In modern times, information is crucial for a business’s success. Whoever holds the most relevant, timely, and reliable data gains a competitive advantage far beyond the rest.
It can mean capitalising on a market trend. Or maybe solving a chronic business problem before it even manifests. That’s why companies right now have dedicated research and development teams for their future growth. And some companies have “data” as their products to other companies as well.
But for the average business owner, they do research the best way they can. With the right tools, most can find what they’re looking for over the internet. The problem is that they might not have the time to do so. After all, research is quite tasking.
That’s why research virtual assistants are one of the in-demand online jobs in the Philippines.
What Does Research Virtual Assistants Do?
So why need a research virtual assistant? Research virtual assistants have the skills to gather accurate information as timely as possible. And they can also help fill in the blind spots in the research of a team.
For example, you’re researching the feasibility of a new product. It might need surveying or product testing. But most business owners can’t actually do this tasking but necessary step. They can employ a research assistant to give them a hand.
On average, research virtual assistants earn roughly 17,000 PHP to 60,000 PHP, depending on the skill level. And more specialised research requirements might fetch a higher amount.
Want a career in this field? Here are 7 highly valuable skills for in-demand research virtual assistants.
Analytical Skills
In research, you should have an analytical mind to discover patterns and solutions for a specific topic. Your analytical skills will be crucial in coming up with sensible interpretations of all the data gathered. In this way, your boss can use it as a reliable basis for decision-making.
Data Mining Skills
And speaking of a volume of data, you should have data mining skills to find a correlation in the data set. Data mining is the process of sorting through large data to establish patterns and relationships.
And in return, you can use it to describe the current state and predict the future based on historical data. Here are some data mining techniques you can use.
Organizational Skills
With all data that you will gather, you should be organized enough to sort it out in a systematic manner. Your organization skills will ensure that your research is understandable from the data gathering up to your thought process in the conclusion.
In this way, your other colleagues can reassess and even repeat your processes. And in return, build a better understanding of past, present, and future data coming in.
Search Engine Skills
Search engines are strong tools to find information on the go. But not everyone utilized to full features of it. So you need to refine your search queries with Google search features and commands.
You can use these Google techniques for targeted searches.
Resourcefulness
Not all information is readily available for you. Sometimes, you can’t really find it in Google or any scholarly journal. So your resourcefulness will come into play in this scenario.
You can devise research plans like surveys to gather never-before-published correlations. You can also check applications like Quora and Reddit if you’re gathering opinions and key sentiments. Heck, you can even interview experts in the field.
As long as you’re resourceful, you can find the data you need in unexplored ways.
Collaboration
You will not be working alone on this project. The data you will gather will support other departments in the next move. So you need collaboration skills to understand their needs. And supply it with the proper information possible.
Up-to-date
Information is produced by the second. What was once unknown might have a corresponding discovery in future days. You should be up-to-date with the latest information for your research goals.
It might be new techniques or technologies that can aid you. Or it can be just simple progress in your field. But make sure to capture the information once it’s launched.
Conclusion
Does this career interest you? Anyone can be a research virtual assistant as long as you equip yourself with the right skills. These 11 skills will set you apart from the rest.
If you’re looking, you can start with these remote career options available. You’ll never know, you might get the online job you’ve looking for.
