Personal virtual assistant services are relentlessly booming and there’s no visible reason for them to halt at any moment. Technically, a virtual assistant has no gender. However, the drastic rise of digital across the world demanded more remote personal assistant which reportedly are mostly female.

Does gender really matter when it comes to hiring a personal virtual assistant? What do one gender does that other gender can’t? It’s time we dissolve gender stereotype both in office-based and home-based work setup.

Why personal virtual assistant role is female-dominated

A virtual assistant is typically the counterpart of an office-based secretary who does all the intricate work for you. The only difference is that they are working from home or remotely from anywhere in the world. Regardless of their location, there are some reasons why most of them are female. Some of these are the following based on gender stereotypes:

The rise of the gig economy. The drastic growth of technology in the previous years is evidence of how work-from-home became the infamous working lifestyle of every industry. More employees opted to stay at home or pursue a nomadic lifestyle and still work for several clients instead of being tied to one organization. In relation to this, more women reportedly working independently than men and the reason might be because…

Some women freelancers are stay-at-home moms. When women turn 30 and start building their own family, they often give up their career to focus on raising kids and taking charge of the house. The rise of the gig economy became a great opportunity for women who aspire to continue their career whilst taking care of home. Gender roles have contributed a big deal in the dominance of women in the freelancing space.

Women seem more approachable and organized. Looking at gender stereotypes, clients who are looking to hire a personal virtual assistant consider women for their organizational skills and the impression of being approachable and un-intimidating. A female virtual personal assistant is expected to follow orders as per instructions and carry out tasks smoothly.

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Gender norms are outdated

Regardless of these arguments, many freelancers wish to achieve equal rights within the freelancing space. In this digital era, the competition should not be between male and female. Gender norms are outdated and choosing a candidate should be based on the capacity of each individual to carry out a task plus the given knowledge and work experience.

While many clients trust women personal virtual assistants because of their proven track record, there’s a hidden problem that most female freelancers seldom talk about. Reports showing male freelancers getting a higher pay can also be the reason why freelancers are female-dominated.

Most female virtual assistants charge lower compared to their male counterparts due to several personal reasons. Some women virtual assistants adjust to the budget of their clients albeit the price being realistically impossible when compared with their office counterparts.

It’s time that we diminish gender roles in the virtual workplace and work out a specific list of qualifications in hiring the ideal virtual personal assistant.

The ideal virtual personal assistant

Every client knows what they are looking for in a candidate. But looking at the many options on the internet, it can be complicated to choose the best out of the many fishes in the sea. Aside from knowledge of your industry, a virtual assistant should be able to adapt well to your demands.

Everything that you need from a personal virtual assistant should be clearly pointed out to avoid misunderstanding on both ends, especially when it comes to complex work processes and deadline-specific tasks. Establish a clear agreement on your working hours and discuss everything stated on the written contract to manage the expectations of both sides.

If you find yourself too preoccupied with the intricate details of hiring a professional, get help from a team of a managed outsourcing company to do all the nitty-gritty for you.

HOPLA helps businesses of all sizes in hiring the best personal virtual assistant that match their needs and preferences without bias. Discover how we can help you start your journey with a virtual assistant by calling us today!