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Remote jobs with flexible hours are all the rage these days, and why wouldn’t they be? There’s nothing like the flexibility of setting your own hours and avoiding the morning commute. One of the many jobs that can fit the bill is working as a virtual assistant (VA).
But this just isn’t one where the responsibilities are extremely obvious. In fact, you could end up doing almost anything in this role. But if you find a good working arrangement, it could be the perfect way to work flexible hours from home.
What is a Virtual Assistant?
A VA is a self-employed independent contractor who performs various tasks for clients, who can be businesses or individuals.
There are many types of tasks a VA might take on, including appointment scheduling, social media management, graphic design, and responding to client questions. Basically, when there is something a client needs done but doesn’t have the resources to do it themselves, they might hire a VA.
Often, the work can be done entirely remotely, which is why it’s one of my favorite work-from-home jobs. VAs might carry over experience from a previous job where they worked as an administrative assistant. But now that so much can be done remotely, it’s not always necessary to have these workers on-staff and on-site.
Types of Virtual Assistants
“Virtual assistant” is a very broad term and can generally include many types of workers. For instance, any of the following could be considered a VA in today’s work environment:
- Administrative assistants
- Social media managers
- Customer service representatives
- Marketing assistants
- Specialized Assistants (real estate, legal, etc.)
Because companies sometimes use VAs to accomplish anything they don’t want to do themselves, VAs may need to wear multiple hats. It’s easy to see how someone who does marketing might also manage a client’s social media.
Of course, a VA with more specialized skills in a particular industry may be less likely to do multiple jobs. Instead, they might perform similar work for multiple clients.
Benefits of Working as a Virtual Assistant
Whether you’re a stay-at-home mom or a student who wants to make extra money, there’s a lot to like about work as a VA.
For instance, this job can offer flexibility, not only in the hours worked, but also in your work location. Often, you may find clients don’t have any preference for when or where you work, as long as the job gets done. However, this varies by client, as some may require you to be in the office.
Another benefit is the ability to work with multiple clients. This can have several benefits of its own, such as the opportunity to work with different types of clients. I also feel it gives you more job security. People often focus on how freelancing is unstable, but what happens if you have a salaried position, and you lose your job? In many cases, it means losing 100% of your income. Not true when you freelance for several clients.
You can also have a better work-life balance when working as a virtual assistant, especially if you work as a freelancer from home. Instead of being stuck at the office for 8+ hours Monday through Friday, you often have the flexibility to dip out for an hour or two before returning to work. Again, some clients will be stricter than others but working remotely makes this a possibility.
How Virtual Assistants Get Stuff Done
Since VAs can refer to many types of workers, there isn’t a single set of tools they use to get stuff done. But there are certain tools VAs are likely to use at some point.
For instance, communication and collaboration software are likely to be in the VA’s toolbox. Things like email, chat platforms like Slack or Microsoft teams, and collaboration platforms like Asana or Trello are necessary to help VAs stay in the loop with clients.
But that is just the software. We also need to address how VAs work.
What do I mean? Well, it’s one thing to have an email client, but it’s a whole other thing to use it to communicate effectively with the client. VAs must respond quickly to client emails and establish guidelines for how (and how often) any progress updates should be shared.
If the client uses collaboration or project management software, VAs must stay on top of any tasks assigned to them and pay close attention to deadlines.
It can also be helpful to ask for feedback, especially if the client isn’t sharing it without being asked. This can help VAs improve and lead to better client satisfaction.
How to Become a Virtual Assistant
There isn’t a special VA university one can attend to become a virtual assistant. There’s not even a virtual assistant major one can pursue at a university. However, there are certain skills that are helpful to learn before becoming a VA.
If you want to become a VA, it’s helpful to specialize in a specific type of work or job responsibility. For instance, a VA might specialize in customer service, administrative support, or social media management. You might end up doing more than one type of role but specializing helps you stand out from the competition.
You must then hone the skills you need to become a VA. There are many ways you can do this, such as enrolling in courses on Coursera, Udemy, or LinkedIn Learning. Although there isn’t VA university as I said, you can often gain valuable skills from technical programs or business courses at universities. You can apply these to you work as a VA.
Then, you will need a work-from-home setup. Very basically, this space should be free of distractions and allow you to be productive. Make sure you have reliable equipment that allows you to get things done.
Getting Started
Once you have completed all the previous steps, you are ready to embark on your VA journey. First, you will need to build your portfolio, just as I did when I first became a freelance writer. It may seem challenging at first, but as a VA, you can put together a portfolio including clips from previous projects. You may also need a resume and cover letter in hand, depending on the client.
Next, you will be ready to start finding work. You can start by using Fiverr, Upwork, and Freelancer to find some initial gigs. These gigs may not pay very well, but they will help you get established and keep building your portfolio.
Personally, when thinking about how to get clients, I avoid these platforms due to the low pay rates. I prefer to network with other freelancers in various places, such as online and through conferences. This gives me insights and leads on gigs that pay significantly more than jobs boards. However, that takes time, and job boards can work as a jumping-off point.
Bottom Line
Virtual assistants are independent contractors who perform a variety of tasks, such as social media management, customer service, marketing, and other specialized tasks for businesses or individuals. These jobs can be fully remote, allowing VAs to work from home for multiple clients with flexible hours. VAs must have a variety of skills, including versatility, good communication, and a strong work ethic.
Becoming a VA requires building a strong portfolio and becoming an expert in one or two particular types of work, then establishing an online presence. That is easier said than done, but it can be worth the effort for the flexibility and work-life balance this job makes possible.
