Before the pandemic started, online employment was not something new. The number of remote workers whether part-timers or freelancers are a constant growing pack driven even more by companies forced to shut their offices due to health and safety concerns. Many large corporations prefer to use a flexible workforce. But which virtual assistant is best to hire to suit your business and your budget? A newbie? Or would you prefer someone who is experienced or expert-level?
Consider the three various levels of VA experience, their effects on their earning power, and the scope of their duties expected by an employer.
How the Level of Expertise Defines a Healthcare Virtual Staff's Income?
General virtual assistants do not have specific skillsets. Hence why a skilled virtual staff gets higher wages. One example is a virtual staff working online who is skilled and experienced in administrative and copywriting skills. It is expected to demand the client a higher rate than a general VA because the VA can offer the client the following skills:
- Write interesting product descriptions
- Update the company website’s details on the product
- Create product promotion and website banners
- Select and embed images for good printing quality in the store’s web pages.
This is why a lifelong learning commitment is essential to the career of a virtual assistant. They should persevere and master new skills to achieve excellence. Combining work experience and high competency always merits the high approval of a client.
How Work Experience Influences a Virtual Staff's Earnings
Both the expectations of an employer and their payment make a beginner VA different from someone with an expert level. Salary rates get higher when the VA has more professional experience.
Three Levels of VA Experience and Their Routine Skills
1. Beginner VAs with a Basic Skillset Get the Lowest Pay Rate
This category belongs to remote workers having little or no relevant professional experience and proper expertise. Newbies typically will fall in the low payment bracket which is usually attributed to the slow progress in their career.
- Use of basic online tools, like MS Word, Gmail, and Google Docs.
- Basic research and data collection from the Internet with no knowledge on how to assess them
- Lack of confidence in speaking English due to elementary-level grammar and written language skills.
- Can copy and paste or transcribe audio content but lacks the ability to make corrections.
2. Experienced VAs with Intermediate Skills Receive an Average Income
Virtual assistants with a few years of experience related to online work or have the equivalent in online job training show a thorough understanding of positive habits in online work.
- Higher skills using common online work tools like Google Drive and MS Office Suite
- Creates text with advanced written English skills without assistance from native speakers.
- Understands exemplary document layout and formatting.
- Able to do in-depth research and collect data from the web with low-level analysis.
3. Expert VAs with Advanced Skills Earn the Highest Salary
Expert level VAs with professional experience and extensive job-related training have developed their skillsets to stay up-to-date with the fast-growing and ever-changing online work industry, thus increasing their earning capacity.
- Specialized skill set in at least one related area like graphic design, web development, social media marketing, advertising, or copywriting.
- Demonstrates exceptional accuracy and fluency in written and spoken English skills.
- Adopts various helpful tools and apps to enhance productivity and make them more competitive with other online workers.
How Regional Differences Impact Virtual Staff Pay Rates
Yes, payment gaps per region are huge in the world of online work. Local economies dictate these gaps but many international companies have managed to stay away from that mold and pay competitive salaries. VAs based in the United States or Europe are not necessarily more skilled than offshore VAs who reside in the Philippines or other countries in Asia. Look for equal opportunity employers like Phoenix Virtual Solutions where you can be assured that skills are valued and paid commensurate with the level of experience and expertise of each VA hire.
Final Thoughts
Now that you know what defines each level of expertise each VA has, it is easier to determine which VA fits your company. The amount of money you pay your VA varies predominantly on many factors like their skillset, region, experience, training, and business type you have. The online market for hiring the right VA for you is quite competitive.
Ready to dive into the world of online virtual assistants and grab the opportunity for business growth? Let Phoenix Virtual Solutions help you to start growing your business and income. Contact us now and experience our brand of Filipino well-trained healthcare virtual staff.
