Becoming a virtual assistant can be the right step for many people to begin a successful career. The field is exciting and allows businesses across the globe to grow by providing careers to professionals ready to succeed. Initially, nearly every remote worker begins at a virtual entry-level position to learn the basics and get the skills they need to flourish. This early level can take 2 to 3 years to really get comfortable with the requirements of the position.
To go from an entry-level employee to a leadership role can take 5 to 7 years, depending on the field. In some cases, it can take more. Frequent training or schooling will need to be completed to change positions vertically. Continued training may become necessary as well to go from virtual entry-level to leader positions.
What Is a Virtual Career?
Remote jobs are an excellent option for someone to develop a career. By providing excellence in performance, acquiring more skills, and staying on top of and ahead of changes in technology, those working in remote positions are able to build their career and become more successful. Remote work began well before the COVID Pandemic, increasing greatly between the years 1997 and 2010. During this time, the number of home-based American employees increased by 4.2 million. Since then, it has seen a much larger increase, becoming the number one factor for many that are seeking jobs.
Around ⅓ of American employees can work on a hybrid basis and 13% work completely remotely. This has allowed some workers to become “digital nomads.” Virtual Latinos professionals hail from places like Mexico, and Bolivia and are successfully performing their remote jobs for companies all over the world. While they may all start in entry-level positions, those that become well-rounded, take on additional training, and are flexible have the best potential for job advancement.
Identify the Leadership Position and Path to Reach That Milestone
If you’re looking to move up in your remote career and find a virtual entry-level to leadership position, there are a few steps you can take to make sure that it’s possible. First and foremost, it’s essential to identify the leadership position that you’re aiming for. This can be challenging because it may take time to learn what work you enjoy or where you excel in remote positions. However, that’s what the entry-level positions are for. You get the opportunity to learn about the job and the different industries available so you can discover where you best fit in. When you know where you want to go, the next steps are easier.
After figuring out where you want to be, then you need to identify the path to get there. Perhaps there are three or more vertical jumps you must make to get to your dream final destination. If that’s the case, you know each of the positions you must reach to get to the next step. Each of these positions will come with their own job requirements and training. By achieving that training and experience promptly, you can better set yourself up for a successful career.
One example of the different positions would be working in sales. If you’re starting out at an entry-level position in sales, you will start out as a basic sales associate, handling all of the simplest tasks while you learn about the position. Then, you could move up to a business development representative when the business begins to expand, and they need to expand their opportunities to accommodate their growth. This may require additional training and new technology proficiencies, getting you more experience.
Then, you could move up to a territory manager, guiding an entire regional sales team. This would require a larger amount of knowledge and ability than the previous positions, and you’d need additional training. Finally, you could reach your ultimate goal as Chief Commercial Officer, managing the entire commercial side of business operations for a company. You would almost certainly need schooling and certifications to be able to stay successful in this career.
In this example, there are clear goals and objectives for the positions and a knowledge of how to reach them. Any remote worker looking to advance their career should do the same.
Continuously Educate Yourself
One of the best things you can do for your career is to seek additional and continuous education. This doesn’t necessarily mean achieving formal education, but it could include it. Staying up-to-date with business trends in the industry you’re a part of and being sure to stay ahead of business news, changes, challenges, and more gives you a leg up on the competition.
More formal education or training can bring a great deal to a new position and make you look more attractive to a business. It can show that you have initiative and that you’ll bring new skills to the environment. This would be seen as incredibly valuable to a team because you’ll be able to provide more value in your position.
Gain Certifications and Expand Your Skills
Similar to continuous education, certifications and skills are a major benefit that will make you more essential and more qualified for a position. While some positions may not require extensive certifications or skills, by obtaining them, you can bring in more opportunities and look more marketable.
Businesses like people with experience and knowledge. Obtaining this knowledge makes you a greater asset to any team. This will qualify you for better opportunities and the positions you’re looking to reach.
Many companies no longer require a rigid bachelor’s degree but instead are looking for certain skills. These skills can be obtained through online courses, like Udemy, Coursera, or even Google. These programs will give you the specific knowledge and skills you need for a job that a more general bachelor’s degree may not provide.
Acquire Soft Skills
Having the specific skills you need for a position is incredibly important, but having soft skills is beneficial too. Soft skills are essentially people skills that allow you to communicate more effectively and better relate to people. They can also include things like time management and problem-solving. These skills are valuable in any workplace because they can help you be a more effective worker, and not all people are good at soft skills. By having soft skills, you have better opportunities to obtain management positions because soft skills are often necessary to perform the job.
Present Goals and Milestones
No matter the position a working professional has obtained, there are milestones and goals that are requirements for the position. Companies typically look at how workers progress in their positions to make sure that they’re a good fit for the company. They may give feedback on areas that need improvement or offer praise when goals are met. By keeping track of those milestones and achievements, you can track your own progress and see when the time is right to seek a promotion. If you have all the skills, knowledge, and experience necessary to fill an open position, it’s important to know that so you can continue to achieve your own personal goals.
Virtual Latinos Academy
Here at Virtual Latinos, we’re always looking for ways for our virtual assistants to achieve more. We recently launched the Virtual Latinos Academy, and our flagship course, “How To Be The Best Virtual Assistant,” can help give aspiring virtual assistants the skills they need to achieve their goals. We work hard to support our community, from Belize to Venezuela, and give them the opportunities to go from entry-level to a virtual leadership position. Learn more about our flagship program today, and start your successful virtual career.
