The global pandemic has caused countries to lockdown and impose self-quarantine over its citizens. Because of this, most of the people are unable to go to their work. Thankfully, you don’t have to be at the office to do work. There are work you can do from home online. Hence, people now have the option to work or connect with clients and customers through an online platform.
The gig economy or freelancing industry relies heavily on online work. It is powered by a diverse group of freelancers, online platform employees, contract company employees, on-call workers, and temporary workers. This sector is dominated by freelancers and virtual assistants. What is the difference between these two ambitious powerhouses Freelancer vs Virtual Assistant?
Freelancer
A freelancer is someone who works for a fee per assignment or per task, usually for a short period of time. Because a freelancer is not an employee of a company, he or she may be free to work on multiple assignments for different people or companies at the same time, unless contractually obligated to work exclusively on one project until it is completed. When it comes to business ownership, freelancers run their own company and market their services.
Freelancers basically:
Sell their skills as independent contractors,
Sell their skills as independent contractors, sometimes limited to a specific local area and other times available anywhere in the world thanks to the internet and other technologies,
And bring specialized knowledge into a business to assist business owners, managers, and other individuals in filling skill gaps.
Responsibilities:
Creating assignments in compliance with established guidelines.
Ensure that assignments are accurate and well-presented by editing them.
As appropriate, communicating with the line manager to clarify assignment-related objectives.
Completing tasks and submitting them in the required format
Keeping copies of all completed assignments and filing them.
Maintaining an accurate record of hours worked and earnings.
Registration as a taxpayer and timely submission of your own tax returns.
Assuring that all of your work equipment is in good functioning order at all times.
Virtual Assistant
A virtual assistant is an independent contractor that works for a client and provides administrative support while working from a location other than the client's office. A virtual assistant usually works from home, but may access important planning materials such as shared calendars from anywhere.
Virtual Assistants Basically:
With the help of the internet and other technology, you may work from anywhere in the world
Assist business owners, managers, and other persons with a variety of tasks.
Responsibilities:
Organize email and phone communication.
As the first point of contact, offer customer assistance.
Organize meetings, travels, and accommodations.
Manage contact lists and organize calendars for managers.
Create and update customer spreadsheets, as well as maintain online records.
Conduct market research and provide a report on the findings.
Make your presentations prepared.
Assist staff with any administrative issues they may have.
What’s the Difference between Freelancer vs Virtual Assistant?
Virtual assistants might be anyone who provides virtually any type of assistance from a remote location. Freelancers might work from home or in their neighborhood. However, with the rise of the gig economy, more and more people are looking for work online. The two are totally opposite. Virtual assistant and freelancer, on the other hand, are both home-based employment.
Businesses that need to outsource tasks that need a specific degree of expertise, such as mid- to high-level bookkeeping or video editing, might hire freelancers. However, firms can hire virtual assistants to outsource duties that need a certain skill set, such as digital marketing with social media management and some copywriting. You may prefer one over the other, or you may require both, depending on your business demands.