<p>Are you feeling stressed? Are you running yourself ragged trying to organize your life or office? Are you constantly taking paperwork home from the office to try and stay on top of things? Do you spend too much time updating your calendar when you want to be focusing on other aspects of your business?</p> <p>If you have that nagging feeling that these scenarios sound like your life, you need to consider hiring a Virtual Assistant (VA).</p> <p>A Virtual Assistant is an administrative professional that works from a home office. A VA is someone with administrative experience, certifications, training and the ability to assist your business on many levels.</p> <p>You may now be thinking, &quot;Wow, that sounds great. How do I find a VA?&quot;</p> <p>Good question. There are several organizations you can search for qualified Virtual Assistants. These organizations have directories that you can search. They also have a Request for Proposal (RFP) system you may utilize. I am only going to list a few of these organizations. CMJ Office is affiliated with them and they are some of the best within the virtual assistant industry:</p> <p>Virtual Assistance Chamber of Commerce, VACOC<br /> International Virtual Assistants Association, IVAA<br /> Virtual Assistants Networking Association, VANA</p> <p>There are several things you should do when planning to hire a VA.&nbsp;A main priority should be to establish what extra assistance your business needs. For instance, do you need new templates, new forms, brochures, flyers, manuals, business cards, or business letters? Some companies may need assistance with their email communications, scheduling appointments, calendar maintenance, client relationships, mailing services, or database management. Other companies need assistance with writing newsletters, blogs, ezines, press releases, and other marketing tools. Virtual Assistants can also provide bookkeeping services, web design, travel and event planning. Some Virtual assistants specialize in specific fields for legal or real estate assistance. This is why a business owner should ascertain their specific desires and needs before searching for their VA. This is meant to help you find the perfect VA for your company.</p> <p>Another priority is to make sure your VA is qualified. There are many people in the industry. Most are qualified. Unfortunately, some are not. If someone states that they have several years of administrative experience, it does not mean that they are qualified to be a virtual assistant. I have worked with many people during my lifetime that did not have the knowledge they needed to perform their job well. I think it is important if a VA can provide you with a recommendation, affiliation, or even some vital credentials to show that they are knowledgeable within their field.</p> <p>Make sure the VA is licensed and insured. Can you imagine your stress levels going down if your VA wasn't licensed and insured? I can't.</p> <p>Communicate. Communicate. Communicate. It is essential. Whether you decide to communicate via phone or email, it just matters that you both can communicate effectively and comfortably with each other. When this occurs between a business and a VA, it is great for both. Make sure that you communicate your business goals, needs and desires to your VA. Once you are both on the same page, watch the progress and smile. Your stress will melt away.</p> <p>These are just a few guidelines for relieving your stress by hiring a VA. Stressing over office paperwork and such will start to dissipate once you hire a VA. Seriously, your VA is vested in your company. It is a business to business partnership. A VA wants your business to flourish. Once you find the perfect VA, you can rely upon them. What a great calming influence.</p> <p>Isn't it great to be able to push that paperwork over to someone who actually loves to do it? And, from a VA perspective, it's great to have that worked pushed my way!&nbsp;</p> 2008-02-03T20:23:06Z -26.3354 754 196 true 14 8145 overworked-running-your-small-business-hire-a-virtual-assistant 1 2008-02-20T18:05:20Z 2008-02-20T18:05:20Z

<p>Are you feeling stressed and overworked with your small business?&nbsp; Do you need assistance and don't know which way to turn?&nbsp; Read this article and find out how a virtual assistant can relieve these problems.</p>

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