cutting with an outsourced professional equal the benefits of partnering with a VA’s specialized skill to help grow their business like never before!
Outsourced Services Needed in 2009 and Beyond
Where VA’s were once limited to mostly administrative tasks, the platform of Web 2.0 opens possibilities of offering new skills and specialized services that can be done from anywhere. With the struggling economy and the exploding online marketplace, VA’s are required to rethink their business and establish a particular niche that’s in demand, such as Internet Marketing, Copywriting or Social Media Marketing. The recession can in many ways be the best time for a Virtual Assistant business, helping other businesses get online and prosper in the new world of Web 2.0.
Recession or not, many businesses are thriving and discovering new-found prosperity with the focused assistance from an outsourced professional.
Without a doubt, the hottest demand right now is for businesses to effectively harness the incredible power of Web 2.0, and many are scrambling for services such as:
- Internet Marketing
- Social Networking Profile Set-up & Management
- Twitter and Facebook Marketing
- Online Video Marketing
- Copywriting and Content Marketing
- Online Reputation Management
Got What it Takes? Skills Required for Today’s Virtual Assistants
Beyond administration, the trend right now is clearly about assisting in business growth while we ride out an economic slump. The new marketplace is now online, and if a business doesn’t have a solid presence in Web 2.0, they will very quickly fall behind. Helping businesses establish a strong presence with the global community can dramatically increase their brand exposure, grow their customer and revenue base, and secure their industry authority with their target audience.
Core competencies required include the obvious administrative experience and communication skills. But beyond this foundation, succeeding with your own home-based Virtual Assistant business necessitates the willingness to continually learn and upgrade your knowledge, to keep up with the rapid evolution of modern business practices and technology.
As an independent contractor, being a Virtual Assistance can be tremendously rewarding, offering you more independence and control over your own life, with success being earned on your own terms. With a schedule that works best for you, and the enormous opportunity that today’s e-learning brings, you can upgrade your skills and get started today in a new and very lucrative career that’s in HUGE demand!
Ready to Start an Exciting Career as a Virtual Assistant?
If you’re considering a new career, or want to skyrocket your existing VA business to the next level, there is NO better time to get the training you need to get started right away. Businesses are scrambling to find Virtual Assistants with training and skills to help them prosper and ride out the recession, and establish a strong presence in the world of Web 2.0.