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Virtual Assistant certifications, what do they mean?

By Crystal Pina

Real Estate Agent with 774.289.5521

February 25, 2008 05:09 AM

You want to know what I saw today!?! A VA, here on Active Rain, who says she is "certified Military Spouse Virtual Assistant". Ok. Who gives that certification? And what the heck does it mean? Why do Military Spouses need a VA?

I swear some of these certifications are purely made up. I think I'm going to start offering blog posting certification. All the VAs here can pay me $395 and I will give them a logo for their website that says they are certified to post blogs. It will immediately give their blog more credibility than other blogs without the certification.

Seriously, how do you know what certifications mean anything? Well, the NAR REPA certification is given by the National Association of Realtors. You can bet that certification is a good one. IVAA has two certifications that are important, the CRESS or Certified Real Estate Support Specialist, and the Ethics Checked certification.

Other than those, take a look at what the VA had to do to achieve the certification. Just because it's a certification doesn't mean the teachers knew what they were doing. The virtual assistant industry is unregulated. Anyone can say they are certified in anything. It doesn't make their knowledge any better than someone who's been in the trenches gaining life experience. At this point in the VA industry, a person's associations and memberships have as much weight as their certifications, if not more.

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EDITED TO ADD: I was contacted off blog for clarification on my intentions with this post. I figured I'd post them here to make sure everyone reading this understands.

1) I am not knocking the VA industry. I did laugh when I thought there were VAs to Military Spouses, though.

2) I am not knocking VA certifications. I am just warning people that some certifications may be bogus and to check them out and not blindly believe a logo that anyone can make.

3) A VA who is an active member of popular VA organizations is less likely to be fly-by-night. They are also more likely to know lots of cool stuff that can help their clients because we VAs talk to each other and we share all the good info with each other. That's why I think affiliations are as good as certifications.

I hope that clears up any misunderstandings.

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Crystal Pina

774.289.5521 - Worcester, MA

Remax Professional Associates

Ok, so she's not a virtual assistant to miltary spouses. She's a military spouse who is also a virtual assistant? That makes more sense. LOL.

I did ask around and found out it's a real thing. The way it's written though, it's confusing.

Feb 25, 2008 10:10 AM

JudyAnn Lorenz

Bar JD Communications - Mansfield, MO

Virtual Marketing Consultant

Remember when certifiable meant something not so complimentary. I'm glad when any spouse can find her opening and become an independent contractor and virtual professional. But, as Crystal said, look deep for the ability to make practical application to that training certificate. Sitting through some classes, and collecting a certificate, while wholly admirable, doesn't a certified professional make.

Feb 25, 2008 02:18 PM

Renae Bolton

Marketing 4 Realtors - Garfield Heights, OH

I'm your Professional Real Estate Marketing VA!

Although your post was funny, it really is dead on the mark. I've been saying this for a long time. Who, exactly, came up with this certification? I don't hold a lot of credence to certifications that came as a result of 3 or 4 Virtual Assistants coming together and deciding that they were going to create their own certification, which definitely has happened. And, as has been pointed out, real world experience counts for so much as well!

~Renae

Feb 27, 2008 01:54 AM

Crystal Pina

774.289.5521 - Worcester, MA

Remax Professional Associates

Thanks, Judy and Renae. We need to keep this real. We are a real industry helping real people. Fake certifications cheapen our client's view of our industry as a whole. We lose more than we gain.

Feb 27, 2008 02:27 AM

Anonymous

Marilyn Lee

There are way too many certifications in the real estate business as a whole. A Realtor I assisted had a certification to help Seniors purchase homes!

In my mind, it is just a money game. I don't believe the average buyer, seller or Realtor cares about how many designations a person has behind their name.

Not too long ago, we received an email from an agent in a huge DFW real estate office who said he has a Certified Open House designation and did we have any houses we wanted him to hold open. When we responded to his email, strictly out of curiousity, he said he was in the process of buying his signs!

If he is a new agent without clients, we applaud his tenacity - but to have a Certified Open House designation is absurd.

I am done!

Feb 27, 2008 02:12 PM

Crystal Pina

774.289.5521 - Worcester, MA

Remax Professional Associates

Marilyn, that's funny. I have heard of the Senior certification but not the Open House one. I wonder what they teach.

