How to Become a Virtual Assistant

A virtual assistant is a contract employee who remotely performs various tasks for a business or an individual. Virtual assistants are assigned duties that can be achieved entirely from home, or from a location of their choice outside of their organization’s offices.

As contract employees, virtual assistants have a lot of flexibility when it comes to their schedules, hours, and even wages.

Virtual assistants can be assigned a range of tasks, which may vary from day to day. Broadly, their job is to help ensure the smooth functioning of an operation.

VAs are often hired for a certain specialty. Specialties aren’t formally defined, and a virtual assistant gig may (and most likely will) include tasks from multiple specialties.

We spoke to Laura Brassie, who owns a virtual assistant business for therapists in private practice. She emphasized how finding a niche can distinguish you from other VAs. “Brainstorming to determine an industry niche is so important,” she said. “If you only offer generic services like calendar and email management, it will be harder for you to stand out.”

To help you choose your niche, here’s a list of virtual assistant specialties and the types of tasks they can include:

Administrative

Virtual assistants are often tasked with admin duties—essentially taking on the job that an in-office administrative assistant would do. Admin tasks may include:

• Managing calendars
• Scheduling appointments
• Ordering supplies
• Implementing organizational systems
• Planning in-company meetings
• Creating itineraries

Technical

Technical VAs, who are usually hired under that title, remotely operate the technical environment of the companies they work for by tackling tasks like:

• Advising their employers on hardware, software, and peripherals
• Managing technical implementations
• Troubleshooting tech issues
• Automating systems

Technical VAs generally have prior backgrounds in tech (instead of learning all of their skills on the job).

Communications

This is a specialty area that’s likely to crop up with any virtual assistant job. Communications support is a business necessity, and VAs can find themselves handling in-office, client-facing, and community outreach. Common tasks include:

• Making and taking phone calls
• Writing emails
• Drafting communications materials (press releases, memos, posts, etc.)
• Managing contact information
• Curating client lists
• Implementing communications strategies

Research

Many virtual assistants find themselves putting on their detective hats, acting as researchers on the job and analyzing their findings. Research can span different topics, like:

• Clients
• Target audience
• Keywords
• Content subject matter
• Social media trends
• Strategies
• Entire industries

Sales and marketing

This is a huge part of doing business, and one that a virtual assistant can easily help out with from the comfort of their home. As such, sales and marketing is a very in-demand virtual assistant track.

A sampling of sales and marketing tasks for virtual assistants includes:

• Lead generation
• Social media account management
• Content creation
• Campaign ideation and implementation
• Editing and proofreading
• Cold calling

Brassie mentioned that this was one of the fields she didn’t enjoy working in and that she eventually dropped it. “I found the back and forth communication and constant edits involved to be frustrating,” she said.

However, she did note that the job prospects are great in this field. “I think the most useful skill for the VA market right now is content creation,” she said. Her opinion is that knowledge of graphic design, content creation, social media strategy, video editing, and search algorithms makes for “a super in-demand skill set.”

Project management

Some virtual assistants are in charge of running entire projects, which can range from product releases to company outings.

Project management as a virtual assistant may entail the following tasks:

• Planning and implementing strategies
• Creating schedules
• Managing the timeline and progress of a project
• Managing the budget of a project
• Assigning roles and tasks to other team members
• Creating and distributing reports

Data entry

Many businesses outsource their data entry tasks, as they’re often tedious but necessary.

Having data entry skills makes you a desirable virtual assistant. These skills lend themselves to duties like:

• Transferring information to a program, database, or CRM
• Updating spreadsheets
• Creating templates and processes
• Organizing and maintaining filing systems
• Checking data accuracy
• Formatting and presenting data and analyses

Financial support

Virtual assistants that deal with financial support tasks often have relevant experience and know-how, like training in a particular bookkeeping program or previous experience with payroll. However, there are also general financial support tasks that require little to no training. Financial support duties include:

• Managing budgets
• Sending invoices
• Processing payments
• Checking payroll
• Cataloging expenses
• Using bookkeeping software

Salaries for virtual assistants vary based on factors like:

• Specialty
• Years of experience
• Time commitment
• Niche expertise

According to ZipRecruiter, the national average annual salary for virtual assistants is $59,153, or $28 per hour. 1 Glassdoor lists a slightly lower average annual pay of $43,676. 2 However, specialty plays a big role in how much a VA earns.

