Complete Steps on How To Be An Executive Virtual Assistant! (FREE Training Course) Mia Juan・2 minutes read
The webinar discusses the role of a virtual executive assistant, highlighting the skills, tools, and characteristics needed to succeed in this field. It covers differentiating tasks between virtual assistants and executive virtual assistants and emphasizes the importance of building trust with clients and mastering essential tasks to provide effective assistance.
Insights Virtual executive assistants assist high-level managers with personal and administrative tasks, focusing on communication and planning. Executive virtual assistants handle a mix of tasks like finance, social media, and travel management, requiring independence and a broad skill set. Essential skills for virtual executive assistants include inbox, calendar, and travel management, while characteristics like detail-orientation and resourcefulness are crucial for success. Get key ideas from YouTube videos. It’s free Summary 00:00
Becoming a Virtual Executive Assistant: Essential Skills The webinar focuses on becoming a virtual executive assistant, targeting freelancers, solopreneurs, and remote workers, specifically in the niche of virtual executive assistance. The host, Mia or MJ, shares her background as a full-time virtual executive assistant at Athena Executive Assistant, starting in May 2021, and also working as a part-time wedding and events planner. Mia emphasizes that despite not finishing college, individuals can still excel in their careers, sharing her journey of transitioning into freelancing and virtual assistance with no prior experience. Virtual executive assistants are hired to assist high-level managers, executive directors, or company owners with personal and administrative tasks, prioritizing communication and planning in their daily lives. Distinction is made between virtual assistants and executive virtual assistants, with the latter handling a mix of tasks like finance, social media, and travel management, requiring a broader skill set and independence in task delegation. Executive virtual assistants must be willing to learn new skills and tools, work independently, and possess executive presence characteristics to effectively manage their clients' calendars and tasks. Essential skills for virtual executive assistants include inbox management, calendar management, and travel management, involving tasks like daily inbox sweeps, creating email drafts, optimizing calendars, and completing travel requirements. Inbox management entails tasks like inbox sweeps, creating email drafts, and using email features, while calendar management involves creating events, inputting flight details, and optimizing clients' calendars. Travel management includes searching and booking flights, hotels, restaurants, and activities for clients, creating detailed itineraries, and ensuring compliance with travel requirements like visas and health information. The webinar covers skills, tools, characteristics, creating online profiles, and booking clients for aspiring virtual executive assistants, emphasizing the importance of building trust with clients and mastering essential tasks for effective assistance. 18:28
Virtual Assistant: Essential Tasks and Tools Travel management is a favorite task for the virtual assistant, involving completing documents and finding information for clients. Events management is challenging but feasible for virtual assistants, involving tasks like vendor booking, negotiation, contract review, and budget maintenance. Household management tasks include booking service providers, paying bills, online shopping, and reminding clients of birthdays and celebrations. Meeting management entails creating meeting minutes, scheduling events, and integrating tools like Calendly for efficient calendar management. Basic social media management involves creating content, using Canva for graphics, and basic analytics reporting for client engagement. Email tools like Gmail, Microsoft Outlook, and Superhuman are essential, with features including file attachments, formatting, templates, and scheduling. Calendar tools like Google Calendar, Calendly, and Google Maps aid in time management, meeting creation, and automated invites for efficient scheduling. Project management tools like Notion, Asana, Trello, ClickUp, and Airtable help in automating processes, team collaboration, and task streamlining. Google Drive tools like Sheets, Docs, and Slides are crucial for cloud-based document sharing, with features including file sharing, database creation, and survey forms. Additional tools like Google Forms, Monday.com, and LastPass are useful for specific tasks like surveys, project management, and password sharing. Characteristics of a successful executive virtual assistant include being detail-oriented, triple-checking tasks, fact-checking information, and reconfirming reservations and details for accuracy. 36:47
"Essential Skills for Executive Assistants" Being resourceful is crucial for an executive assistant, requiring thinking outside the box and utilizing all available resources, including connecting with other assistants for assistance. It is essential to maintain a mindset that nothing is impossible, except for truly impossible tasks like last-minute passport applications. Assertiveness is key, involving confidently communicating with clients, providing task updates promptly, taking the lead in tasks, and being accountable for mistakes. Showing empathy and respect towards clients is vital, ensuring a personal touch in interactions and not just being transactional. Dependability is necessary, taking ownership of tasks, learning new skills to enhance output, and being responsive in all client communications. Proactiveness is crucial, working independently, showing integrity, finding tasks to delegate, and initiating tasks without constant supervision. Creating an online profile as an executive virtual assistant involves developing a resume or CV, a LinkedIn profile, an Upwork or OnlineJobs.ph profile, a portfolio, an introduction video, and determining service fees. Differentiating between a resume and CV is important, with resumes being concise and focused on recent education and work experience, while CVs detail all educational and work history. Upwork and OnlineJobs.ph serve as job search platforms, with Upwork functioning as an agency and taking a percentage of earnings, while OnlineJobs.ph allows direct client communication without commission. LinkedIn is a professional networking platform where one can connect with executives and showcase professional achievements, while an intro video, portfolio, and determining service fees are essential components of an online profile for an executive virtual assistant. 53:30
Virtual Executive Assistants: Rates, Clients, Platforms, Process Hourly rates for executive virtual assistants can range from $7 to $45, depending on experience and quality of service. Monthly rates can vary from $1,500 to $3,000, with higher rates achievable for experienced assistants providing top-notch service. In the US, virtual executive assistants can earn $25 to $45 per hour, with a focus on quality service. Target clients for executive virtual assistants include c-level executives, licensed professionals, influencers, chefs, real estate agents, and small business owners. C-level executives, doctors, lawyers, and influencers can be found on platforms like LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. Virtual assistants can offer personal assistance to licensed professionals like doctors and lawyers, focusing on household tasks and travel planning. Chefs are a lucrative market for virtual assistants, offering services like calendar management and travel planning. Real estate agents and small business owners can benefit from personal assistance services, focusing on inbox and calendar management. Finding clients can be done through platforms like Upwork, LinkedIn, and social media, targeting specific industries or professions. The process of booking clients involves sending portfolios, scheduling discovery calls, sending proposals, onboarding, invoicing, and starting work based on the contract. 01:11:42
Essential Skills for Executive Virtual Assistants Module 10 introduces cryptocurrency basics, crucial for executive virtual assistants due to client preferences. Module 11 emphasizes essential characteristics for success as an executive virtual assistant. Module 12 guides on creating an online profile, including resume and portfolio creation on Canva. Module 13 details client acquisition methods, covering email approaches, Instagram searches, and TikTok scouting.