Feb 28, 2008 02:08 AM

Mary Beth Marino

Virtual Hours.com and The Writing Editor.com - Lawrenceville, GA

Thank you so much for the clarification..although I think you said it fine! Great article and should be posted in the VA forums!

As another VA, I too share your thoughts regarding the validity of skills and organizations. With over 10,000 VA's all over the world, the wealth of information is as good as a degree in college or business school, it has that much support, and learning tools.

Thanks again for sharing! And I would buy a blog certification from you anytime. Your a great designer, you should design one for this article!

Mary Beth Marino

Mar 05, 2008 03:12 PM

Jeri Winkler

The Secret Assistant - Alexandria Bay, NY

Crystal,

As a military spouse I would like to clear up your misunderstanding about the MSVA program. Military installations allow Christine Durst and Michael Haaren and their staff (ie Staffcentrix) to come on posts and bases worldwide and offer training to military spouses. This training gives spouses the information needed to start their virtual business. To date Staffcentrix has trained over 2500 VAs. Christine Durst is the founder of the VA industry and therefore gives great credibility to this program. If you would like to learn more about Staffcentrix and their MSVA program visit http://www.msvas.com/ .

You are correct about many certifications being fly by night creations and simply something that someone creates for a profit. These certification programs do not last long. My advice to anyone wanting to invest in a certification program is to take a look at the history of the program. Ask questions. Find out when, how and who created the program. Also make sure that the person(s) creating the certification program has experience in the field they are offering a certification for! Very important!

Jeri Winkler
The Secret Assistant
Jeri@TheSecretAssistant.com

Mar 06, 2008 09:04 AM

Anita Messica

Virtual Assistant 2U - Plano, TX

Crystal, valid points. You said it straight, thank you. Sign me up for your Blog Certification!!!!!lol

Mar 10, 2008 04:02 AM

Jeri Winkler

The Secret Assistant - Alexandria Bay, NY

Here's a question about something that always bothers me. Should people advertise certifications that no longer exist? For example Realtor.com no longer offers or advertises "Realtor.com certified VAs." Should the VAs that got that certification advertise it? Afterall, it is no longer a valid certification. It no longer means anything. What is your opinion on that?

BTW....sign me up for the blog certification too! I'm always flying by the seat of my pants...ha! :-)

Jeri Winkler
The Secret Assistant
jeri @thesecretassistant.com

Mar 10, 2008 07:35 AM

Crystal Pina

774.289.5521 - Worcester, MA

Remax Professional Associates

LOL, Jeri. I think that if a person has the certification, then why not advertise it. If someone asks, they should be truthful that it's no longer offered. If you went to college and got a degree but the college closed it's doors, you still have the degree. I wonder what the concensus is on that.

And good point about looking at the history of the program! That's a caveat for VAs that I didn't even think of.

I really didn't mean to offend anyone about the military spouse certification. It's the way it's worded that's confusing. You are a military spouse and a VA, but it sounded like you are a VA to a military spouse. It also doesn't explain if you are a certified military spouse or a certified VA. It's just not worded well. I'll just chalk that one up to an "industry term" and leave it alone.

Mar 10, 2008 09:36 AM

Jeri Winkler

The Secret Assistant - Alexandria Bay, NY

Good Point!! I like the parallel about the college degree. You are absolutely correct!!! I hadn't thought about it like that.

Mar 10, 2008 09:40 AM

Gwendolyn Wrigh

Victory Virtual Solutions - Beaufort, SC

Victory Virtual Solutions

Hey Crystal,

I do recall coming across this back in 2006 as I was researching the VA industry. It never occured to me the way that it did to you, however. I thought it was a good idea and a good way for a military spouse to earn a living and maintain a consistent business when they are so frequently uprooted. I will admit that I would probably have been a bit offended as a military spouse with this designation, but I guess after you explained yourself, all would have been forgiven.

ps. there are too many valueless designations in the industry though.

Apr 12, 2008 08:31 AM

Crystal Pina

774.289.5521 - Worcester, MA

Remax Professional Associates

Thanks for stopping by, Gwendolyn. Of course this is a great way for a military spouse to earn a living.

