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The pandemic has popularized remote work opportunities including virtual assistant jobs. If you’re looking for information on how to become a virtual assistant (VA), you’re in the right place. Read on to learn how to get started in this field of remote work and start enjoying the benefits of working from home.
How to Become a Virtual Assistant
Becoming a virtual assistant takes some preparation, like all jobs do. It may take you some extra effort to get there, but if you’re into remote work with competitive compensation, it’s definitely worth it. Here are the preparations you need to do to become a virtual assistant.
Select a Field of Service
Virtual assistant services come in many different forms. The common types include General Admin work, Social Media Management, Content Production, Blogging, Executive Assistant work, and E-commerce support. Find out more about the fields you’re familiar with and where your strengths can be used to further your career. This way, you choose your path and find opportunities according to the job you want for yourself.
Read: Things I Love As A Virtual Assistant
Begin to Upskill
After deciding on the virtual assistant services you want to provide, do some research on what skills are in-demand for that job. Look at job posts on LinkedIn or Kalibrr and see which of the listed skills you already have. If it seems like you need more skills to create an attractive profile, head over to online resources and start learning more skills.
YouTube Academy offers certification courses if you’ve chosen social media or content production. Facebook Blueprint also has a collection of self-guided courses helpful if you wish to provide marketing services. Discover other online courses, both free and paid, to upskill for your career. LinkedIn Learning, Hubspot Academy, and Udemy are popular learning platforms that offer a huge library of courses virtual assistants can use. You can also try to find free webinars online or provided by people in your network. Your resourcefulness in this part of the preparation process will pay off in so many ways in the future.
Upgrade Your Equipment
Depending on the kind of service you wish to provide, you may have to upgrade your equipment. You’ll obviously need your laptop or desktop computer, but additional requirements may be needed by your clients or nature of work. Find reliable software for output-based tasks like Canva or Tiktok, and learn administrative tools like ClickUp, Google Workspace, and FollowUpBoss. Common software you may need also include Skype, Whatsapp, and Zoom.
Tip: Use Grammarly for blogs, emails, texts, anything!
For Virtudesk applicants, here are the system requirements you may use as a basis:
| Windows | Mac |
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Set up Your Job Search Profile
In your journey to becoming a VA, you need to set up a job search profile. This means translating your printed resume into an online profile on job sites like LinkedIn or OnlineJobs PH. Your online profile as a VA can become a channel through which you get contacted by possible clients. You also have the option to build your own website or run a WordPress blog that contains your portfolio for interested clients.
Tip: Use Canva for a creative resume that is visually impactful and appealing!
Join Virtual Assistant Communities
Virtual Assistant communities are also a great way for you to start as a VA. There are Facebook groups and sections on Reddit for virtual assistants looking for clients, tips, and other career-related information and opportunities. You may even find other VAs who can give you advice on finding clients and becoming better at the services you decide to focus on.
Find and Interview with Potential Clients
With the help of your online profiles and other VAs you’ve connected with, it’s time to find and interview potential clients. As a freelance virtual assistant, reaching out to clients should be one of your regular tasks. This may be the toughest part of your journey, but remember that you’re not alone. Reach out to your VA friends if they have leads for you. Working for a VA provider like Virtudesk can make this easier for you. Being a Virtudesk VA means you have constant help in finding a client when you’re in the placement pool.
Read: Virtual Assistant Checklist
Grow Your Skill and Expertise
Finding a client isn’t the end of the road. After the onboarding phase with your client, practice your technical and soft skills as you do the work. Your client will have growing demands and you need to be able to respond adequately. Keep in touch with your VA friends for the newest information on best practices and tools that make the job easier. Becoming an excellent virtual assistant takes time, but you’ve definitely got this.
How to Become a Virtual Assistant at Virtudesk
Virtudesk is a VA provider company for US-based clients. We offer our virtual assistants free training including an allowance during that time. Coaches are also available to help you grow in your practice as a virtual assistant. Not only that, but we also have a growing list of clients our VAs have access to if they don’t have clients yet. If you’re interested in joining us, here’s how to become a virtual assistant at Virtudesk.
- Prepare your Resume.
- Submit your resume by applying at Virtudesk.
- Choose a job position such as Executive Virtual Assistant (mixed voice and nonvoice), Inside Sales Associate (voice), and General Virtual Assistant (nonvoice).
- Fill out the application form.
- Click submit and wait for the recruitment team to reach out.
Becoming a Prolific Virtual Assistant
A lot of people learning how to become a virtual assistant find that it simply takes stuff that they already have. Computers are very accessible nowadays and technical skills are also available to learn on the internet. Soft skills are also just human skills, so you’re basically going to make money with resources you already have.
Being a virtual assistant means you don’t have to choose between being at home and having a career. You get to spend more time on the things and people that you love.
Play to your strengths and discover which services you can offer. Find clients and grow in your career. As a virtual assistant, learning more means earning more. The more services you can offer, the more clients will want to have you in their teams. Become a virtual assistant today.
If you are interested in becoming a virtual assistant, submit your resume and fill out this form. We are previously hiring for the Executive Virtual Assistant (EVA) and Inside Sales Associate (ISA) role. Previous virtual assistant experience is not required, but at least six months of call center experience is required.
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