Understanding Client Work & Instructions
Turn a client's request into correctly finished work: read what's actually being asked, decide whether you can start, plan the work, and check it before you say it's done.
Before You Start
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Where you are
Understanding the work
A client sends a request. Before you start, you need to know exactly what's being asked, what "done" looks like, and whether anything is missing. When you're finished, you need to know it's actually right before you say so.
By the end of this course, you should be able to say: "I understand what needs to be done, I know what I need to check, and I know what to do when something is unclear."
In practice, that means you can:
- read a client request and write down the task, the finished result, the sources, the deadline in your time, the limits and the open questions
- tell which gaps you can fill yourself and which only the client can answer
- decide whether to go ahead, ask first, or pass a decision to the client
- plan the work in a sensible order and follow a client's checklist or process
- check your work against the request before you say it's done, and handle revisions without breaking what was right
This course builds on Communication & Professionalism, which covers how to write to clients. Here you work out what needs to happen; when a message is needed, the lessons point you back to that course. The tasks use simple lists, files and sheets, so no specialist VA skills are needed.
Names, email addresses and companies in the examples are made up. The example screens are simplified drawings.
Do you need this course?
Answer honestly. There is no score, and nobody else sees your answers. They are saved in this browser.
When a client sends a request, I can list everything they asked for, including the limits and the deadline in my time.
I can tell which missing details I can find myself and which only the client can answer.
I know when to go ahead, when to ask first, and when a decision isn't mine to make.
I can break a task into steps and follow a client's checklist or process.
Before I say a task is done, I check it against what was asked.
You are in Stage 3: Learn to Work
Stage 3 has two courses:
- Communication & Professionalism: working with people, and what to say.
- Understanding Client Work & Instructions (this course): understanding the work and doing it correctly.
- 1. EXPLOREUnderstand the VA worldWhat VA work is, what it can look like, and where to start.
- 2. BUILD YOUR FOUNDATIONBecome ready to learn and workComputer, internet, email and Google Workspace basics.
- 3. LEARN TO WORKYou are hereLearn how work is actually done
- 4. FIND YOUR DIRECTIONChoose work worth learningExplore skills and possible VA directions.
- 5. PRACTICE & PROVEBuild functional skill and evidencePractice realistic tasks and create proof of what you can do.
- 6. ENTER THE MARKETPresent yourself and begin workingPrepare your profile, apply for work, and start entering the market.
Lessons
- 1Reading a Client RequestLesson 1 of 6Not started
- 2What's Missing, and Who Knows ItLesson 2 of 6Not started
- 3Proceed, Clarify or EscalateLesson 3 of 6Not started
- 4Planning the WorkLesson 4 of 6Not started
- 5Checking Your Work and Handling RevisionsLesson 5 of 6Not started
- 6Putting It TogetherLesson 6 of 6Not started
- ✓Final ChallengeDiagnostic, no pass markNot started