What Does a Virtual Assistant Do?

Are you looking for a career change? Well, since the so-called “great resignation,” the freelance economy is booming, now accounting for over $1.2 trillion of the US economy.

One of the most common jobs in the remote freelancing field is the virtual assistant or VA. However, that term covers a lot of different jobs!

So, what does a virtual assistant do, and is the job right for me? We’re glad you asked!

Virtual Assistant Job Requirements

Requirements for the job will vary widely between positions. However, you can expect most positions to require some type of administrative background, as well as experience in any specific field they need help with.

Since virtual assistant skills can differ, many virtual assistants offer completely different services and set their own rates.

For example, a virtual marketing assistant will need to have a background in marketing, whereas another may come from a customer service background.

Overall, the only consistent requirement for a virtual assistant is internet access. Beyond that, requirements vary widely.

Virtual Assistant Salary

Some virtual assistants charge as little as $12 an hour, or they may work for a company that pays them a similar salary with benefits.

However, many independent contractors in the field may charge around $60 an hour or even as much as $100 an hour.

Others may not charge based on time at all but rather on each task, their skills within that task, or what they deem fair for each job. That’s the freedom that comes with freelancing!

Benefits of Becoming a Virtual Assistant

Most virtual assistants are considered independent contractors, and many get to work on their own schedules. If you don’t like the 9-5 schedule, then setting your own schedule is a big benefit in itself!

Also, independent contractors get to set their own rates, meaning that you can earn as much as you want to charge, assuming you can find clients willing to pay it.

Lastly, the job isn’t too stressful. Studies show that independent contractors are less likely to experience stress on the job and even less likely to develop stress-related illnesses.

If none of that sounds appealing, don’t worry. There are plenty of virtual assistant jobs out there that can still allow flexibility with consistent pay and benefits.

What Does a Virtual Assistant Do?

Now that you understand some of the reasons why this field is so appealing, you’re left with one question: what exactly do VAs do?

Again, all of these are potential services offered by a virtual assistant. Two different virtual assistants may not offer any similar services at all, but these are some of the most common in the field!

Administrative Tasks

Scheduling, email screening, and customer service are just a few examples under this broad umbrella, but the most common virtual assistant responsibilities include:

• Organization of files and documents
• Schedule management
• Coordinating travel arrangements
• Email monitoring
• Billing, invoicing, and other accounting activities
• Answering and/or directing calls
• Documenting and maintaining records

The list goes on. Unsurprisingly, most virtual assistants come from some type of administrative background, whether it’s as a mid-level manager for a company or a receptionist for a local dentist’s office.

However, these skills can all be taught as well, so don’t worry if your current skills lie elsewhere!

For most virtual assistants, working with Google Spreadsheets or Excel, answering emails, and managing schedules are a large portion of the job.

Bookkeeping

A large majority of virtual assistants offer bookkeeping services. It’s an essential function of all businesses that many workers understand. Believe it or not, bookkeeping is one of the most common jobs in the US, employing over 1.7 million workers.

That’s a handy skill for virtual assistants to add to their resumes! No matter what type of business they work for, they’re bound to need bookkeeping services.

Digital Marketing

Another fundamental of business is marketing, and skilled marketers are increasingly in demand.

The best part is that you don’t need to have a marketing degree to land a job, either. Many companies seek specialized virtual marketing assistants for specific goals.

For example, a company may not want to hire an entire marketing team or agency to launch a new SEO strategy. Instead, they may hire an assistant with a background in SEO content marketing.

If they’re willing to pay the freelancer’s rate, then this can be a mutually beneficial arrangement, as it will save the company money, offer them the services they need, and the freelancer will still earn more than they would as an assistant.

This applies to any digital marketing niche as well. Social media marketing, video ad creation, and email marketing are examples of common niches in the industry.

Niche Services

Graphic design, video editing, cybersecurity, or photography. What do these have in common?

These are just a few examples of skills that companies may need for their ad campaigns, website content, social media strategies, in-house work, or more.

Also, most assistants with niche skills, like web developers, can charge higher rates, which means it may pay off to learn one of these skills.

How to Become a Virtual Assistant

Now that you know some of the services a virtual assistant may offer, you may be wondering how to start a career in the industry. Well, whether you have experience or not, here’s how you can start your new career today!

Hone Your Skills

What skills have you acquired in school or in the workforce that you can translate to remote work? What would make you valuable as a freelancer in today’s world?

If you find some of these skills, double down on them.

For example, if you use bookkeeping apps at work currently but don’t consider yourself a bookkeeper, take a course and become a bookkeeper. Then, you have both the education and the experience to back up your skills.

Learn In-Demand Skills

We live in a world where you can now work from anywhere you want as long as you have internet access. Well, the same is true about learning a new skill.

If you want to compete in today’s remote work field, you don’t need a hundred-thousand-dollar master’s degree, you just need the motivation and commitment to master a new skill.

If you want to learn anything on the list above or any niche skill like blockchain, you can find hundreds of valuable courses online, as well as plenty of free resources.

Essentially, if you have $30 to your name and the patience to read through a lot of new material and follow along with some videos, you can become an SEO expert in a matter of weeks.

We do want to recommend taking a course and supplementing it with online information for two reasons. First, you can put a course on your resume with a certification as proof. Even if it’s a free online course, that’s still helpful!

Second, there’s varying quality throughout the internet on blog content. Always use professional sources and verify their quality with a little online research!

Update Your Resume

If you’re looking to join the rewarding freelance economy or land a job as a virtual assistant, then it’s time your resume reflects that.

Add any of your recent educational programs, your relevant experience, and change your “overview” or “objective” section to reflect the position you want.

Apply for Jobs or Platforms

If you’re ready to start looking for clients, you can start sending applications with your updated resume until you find the right fit. Freelancers are always in demand.

Cover letters can help you stand out from the competition and let companies know why you’d be such a great fit, especially if you’re new to the industry.

However, if you want the flexibility that comes with being your own boss, then all you need is clients. Luckily, there are excellent freelancer platforms that help match you with brands in need of your services.

This way, you can charge your own rates, work on your own schedule, and build your portfolio on your own terms!

Also, companies looking to hire virtual assistants are most active on these platforms, so don’t limit your reach early on.

Start Your New Career Today

Now that we’ve answered the question “what does a virtual assistant do?” you can make an informed decision on what’s right for you.

If you think that working remotely could improve your life in some way, it’s more attainable than ever before, so hone your skills, update your resume, and find work today!

Stay up to date with our latest tips for freelancers and check out our available virtual assistant jobs today!