In Brassie’s experience, general (unspecialized) VA positions pay around $20 per hour, whereas “highly specialized” work often pays more. For instance, her work in mental health has often netted her $45 per hour, and she’s seen other specialized virtual assisting jobs pay well over $50 per hour.

Keep in mind that most virtual assistants are contract employees who are paid on an hourly basis. It’s rare for a virtual assistant job posting to list an annual salary.

If you’re ready to start your career as a virtual assistant, you can dive right in by following these six steps.

Step 1: Assess your skill set

As you can see from the list above, virtual assistants span a wide range of specialties, each requiring different skills. To determine which jobs you’re best qualified to perform, make a list of the hard and soft skills you already possess.

Common skills you might want to list include:

Hard skills

• Microsoft Office Suite
• Communications software (e.g., Slack)
• Bookkeeping software (e.g., QuickBooks)
• Typing
• Calendar management
• Computer skills
• Research abilities
• Graphic design skills
• Project management software (e.g., Asana and Trello)
• CRMs (customer relationship management platforms; e.g., Dubsado and Honeybook)

Soft skills

• Communication
• Time management
• Organization
• Adaptability
• Dependability
• Multi-tasking
• Resourcefulness
• Conflict management

Of these, Brassie thought that communication was particularly important. “Most VAs work with multiple clients, plus any clients those businesses serve, so there’s a ton of communication,” she said. She also emphasized organization. “It’s really important for VAs to be prompt, organized, and detail-oriented.”

Step 2: Pick your desired specialties

With so many possible routes to take, narrowing down which virtual assistant specialties you want to explore will make your job hunt easier.

To determine which areas you want to work in, ask yourself questions like:

• Do you want to limit your interactions with other people?
• How much creativity do you want to be able to express during the workday?
• Are you comfortable working with niche programs and databases?
• Do you want to learn a new specialized skill?
• Would you rather be assigned rote tasks or more challenging work?
• Do you already have specialized skills related to particular industries?
• Will you work during set hours or whenever you are available?

We spoke to another virtual assistant, Amanda Rush Holmes, who became a VA in 2020 after she was laid off from her full-time retail job due to COVID and now runs her own business, the Virtual Assistant Studio. She highlighted how much flexibility VA work offers in terms of the specialties you can choose.

“You have the power to choose what you do and who you want to work with,” she said. “If data entry lights you up, do that! If you nerd out over spreadsheets and research, there’s a need for that too!”

Step 3: Get relevant certifications and training

There’s no specific requirement to become a virtual assistant. VA jobs are available for all skill levels and qualifications, so you can enter this field with no experience or special training. Holmes agreed. “I think you can absolutely figure out how to be a successful virtual assistant on your own,” she said.

Even so, Holmes herself has a degree in public relations, multiple years of corporate leadership experience, and relevant training. “I invested in multiple online courses on specific topics that I was interested in learning more about relating to the services I offer and the clients I serve,” she said.

Although not strictly necessary, targeted training and certifications will make you a shoo-in for VA jobs and net you higher pay. Brassie particularly recommended it for people with no relevant experience or an interest in exploring a new industry. “If you don’t have any experience doing VA-type work or want to get into being a VA for a different industry, a certification in that specialty might be helpful,” she said.

How to find the right VA certifications

To determine what training you may need, do some research into the specialty areas you’re most interested in. Look at job listings with those keywords (e.g., “virtual administrative assistant” or “tech virtual assistant”) and skim the qualifications required for the job. For example, you may need to be familiar with a certain software, database, or tool.

You can also join virtual assistant networks, scour LinkedIn, or find a community on Reddit where you can talk to actual VAs and get trade secrets about helpful courses and training. There are plenty of online virtual assistant certification programs available, but beware that these can be costly and won’t necessarily train you for the specialty you want to work within, as virtual assisting is such a broad industry.

Brassie recommended checking out the Virtual Assistant Trainer website (where you can buy forms, templates, planners, done-for-you systems, and courses for virtual assistants), and free resources from The Techie Mentor.

