Although it’s not a must for a virtual assistant to be certified, there are some VA training programs and certifications which can be helpful in demonstrating that you have expert knowledge in the field. Certification gives potential clients confidence that your skills have been honed, and you visibly possess the necessary skills and knowledge needed to manage administrative tasks remotely.
Here are the typical training and certification areas of a virtual assistant:
Administrative/Fielding Calls
Certified administrative virtual assistants provide office support to organizations by performing different tasks, such as answering calls, returning emails, typing and preparing documents, taking notes, and managing correspondence. Put simply, their work is basically to provide various levels of customer care service.
Marketing Support
When you are a professional certified marketer, you’ll prove to employers that you’re serious about making a difference in their marketing efforts. There is a variety of marketing programs that can help you to significantly boost your knowledge of how to work online, and learn about the key facets of digital marketing—content marketing, social media, SEO, online marketing Metrics, etc.
Operational Virtual Assistant
Operational personnel can be relied on by a small business to give advice on the best practices, handle scheduling, delegate tasks, as well as build teams and recruit other VAs.
IT/Technical Support
IT certification validates your skills and experience, giving you an edge over non-certified IT professionals. Besides, potential hiring managers will know you’re committed to your field of specialization by spending the time and money to get certified.
Although the IT duties as a Virtual Assistant often vary, the greater portion of work will include:
• Maintaining websites and handling updates
• Managing an organization’s networks, servers, as well as office hardware
• Providing tech support
Sales Support
As a certified virtual sales assistant, employers can trust you with the mandate of driving traffic to online storefronts, finding and engaging clients, and also creating promotional campaigns that can benefit an organization.
These are just a few of the certifications. Make your home office outstanding by getting certified in your field of interest.