Learn how to become a virtual assistant and earn up to $10,000 a month working from home. In just 4 steps, you can get started as a VA, even if you have no experience. Follow these tips on how to find virtual assistant jobs for beginners so you can start your VA career today!
Today I’m sharing everything you need to know about how to start your own virtual assistant business. Even if you have no experience, you have an existing skillset that business owners want, need and value.
My friend Gina Horkey, the creator of Fully Booked VA, can help you identify that skillset so you can confidently get paid to use it.
If you have good communication skills and a general understanding of all-things-internet, then working from home as a virtual assistant (or “VA” for short) can be a great opportunity for you.
As a VA, you can get paid to offer services such as social media, email, or data entry to other business owners from afar. Pretty straight forward right?
The job prospects for virtual assistants are growing rapidly as the result of a number of trends. With technology advancements, businesses are more comfortable than ever working with virtual assistants.
One of the best parts about making money as a VA is that you can set your own hours and work from home or anywhere that has an internet connection. All you need is your computer or laptop to get started.
In this post, you’ll learn:
- What a virtual assistant does so you can see if it’s the right fit for you
- What skills, education, and experience you need to become a virtual assistant
- How to start your career as a virtual assistant
- How much money you can make as a virtual assistant
- How to become a virtual assistant even if you have absolutely NO experience
- A comprehensive course on how to become a successful virtual assistant
- Plus a free guide on 275+ services you can offer as a VA
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- 30 ways to make money without a job
- How to become a freelance proofreader
- How to become a Pinterest virtual assistant
Table of Contents
What does a virtual assistant do?
A virtual assistant (VA) is a self-employed person that can offer administrative services to other businesses from a remote location.
Virtual assistants are in high demand by online business owners and entrepreneurs that need help but don’t have the office space to bring on full-time staff for a specific location.
As a freelance virtual assistant, you can work for a few clients or as many clients as you wish. By setting your own flexible schedule, this allows you to work on this side hustle in the evenings or weekends, or turn it into a full-time job.
The tasks you can do as a virtual assistant vary widely depending on your skills and what you enjoy doing. Typically, a VA can perform tasks such as managing email accounts, making travel arrangements, scheduling appointments, or making phone calls.
Some VAs might specialize in offering social media management, graphic design, bookkeeping, proofreading, or marketing services.
There are over 75 different services you can offer as a virtual assistant, so it’s easy to find something that matches your skillset and interests.
What do I need to become a virtual assistant?
The good news is that you don’t need any formal education or specific qualifications to start a career as a virtual assistant.
According to Gina Horkey, a successful six-figure virtual assistant, she recommends having these skills if you want to get into VA work:
- Good communication skills – Because you’ll be working remotely, it’s important to be good at communicating through email or by phone.
- Basic knowledge of computers, applications, and social media – This can certainly be learned, however if you’re planning to work online, having a general understanding of the internet is a good place to start.
- Must be self-motivated – Having a high degree of motivation and a desire to learn are important. Gina offers a guide on how to find virtual assistant jobs for beginners and says her students love how she walks them step-by-step through the entire process.
- Experience that matches your clients’ needs – This may include bookkeeping, marketing services, making travel arrangements, managing email accounts, social media, graphic design, making phone calls, blog writing, Google SEO and analytics.
What virtual assistant services are in high demand right now?
If you want to start a career as a virtual assistant, the first step is to identify your skills and what services you may want to offer as a virtual assistant. There are many services you can offer as a VA. Below are the most popular services:
1. Blogging
If you enjoy writing and are interested in starting a blog, then becoming a virtual assistant can be a great way to accelerate your blog’s success while earning money on the side.
You’ll learn what it takes to run a successful blog while being able to help your client with a variety of administrative tasks.
Some of the tasks you’ll do as a blogging VA include:
- Writing, editing, or proofreading blog posts
- Creating email newsletters
- Improve SEO
- Create graphics for the blog and social media
- Finding guest blog post opportunities
- Tech support
- Schedule social media posts
Read Next:
- How to start a WordPress blog: Step-By-Step Guide
- How to become a blogger and make money
- Best affiliate marketing programs for beginners
2. Social Media
Many businesses know that having a social media precense can be an excellent way to connect with their target audience.
But when it comes to the nitty-gritty of building a consistent social media precense for their business, many companies don’t have the time or skills to do so.
If you enjoy creating and sharing content on platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest or Tik Tok, then specializing as a social media virtual assistant could be the right opportunity for you. This can be a good way to make money as a student.
Some of the tasks you’ll do as a social media VA include:
- Managing multiple social media accounts and scheduling content
- Being able to create click-worthy headlines and captions
- Engaging with your client’s audience and keeping the flow of conversation
- Creating and repurposing content
- Staying on top of trends
Read Next:
3. General Admin Support
General admin assistants are always in demand. If you have previous experience working in an office or as a support staff, this can be a great way to break into the virtual assistant business.
