What Virtual Assistants do

Recently, Danielle pointed me to a blog post about how to work with VAs, and then to the comments about it. Because I could see that the conversation could turn a bit snarky, I chose not to be engaged. But the topic has roamed around inside me ever since, and I decided to post for you the moxie-full thing I might have posted there, had I posted.

In essence, at issue is what someone calling herself a Virtual Assistant does.. or what the work of a VA is. Some of the people in our industry buy into the idea that a person doing any sort of work that's assistive in nature and performed virtually can call herself a VA. I'm not entirely sure why they believe that..or more, want to believe that. Maybe it's because it makes the industry sound bigger and more substantial when you include all virtual professionals under our banner.

As you know, I believe that Virtual Assistance is about providing virtual administrative and (sometimes) personal support to clients (the definition goes further, but for this post, that's the only part that's important). That can include a vast variety of things, but cannot, by its nature, be limited to specialties. So, then, a person providing only virtual bookkeeping services is a virtual bookkeeper, not a VA. And a person providing only internet marketing services is an internet marketer, not a VA. It's crazy, IMO, for us to consider people who specialize as anything other than that which their specialty defines them as being. And I think it's crazy for us to do that for two reasons:

1. Those people, marketing themselves as VAs rather than whatever it is that they really are, make marketing far more difficult for themselves than it ever should be, and they confuse the public.

Imagine a virtual bookkeeper at a networking event. She meets John, an Internet marketer, and someone who could really use her bookkeeping services. John asks, "What do you do?" She replies, "I'm a Virtual Assistant. I provide bookkeeping services to my clients." John cocks his head to the side quizzically and thinks to himself, "Huh...a Virtual Assistant? I thought someone providing bookkeeping services was a bookkeeper!" He asks, "A VA? Aren't you actually a bookkeeper?" What possible answer could she have that would make her sound smart, and possessing the know-how to present herself and her business appropriately in a way a client could understand?

From my view, it's far better for her to represent herself appropriately as a virtual bookkeeper, so that her conversation with John and the information she shares with him doesn't confuse him, and makes things much easier for her. There's no moxie in grabbing onto the coat tails of a "hip" career if that's not really what you do. Also, for an industry that's picked up on and accepted as the norm my original theory that "fit" is important, and who a VA is is important, the inauthenticity of the misrepresentation can't possibly be helpful. I can stand in the corner and call myself a coat-rack all day long, if I want--but calling myself that doesn't make it so, you know?

2. It means that there really is no actual Virtual Assistant. If everyone, doing anything, is a VA, then nurses who assist people from call centers, or insurance agents who work virtually can be Virtual Assistants because they "assist" others. And if that is true, then "Virtual Assistant" means nothing. If it means nothing, then our industry cannot survive, and won't survive, because the public, ever confused by the growing mish-mash of types of professionals calling themselves VAs, will end up defining us themselves. Why would we want that? I can bet we won't like it.

It reminds me of the lie that the Administrative profession (corporate) tells its members every day--that being a great assistant isn't enough. And that if they just run faster on that gerbil wheel of work, and learn to do more, and have no personal standards that they are allowed to hold onto, and make no waves, and suck it up when they're treated unfairly, and expect no more money for taking on far more responsibility and doing the work of several people at the same time, ONE DAY, they will genuinely be respected by management.

While there are some EAs who are respected, for certain, as a profession, admins are still treated as being about as integral and important, and respect-worthy as the company copy machine. They are defined by others, rather than defining themselves as a group. And it's a lie. A very sad lie that the admins seem to believe. I say that because they learn more, run faster, expect less, tolerate more than nearly any group I've ever seen, etc. Helping expat EAs have work that finally (and perhaps for the first time, ever) positively contributes to their having high-quality lives is part of my core mission. I won't lie to them--their fabulous administrative skills are enough and there's a place--a terrific one, in fact--for them out here in the world of the self-employed

If we allow people to tell us that there's something wrong with Virtual Assistance being about providing administrative/personal support to clients, we're allowing them to define us with lies, too. I'm all for preventing that. I know Danielle is, too.

