5 Commonly Believed Myths about Working with Virtual Assistants

Virtual assistants can be one of the most important things you wrap your head around as someone in business, but they are commonly misunderstood. If you have never used one, you probably do not have a clue about how they work and what they can bring to a business. A lot of people make incorrect assumptions about virtual assistants, so we are here to correct those misnomers and bring light to what virtual assistants can actually do for you. Here are our top five commonly believed myths about working with a virtual assistant. 

The 1st Myth – Being a Virtual Assistant is Easy, Anyone can Do it:

This first myth actually is the most inaccurate of them all. Being a virtual assistant often means you have to know how to do what everyone else does and understand the processes behind everything; but do it all virtually. This is no easy task! As well as this, being a VA requires a heavy amount of drive and motivation to do things that can sometimes feel repetitive or menial. You need to be able to keep up with everyone in the field as a virtual assistant, which is no easy task. 

The 2nd Myth – Virtual Assistants are Paid to ‘Do Everything’:

A virtual assistant is not there to be piled on with everything you cannot be bothered to do. Although there are definitely some virtual assistants (who are very hard to find) who can just do it all proficiently and quickly; most will not know how to do everything in every field. A lot of virtual assistants have specializations in certain areas, so it is important to hire one who specializes in the area which you most need them for. 

The 3rd Myth – Having a Virtual Assistant Makes Communication more Difficult:

This myth is almost laughable, because these days a large majority of our communication in the workplace is done via phone or email; even if the person is only upstairs! The digital age has made virtual communication sometimes even easier than face to face communication. The only thing you cannot do with a virtual assistant is shout to them across the office, which probably wasn’t an efficient thing to do in the first place. Communication online has become extremely developed, so much so that there are dozens of online video tools to communicate, many different messaging and email platforms, and loads of ways that you can even share your computer screen with your VA. 

The 4th Myth – Virtual Assistants Cannot Do Everything a Normal Assistant Can Do:

This is almost completely not true. There is one thing a virtual assistant can’t do, and that is bring you your lunch or a coffee. Considering this was probably not the most business critical purpose of an assistant, it is probably something you can live without. The digital age that we live in has made it completely possible for a virtual assistant to do exactly what a normal assistant would have done for you, and a lot of the times do it more productively. Often a normal assistant will get distracted in the office, which is much less likely to happen virtually. I can guarantee you that as long as you are okay getting your own coffee, your virtual assistant will be just as useful and purposeful as a normal one. 

The 5th Myth – A Virtual Assistant has to be a Full Time Employee:

This is absolutely not the case. A virtual assistant absolutely can be hired full time if you feel that yourself and the business require one full time, but a lot of virtual assistants are only hired on a flexible or part time basis. This is especially true if your business is very work heavy on two days and then more calm for the rest of the week. It is a great idea to hire one part time at first and then go full time if you find it works out for you. 

All in all, there is a lot of information out there about the usage of virtual assistants which is false. Because the business world is still coming to grips with the digitization of its whole existence, it can be hard to wrap your head around at first. However, a virtual assistant can be a great addition to any office team.

Thinking of hiring or becoming a Virtual Assistant?

Check out the Top Rated Virtual Assistant Companies, schedule a consultation call to discuss your needs and take a look at the Become a Virtual Assistant or Virtual Assistant Job pages for opportunities!

Author:

Michael DeHoyos is a writer and editor at Assignment writing services. He assists companies in their marketing strategy concepts, and contributes to numerous sites and publications.