A Virtual Assistant: A Viable Alternative to Hiring a New Employee

As a business owner, what do you do when you have so much of your own work to do that you cannot keep up with the administrative side of your business? Most owners will start looking for that first employee. It sounds simple enough until you have to start researching the costs of finding someone, taxes, unemployment, insurance, office and/or desk space, compensation, vacation time, sick time, and the million other details that encompasses bringing someone new under the umbrella of your business. But what if you need help, but not 20 to 40 hours a week? Maybe what is taking you an extra 10 hours a week would take a professional five hours a week. Who are you going to find that will be willing to work for five hours a week, and still qualify as a professional? A Virtual Assistant is your solution.

A Virtual Assistant is an exciting alternative to hiring an employee for many reasons. Virtual Assistants are administrative professionals that can be contracted to do the paper chase side of your business for as little as 10, 20 or 30 hours per month. And since you are working with a seasoned professional, who most likely has a background in the corporate world, your tasks are completed quicker and easier than hiring just anyone off the street. Also, when you hire an employee, you have a local pool of candidates of which to choose, for that position. When you contract a virtual assistant, you can literally choose someone globally. That assistant works from their own location, provides their own office supplies and equipment, pays their own taxes, and can be reached from any location through phone, fax, and email. Picture being out of town on business and emailing your office to have the billing done for the week and on your desk in three days. It is practically the same as emailing your virtual assistant to do the same.