Do you really need a Virtual Assistant Certification?
Posted by Craig · 2 Comments
Is there really value in having some sort of Virtual Assistant Certification? Would this VA Certification lead to better clients, better work opportunities and better money? At the end of the day, do you really need it?
While I am sure there are some varying opinions and answers to this question, since this is MY BLOG, you have the distinct privilege (or NOT:)) of hearing my 2 cents on the topic of Virtual Assistant Certification.
First of all, I do NOT think anyone NEEDS a VA Certification to build a thriving, profitable Virtual Assistance Business. While there are success stories on both sides of the fence, I do know and work with a number of great Professional Virtual Assistants that are not certified. On the flip side, there are great VAs whose participation in certain training certification programs served as an ideal launching pad for their Virtual Assistant careers.
I think the important element here is not that you have a multitude of certifications (eventhough that can be beneficial), but that you are a “PASSIONATE LEARNER” and committed to continually improving and enhancing your existing skill sets. A couple Virtual Assistants I work with don’t have specific VA Certifications, but they have attended a ton of skill-based webinars, conferences, coaching series and read many ebooks, newsletters and blogs to keep their skills sharp and knowledge as current as can be! The key factor here is to NEVER stop learning and to invest time and money into regular Professional Development!
So, do you need a Virtual Assistant Certification to be successful? No, probably not! But, the interesting thing is that MOST people (Not all) still like to get certifications or designations behind their name. While our Virtual Assistant Training Center, VAClassroom, is not an Accredited Training Program with any State Education Board, many of our members still love to get the Internet Marketing VA Certified Logo that they can showcase on their sites and share with prospective clients! It validates the new services they are offering and provides clients whom are looking for these services with more confidence that they can deliver quality work.
Intrinsically speaking… I think Certifications or designations do give us a sense of accomplishment and recognition. I have a number of Virtual Business friends that hang their certifications and degrees on the wall of their home offices. Is it to impress their clients? Well, probably not, considering none come to their office:). Those certifications represents a marker of accomplishment and validates the work they are doing.
My oldest daughter is now in the first grade. When she comes home with a certificate from school, her face is beaming and she is thrilled to show me what she had accomplished. You might be saying.. “But, Craig come on…… This is just a child, we are adults and don’t really need certificates to feel accomplished and good about ourselves!” Really – do you think that is true? Again, this is my own “un-tested” theory that most people simply like to receive certifications – I still do:)
The well known Marketing Training Firm, Marketing Sherpa offers three day skill-training workshops in such areas as Email Marketing. At the end of the training time they provide a flashy Certificate of Completion. For those working in this field, this paper represents another accomplishment that further validates the work they do for clients in this area and will likely give them an additional competitive edge.
So, while you likely don’t NEED a Virtual Assistant Certification, or a blog design certification, or a Affiliate Manager Certification, or a Web Analytics Certification or whatever type of certification that relates to your field in order to experience good success, I think intrinsically we still like to receive them and do believe that they provide a tangible representation of our own Professional and Personal Development.
I would love to get your feedback on this one. Am I out to lunch? Do you agree with this – please share!
Craig..
It’s a great question. I admit, though, that I am not entirely sure whether you are lumping certifications together with training–and so my thoughts may go further afield than they need to.
First, of course, all training doesn’t come with certification at the end of it. The VTP at AssistU, for instance, trains people to be very successful VAs, but doesn’t give them any certification. They are graduates when they finish, but not “certified” in any manner.
And no, I don’t think anyone needs industry specific training, although I absolutely know that for most people, that sort of training will increase their chances of success and shorten their learning and growth curves.
I also don’t think that certification–of the sort someone earns after being in business–is necessary to a VA’s success. But what I can tell you, though, is that certification does matter to many clients.
I say that from experience of referring VAs for 10+ years and seeing that the VAs who have earned the certifications we have at AssistU (CPVA-Certified Professional Virtual Assistant, and CPVA-Certified Master Virtual Assistant) are far more in demand by the vast numbers of potential clients who come to us for referral through our Registry system.
Now that may be that our certified VAs have had to prove their abilities in order to be certified (rather than getting certified after a knowledge-based exam), and that carries weight. But in general, I like to think that clients view certifications as signs (tangible and real) that a VA is continuing to grow and develop professionally, and that’s what makes certification worth pursuing from a strictly business standpoint.
The “look what I accomplished” thing is nice, of course, too, for those who are externally motivated!
I look forward to reading other contributions to this conversation!
Stacy
Great comments Stacy!
I think the value of certifications will certainly vary from client to client. In my experiences, I receive a fair amount of referrals by Internet Business Owners seeking a Virtual Assistant with a particular skill set to perform a particular task. Since our training center is heavily marketing-focussed, we will get inquiries from collegues seeking a VA with Affiliate Research experience or skilled in setting-up and managing Social Network profiles. For these particular clients, their primary motivation is to find someone that has the skills and knowledge to fill their existing need. Now, any additional certifications the VA possesses that relates to the client’s particular need will certainly add value and potentially increase opportunities.
I agree with you, there are also clients that like to see some tangible education and credentials before they will consider hiring a VA – really varies!
Good feedback – I look forward to hearing from others!