General Description:  

Virtual Assistants (VA’s) work from home assisting other business people with a myriad of tasks including word-processing, answering e-mails, putting together presentations and making travel plans.  According to Stacy Brice, one of the founders of this industry and President of AssistU.com (which offers a training program for VA’s), “ The Virtual Assistance profession is growing quickly as Administrative professionals seek ways to do work they love, without having to sacrifice self-respect as the corporate world often asks them to do. As VA’s support clients in creating successes, the word is spreading that this is a terrific way for entrepreneurs to get the collaborative, long-term administrative support they need without having to hire someone."

As more people opt to work from home, opportunities within this profession should continue to grow. 

Options for Flexibility:  Virtual assistants work from their home and communicate with their clients via the phone, US mail, e-mail, or fax.  

Some VA's are on a retainer basis while others charge by the hour.  Rates vary depending upon expertise and specialty (i.e., VA's to lawyers may earn $100/hour while VA's assisting small business owners may earn around $25-$50/hr). 

Resources for Further Exploration: 

Associations:

Association of Business Support Services International 

International Association of Virtual Assistants

Books: