Course benefits

• Earn a good living by working for startups, top executives, law firm partners and other successful professionals
• You need not be a software engineer, data scientist, or lawyer to perform international remote work; a skilled virtual assistant is always in very high demand
• All the skills to be a virtual assistant can be learned in just six months, provided your English communication skills are up to the mark. Knowing a foreign language can be a bonus
• At the end of the course, you will be awarded a recognised certificate after clearing the required tests
• Escape office cubicles, exhausting daily commutes, and cramped living spaces. Travel the world while you work, or live wherever you wish
• Get full-time or part-time remote jobs or freelance assignments, whichever you prefer
• Learn the most in-demand skills that make you an invaluable resource for fast-growing startups, influencers, busy entrepreneurs and executives, so that they are delighted to pay you USD 10-20 per hour as you make their lives easier and help them grow faster
• Work flexible hours and earn more than USD 2,000 per month, which means more time for your family and loved ones
• Master all the skills to be an effective virtual assistant in just six months studying part time

Prior requirements

• English communication skills
• Basic computer and internet skills

Who should take this course?

• College students seeking financial independence
• Graduates struggling to find a well paid job 
• Anyone with good English communication skills earning less than INR 50,000 per month
• Residents of small towns or villages with few job opportunities locally
• Young parents who want to work part-time from home without having to commute
• Any professional who wants to escape the cubicle lifestyle and work as a digital nomad

The Market at a glance

• According to a Technavio report the virtual assistant market’s growth momentum will accelerate at a CAGR of 11.79 percent and market share is expected to increase by USD 4.12 billion from 2020 to 2025
• India and the Philippines are the top hiring destinations for virtual assistants when cost effectiveness is the most important parameter
• After the pandemic, freelancing has become the preferred way of working for huge numbers of people. In the U.S. freelancers are expected to number over 86.5 million by 2027. What makes this mode of work so popular is its flexibility and the option to work from anywhere in the world
• Virtual assistants don’t feel burned out or stressed, and 93.1 percent of the virtual assistants interviewed consider working in the industry permanently
• Finding a job that promotes work-life balance is very important for employees when looking for a new job. Most of them find that balance while working from home. Over 50 percent of employees in the U.S. work from home at least 2.5 days per week
• Cold calling and email communication are the most in-demand services at the moment, but virtual assistant statistics show that in the past year, social media marketing services have become highly in demand among business owners
• The U.S., China, UK, Japan and Germany are the key markets for virtual assistants

What you will learn

• Role and expectations of a virtual assistant

- Why is there a huge demand for virtual assistants?
- What is the scope for talent arbitrage if you are a virtual assistant?
- How does a virtual assistant add value?
- What are the tasks that can be performed by a virtual assistant?
- What is the career growth trajectory of a virtual assistant?

• Organisational design of a funded startup/ mid-sized organisation

- Common organisational structures and various functions in an organization (startups, law firms, nonprofits and MNCs)
- Common policies and procedures followed in various organisations relevant to employment and performance conditions
- General hierarchy of communication
- Professional appearance, behaviour and communication on the phone and in virtual meetings

• Document design, structure and review

- Common types of documents that you will come across while working as a virtual assistant and their formats: emails, proposals, reports, job descriptions, letters, invoices, notices, etc.
- How to use templates and precedents
- Transcription of documents from video/audio recordings
- Formatting, pagination, footnotes, acknowledgements for external references
- Proofreading of documents for grammar, accuracy
- Use of software for spelling and grammar check
- How to check consistency of layout and style
- How to use suggestions mode/track changes
- How to redact documents
- How to prepare and use checklists for document review
- How to prepare a document summary
- How to create and use flowcharts/tables in Google Slides/PPT

• Key software to be an effective virtual assistant

- Calendar
- Google Calendar
- Google Keep and Google Tasks
- Canva
- Google Docs/Word
- Google Slides/Powerpoint
- Excel/Sheets
- Google forms
- Grammarly
- Wix

