A virtual assistant is an independent contractor that provides services to clients while working remotely. Right?

But we know that it’s more than that, and it’s not that easy especially if you’re pretty new to the industry. It takes a level of skills and experience, and understanding the nature of the business of your client is a must to excel in your role.

Here in ia Blueprint Team, regardless of the kind of virtual assistant you are, whether you are new or have been working remotely for years, we want to see you and help you excel in your role.

That is why we will be sharing our top tips, which are some of the best practices of our existing virtual assistants, that you can keep in mind and practice yourself so can be an excellent virtual assistant:

1. Organize and prioritize.

Organizing yourself would greatly help you stay on track with your daily responsibilities and tasks. When we say organize, you know where and how to get the information that you need right away, the tools and applications that you need are all up and properly placed where you can access them quickly and easily, create a to-do list, or simply organize your email inbox. This will help you be more efficient, so you are 100% sure that you will complete everything on time.

You also need to know how to prioritize, this will help you determine which task you need to complete each day. Not from the easiest to the most difficult task, but based on urgency and importance. Always determine which ones you need to complete right away, and which ones you can complete before the end of your day. Setting deadlines for various tasks and placing the most urgent ones first could also help.

2. Constantly show your commitment to excel.

Your level of commitment says a lot about how dedicated you are to excel. And there are a lot of ways of how you can show your commitment, but the most common way is by doing the extra mile.

Doing the extra mile is always a good thing and is greatly appreciated by any manager you are going to work with. Usually, it pays off well, you will be recognized by it and receive good feedback. You can even get a bonus for it. And how can you do the extra mile? By always taking an initiative by helping the team attain goals or improve the process, being proactive by offering to help on other projects or tasks, doing more than what you are asked for, or providing detailed information whenever you are giving updates.

Of course, you do not have to do this all the time. And there are also other ways to show your commitment too. Like simply being punctual, having a good attendance record, and being reliable by always showing up, staying alert and responsive throughout the shift, and keeping constant communication with your teammates.

3. Stay resourceful.

As a virtual assistant, checking all resources that you have on hand and researching on your own to find the answers that you are looking for are the things that you will need to do every day. There will come a point when you will encounter something unfamiliar, so feel free to do your research. That is also why almost every virtual assistant knows that Google is our most reliable friend.

Other virtual assistants keep notes for future reference. You can also do this so you can avoid asking the same questions.

4. Be a good team player.

To be a good team player, you need to work well in a “team” environment. That means you try to collaborate with your teammates, be involved in brainstorming solutions, and share information that could be beneficial to the team.

You should also know what’s expected of you and how your role fits within the team. If you understand your role in the team, it will enable you to adapt to any changes and be flexible in any situation while staying focused on the team’s goals.

5. Keep an open and honest communication.

Keeping open and honest communication means that you are expressing your ideas, issues, and thoughts with your teammates and managers in a steady, honest, transparent, and reliable manner. This allows you to build a relationship with them, earn trust, avoid any misunderstanding, resolve conflicts, and collaborate better.

So how you can do it? Don’t be afraid to ask questions, share recommendations, and convey how you feel about things. Another thing you can do is summarize what you just learned or heard, and ask if you’ve missed anything.

So, there you have it, our top tips for every virtual assistant who wants to excel in the role:

1. Organize and prioritize.

2. Constantly show your commitment to excel.

3. Stay resourceful.

4. Be a good team player.

5. Keep an open and honest communication.

We hope you can apply these tips in your everyday life as a virtual assistant and we hope to see you excel in your role. Good luck!