By Tina Hilton of Clerical Advantage
First, I’ve gotten brave and attempted a second podcast with this post. You’ll find the link below. Now on with the show…
Listen to the Podcast of this Post
Directly on the heels of my post concerning Virtual Assistant Rates, I’m going to get really brave and tackle something that the same Linked In Question & Answer Discussion brought to my attention. It is all about ‘new’ virtual assistants. It has been voiced that new VA’s should not ask for the going rate when they start out. Again, surprisingly, I disagree.
I can hear your arguments now. No one starts out in a position getting paid the average rate for the industry. They always start at a lower rate and work up. And you would be right, if we were talking about the traditional job marketplace. But we’re not.
We are talking about the virtual assistant industry. Anyone even contemplating becoming a virtual assistant should have at least 5 years of professional office experience as an executive assistant, office manager/supervisor, secretary, legal assistant, paralegal, legal secretary, real estate assistant or some similar professional position. As I’ve stated here before, customer service, receptionist and mail clerk positions are not qualifying experience to become a VA.
With that said, a new virtual assistant is a seasoned professional. They may be new to offering services under their own banner, but they should be veterans in the business arena. Just because they are now offering their services directly instead of through a traditional employment situation certainly doesn’t diminish their experience and expertise. So why should they have to charge less than any other virtual assistant?
I brought over 7 years of experience with me to my new business in 2007. That experience included mortgage loan processing, accounts administrator, sales assistant, title processor and real estate paralegal. Added to that was my computer knowledge, much of it self-taught due to my ‘girly geekdom’,in designing and maintaining personal websites, blogs, etc. I was an accomplished professional who would have commanded a highly competitive salary in the workforce. So why did people expect me to charge less than the going rate for my services simply because I was doing the work for myself?
The true issue is that many people without the experience or expertise are jumping aboard the virtual assistance bandwagon. Individuals without the proper experience and training are putting the term ‘virtual assistant’ behind their name and slapping it on a website. Certainly, these individuals should not be commanding the same rates as a true virtual assistant *.
Eventually business professionals are going to catch on to the fact that the more qualified virtual assistants are going to be charging more professional rates. Just the same way potential employees with more training and experience are going to demand higher salaries. You get what you pay for.
So to the new virtual assistants out there, if you’re an accomplished professional hanging your shingle, you shouldn’t hesitate to charge what you’re worth. And don’t let anyone devalue your worth simply because you’re just launching your own business.
*(as originally defined)
If you have questions concerning virtual assistance or have an interest in working with a virtual assistant you can contact Tina Hilton or visit her business website for Clerical Advantage.
I think the obvious answer is no virtual assistance that are new should not charge less. Most, I assume work on unit costs anyway. The question is the quality of work. It probably takes them longer to produce that quality than it does a more experienced virtual assistant. That is the loss they suffer. Besides, if they charge less it actually undercuts the more experienced virtual assistant. Fess should not be the marketing point of all of this.
Chuck Newton’s last blog post..Video Newsletter With Jay Fleischman
“You get what you pay for.” Pretty much sums it up.
Damn good post.
Perfectly put Tina! Those of us who choose to start a virtual assistant business and have the administrative expertise to back-up our claims about professional services have got to learn to respect ourselves. If we are running a business and actually trying to make a fair profit (instead of being content with scraping by) we need to charge accordingly. And despite all the misleading info that makes people think anyone with a computer can be a virtual assistant, a business person will get value for their money by hiring a professional VA, one who is worth every penny they charge.
Laurie/Halo Secretarial’s last blog post..Do Your Needs Come Last?
I totally disagree on that. new Virtual Assistant must not have less charge,unless if the client is not satisfied on the work and expectations then that’s the time you will charge it less. Still the work of the VA really counts.
most of the profession charge their rate base on the experience they have i think a new virtual assistant much either way minimum price i think. but what matter is the quality service of an VA.
I agree with you Axel. Some of the VAs i know is very dedicated to their work despite that they are new in the Outsourcing scene. Satisfaction of the client matters most, all the time.
Great post, Tina! And yes, Jamie - you do get what you pay for. A good site for VA’s or people looking to hire VA’s is VANetworking.com - there is a ton of information available on rates and what’s fair in what part of the country or Canada.