VA Jobs for Beginners: Job Prospects for New VAs in 2024 

In today’s time, virtual assistant jobs are quite well known, which can be a little intimidating to explore. Since a lot of skilled and experienced people are already out there, maybe looking for another client, it can make you think, “Can I still land my first client with all the VAs out there?” 

The answer is yes! But before we dig into that, you must know where to start. As a newbie, if you want to become a virtual assistant, there are still jobs out there that you can start with. In this article, we will highlight the jobs opportunities you can have and how you can start.

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What Is a Virtual Assistant? 

A virtual assistant is someone who supports and performs tasks remotely that can help a business or a client. Usually, they perform different roles depending on what is assigned to them. The most common roles are organizing schedules, social media managing, and managing emails. 

There are cases where a virtual assistant can almost perform every role out there. That’s why, when you start your career as a virtual assistant, you are going to learn a lot of things. You can even learn a skill that you never knew you needed.  

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How to Kickstart Your VA Career 

Before you start hunting clients, learn the basics first. After gaining enough knowledge that will help you land your first potential client, highlight the abilities and skills you have that will make them think that it will be beneficial to them. 

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What Can You Do as a Beginner VA? 

As a beginner VA, there are already many things you can start to do and explore. Start with the simple tasks that your client may need assistance with, like data entry, research, task organization, and many more.  

Try practicing them or a new skill so you can apply it when you land your first client. Try to gain as much experience as you can because it will increase your credibility in your portfolio. 

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What Type of Training Does a Beginner VA Need?  

Honestly speaking, there is no specific training you need to undergo. However, you can start with free or paid training courses online.  

If your time and budget allow, opt for a combination of both hard and soft skills. There are many VAs out there who hyperfocus on building hard skills. That said, don’t forget that soft skills such as communication, presentation, and attitude, are extremely important as well.

Fortunately, there are plenty of agencies out there that offer training. In HireHarbour’s case, we provide a dedicated 3-week program called HarbourUniversity to ensure that everyone has a strong foundation as a executive virtual assistant.

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VA Jobs for Beginners: The Top Skills to Invest In ‍

Calendar Management

It is one of the most important skills that a virtual assistant should have since it involves maximising the time and productivity of the clients. These are the task that you need to do:

• Providing reminders
• Scheduling meetings
• Setting appointments
• Addressing conflict schedules
• Organising tasks and deadlines

Travel Management

This role involves assisting and organizing the travel needs of the business or client. The goal is to have a smooth travel experience for them while also making sure that it is efficient and cost-effective. Your responsibilities are listed below:  

• Research client travel options
• Booking travel schedules
• Booking transportation
• Managing travel expenses
• Provide assistance with travel issues
• Making reservation for accommodations

Inbox Management

This skill is beginner friendly since you do not need any special training or talents. The objective is to help keep the client email inboxes organized and be able to reply to messages mediately. Below are the usual tasks that virtual assistants do to manage their inboxes:

• Composing email replies
• Filtering spam and irrelevant emails
• Attending to requests for scheduled meetings
• Sorting emails based on its priority and urgency
• Maintaining the privacy and safety of email content
• Responding to emails that have been marked as unread or pending

By the way, these skills are merely a starting point. After all, your roles and responsibilities could depend on your client’s niche and needs. You can check out one of our previous articles on the different types of VAs to learn more about the usual tasks depending on the industry.  

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Tips on How to Start your VA Journey 

Here are some tips to practice so you can become an ideal virtual assistant and accomplish all your goals:

• Identify the niche you want to take. Make a list of skills and expertise to figure out what services you can provide as a VA. In case you want to take a niche that you’re interested in but not familiar with, try to study the skills required for that.

• Build experience. If you are just starting in the virtual assistant industry, you can get experience by offering your services at a more competitive price. Also, try to collect testimonials from previous clients and put together a portfolio of your work to help you build a reputation.

