How to become a virtual assistant is something all virtual assistants need to have a good handle on.

Not fully understanding what it takes hinders many newbies and pros from becoming the best virtual assistant they could be and enjoying the perks, like working for companies, entrepreneurs and other professionals from almost anywhere they want but still be able to take care of themselves and their loved ones.

So, what does it take? Loads of certificates? Expensive equipment? Lots of connections?

It all starts with having the right traits. These let you provide excellent service to your clients and build rapport with them. Such strong, productive relationships will surely get you recognized as a world-class virtual assistant.

Here are five of the most important qualities to have to be an awesome virtual assistant:

Superb Communication Skills

Many virtual assistants think English proficiency is all it takes to effectively communicate with their clients. There is actually more to it.

You also need to be good at listening, reading and figuring out how your clients like to be contacted.

Clients delegate tasks to their virtual assistants by sending them instructions or discussing these with them during a call or chat and then leaving them to it. Without effective listening and reading skills, you will not be able to understand and deliver what your clients ask you to do.

Not all clients like to be contacted the same way. Some prefer email, some prefer Skype, some prefer Slack, some prefer FB DM’s, some prefer daily updates, some prefer weekly updates. Learn your clients’ preferences right away to avoid issues.

Reliability

Your clients need to be able to count on you to finish your tasks on time and keep them updated on your progress without constantly checking in on you.

More often than not, they will be away handling technical tasks, like their core operations, or taking care of personal things, like having their kids checked up.

If they can trust you to work by yourself, you can look forward to working with them for years.

Resourcefulness

It is impossible to know everything about every task, so you will not always have a clear idea of how to go about your work. Since your clients will not always be available to answer your questions, you have to be able to solve most problems by yourself to avoid delays.

Being such a capable virtual assistant makes you an asset to virtually any client.

Being Well-Organized

Clients generally require virtual assistants to work only a few hours per day. Some who hire them full-time, or have them work eight hours per day like a regular employee, let them set their own schedule. Being well-organized lets you manage your time, effectively multitask and always meet deadlines.

Being Self-Motivated

You have to wear many hats to be a competent virtual assistant. In a typical day, you could be needed as a secretary, an accountant, a bookkeeper, a writer, an editor, a graphic designer, a website administrator or a digital marketer.

Commit to continuous personal and professional development to consistently provide your clients with the best service. To manage that, you need to be self-motivated.