While general admin support might not be as exciting as the other niches, it can be a great stepping-stone to learning new skills so you can market yourself to companies who need help.
Some of the tasks you’ll be doing as a general admin support include:
- Responding to email and phone calls
- Scheduling meetings and managing your client’s calendar
- Making travel arrangements
- Booking appointments
- File management
- Preparing slideshows for Powerpoint presentations
- Transcribing video, audio, or podcasts
4. E-Commerce
Small to mid-size companies are looking to hire virtual assistants to help them run their e-commerce business.
This can help free up time so business owners can focus on doing what they do best – running and growing their company.
Some of the tasks you’ll be doing as an e-commerce VA include:
- Managing customer service via phone, live chat, email or on social media
- Processing the company’s orders, such as order entry, shipment and invoicing
- Managing returns and exchanges of products
- Managing inventory
- Website maintenance
- Helping with marketing, writing press releases, and copywriting
5. Finance and Accounting
If you have experience with working in finance or accounting, this can be a great virtual assistant niche for you. Companies are looking for skilled VAs to help them with bookkeeping and sending invoices.
Some of the tasks you’ll be doing as a finance VA include:
- Bookkeeping
- Creating and sending invoices
- Chasing down payments
6. Content Creation
Content is king and online business owners are always looking for virtual assistants to help them with their content production.
Some of the tasks you’ll be doing as a content creation VA include:
- Writing blog posts
- Editing sales pages
- Copywriting – Product pages, emails, campaign materials
- Creating graphics
- Creating videos
- Researching content ideas
7. Podcast Production
If you enjoy working with audio, then becoming a podcast virtual assistant could be the perfect niche for you. With over 700,000 live podcasts to date, it’s no surprise that podcast VAs are in high demand.
As a Podcast virtual assistant, you’ll get paid to offer technical or administrative services to help business owners launch, manage and grow a successful podcast.
Some the tasks you’ll be doing as a Podcast VA include:
- Communicating with guests and scheduling appointments
- Testing equipment
- Creating a transcript of the show
- Audio editing – Adding into/outro music and editing out the “ums”.
- Creating graphics for episodes
Read Next: How to become a Podcast virtual assistant
How much money does a virtual assistant make?
The average North American virtual assistant salary earns $35 to $50 per hour. Some earn as high as $100 per hour and others as low as $20 per hour.
The amount of money you make will depend on your experience, skills, education, and so on.
When my friend Kayla first started working as a virtual assistant 7 years ago, she was earning $15 per hour. This was about twice as much as she made from her minimum wage job in retail at the time.
Once she started learning new skills and tools, this allowed her to raise her rates significantly. Now she consistently earns over $10,000 a month from her virtual assistant business.
As a VA, you can work as much or as little as you want, which means your earning potential is up to you. And once you grow your business, you can raise your rates so you can earn more in less time.
Imagine bringing in extra money each month as a side hustle. Or maybe you’re interested in becoming a full-time VA?
As a virtual assistant, you can make enough money to help pay off debt faster or add more freedom to your life. Plus, as you begin to gain more experience, you can quickly increase your rates.
How do I become a virtual assistant with no experience?
To get a job as a virtual assistant, the first step is to determine which niche you would like to focus on. This can help you figure out which types of clients you’d like to work with and the type of VA work you’ll enjoy doing.
Once you’ve established your niche, then you can follow the 4 steps below on how to become a virtual assistant with no experience.
1. Decide which services you’ll offer
Here’s where you get to focus on skills you already have and what you actually enjoy doing.
There are tons of different services you can offer as a virtual assistant, and you can change your service offerings once you start. There’s no rule that says you have to stick to the same service offerings.
I recommend choosing at least 2-3 services that match your skillset and interest, then getting started from there.
Many beginners start out by offering general admin support such as responding to emails, calendar management, bookkeeping, returning phone calls, and other administrative tasks.
You can also offer more specialized services such as social media management, podcast production, or website design. Take a look at some of the services mentioned in this post and see which inspire you.
2. Set up your website and social media
As a virtual assistant, you’ll be working as an independent contractor who provides support to clients from a remote location, usually from home. This means you’ll have to market and sell yourself to your clients.
The best way to do this is create your own online presence through a website and social media channels. This can help legitimize you as a professional VA and help aid trust when connecting with potential clients.
If you’re interested, you can use my easy step-by-step guide here to set up your website.
Your website is a great place to showcase what you can offer to clients by highlighting your skills. If you already have a website, you can add a “Hire Me” page to share information with potential clients who are interested in your services.
3. Determine your rates
How much should you charge for your services as a virtual assistant? Should you be charging hourly or is project-based pricing a better option?
