The demand for virtual assistants is growing, which has significantly increased job opportunities for qualified candidates. Learning virtual assisting can be a quick process, and it also gives you the flexibility to work from anywhere. As a result, to meet the demand, more people start to work as virtual assistants, and you might also be looking to pursue a career in virtual assisting. In this post, we discuss about how to become a virtual assistant and the various requirements you might need to qualify as a virtual assistant.
What is a virtual assistant?
A virtual assistant is a remote worker who provides part-time administrative support for you and your business. They can perform tasks typically handle by an executive assistant, such as making phone calls, appointments, travel arrangements, or organizing emails. Usually, they work as an independent contractor although a few are hired as remote workers full-time. Virtual assistants are employed by companies of all sizes and in a wide range of industries.
How much do virtual assistants make?
In India, a virtual assistant makes an average salary of 2.9 lakh per year (₹24.2k per month). Salary estimates are based on 344 salaries from various Virtual Assistants working in different industries.
What are the most in-demand virtual assistant services?
- Social media management
As businesses use social media to reach their target audiences, there has never been a greater need for qualified social media managers. A virtual assistant with social media management experience can be a great asset to any business, large or small.
- Graphic design
In a world where businesses rely on technology increasingly, there is a rise in the demand for virtual assistant services. The most demanded services include those in the graphic design field. Everything from creating and formatting presentations to designing logos and marketing materials, businesses require help with a wide range of tasks. The services in the graphic design are among the most in demand.
- Copywriting
As more companies move their businesses online, the need for virtual assistants who can offer top-notch copywriting services is increasing. A proficient virtual assistant can assist you in producing compelling content for your audience and helps in your achievement of business goals. Additionally, they’ll be able to optimize your existing content for search engines, helping you in attracting more traffic to your website.
- Website Maintenance
One of the most popular virtual assistant services is website maintenance. As a business owner, you are aware about the importance of having an accurate and functional website. Unfortunately, it can be challenging to find the time to maintain your website.
- Marketing Assistants
There is no doubt that marketing assistants are in high demand right now. With the changing nature of marketing and the constant need to keep up with trends, businesses are searching for virtual assistants to assist them with various marketing-related tasks.
How to become a virtual assistant with no experience
Decide On Your Service Offering
The first step is how to become a virtual assistant is to decide exactly what services you’ll offer. It may be worthwhile to list the skills and compare them to the services a virtual assistant might provide.
You might have your own website or blog or possess excellent photo editing skills for social media. You may be a master in advanced Excel formulas that can instantly make someone’s finances easier.
Spend some time thinking about your strengths – and enjoy doing. Compare your skills to what people need help with – and choose the services that your VA business offer.
Of course, your services won’t need to end there – because you’ll keep learning new skills as you progress in your career as a successful virtual assistant.
Decide How Much You Will Charge
Your service charge will be depend on your skill set, experience, and the type of services you decide to offer. If you are someone with extensive organizational skills or have previous assistant experience, you shouldn’t be afraid to request a higher rate per hour.
However, if you’re a beginner assistant hoping to expand your portfolio and skill set, to attract in more clients and gain experience, you may need to start at the low end of that scale.
When setting your price, it’s important to keep in mind a few things:
- Taxes on self-employment must be paid, so ensure that whatever you charge covers that.
- You’ll also accumulate other expenses, like hosting for websites, software subscriptions, and office expenses – so be sure to consider them when deciding how much to charge.
- There are no benefits, no paid vacation, no sick days, no health insurance, and no retirement contributions – should anything go wrong, you need to pay out of your own pocket.
Create a Website and a social media presence
If you want to work remotely, you’ll have to sell your expertise as an online communication. The best way to do this is to showcase your skills and the services you offer. Consider it to be your “virtual” cv. Your website will show your capabilities to potential clients, and it will be important in establishing your business.
Social media plays an important part in your business, but you need not be everywhere: learn where your potential customer hang out and become an expert on one or two social media platforms. Are they on Facebook? On Instagram? To show that you are understand their brand, become an expert and follow them.
Find friends in your Niche
Working from home time to time, become a lonely job. You’ll always need a support network, someone who can understand you, offer advice, or simply share a rant from time to time.