• Maintenance of records and documentation

- How to organize documents in appropriate folders
- Data security and confidentiality protocols in managing client data or other confidential data
- How to implement access controls and other types of restrictions on to documents
- Basic checks to ensure that a document has necessary authorisation - resolution/signatures/corporate seals
- Secrets to effective note-taking
- Best practices for keeping backups

• Formal and informal communication

- Difference between Formal and Informal communication - what kind of language is acceptable in which context and scenario
- Use of slangs and short forms - where is it not appropriate to use
- Use of emojis, GIFs, forwards etc.
- How to be effective in one to one and one to many communications
- Gender sensitivity in communication
- Answering questions
- How to present an argument, or a different point of view
- Persuasive communication
- Presenting data and information for better and easy comprehension

• Email communication

- E-mail addresses, replying, copying and blind copying etiquette
- Use of delivery receipt tools
- Best practices for follow up emails
- Managing attachments, sorting inbox into folders and tracking responses
- Email signatures
- Configuration of auto responders

• Communicating on telephone, audio conference calls and WhatsApp

- How to initiate and end a telephone conversation with various stakeholders
- General courtesy on phone and conference calls
- How to respond when you don’t have the answers or the authority to agree to something
- WhatsApp dos and don’ts for individual communication and group communication
- How to manage WhatsApp groups as an admin
- How to take a screen recording on Whatsapp
- Use of disappearing images
- Whatsapp Account features in Whatsapp Business

• Calendar management

- Monitoring calendars and fixing meetings
- How to use Calendly to schedule meetings
- Advanced calendar settings in GSuite
- How to check availability of your colleagues
- Configuration of reminders

• Meeting management

- How to set up meetings through Zoom, MS Teams or Google Meet
- Reminders/follow-ups to confirm attendance
- Background, lighting, mic and camera management during video conference meetings
- Hosting video conferencing meetings, managing meeting controls given to other attendees, muting and unmuting participants
- Screen sharing and using whiteboard
- How to take minutes of meetings, identify actionable and follow up on progress

• How to assist on operations and administrative work

- How to prepare a checklist
- How to prepare a process document/manual
- How to track the functioning of a process on Excel/Google Sheets
- How to manage the expectations of your client
- How to send invoices, reminders and follow-ups for payments
- Managing MIS for revenues, expenses or other operational tasks
- How to interpret analytics and reports
- How to use dashboards and filters

• Project management

- How to onboard an organization on a project management tool such as Basecamp, Trello or Asana
- How to configure projects and teams
- How to assign tasks and deadlines
- How to create a knowledge-base on software adopted by the company
- How to view tasks assigned to you
- How to view progress made on a project, or by a colleague

• Conducting basic research

- How to find local vendors, service providers, restaurants and hotels
- How to bookmark important articles for future reading
- How to find recommendations for stay, travel, eating out
- How to perform background research for a prospective hire, or a potential client
- How to research entity information

• Knowledge management in an organisation

- Organizing and managing templates and standard form precedents for future use;
- Making best practice checklists;
- Designing workbooks, playbooks, training manuals;
- Creating slides and pitch decks;
- Organizing webinars and sending regular industry relevant updates
- Connecting with potential clients on social media on behalf of your senior
- How to maintain and manage an email list

• Marketing

- How to identify your target audiences and its pain points
- What are the different stages of a marketing funnel for your target audience
- Content strategy for different stages of your audience
- Deployment of marketing automation and email delivery tools
- How to track effectiveness - email open rates and click rates
- Whatsapp Messaging for target audience
- How to use dashboards and filters for fetching the filtered data for analysis
- How to interpret analytics and reports

• Social media marketing and management

- About Social Media Platforms and their Algorithms: LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube
- How to develop a good social media page for your product, company page, and your personal page
- Identification of appropriate target audience
- Preparation of a content strategy for your target audience
- How to use social media to get traffic/leads
- Ad spends, cost per click, click-through rates
- Measuring the results from your social media strategy

• Website and blog management

- How to create a website on Wix
- SEO and keyword basics
- How to configure a weekly newsletter
- How to create a blog
- How to use social media to expand your client's following and build a tribe
- Managing blogs to get maximum traffic
- Guest blogging and developing PR