I don't see why a military spouse would be offended by my post. I said in the very first paragraph, "Why do miliary spouses need a VA?". I am not picking on military spouses. I (still) am picking on VA certifications.

This post actually came out of a conversation that I had with someone who made a comment that if you don't have certain certifications, you are not a qualified VA. I didn't take offense, but I wanted to say how wrong that thought process was. There are many qualified VAs in the industry who have no VA certifications.

I don't know the percentages, but I bet it's very high that most VAs have at least 10 years experience in the business world before becoming a VA. What we need is a Life Experience certification. There's one VA organization that requires you show proof of that experience before you can join.

And congratulations on your REPA certification. When the budget loosens up a bit that's one that I want.

Apr 13, 2008 01:07 AM

Gwendolyn Wrigh

Victory Virtual Solutions - Beaufort, SC

Victory Virtual Solutions

thanks Crystal!

the overall message of your post is dead on...there are just toooo many worthless designations that really don't mean anything other than a fee was paid...

Apr 14, 2008 06:43 AM

Lidia Griffin

Suwanee, GA

Real Estate Virtual Assistant

Thanks for the post!

I think that holding a certification is only as valuable as the institution from which it is held. Many of the certifications out there are merely a way of making money unfortunately. However, there are certifications offered that are legitimate and therefore those VAs that hold them are viewed in higher esteem. And there are certain niches in this industry that you certainly should have some type of formal training for.

The one thing I will say about these certifications is they do make the industry cost prohibitive to many new VAs because they fall into a catch 22.....can't get the certification without making money and can't make money without the certification.....

Apr 18, 2008 06:37 AM

Wendy Harkin

The Alliance Group Realty - Hilton Head Island, SC

Crystal: I have to agree with you! I have been working as a VA since July and haven't bothered getting and certifications. I have, however, been certified by our local MLS for the past 6 years, and am also a licensed real estate agent.

I just don't want to spend the money on these certifications. They are not going to make me better at what I do. My business is spread by word of mouth. My ethics are of the highest standard. I live and work on Hilton Head Island, SC. It's a 12 x 5 mile island. if my work wasn't good, word would spread very quickly and I would be out of business.

My motto is that "The only professional association that matters is the one I have with my clients" I stand by that and I stand behind my work.

Dec 10, 2008 01:56 PM

Crystal Pina

774.289.5521 - Worcester, MA

Remax Professional Associates

Thanks for the comments, Lidia and Wendy. Since writing this post I have come to the conclusion that the best certifications teach you a skill and keeping up with the certification means you are keeping up with the skill. I am currently taking the certification to be a Social Marketing Specialist. I questioned people who took the class before, I questioned the instructor. I finally decided that, yes, this is a skill I wanted to learn. And I haven't been disappointed. I am learning things in that class that may have taken me years to learn on my own.

Just be careful with certifications. It's not like state licensing or accredited colleges or universities where you have outside, independent sources regulating things.

Dec 11, 2008 02:39 AM

Anonymous

dawn

Thank you for clarifying some of the designations. I already have my REPA and am looking at other training/certification avenues. I had seen a lot of ads with different intials and have been searching the web to see what they mean. Any definitions on RECS, PREVA, MVA?

I work in a real estate office and our membership form lists many designations available to realtors. It seems that as the market changes, new training and designations emerge. The Senior RES is due to the aging of the baby boomers, there is one for Internet saavy agents E-pro, and for agents serving the hardworking middle class there is a brand new one- WRES I think Workforce.

I guess the next RE designation, based on the marketplace, will be PFNRES - Purchase for nothing real estate specialist -- or maybe that was the one that caused the problem. I know they are offering elective classes in Reverse Mortgages, Foreclosures, and Short Sales.

Jan 17, 2009 05:16 AM

#45

Crystal Pina

774.289.5521 - Worcester, MA

Remax Professional Associates

PFNRES - LOL

I agree, in today's world you really need to know about Seniors, Reverse Mortgages, Foreclosures, and Short Sales. I just finished the Social Media Strategist certification that I mentioned above and it gave me the skills I needed to start working with clients right away. Knowing Short Sales, Foreclosures, Retiring folks, and Reverse Mortgages will give an agent skills that they need because they will be facing these issues every day.

Jan 23, 2009 12:03 AM