As a Virtual Assistant, your client is the most important asset you have. After all, they provide work, income, and references when needed. Why would you want to ruin that type of relationship? Below is a list of the seven (7) deadly sins that will could end your career as a Virtual Assistant.

1. Not Meeting Deadlines: If you quote a client a deadline, it is very important that you meet that deadline. If you say you can meet the deadline needed by the client and do not, that tells the client that you are not thinking or caring about their needs. The client will undoubtedly cut off their relationship with you because of this. If you cannot meet the deadline and have a legitimate reason why, you should let the employer know in advance, and come to some type of new deadline if possible.

2. Never Taking Responsibility: If you make a mistake, admit it, own it, and vow not to repeat it. Taking responsibility is an important part of a Virtual Assistants' job. Sometimes things just do not work out as planned and things go wrong. If you blame others, the software, etc., repeatedly for the

mistake and all evidence points to you and you do not take responsibility for it, you will be fired. You will not work for another business again because word of mouth travels fast. You need own up the mistake, fix it and this way it will become a positive.

3. Gossiping Online: You must maintain respect for your current / previous employer(s) by not discussing disagreements and airing your 'alleged grievances' on forums or anywhere on the internet. Your comments are seen all over the world. If you think what you say is not seen, you need to

think again. Someone will definitely see your comments on the internet and let your client know. Always remember, you are being watched.  If you start mentioning disagreements that you have had with current / previous clients, you will make the current client/future prospect that sees these

comments ask himself/herself, "What kind of damage can this person do to me and my reputation?" If you make them think that, you just ruined your reputation and therefore any possibilities of obtaining future jobs.

4. Breaching Confidentiality: All work done for a client is absolutely confidential. You do not speak or write about any details of any work you have done for previous clients. Worse case scenario, if you signed a confidentiality contract and your previous client finds out, you could be sued. If you are interviewing for a potential job and discuss the details of previous clients' work with this prospect, you will make the prospect ask themselves, "What will this person do with my information?" "Will they tell others?" Therefore, you will not be hired for the job should you do this.

5. Not Maintaining Communication: Continuous contact with the client is imperative. After all, how did you obtain this client in the first place?  No communication? I highly doubt that. Communication is the backbone of your work and how well you do it. There are so many ways to communicate with your clients that it is unspeakable not to. If a form of continuous communication is not developed with your clients, this will make your work a lot harder and you may submit work that is not acceptable to the client. If the client does not return any of your forms of communication, then you need to advise your client that no work will be done until you speak with them.

6. Over Promising-Under Delivering: If you discuss a project with your client and you inform him/her that you have the skills and can do the job for them, you very well better be able to do exactly what you advised your client you could. When you submit the project and claim it is complete, your

client should be saying "This is exactly what we discussed and it looks great." If you do not deliver what you promise, you will develop the reputation of "She/He said they could do the job but the work submitted was not what we asked for." A Virtual Assistant cannot afford to tarnish her reputation in the least. There is a great deal of competition and a good Virtual Assistant cannot afford to lose good business by overlooking details or embellishing his/her capabilities.