Look for Facebook groups and blogs in your niche. Find a group of people who share your goals and work alongside them to establish a successful business,
Make your clients Happy & ask them for feedback
The biggest asset to your business is to make your customers happy. Once you find your first customer, do everything you can to deliver excellent service.
A happy customer might refer you to other business owners they know, and you only need a small number of clients to support yourself as a virtual assistant full-time!
Ask for feedback without hesitation. Asking your clients if there is anything you can do better, and consider anything they say. Ask your best clients if you can use them as referrals, and use every positive review as a testimonial.
This will help greatly you in gaining more clients.
How Can You Find Virtual Assistant Jobs?
- Upwork
Upwork is one of the biggest freelance websites in the world and is very similar to Fiverr. This means that someone will always offer less for every job, which might cause you to charge much lower than you expected.
It’s a fantastic platform that’s simple to use that can assist you in launching your career as a virtual assistant, especially if you don’t have any experience and are just starting your VA career.
- Fiverr
Create an online profile with Fiver, and you can apply for jobs there: it’s a great online platform to use when you’re just getting started, however, there aren’t many positions there that pay well.
If you spend the time to create an excellent profile, you’ll get a few jobs for beginners. You’ll gain experience from this and able to apply much better- paying jobs on other platforms.
- Flexjobs
Including remote, freelance, and part-time jobs, Flexjobs is an online job board that lists work-from-home opportunities. If you want to start a remote career, this website is perfect. They have a section in which they list every job for a virtual assistant.
Every job opportunity is thoroughly screened and checked for scam before they are approved, which means that all job listed here is a legal way to earn money.
- PeoplePerHour
For employers and freelancers looking to get done, PeoplePerHour is a well-known site. You must fill out forms about your skills and your work history in order to create an account. You are free to apply for jobs after being accepted.
Jobs on the site vary, however, there are numerous employers who are looking for candidates and thousands of virtual assistant jobs are waiting for you. The only drawback is that you need to pitch for the jobs, which takes a lot of time.
The social platform for businessmen, LinkedIn is an excellent platform for showcasing your skills and finding potential clients.
Through LinkedIn’s InMail service, you can find professionals in specific fields and message them directly, introducing yourself and asking them if you can be of help.
Your activity is limited by LinkedIn’s free profile, but you can message as many people as you’d with LinkedIn Premium.
What do I need to become a virtual assistant?
Not everybody should work as a virtual assistant. You must have the right skills and personality, plus an awareness of what your employer expects from you.
However, you don’t need any prior experience to become a virtual assistant.
Additionally, your pay will be a reflection of your skills and the virtual assistant jobs that you can apply for. But don’t worry, there are many virtual assistant jobs available for beginners.
There are numerous types of VAs. If you have some basic experience, can show your consistency in replying to emails, and independently complete tasks within a specified timeline, you’ll be able to get the desired online assistant job with the help of these things.
Skills
- Good timekeeping
- Excellent verbal and written communication
- Organizational skills
- Computer skills
- Knowledge of website platforms (such as WordPress)
- Knowledge of Excel, Word, and PowerPoint
- a flair for design and knowledge of programs like Canva
- Reliability
- being able to take the initiative and being a problem solver
- professional approach to work
- Be approachable
Equipment
- a laptop or computer
- a high speed internet connection
- telephone connection
- Google Docs, Gmail, and Calendar
However, even if you don’t, you can still find a job by using a job board online, Facebook groups, or word-of-mouth. Organizing somebody else’s professional life may appear to be a demanding challenge, but it is not as difficult as it may seem, remote virtual assistant jobs do vary greatly. The wide range of skills needed just serves to highlight the variety of roles available.
Pros & Cos of Being a Virtual Assistant
Pros
- You get to be your own boss
- You can work from anywhere
- You have a choice of services to offer
- You Have Endless Earning Potential
- Low Startup Costs
Cons
- You Must Work Hard to Find Clients
- The operation of a business involves many moving parts.
- Working as a Virtual Assistant Can Be Isolating
- Separating work and home life can be challenging.
- There Are No Benefits
Conclusion
Virtual assistants are an untapped resource for the success of the startup. Not only do virtual assistants reduce costs, but they also increase productivity.
You will pay your VA on an hourly basis, unlike a regular employee. Additionally, hiring a VA will save your money on training costs. So, hiring a VA is a surefire way to succeed.