Bit O’Moxie: All VAs are virtual professionals. Not all virtual professionals are VAs. There's a difference, and we need to recognize it, embrace it, and create a place in the business world for ourselves...not for ourselves and everyone else. Please, if you value our industry and want to see it thrive, embrace a definition of Virtual Assistance that does not accept as colleagues those who specialize, rather than offering a broad base of administrative services to clients.

I was told, a couple of weeks ago, that I hold on to my core beliefs with great tenaciousness. Maybe that's true, but if they're core beliefs, and I am firmly convinced of the rightness of them, why would I want to let them go? This belief I have about what Virtual Assistance is and what Virtual Assistants do isn't going to be taken from me. I know the rightness of it and am delighted to stand up for it. I hope you'll join me and Danielle in spreading that message.

Comments

[Laura Jo Richins]

Way to say it, Stacy. You hit the nail on the head, as usual. :)

Having previously owned a secretarial services business, I was often told that what I did was the same as a VA; that virtual assisting was the newer term for what I was doing. I was confused. Should I call myself a VA?

After doing some research, and talking to people like Danielle, I realized that being a VA wasn't just about the services I was providing, it was about the relationship I had with the client. Once I grasp that concept, I knew that I wanted to be a Virtual Assistant—providing administrative services to my clients, not just doing project work, but maintaining an ongoing relationship and knowing what was happening in their business.

My AssistU training helped to cement this understanding. I had regular clients I worked with in my secretarial services business, but now I have ongoing clients that I’m working with all the time. I know that if I decide to focus on web design or bookkeeping, I should set that up as a separate business so that I don’t mislead potential clients about the type of services I provide. I would also set my fees appropriately for the type of service I’m providing.

If so many VAs, bookkeepers, transcriptionists, web designers, etc., are confused about what to call themselves, how can we ever expect to offer a clear picture to all the potential clients out there? It seems like this needs to be cleaned up from the inside out. VAs should ask themselves if what they’re doing is really virtual assistance or if it’s something else.

[Mary Motz]

Hi Stacy! I also follow Danielle's blog (I'm a fan of you both!) and I'm aware that there's a healthy debate on about who should call themselves a VA. I may be one of those VA's to whom you & Danielle are referring, as most of my services are "webby" in nature. :-)

For some time in my business, I didn't refer to myself as a VA - for the exact reason you cited. After awhile, I returned to the VA term, primarily because I realized my client base and new prospects referred to me as a "VA", but were clear on what I do.

For example, transcription is certainly administrative in nature - and also a special skill that not all VAs can do. So does that mean transcriptionists can't be VAs? Where are the lines? Why are lines even needed? Isn't one of the strengths of Virtual Assistance the fact that so many skillsets are available?

I do a variety of administrative things - administer email accounts, create marketing pieces, help with application issues, advise about products, update spreadsheets, etc.; but I also did these same tasks while I was a corporate Administrative Manager. My work overlaps both worlds, and that's exactly where my value is. The same could be said of a VA with paralegal skills, concierge skills, accounting skills, etc.. They are all administrative - just like thoractic surgeons, pediatricians, dermatologists and radiologists are all also called "doctors".

I just wanted to share my perspective. I applaud you and Danielle for doing so much to raise the profile and standards of the industry. Rock on! :-D

[Stacy]

Laura Jo and Mary...thanks for joining the conversation!

Mary--the line gets drawn when someone has a specialty that forms the fundamental basis of her entire practice, and/or her work isn't at all administrative in nature.

To address what you wrote more specifically, transcription can certainly be a part of what a VA offers to clients. But someone offering only transcription services is a transcriptionist, and not a VA.

To carry that further, any VA who has kick-ass transcription skills (sufficient for her to specialize), can still be a VA, IMO, if she also does the work of a VA. And I'll write more about that in my next post, so stay tuned!

As for the doctor thing...many PAs do MOST of what doctors do, but aren't doctors, can't legally call themselves doctors, and anyone who thinks a PA is a doctor would be wise to rethink. There *are* lines within professional groups, and I think we absolutely need some in our profession, again, for the reasons I stated in my post.

:)

[Emma]

You mention the fact that Virtual Assistant can be considered too ambiguous of a term.

How about VASP? Virtual Administrative Support Person?