A Quick Guide To Geting Started As A VA

Have you ever thought that becoming a virtual assistant might be for you, but maybe you felt overwhelmed by how to start? We’ve been there! We could probably dedicate an entire book to everything we’ve learned since starting First Pick, but here is a helpful summary:

What makes a good virtual assistant:
The first two qualities that come to mind are strong communication skills and adaptability. As a VA, you will work with a variety of clients with different business and distinct communication styles. The ability to tailor your working style to the needs of each client is paramount. Taking initiative, having A+ time management skills (this we did write a book on!) Working in any remote capacity also increases the need to have a natural tech savviness or at least the willingness to learn along the way.

What types of jobs can virtual assistants do:
Although many virtual assistants do typical admin work like scheduling, email management, data entry, and handling inbound or outbound phone calls, VAs have a lot more flexibility in the types of jobs they are able to do based on their interests, skills, and experience. Many clients seek VAs to help them with customer service: tracking orders, responding to customer inquiries, and assisting with inventory. If you have a knack for numbers, you could offer a number of financial services like billing, budgeting, or bookkeeping. If you’re a decent writer, you can offer to write blog posts or short articles to help promote a client’s product or to increase traffic to their website. Many VAs also work in marketing, social media, and research, or as transcriptionists, project managers, or content creators.

What steps should I follow to start a career as a VA:
If you’re still in the decision making process, we’d be happy to talk with you about our experience. Read as much as you can, and look into taking a training course or shadowing a VA to get a better idea for the type of work they do. Once your mind is made up, you can decide what services you’d like to offer or what area you want to specialize in. Next you’ll need to create an online presence, set your price ranges, draw up your contracts, and choose which programs you want to use to market your services and manage your work. One of our favorite programs is Client Management Software for Small Businesses | HoneyBook. HoneyBook allows you to streamline your invoicing. Once you have these steps in in place, you’re ready to apply to your first job as a virtual assistant. Best of luck to you!