Josh Elledge - Chief Executive Angel
In our world of political correctness, it's not likely you'll hear the term Girl Friday or Gal Friday very often. But the title means more than a person who is a secretary, receptionist, clerical assistant or something similar. A girl Friday was the business professionals all around personal assistant. Taking calls, scheduling meetings, contacting clients, event planning, whatever the task, she was the ‘go to' person that got the job done.
Today, the title may have changed to an administrative or executive assistant but the job has pretty much remained the same. What also has changed for many business professionals is the need to have someone that works beside them in the same office. Small businesses, solopreneurs, and entrepreneurs who need support are discovering that Virtual Assistants (VAs) can provide all the help they need.
A VA has been proven to be much more cost effective than a regular employee. This doesn't necessarily mean that a virtual assistant is worth less or is being paid less money. But it does mean that the employer isn't paying for down time, taxes, insurances, vacations, sick days, and other benefits that they would need to pay for a regular employee, even if that employee were just part-time.
Jobs abound for anyone, male or female, that is interested in becoming a VA. A virtual assistant is a skilled, independent professional who remotely provides administrative, technical and/or creative business support services. Statistically, women with children who want their own business with flexible hours comprise the majority of VAs in the United States. Individuals in this line of work make anywhere from $10 to $40 per hour with some as high as $75 per hour in specialized fields.
A company such as Zirtual connects professionals and companies with full and part-time virtual assistants. The job requires at least a high school education and the ability to juggle multiple tasks and possibly multiple clients. Zirtual is currently hiring from the following states: AK, AL, AR, AZ, CO, DE, FL, GA, HI, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, ME, MN, MO, MS, NC, NE, NM, NV, OH, OK, OR, PA, SC, TN, TX, UT, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV, WY.
Some benefits to becoming a Zirtual assistant are:
- You work standard business hours Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM.
- Zirtual observes major US holidays. This gives you time to spend your holidays with family and friends.
- All employees qualify for benefits (medical, vision, and dental).
- Starting pay is $11/hour with opportunities for growth.
eaHelp is another company that is based in the U.S. and works with U.S. and global clients. eaHelp is currently looking for Executive Assistants (EAs) preferably with a bachelor's degree and at least five years experience as an executive assistant, project manager, or similar position.
eaHelp endeavors to match you to one or possibly two clients that fit your skills and style. This sets them apart from a company that matches you to multiple clients just because you're available. They're also the first to step up and make changes if it isn't working out between you and your client.
Your schedule is dependent upon the client/clients you are serving and when they need your help. Most likely it is during the day and during typical business hours. Unlike Zirtual, eaHelp does not advertise their rate of pay for EAs but it is one of the highest rated virtual assistant companies by Glassdoor.
Are you ready to put your education, skills, and organizational talents to use as a Virtual Assistant? The work is out there, all you need to do is go for it!
