Today we used passwords everywhere, to access our email accounts, files, mobile applications, etc. and it is not easy to retain so many passwords. It is important we all know how to stay safe online and avoid online identity theft. Simple passwords are not good enough to keep your online accounts. In order to help you create quality password here are some important tips.

Length of Password – Make your passwords long with eight or more with mixed types of characters.

Complexity of the Password – Always ensure to combine letters, punctuation, symbols and numbers in your password combination. The more complex your password the more difficult it will be for any password hacking program to attack.

Variation of the Password – Change them often. This is a safe password practice every internet user should follow.

Variety of Password – Don’t use the same password for everything. If someone steals a password to one of your accounts, then they use that same password and user name on your other accounts.

Do not share your Password – Never disclose your passwords to anyone else. If you think that someone else knows your password, change it immediately.

Always Log Out – Whenever you use a computer that is not your own, remember to log out and immediately change password once you get on your own computer.

And lastly, memorize all your passwords. By having unique passwords you can also make sure that even if someone finds out one of your passwords, the others are still safe. If you can’t remember all of your passwords, you can store your passwords in an encrypted cloud storage space. The only password you will ever have to remember is the one to your encrypted application. However if you do not think you will remember your password, you can write it down. If you must, though, do not label it as your password and keep the note somewhere safe rather than stuck right to your computer screen. Always create a strong password to protect yourself from cyber criminals.

The devastation caused by the Super Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) in the Philippines will take years to repair. More than a week after Typhoon Haiyan left, we still don’t know how many people died. Food, water, clothing, medicine, and toiletries are much needed as they start to rebuild their life again.

While we will be celebrating Thanksgiving and Christmas together with our loved ones, most of them will be staying in the evacuation centers alone, mourning, and still figuring out how to start their life all over. Hundreds of children without parents, parents without their children, no homes, no school…limited help.

We, The Help, are reaching out to everyone who are able to give support for these victims in need. As we organize our outreach program to the victims, our mission is to get them their basic needs.

This coming holiday season, instead of having a company Christmas party, we are going to an evacuation center to volunteer and provide our services. We plan to also provide the children a day of learning as all of them are missing school right now.

Let us help the victims of typhoon Haiyan. Please click this link or the widget on the right for your donation- big or small, it will surely make a difference.

For more information about our organization and our outreach program, please call 360. 440. 5795.

How effective is it really – hiring a virtual assistant? Will it cost more? Can increase in productivity be expected? These are just the common questions that we usually encounter in employing an additional helping hand.

Never underestimate the power of teamwork. Instead of worrying on how to accomplish all your tasks on your own, why not hire helping hand. This is the main reason why most clients prefer Virtual Assistants.  The distraction of multiple tasks is eliminated and can actually increase productivity with the VA on board. We have to admit, two heads is better than one.  With this said, clients will have more time to focus on what is the most important such as growing the business.

Acquiring virtual assistance will actually lessen the stress and pressure that can eventually lead to multiple errors or complaints if deadlines are not met. But we also have to consider several factors before obtaining virtual assistance. Is the person capable of handling multiple tasks at the same time? Do they possess a positive attitude towards work? Will that person help motivate the other staff members and know how to accept criticism? Are they professional enough to meet company expectation?

If all of these questions are answered while interviewing a virtual assistant, then there might be a modicum of guarantee that you will be able to employ someone who can provide quality customer service a client pays for. An assurance that production could increase and possibly a more harmonious working environment could come about.

Productivity of the company actually depends on how people are able to communicate and understand the roles of each individual in the team. Coordination is a big factor in nurturing an increase of productivity within your group of virtual assistants. It is essential that the person leading the group is focused and very reliable for his/her team members.

Issues must be resolved as this is the main reason why a VA is hired in the first place, to monitor big or small problems that may occur. You have to make sure that a possible solution is provided to and approved by the client before taking any action.

To sum it up, a Virtual Assistant’s excellent skills, positive attitude along with coordination and good communication with the client can lead to an increase in production and a chance of boosting the stability of the company. Teamwork and perseverance should also be practiced at all times. We always have to keep in mind that No Man Is an Island, that means the need for virtual assistance will always be there as long as you possess the right qualities and can deliver output that will help increase production.

