Virtual Assistants | Importance of Skills Emphasis

During a client interview, it is important to show that client what makes you different from other VA candidates. This is a competative world and clients now search for the most qualified VA by weighing their skills and determining how the VA will benefit them. Skill emphasis during the interview is a must for landing a new client or business project. The majority of clients will search for VAs who stand out based on their experience, their expertise, and their ability to enhance the clients project. Budgets can be expanded and profits can be higher when skills are emphasized properly. There are three main kinds of skill emphasis needed: 1. Knowledge Based Skills 2. Transferable Skills 3. Personal Traits Knowledge-Based Skills Experience and education are examples of knowledge based skills. They will include your educational attainment, your additional VA training, any seminars you have attended, VA workshops, and any other practices that you have used to enhance your VA knowledge. Your knowledge based skills can include but are not limited to: Computer skills Communication skills Marketing skills Managerial skills Accounting skills Organizational skills Other knowledge based skills Transferable Skills These are the skills that you bring to the client that are beneficial to them in more than one way. What are you offering the client that they don't already have or that they can't find with another VA? These skills will also be emphasized by the particular project or job. Transferable skills are very important and should be highlighted during your interview with the potential client. Some examples of transferable skills would include: Problem solving Team leader potential Writing skills Client service oriented skills Time management skills Budgeting skills Etc. Personal Traits This emphasis is to help the client determine who you are. Tell them something of yourself. This doesn't have to be a bragging session. You will need to sell yourself in a modest way. Your communication to the client about who you are will set the tone for the rest of the client interview. Some ideas to emphasize this skill would be: Good judgement Well organized Analytical Goal oriented Flexible Creative Etc. Practice the following before conducting an interview with a possible new client: 1. Self Assessment- Don't emphasize traits or abilities that you don't possess. Be honest about your past performance and focus on the abilities that you do possess. Write them down for the interview. 2. The Interview- Get in front of the mirror. Have a list of questions that a new client might ask and practice answering those questions in a professional manner. Take notes beforehand to help you in communicating exactly what you want the client to realize about you and your determination to have them as a client. 3. Technical Skills- Practice highlighting your technical skills AND your problem solving skills. The client is there because they have a "problem" or project that they cannot manage on their own. This is where you become extremely valuable to them and their project. You should be able to land many new clients by just following the simple above advice!