Virtual assistant

Virtual Assistants (typically abbreviated to VAs), are business owners who provide professional administrative, technical, or creative (social) assistance to clientsPDF| [http://www.d-mars.com/html_files/businessjournal/pdf/BJ_08.pdf Helping Entrepreneurs, Virtually] |2643.3 KiB, Misty Starks (July/August 2006). Retrieved on 2008-07-27.] — usually other independent entrepreneurs and consultancy small businesses. Virtual Assistants work from their own office (hence "virtual"), thus making it a fairly popular (and growing) profession in centralized economiesPDF| [http://www.westcoastway.com/Virtual_Assistance___A_Global_Economy_A_Local_Business.pdf Virtual Assistance — "A Global Economy… A Local Business"] |20.1 KiB. Retrieved on 2008-07-28.] with "fly-in, fly-out" (FIFO) staffing practices.PDF| [http://www.pwc.com/extweb/pwcpublications.nsf/docid/DF993563025DFA0F852572D60067ACA3/$File/OutsourcingComesofAge.pdf Outsourcing Comes of Age: The Rise of Collaborative Partnering] |548 KiB. Retrieved on 2008-07-27.] It is estimated that there are as few as 5,000-8,000 or as many as 35,000 Virtual Assistants worldwide.cite web
last = Rose
first = Barbara
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Personal Assistants Get a High-tech Makeover
work =
publisher = Standard-Times
date = 2005-12-21
url = http://archive.southcoasttoday.com/daily/12-05/12-21-05/l02ca250.htm
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accessdate = 2008-07-29] [cite news
last = Meyer
first = Ann
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title = Technology links virtual businesses: Advances spur rise in collaborative work
publisher = Chicago Tribune
date = 2006-05-22
url = http://www.motiontemps.com/index_files/Tribune506.pdf
accessdate = 2008-08-14 ]

Common modes of communication and data delivery include the Internet, e-mail and phonecall conferences,cite web
last = Johnson
first = Tory
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title = Work-From-Home Tips: Job Opportunities for Everyone
work =
publisher = ABC News
date = 2007-07-23
url = http://kimbeckersservices.com/
format =
doi =
accessdate = 2008-07-28] online work spaces, and fax machine. Professionals in this business work on a contractual basis and a long-lasting cooperation is standard. Typically 5 years of administrative experience in an office is expected at such positions as executive assistant, office manager/supervisor, secretary, legal assistant, paralegal, legal secretary, real estate assistant, "et cetera".

"Virtual assistant" may also refer to an automated Conversational agent or so-called Chatterbot.

Worker classifications

* The traditional "employee" is managed and directed by the employer they work for. They are paid a salary with employment taxes deducted by the employer. Work is directed, managed and supervised by the employer.cite web
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title = Virtual Services — Bookkeeping and Office Support Services
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publisher = Elusions Plus, Inc.
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url = http://kimbeckersservices.com/
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accessdate = 2008-07-27]
* A "temp" worker is an employee of a staffing agency who goes on-site to employer (customer) premises. They are paid by the staffing agency they work for, while their on-site work and activities are managed, directed and supervised by the employer, who is a customer of the staffing agency.
* A "virtual assistant" is an independently contracted business owner, not an employee. They work out of their own offices, manage the work from their clients and how it is carried out, set their own rates, as well as operating standards and policies, and pay their own self-employment taxes.
* Virtual assistants help small businesses expand their business instead of dealing with administration duties. Virtual assistants are cost effective because you only pay them when they work. Since they are independent contractors they are tax deductible.

References

External links

*PDFlink| [http://www.asthemoonclimbs.com/chapters.pdf Virtual Assistants and Your Business] |141 KiB
* [http://allianceforvirtualbiz.com/index2.php?option=com_content&do_pdf=1&id=498 Core Competencies for Emerging VAs] PDF|­ |4.1 KiB
* [http://www.ukava.co.uk The UK Association of Virtual Assistants]