How to Become a Virtual Assistant
Being a virtual assistant is like getting paid to do normal tasks you’d have to do anyway. Your client needs you to make a doctor’s appointment for their child? No problem. You call yours all the time when your toddler has a fever.
Your client needs you to book a plane ticket to North Carolina for business? No problem. You booked tickets last week for your family vacation.
The difference is you can do it from home at your own pace, and it’s more fun when it’s someone else’s tasks. Your own to-do list overwhelms you, but someone else’s exhilarates you.
So if this is a dream job that’s great for moms, how do you get hired? Why aren’t more of us doing it? Here’s the low-down on virtual assisting and how to get started.
*Disclaimer: Some of the links you see may be affiliate links. All that means is if you click through and end up making a purchase, I’ll earn a commission.
From the Beginning
Many virtual assistants started out small. When they offered to do a small organizational project for someone, they didn’t realize it would turn out to be lucrative. There’s no clear path to starting a journey as a virtual assistant. That may seem like bad news because you won’t have a step-by-step guide, but it’s actually good news. You don’t have to follow in someone else’s footsteps or get it exactly right to succeed.
Work Through an Agency
Companies like Belay offer a place for you to find work with a structure and a formality that some companies (and virtual assistants) really crave. If you want someone else to do the heavy lifting and help make your job more official, then a virtual support team like this can really help. You can apply on their website to get started. FancyHands is another place like Belay that focuses on connecting virtual assistants with clients.
There are other sites for freelancers where you can hire out your skills. Check out Upwork, fiverr, and WorkMarket, to start with.
Starting Solo
If you’d rather manage your own time and your own business and be less responsible to someone, I totally get it. Freedom within your new professional role may be exactly the thing that drew you to it in the first place. If that’s you, then try contacting people you know who seem like they could use a little help. Talk to friends, people who own their own businesses, and companies in the area.
Legitimize Your Skills
While you may be the best at what you do and have all the skills you need, the reality is that many people feel more secure hiring someone with certifications or tangible proof of their experience. You can help your potential clients feel more confident in your abilities by taking a course or two in your field. These can be general courses about virtual assisting or more specific courses in tasks you may be asked to do (creating social media posts, designing web pages or graphics) or platforms and software you may be asked to use (Slack, Google Drive).
Here are some free courses:
Social Media Marketing course from Hubspot Academy
Fundamentals of Graphic Design from Hubspot Academy
Leveraging Mentions and Threads in Slack from Coursera
Mastering Remote Work and Online Study in a Post-COVID Era from Coursera
High Performance Collaboration: Leadership, Teamwork, and Negotiation from Coursera
Introduction to Marketing from Forbes (free with trial)
Internet Marketing for Smart People from Copyblogger
Here are some paid courses:
Professional Organizer Course from IAP Career College
Work from Home As a Virtual Assistant from Udemy
Become a Virtual Assistant from Udemy
The Savvy System from Abbey Ashley
30 Days or Less to Virtual Assistant Success from Gina Horkey
The more skills and programs you can learn, the better you’ll be at assisting your clients. From writing and posting to blogs to content marketing, email marketing, Quickbooks and accounting, and more, in-demand skills are the key to becoming a successful virtual assistant.
Setting Your Own Terms
Working for yourself is very satisfying, but it’s not for everyone. If you’re self-motivated and can work within a deadline, then you may want to check out virtual assisting. It can work really well for moms and stay-at-home parents who also want to earn some extra money.
Check out our other work-at-home ideas here. Don’t forget to follow A Wild Lass on Instagram and Twitter!
*Disclaimer: Some of the links you see may be affiliate links. All that means is if you click through and end up making a purchase, I’ll earn a commission.