Written by Ria C- The Help

There are really unavoidable instances wherein one fails to become a successful Virtual Assistant. There may be personal reasons, but most of these are apparently still work-related. It is important not to waste resources on training but most of all, waste of valuable time should be prevented. Let me give you some reasons why a Virtual assistant fails.

1)      Tasks are beyond their expertise.

I admit that during the first days of working as a virtual assistant may be uncomfortable and irritating sometimes. Tasks will be very hard for a beginning VA. Although it may be beneficial for the staff to learn new things, priority would always be to enhance the skills that they already have. Initiative and interest for training must come from the person. It can be discouraging when staff is given simple tasks over a long period of time because this will not encourage growth and learning.

2)      Little to No Recognition.

A congratulatory message will go a long way. An employee always aspires to be noticed for their hard work and effort.  They need to know that they are contributing to the business in general. Giving recognition or complimenting a job well done will give them the feeling of importance. In some offices, an employer prepares a monthly report to check and see who’s on the best performer and gives a simple but meaningful award.

3)      Failure to establish a professional relationship

In both virtual and actual office based scenario, this is perhaps the strongest reason why a Virtual Assistant would fail or succeed in their profession. It is never good practice to have a negative employer/employee relationship.  It’s highly recommended to build that spirit of trust with each other. On the employers end, it’s a good feeling to know that your VA is working really hard to do the work correctly and timely. While on the employees’ side, they can be proud that they are needed and valued by their Bosses.

Nowadays, there is a market demand for virtual assistants. An employer chooses to hire one with the expectation that the individual will do her/his best. It is always good to do what is right and what is needed. For example, when feeling uneasy relative to a task, try to talk to someone whose career is similar. Investigate and learn from them on how they handled their responsibilities. Use the information at work. There’s saying ‘Practice makes it Perfect’; read positive articles, avoid negative ones to prevent being pulled down. Reach out to your supervisor/employer. Talking to them and asking for a performance evaluation to find out strengths and weaknesses will provide a goal to improve and excel. Plus brownie points are earned because the employer will get the impression that the staff values her/his work and aims to be a better VA.

Written by Alex L- The Help

Virtual Assistants (VAs) are highly skilled professionals who take the time to excel in their given area of expertise. They provide extensive marketing solutions, creative and innovative advertising campaigns, administrative support, proofing and editing capabilities, transcription, internet research, article and press release writing and distribution, and just about anything that a personal assistant or secretary would do, only better.

Being a virtual assistant is not an easy job.  It is similar to a personal assistant who is situated outside or in an office. The big difference, of course is from the title itself -work is done online or through the Internet.

Thoughtfully choosing virtual assistance as a career will help one in becoming a better VA even though the employer and VA are miles apart. The first thing that one must do is to prepare oneself for the job. A proper background is education. There’s no standard educational attainment on becoming a VA. Basic plus advance education will help anyone in this field.  One must comprehend and communicate well. S/he must understand instructions and follow those properly. And in cases that s/he needs clarification, s/he must not hesitate to ask questions. Second is the right training. Though there’s no particular task a VA must do, one must have the initiative to train oneself. Nowadays, online training is found easily with the use of Google, Bing, Yahoo, You Tube, etc.  Training oneself is a tool that one can use. This is the solution to any task or challenge.

Lastly, to become a better VA, one must have the proper equipment. This includes:  a good running high specs computer, a quality headset with microphone, a separate working office and a stable Internet connection.  Also, include an on-call ‘techy’ person or a technician. The computer is the mainstay of a VA’s job. One must invest in a quality brand that is proven reliable. High specifications with complete installed programs will make the job VA smooth.

One of the tasks of a VA is appointment setting, so it is a must for one to have a working headset and microphone. Most VA’s purchase equipment with a brand name. It is trusted because of quality results. As practicing VAs, we must also consider having a small but comfortable work area inside our home. Most VAs simply re-arrange a small room in the family home into an office. Tables and chairs are put in for use during working hours. Soundproofing the room is preferred by many VAs. One must also choose an internet service provider. DSL/wired connection is highly recommended for this job.

Virtual Assistants are the most professional and qualified partners that an employer can have. We work with companies to increase their business, to better their business image, and to increase their profitability.  Entrepreneurs and businesses can be more efficient by outsourcing administrative work and other specialized services to bring their business to a new level or market their goods for greater results. So VAs have to give 101% focus to employers. Seeing them successful is a great feeling knowing that one is part of their success.

Written by Alex L- The Help