Step 4: Sign up for a virtual assistant service

While starting your own independent virtual assistant business is an option, it will be easier to find work when you’re just starting out by contracting through a virtual assistant service or freelancer platform. Options include:

• Upwork
• Fiverr
• Time etc
• Randstad
• Prialto
• Virtual Coworker
• Wing Assistant
• Great Assistant
• Virtual Employee
• VaVa Virtual Assistants

Brassie said that she has used these platforms herself. “I’ve used Upwork and had a good experience with that overall. I would recommend Fiverr as well, and even Indeed,” she told us. “Companies wanting a part-time or full-time VA often post contract positions there.”

In addition to these platforms, Brassie recommended some other avenues you can try. “There are several companies that hire VAs, such as Belay Solutions, Beacon Hill Staffing, Ajilon (now LHH Recruitment Solutions), and Boldly,” she said. “These companies typically acquire clients and then assign them to their VA staff. So for new VAs who are more hesitant to start their own business, create a website, et cetera, these companies can be a great option to have a more W2-ish role.”

Step 5: Set your prices

To set your prices, look at comparable virtual assistants working in your field. Pay attention to their years of experience and skills listed to give yourself an accurate point of comparison.

When you pick your rates, remember to account for additional out-of-pocket expenses. Here are a few to consider:

• Office furniture and supplies
• Technological devices
• Internet connection
• Taxes
• Insurance

Brassie cautioned against undercharging. “You will very likely have potential clients complain about your rates at some point, no matter what they are,” she said. “Don’t let that sway you into charging too little for your services. You need to calculate a wage that factors in taxes and your expenses.”

She also mentioned that competition can drive down your rates if you’re not careful, as VAs compete with overseas companies boasting “really low rates, like $10 per hour.”

“There’s just no way that US-based small business owners and freelancers can compete with that, and they shouldn’t,” she said. “Focus on why you’re worth more in your marketing.”

More expert tips on setting rates

We asked what rates Brassie thought someone should expect to earn when they start out as a VA. She said, “For a more general VA without specialization, I’d say $20–$25 an hour. For really specialized services, even if you’re just starting out, $40 an hour or more.”

However, she advised against asking clients for an hourly rate (although you can calculate these yourself to help you work out whether you’re earning enough from a gig). She said that she initially did this when she started out as a VA, but she felt that it didn’t work well.

“Because I often answer phones, there is some built-in on-call time. Most of my clients have an underlying expectation that I will be available during business hours,” she said. She explained how, in the past, this led to her being effectively on call without getting paid, so she decided that a package rate would have made more sense.

“By switching to a package that would guarantee X number of hours per month available for the clients, I would have a more sustainable income and work/life balance while also being clear about expectations with clients,” she said.

Step 6: Advertise yourself

Once you’ve laid the foundation of your career as a virtual assistant, it’s time to put your name out there and score a list of paying clients. Your first step should be to search the job boards listed above.

You can also other approaches, including inbound and outbound advertising strategies.

Inbound strategies

These are strategies for naturally attracting and drawing in customers who are already interested in your services.

Inbound strategies might include:

• Curating your professional profiles
• Starting your own website
• Asking for referrals

Some virtual assistants also recommend posting “for hire” ads on social media to drum up business, but Brassie was skeptical of this strategy.

“Posting for hire ads on social media likely isn’t going to result in getting any clients,” she said. “More likely you will need to invest in an entire social media strategy if you want to get clients from there.”

She said she’d used social media to post content relevant to her audience—as opposed to ads—as a way of getting her name out there, and she thought that this worked very well.

If you want to try this strategy, she advised choosing the best social media platforms for your specific situation and goals. “Because I’m specialized in mental health and have a ton of professional connections on LinkedIn from being a therapist, I advertised on there just through posting and offering helpful content with a call to action at the end,” she said. “But I would have had a different strategy if I had spent a lot more time on Instagram.”

Outbound strategies

These are strategies that involve reaching out to a wider audience, including people who haven’t necessarily expressed interest in your services.

Outbound strategies might include:

• Cross-posting on job boards
• Networking with your prospective customer base
• Email outreach

Holmes initially used an emailing outreach strategy, which she recommends to beginners. “I researched potential clients I knew I would love to work with, and I sent them thoughtful emails,” she said. Although only one person gave a positive response, that first client led to three more within a matter of weeks. “That was the official start of the Virtual Assistant Studio,” she added.

If you don’t land clients right away, be persistent. The demand for virtual assistants is growing (especially with the postpandemic boom in remote work), so if you keep at it, you’re sure to find someone who’s willing to pay you for your services.