10 Virtual Assistant Industry Job Trends for 2018
In the US alone, the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that close to 5-6 million secretaries and administrative assistants are employed at present. What it also does is that the bureau does not distinguish between office assistants and those who work online. This is indicative of a major change in the assistant’s profile. A growing number of PAs are now virtual assistants who work remotely and leverage technologies to meet all your requirements and demands. Virtual assistants offer so many services an in-house secretary does not have the expertise to handle, from social media marketing to schedule management and bookkeeping.
1). On The Rise Many VAs don’t choose the official route though, registering on Upwork, Guru, Freelancer and PeoplePerHour among other freelancing platforms. Of course, there are a number of VAs who own their own websites and offer services through this as well.
2). Emergence of the Virtual Office Another major trend is the rise of virtual offices. Now, there is no dependency on physical spaces. The flexibility of an online office permits VAs to work from home, libraries or even coffee shops and co-working spaces.
3). Enhanced Productivity A Harvard Business Review study found that staff who finished work from home completed 13.5 percent more calls at a call center than staff working from an office. Another study by TINYPulse found that a majority (more than 90 percent) of remote workers are more productive at home. Working longer hours at home, VAs benefit from fewer distractions and the capabilities to structure schedules without worrying about the commute or their time. Additional statistics show that increased productivity benefits not just the individual VA, but the company he or she works for as well. This is why many companies like BaseCamp and Trello have gone virtual, and employed remote workers.
4). A Growing Industry By Virtalent estimates that online virtual assistant services will reach USD 5 billion in this year alone. Hiring a VA or virtual secretary can benefit SMEs, MSMEs and those who find it tough to hire a full time worker in the direct payroll. Additionally, online talent marketplaces like Fiverr and PeoplePerHour are also on the rise.
5). Growing Job Creation VA job seekers will be from all over the world including South East Asian countries. They excel at social marketing, customer support, online sales, internet marketing, data entry, desktop management, inbox and email management and even project management. The rise of skill based VA jobs will change the way people see this industry. The emergence of market intelligence and knowledge based research work, will open up opportunities for professionals, on account of low fees. Seasoned VAs would face less competition on account of more experience.
6). Online Search Trends For searching for VAs, Google search trends show Philippines leads the race, yet Indian companies are in the top 5 including countries like the US, the UK and Canada. Popular keywords that pertain to the virtual assistant industry are also in heavy use. From online forums to Facebook groups, the rise of VAs is noticed on every social media and networking platform.
7).Emergence of Virtual Mentors Respected names in this industry include Michael Hyatt and Tim Ferris. They are great thinkers, corporate CEOs and consultants who share resources on the industry, tools reports and more.
8). VA Companies Founded Increasing Consider Nick Loper for example. He is the co-founder of Virtual Assistant dot com. He has been working in this industry since 2005. Top companies besides such online networking VA forums, include Zirtual in the US and Wishup in India. Tawyna Sutherland, who has founded virtual assistant forum VANetworking is known for the million+ followers she has in this industry.
9). Rise of Online Resources
From social media strategists like Chris Ducker to Neil Patel, everyone has been talking about the benefits of the virtual assistant industry for meeting the talent shortfall.
10). An End To The War For Talent HR practices are undergoing a sea change with the rise of virtual assistants. Freelancers online offer a cessation of the war on talent. The need of the hour for many growing businesses was a talented worker. Unfortunately, many small business owners could not afford the best in the business. Now thanks to the rise of the VA industry and shared employment, they can!
Thank You! WISHUP