Skill Development For Virtual Assistants
Posted on 14th October 2021 at 11:55
One of the many reasons people love working as a virtual assistant is the freedom – the freedom to choose which areas and tasks you focus on.
Ideally, as a VA you should be working to your strengths. But what if you want to develop those strengths? How can you be sure you’re reaching your potential?
The answer to these questions is in skill development. To put it simply, skill development is one of the best ways you can grow your business as a VA. Your personal development shouldn’t ever be something that ends. It should continue and grow as you do.
The skills that you perfect will help you in all sorts of ways - not just in terms of your business but hopefully your confidence too. If you’re not sure where to start, read on to find some areas for skill development that you could explore.
Once you establish your business and have gotten things up and running, it might be an idea to expand your horizons and learn a completely new skill. This doesn’t have to be a skill that you decide to even continue using – the point is just to try out new things. You might discover a hidden strength you didn’t realize you had!
Local community centers often have courses, or there are thousands of online classes you could consider taking. If you don’t like the idea of taking a structured course, you could try to learn something from a friend, a book, or an online video. At worst, you’ll have new background knowledge that you can utilize should you ever need it. At best, you might discover a new specialism you’re really interested in!
If you're thinking about undertaking a certification in being a virtual assistant, we also have a blog post about whether a certification is necessary to work as a VA. Click HERE to read it!
Having new skills will keep your business fresh and allow you to market yourself to new clients. It will ultimately add value to your business.
Business coaches can help you view your business from a different perspective and identify ways you can be more efficient or move forward. Business coaches don’t just have to be for those who are in dire straits. You can approach a business coach simply with a view to developing your skillset.
Ask your family and friends for recommendations. Research your chosen coach thoroughly to find testimonials to make sure they will be a right fit for you.
If finding a business coach isn’t feasible for you, perhaps try looking for a local group of other business owners (either online or in person). These are typically either free or low-cost, and can still provide you with a completely new perspective on your business as a VA. You might even stumble across a new client!
Reading up about your field or learning new skills doesn’t have to involve trawling through dull textbooks. You could read magazines or blog articles in short bursts while in waiting rooms, train stations or on your lunch break. E-books that you can download onto your phone mean that you can fill any spare five minutes with a chapter or two!
If you struggle to dedicate time towards reading, perhaps you could listen to podcasts or audiobooks while cleaning or travelling. The point is to dip your toe into different subjects so that you get inspired.
Your comfort zone is a great place to be, but it won’t necessarily move you forward or develop your business skills.
Examples of stepping out of your comfort zone could be attending an event that would normally seem too busy/overwhelming, approaching a job or client that intimidates you, or take a course or class in something you’ve always wanted to do but thought it too hard.
This risk doesn’t even have to pay off necessarily – just by taking a small risk you will hopefully open yourself up to more opportunities and gain confidence in yourself that you can handle anything.
If trying something completely new seems too overwhelming, try breaking it into smaller tasks or enlisting the help of a friend for moral support.
Now that you have some ideas on how to develop your skills as a VA, you can expand your business and evolve with it. Skill development is a commitment that will pay dividends – both in your business and your personal life.
Go and explore the areas you never have before – your business will thank you for it!
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