The Difference Between A Freelancer & A Virtual Assistant
By Banke Adebayo
The last three years have seen an increase in remote work with a few people venturing out and seeking a means to augment their income. So the lines keep getting blurred and it’s time to define who a freelancer is, who a virtual assistant is, and their differences & similarities.
Freelancer- an individual usually referred to as an independent contractor. They usually have 1 major skill that they offer. He/she isn’t bound to work for a company and is usually creative offering graphic design, copywriting & software development.
The freelancer is usually content with their profiles on hiring sites, as prospective clients who visit those sites are looking for help with specific tasks like logos and apps
Freelancer- an individual usually referred to as an independent contractor. They usually have 1 major skill that they offer. He/she isn’t bound to work for a company and is usually creative offering graphic design, copywriting & software development.
The freelancer is usually content with their profiles on hiring sites, as prospective clients who visit those sites are looking for help with specific tasks like logos and apps
Freelancer- an individual usually referred to as an independent contractor. They usually have 1 major skill that they offer. He/she isn’t bound to work for a company and is usually creative offering graphic design, copywriting & software development.
The freelancer is usually content with their profiles on hiring sites, as prospective clients who visit those sites are looking for help with specific tasks like logos and apps
The freelancer is usually content with their profiles on hiring sites, as prospective clients who visit those sites are looking for help with specific tasks like logos and apps
Get FAQs About Virtual Assistants
Virtual Assistant – a professional who offers services to business owners remotely. This person usually offers a more robust service to clients and has a vast range of skills. An example is the social media manager whose skill set ranges from content creation to copywriting, basic graphic design skills, and some tech knowledge as they need multiple software to carry out their jobs.
This person needs systems and processes to be productive and effective due to the type of services they offer. Without these processes, templates, and systems, they will find it difficult to work effectively with multiple clients
This person needs systems and processes to be productive and effective due to the type of services they offer. Without these processes, templates, and systems, they will find it difficult to work effectively with multiple clients
Service providers- an individual or organization that offers services to business owners. This usually includes consultation.
How are they similar?
They are all remote and work outside the client’s office or place of work!
How are they different?
Freelancer- carefree, easy-going do my single task, get paid, goodbye!
Virtual Assistant- multi-skilled, robust service, builds relationships. Needs systems & processes to thrive & succeed.
Service providers- more robust service than virtual assistants as they choose to specialize and can offer consultation services. Many clients will come to this person/people for social media marketing strategy before hiring the VA to implement the said strategy. Usually an agency with some freelancers on standby for the odd tasks.
Whew! That was a long read! So tell me, which category do you fall under?
How are they similar?
They are all remote and work outside the client’s office or place of work!
How are they different?
Freelancer- carefree, easy-going do my single task, get paid, goodbye!
Virtual Assistant- multi-skilled, robust service, builds relationships. Needs systems & processes to thrive & succeed.
Service providers- more robust service than virtual assistants as they choose to specialize and can offer consultation services. Many clients will come to this person/people for social media marketing strategy before hiring the VA to implement the said strategy. Usually an agency with some freelancers on standby for the odd tasks.
Whew! That was a long read! So tell me, which category do you fall under?