• Navigating and using freelancing platforms

- Creation of Fiverr account- Video
- Optimization of Fiverr account- Video
- How to register on People Per Hour and UpWork- Video
- Optimization of People Per Hour account- Video
- Optimization of Upwork Account- Video
- How to use Linked In and Facebook for freelancing opportunities- Video
- How to build your web page for freelancing- Video
- How to create proposals and pitch for work on freelancing platforms - Video
- How to approach US law firms/companies for remote freelancing work - Video

• Upkeep of office premises and smooth operation of office facilities

- Ensure office cleanliness by cooperating with the housekeeping crew.
- Describe the various facilities provided to visitors and staff in an office.
- Explain the notion of up-time and the maintenance requirements for different types of facilities.
- Determine workplace procedures for maintaining the designated area.
- Determine the precise needs for housekeeping operations in various regions of the office while keeping up with the organizational policy
- Explain the various personnel's roles in preserving cleanliness and hygiene
- Provide Housekeeping employees with work instructions, feedback as well as the organization's acceptable behavior guidelines.
- Maintain Leave records of the housekeeping staff.
- Ensuring regular checks in the entire office premises as per organizational procedures and ensure proper maintenance.
- Explain the common office facilities and their consumables that require replenishment.
- Explain the methods and guidelines for housekeeping operations in terms of health and safety.
- Regular Monitoring of Housekeeping staff

• Managing vendors for office supplies and services

- Explain legislative and organizational procurement guidelines.
- Review and renegotiate vendor agreements.
- Obtain requisition for goods or services from authorized persons
- Learn about types of suppliers in the marketplace and how to acquire their lists.
- Explain indicators that assist in evaluation of suppliers and their supplies.
- State requirement to vendor and request for quotation.
- Negotiate rates to get the optimum price for the goods or services you provide and prepare a cost comparison
- Describe procurement approval procedures and their purpose.
- Obtain all documentation from the vendor as per organizational norms.
- Register the vendor in coordination with the finance team as per organizational norms.
- Chase up late or incorrect orders with suppliers.
- Determine and document non-compliance and implement corrective action within the terms of contractual arrangements.
- Manage relationships with suppliers to support effective delivery according to workplace procedures.
- How to obtain an invoice from the vendor and check whether accurate and in compliance with the contract
- Forward for processing for payment & Coordinate between vendor and finance department for timely release of payment to the vendor.
- Seek feedback and complaints from vendors.
- Explain probity and ethical issues in procurement and related processing.

• Maintaining office stationery and supplies

- Receive and store stationery and supplies as per organizational guidelines
- Explain the concepts such as re-order levels, first in and first out, and its importance.
- Organize the stored supplies to ensure that they are easily retrievable
- Ensure accurate records of stock received, stock issued, and stored
- Maintain the requirements of storage and security.
- Explain how to carry out a stock check of stationery.
- Organizational standards should be followed when issuing stationery and materials and shall be recorded after receiving.
- How to calculate quantities of stationery and supplies to be ordered.
- State the factors to consider when ordering stationery
- How to deal with unwanted or damaged stationery and supplies as per organizational guidelines.
- Explain how to dispose of or recycle waste.
- Types of problems that may occur with deliveries and stock items and how to deal with them
- Explain the benefits and limitations of different potential suppliers, against organizational requirements.

• Organise local transport and out-station ticketing for staff in coordination with travel vendor

- Confirm purpose and requirements of local or outstation travel including planned itinerary, budget, meeting requirements, and traveler preferences.
- Prepare travel plan and schedule in the format agreed on with the approved travel agent or vendor and share the information.
- Receive travel mode options along with detailed schedule and costing for each from the travel agent or vendor.
- Share the travel mode options, schedule, and costing with authorised personnel for approval.
- Make bookings in accordance with organisational policies and procedures for business travel.
- Identify and arrange for travel documents in accordance with itinerary and individual requirements.
- Confirm and check travel arrangements and dispatch confirmation documents to the traveller within designated timelines.
- Negotiate and confirm alternative arrangements in response to changed requirements.
- Record travel details and itinerary in accordance with organisational requirements.
- Tally invoiced items for payment received from travel agent or vendor with actual travel request records and approve for payment.