First, it’s essential to figure out what your time is worth. Since you’ll be working for yourself, it’s important to remember that you need to cover your own overheads (home office expenses, high-speed internet, and so on). Usually this is really low if you’re working from home.
According to Gina Horkey, a successful virtual assistant and the mastermind behind Fully Booked VA, she recommends taking whatever wage you think would make sense for you and inflate it by at least 25%.
For example, if you’re thinking of charging $20 an hour (from a take-home pay perspective), then you should set your rate for at least $25 per hour.
If setting an hourly rate isn’t your cup of tea, you can charge a fixed or retainer rate instead. There’s no “one size fits all” pricing structure for VAs. It will depend on your skills, experience, and the types of clients you want to work with.
4. Pitch to potential clients and start networking
Finding your first client is the most important step in launching your own virtual assistant business.
If you’re serious about becoming a VA, consider learning from Gina Horkey. She’ll show you exactly how to pitch and land your first (and second, and third…) client, so that you can build a stable income.
In her course, you’ll learn how to onboard your clients like a pro, and how to protect yourself and your business for every possible situation.
Sure, you can start your virtual assistant business on your own, and learn everything through trial and error.
Or you can fast-track your success by learning from one of the best VAs in the business by learning exactly how to create a system of efficiency so you can maximize your time and earn more money.
How do I get my first job as a virtual assistant?
There are several great ways to find VA jobs. Below are some good places to get clients:
- Upwork Inc.
- Zirtual
- Fancy Hands
- BELAY
- Virtual Staff Finder
- Virtalent
- MyTasker – Virtual Assistant Company
- MyOutDesk
Is there a virtual assistant course I can take to help fast-track my career?
If you want to stand out from the crowd and learn from someone who started a successful VA business from scratch and now consistently earns over $10,000 a month, then consider checking out Gina’s virtual assistant course, Fully Booked VA.
But what if I have no experience as a virtual assistant?
That’s OK! Gina will teach you exactly what a VA is and does, and what virtual assistants shouldn’t be expected to do too.
She’ll walk you through the entire process of starting and growing your own virtual assistant business, including how to find and land your first client. In her course, you can even see the exact emails she used to get VA jobs.
But what if I have a full-time job. Can I still be a successful virtual assistant?
Absolutely! You don’t have to be a full-time VA to be successful. You can certainly run your VA business as a simple side hustle.
Your earnings may be a bit lower since you’ll have less time to devote to your business, but you can always choose to grow it someday.
What’s included in the Fully Booked VA course?
Gina, the creator of Fully Booked VA, is a professional virtual assistant. But life wasn’t always this easy…
Just a few years ago, before starting her VA business, she was broke and in debt. She didn’t know how she was going to cover her basic needs like groceries, insurance and gas for her car to get to work.
After a painful divorce, she needed to find a way to provide for herself with a stable and consistent income.
That’s when she decided to start her own virtual assistant business out of necessity. Initially it was just a side hustle to help earn extra money to pay for her bills.
But through a lot of trial and error, she was able to grow her VA business from $0 to $10K per month of consistent income.
Gina knows what it takes to become a successful virtual assistant. She knows what works and what doesn’t work, so you don’t waste your time focusing on the wrong things.
In her course, she’ll show you the exact strategies she used to earn a consistent $10,000+ a month.
This is a self-paced course, so you can take as much time as you need to go through the course. Once you enroll, you’ll have lifetime access to the course 24/7.
Here’s what you’ll learn in Fully Booked VA:
Module 1: What is a virtual assistant?
This module will teach you what exactly a virtual assistant does, how to decide which services you’d like to offer, the benefits of being a VA, and 7 simple skills you can easily learn for VA success.
Module 2: How to find and pitch VA jobs
This module will show you where to look for VA jobs, how to land your first client, and how to perfect your pitch so you can get more clients.
Module 3: Pricing services and getting paid
This module will teach you how much to charge as a beginner VA, a foolproof formula to calculate an hourly rate you deserve, how to raise your prices over time, how to send invoices, and 3 other ways to price your VA services.
Module 4: Building client relationships the right way
This module will show you 6 must-haves for your VA contract, how to onboard your clients like a pro and set important boundaries, how to overcome 6 common client objections, and how to part ways gracefully if you decide to fire a client.
Module 5: Running the day-to-day as a fully booked VA
This module will teach you how to create a schedule that works, how to get more done in less time (productive and efficient), and how to juggle multiple client responsibilities.
Module 6: Making your business legit
This module will teach your how to build your portfolio, market and promote your business, create a business plan, an introduction to taxes, how to decide how much to pay yourself, and manage your workday.
Module 7: Up-level your VA business
This module will teach you how to earn more as a one woman (or man) show, how to create efficient systems for faster work, how to outsource and create a VA agency, and how to implement the fully booked VA mindset.
