Virtual assistant (VA) jobs have grown in popularity, especially after remote working has become the new normal. This is because virtual assistants are not required to be physically present at a client’s location and can handle all the tasks from home. While the career path is becoming popular, landing a job as a virtual assistant without prior experience can be challenging. With the right approach, however, one can easily find a job as a VA.
1. Learn about the responsibilities of a virtual assistant
When planning to begin working as a virtual assistant, one must first acquaint themselves with the responsibilities they will be handling as a part of the job. This becomes especially important for freshers since, without prior experience, they might not have an idea about what responsibilities to expect.
A virtual assistant can provide a variety of services, which include general admin work, bookkeeping, and social media management. General admin work mainly includes reading and responding to emails, scheduling appointments and meetings, managing the calendar, and answering calls. Bookkeeping, on the other hand, includes accounting work, such as managing payments and keeping track of bills. A VA may also be required to manage their client’s social media account and improve their online presence.
Apart from these, a virtual assistant may be expected to perform tasks such as blog writing, transcribing meetings, preparing presentations, and making travel arrangements.
2. Determine the niche and area of work
After reading up on the responsibilities of a virtual assistant, one can determine which particular area of work they are most interested in. For instance, if one is especially interested in social media management, they can begin working on mastering that particular skill. After that, they can pitch themselves as experts in that field. While one may still be required to perform other duties at the job, the client may make more requests for services in that particular field. But, when determining the niche field, it is in one’s best interest to be honest about their area of expertise and liking.
3. Work on developing the required skills
Working as a virtual assistant from home, along with expertise in the niche field, requires a few essential skills. These include both technical and soft skills. One must develop technical skills that include fast typing, working with spreadsheets and presentation tools, and accounting skills.
The soft skills that one will need to develop include time management, verbal and written communication skills, organizational skills, and flexibility. Time management and organizational skills can be quite important for VAs. They may need to manage multiple tasks assigned by their clients, so they will have to plan their day and tasks accordingly. Additionally, communication skills can help them initiate and respond to phone calls and emails for their clients. So, those who wish to start their career as virtual assistants must begin working on developing these skills.
4. Take a course
There are various online and offline courses available that offer training in virtual assistant jobs. So, one can consider enrolling in such courses to develop their skill set and get a certificate that validates their training. Apart from dedicated VA training courses, one can even consider enrolling in courses that help them develop specific technical skills. For instance, one could enroll in a brief course on bookkeeping, a crucial skill that virtual assistants are required to possess.
5. Check potential earnings
Those who are planning to begin working as virtual assistants without prior experience in the field may not be well aware of the prices that professionals are charging. Without this knowledge, it is easy for those who are fresh out of college or switching to this role to fall for lowball offers made by clients. To avoid this, one must research the market and determine how much other professional virtual assistants charge their clients. An easy way to find this out is by visiting freelancing websites and looking at gigs and job postings.
6. Build an online presence
Creating a strong online presence is a great way to become visible to potential clients. Prospective VAs can make good use of social media and online business directories to create their online presence. For a strong profile, they can display their certifications, list their skills, and mention their area of expertise.
Besides social media platforms, one can also use websites and apps designed for freelancers to post gigs. Once a gig is posted, one must wait for potential clients to approach and make an offer. These online platforms make it much easier for one to get virtual assistant jobs from the comfort of their homes without needing to visit client offices. One must also make sure to stay actively connected to their accounts so they can respond quickly when a potential client approaches them.
7. Apply to companies
Apart from freelancing gigs, one can consider applying to companies that hire virtual assistants. One will be doing the same duties as a freelance virtual assistant, but in this case, one won’t have to look for clients themselves. Rather, the company will have clients for whom one will work. When applying, one should look for companies hiring inexperienced virtual individuals rather than experienced VAs.