• Organise meeting rooms and venues for office meetings and events

- Determine meeting-related specifications required from authorized staff by keeping organization protocol
- Provide instructions to the vendor for facilities required for the meeting such as ICT equipment, pantry services, seating arrangement, stationary, etc.
- Inspecting meeting venue before the meeting to ensure the requirements as specified are available and safe
- Coordination between meeting staff and service providers
- Seeking feedback from the relevant personnel co-ordinating the meeting
- Common telecommunications systems and how to use them
- Learn ways to adapt the speech to meet the needs of customers effectively and why it is important to do so.
explain telephone etiquette and its different components.
- Learn effective and 2 way communication.
- State common errors and their causes while taking messages over the phone.
- Ensure follow-up calls are made as per the commitment to callers.
- Explain how to identify, handle and escalate abusive callers, suspicious callers,
- threatening callers, distressed callers as well as VIP callers effectively.

• Use computers to store, retrieve and communicate information

- Learn about the main components of computer and how to set up a computer
- Learn about various computer operating systems and applications/software.
- Explain the various data storages accessible through computers.
- Learn about various email applications used in organizations.
- Learn professional email etiquette and its various elements.
- Learn about ergonomics and its importance.
- List the common information storage systems used for storage and retrieval of data.
- Follow the organizational access control and data security policies to access data and information.
- Follow organisational policy for naming stored files, maintaining backups and version control.
- Share information as per organizational data security and confidentiality policy.
- Learn about various electrical safety precautions one should follow while using computers and related equipment which use electricity to run.
- Follow cyber security guidelines while storing, retrieving or communicating information online (through the internet).

• Communicating with colleagues (seniors, peers, and subordinates)

- Maintain records for work output, exceptions and any anticipated reasons for delays
- Seek and receive feedback on performance output and quality.
- State the common reasons for interpersonal conflict and ways of managing it.
- Explain the importance of teamwork in organizational and individual success.
- Learn the various components of effective communication and its importance at workplace and the barriers to effective communication
- Explain the value and importance of active listening and assertive communication.
- Demonstrate responsible and disciplined behaviours at the workplace
- Interact with colleagues from different functions clearly and effectively on all aspects to carry out the work among the team and understand the nature of their work.
- Impact of poor communication at the workplace.
- Explain the importance of ethics & discipline for professional success as well as the factors that influence it.

• Communicating with clients and visitors

- Meet and greet visitors promptly, treating them politely and making them feel welcome.
- Ask questions politely to the visitors in order to identify them and their needs.
- Provide visitors with clear and accurate information based on their needs, while adhering to the organization's regulations.
- Listen actively in two-way communication.
- Addressing to the complaints and dissatisfaction of the customers effectively.
- Maintain good body language and etiquette when dealing with customers.
- Ensure to avoid negative questions and statements to the customers.
- Alerting customers on any issues or problems beforehand and on the developments involving them.
- A quick and effective response to the customers.
- Seek feedback from the visitors on their experience.

Money back guarantee

If you take this course, follow it diligently for a month, do all the exercises but still do not find value in it, or not able to understand or follow it or not find it good for any reason, we will refund the entire course fee to you. It is a 100% money-back guarantee with only one condition, you must pursue it properly for a month. If you don’t find it valuable after that, get your entire money back.

View Refund Policy

Tools you will get

Online 24/7 access

Access to basic study material through an online learning management system, Android and iOS app

Hard Copy Study Material

Hard copy study material modules to be couriered to your address

Practical Exercises

Two practical exercises (in one assignment) every week, followed by written feedback on your submissions

Live Online Classes

Based on the exercises, there will be a live video-based online class, where you can ask questions, share your screen, and get personal feedback

Convenient Class timings

Classes are held after regular work hours, typically on Sunday afternoons or from 8.00-9.00 pm on other days

Live Doubt Clearing

You can ask questions, get your doubt cleared live as well as through online forums

Placement

Placement assistance for securing job and internship opportunities and assistance for securing freelancing opportunities