When you enroll today, you’ll also get access to:
- Interviews with other successful virtual assistants in a variety of niches
- Private mastermind group on Facebook where you can connect with Gina and other students to bounce ideas off one another and learn more about pricing strategies.
- Get downloadable worksheets, checklists and templates to help you grow your business.
- A direct connection to Gina’s network of clients who are seeking VAs to help them build their businesses. You can use this secret VIP Facebook group to find out about exclusive job opportunity and more!
Having direct access to Gina’s network is priceless. You’re almost guaranteed to be hired because of her recommendation. She has connected hundreds and clients and VAs and they are almost always hired on the spot. This can be a great way to find virtual assistant jobs for beginners.
If you’re interested in learning more about Gina or enrolling in Fully Booked VA, you can check out the course here.
Free Training: Become a Freelance Virtual Assistant
Gina has put together this free guide where she shares 275+ services you can offer as a VA.
How to become a virtual assistant FAQs
Are virtual assistants in demand?
Yes, virtual assistants are in high demand. Many entrepreneurs, companies and online business owners, are looking to hire virtual assistants to help them with administrative, creative or technical services.
This makes sense because some small businesses don’t have the office space to bring on full-time staff. Also, many businesses prefer to use virtual support instead of in-house employees because it helps them save money, time and they may only need a VA’s help for a specific task, such as social media management.
As you can see, virtual assistants are worth it, and many companies rely on their services for behind-the-scenes work to keep the business running smoothly.
What programs do virtual assistants use?
As a virtual assistant, you’ll want to be familiar with a few programs. But there’s no need to stress yourself out about it. It’s impossible to know how to use every single tool or software program available.
Below is a list of some common programs that you may want to be familiar with as a VA. Knowing how to use a few of these tools can help you succeed as a virtual assistant.
- Social Media – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tik Tok, Pinterest, Buffer, Hootsuite, Tailwind, Later.
- Websites – WordPress, Square Space, Wix.
- Website Themes – Genesis Framework, Kadence Framework, Divi, Astra Themes.
- Lead Generation – LeadPages.
- Newsletter Software – MailChimp, Convertkit, InfustionSoft, ActiveCampaign.
- Email – Gmail.
- Cloud Storage – Google Drive, Dropbox, Microsoft OneDrive.
- Basic Office Software – Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Powerpoint, Google Docs, Google Sheets, Apple Pages.
- E-Commerce – Shopify, WooCommerce, Wix.
- Graphic Design – Canva.
- Project Management Tools – Asana, Trello.
- Online Course – Thinkific, Teachable, Kajabi.
- Communication Tools – Zoom, Skype, Slack.
Do virtual assistants need a degree?
You don’t need a degree to become a virtual assistant. However, for some specialized VAs, a degree may be required or help you stand out from the crowd. For example, you might need a degree in marketing to work as a virtual assistant at a marketing agency.
Is it easy to become a virtual assistant?
Yes, becoming a virtual assistant is relatively easy. You can find VA jobs for beginners on sites like Upwork or Fiverr. This is good if you have no experience and want to break into virtual assistant work. To help you fast-track your success, consider learning from Sloan, who will show you how to earn $10K a month as a VA.
Who needs virtual assistants the most?
Entrepreneurs, small businesses, companies, and online business owners are looking to hire virtual assistants. A VA is anyone that can help with tasks from a remote location.
Thanks to technology advancements and the availability of high-speed internet, remote work has grown 115% over the past 10 years.
According to a recent study of over 100,000 job listings, FlexJobs found that virtual assistants are one of the top five fastest-growing remote career categories. There has never been a better time to start your own VA business.
In short, companies like to hire virtual assistants to help them clear certain tasks off their plate to save time or because they lack the skills for it. This allows companies to focus their efforts on other tasks that can be of great value to their business.
Is it worth becoming a virtual assistant?
Yes, becoming a virtual assistant is worth it. Especially if you’re tired of….
- Having to ask for permission to take time off work.
- Working more and more and not getting paid (or even recognized) for your extra efforts.
- Waiting until your next review to get a raise.
It’s frustrating to feel stuck and wonder if you’re ever going to get out of your current situation and start finally building the life you’ve always dreamed of.
One of the fastest ways to solve this problem is to start your own business – especially a virtual assistant business from home.
Starting your own VA business can be the ticket you need to build a stable and consistent income using skills your already have.
You don’t have to worry about joining a MLM or spamming your friends and strangers on social media with “Hey girl” messages. Most importantly, you don’t need to go back to school, move to a bigger city or even leave the house.
My friend, Gina, started her virtual assistant business over 7 years ago, and grew it till she was consistently earning over $10,000 a month!
Her story is inspiring, but not unique. Earning $10,000 a month as a freelance virtual assistant is possible because she’s done it and many of the 600+ students in her course, Fully Booked VA, have as well.