• Invest in your improvement. There are numerous online courses, training sessions, and certificates offered exclusively for those who plan to pursue virtual assistants so try to invest money in education and professional growth to get better at what you do and keep up with the latest industry trends.  

• Develop more efficient time management. You can't do everything at once, so learn how to divide up your work. Determine which tasks are most important and which ones can be put off. Avoid getting distracted and stick to your plan. You can also get software to help you keep track of your work and manage your tasks.

• Create a comfortable workspace for working. Keep your workspace free from distractions to help you stay focused on your tasks and have efficient time management. If your workspace is free from clutter and distractions, it can positively impact your work and may help relieve stress.

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The Advantages of Working as a Virtual Assistant 

Working as a virtual assistant is a great job for people who want a career opportunity that gives them freedom, flexibility, and many chances to grow professionally. Listed below are some of the main benefits:

Flexibility

One of the best advantages of being a virtual assistant is the added flexibility it offers in terms of time and work location.  

First of all, you have the option to choose your work hours based on your preferred client time zone.  

For instance, if you’re a VA from the Philippines and you want to work during the day, then you can opt working with an Australia-based client. If you feel most productive in the afternoons, then you can work for a UK-based client instead. Lastly, those who feel more inspired working at night would find working with a US-based client better.  

As for work location, you can literally work anywhere, as long as you have a portable device (like a laptop) and stable internet connection.

Work-Life Balance  

If you are a virtual assistant, you can set your own schedule fit for your interests, family responsibilities and personal commitments making it much easier to balance your professional and personal life.

Diverse Opportunities and Skill Set

When you start working as a virtual assistant, you will be exposed to different types of tasks. This allows you to expand your knowledge and skills since you are going to learn as you work.

Choice of Location

Your choice of workplace is completely up to you. It allows you to work while travelling or even moving. This removes the burden of looking for a new job.

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The Disadvantages of Working as a Virtual Assistant  

While there are numerous benefits to working as a Virtual Assistant, it is crucial to consider the possible drawbacks, especially when you’re working as a freelancer. Here are some of the disadvantages that one may encounter:

Self-Discipline

Working remotely requires a strong sense of self-discipline and determination. It can sometimes lead to distractions and procrastination, resulting in reduced efficiency and productivity.

Inconsistent Salary

Unlike a typical job with a fixed salary, the income of a virtual assistant can fluctuate greatly from month to month. There could be many clients and projects in some months and fewer in others.  

At HireHarbour, we offer long-term stay for those highly experienced virtual assistants who are willing to grow with us.

Loneliness

If you are used to working in an office with other people, working from home as a virtual assistant can make you feel alone. Sometimes not being able to talk to coworkers in person can make you feel lonely and disconnected. You might miss the friendship and teamwork that come with working with other people.

HireHarbour offers fun team activities to keep the team motivated and connected even in a remote setting.

Technical Difficulties

Since the virtual assistant job is in remote setting, you are solely relying on your technical tools. If you encounter technical problems like power outage, hardware malfunction and internet outage, it can affect your productivity and deadlines.

Fortunately, many of these disadvantages can be avoided if you work with a reputable agency like HireHarbour.

• The ongoing support and guidance will help develop one’s self-discipline.
• HireHarbour provides a regular, reliable, and consistent payment schedule.
• You’re not only working with a team but you will also be provided 360-degree support, especially on specialist tasks.
• We also understand that there are times when technical difficulties cannot be avoided. If you were working alone, these issues can cause you your clients. But if you’re working at HireHarbour, you’ll have team mates to help you out, maintain productivity and client satisfaction, and be happy in knowing that you’ll offer them the same service if they ever need it too.

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Where Can Beginner VA Find Jobs? 

If you’re going to begin searching for jobs, it's important to be aware of which platforms are reliable. You can check out these beginner-friendly online job marketplaces to get started:

• Upwork  
• Fiverr  
• Freelancer  

If you are a virtual assistant who has just started out but you’ve already gained some experience and confidence, you are eligible to apply to become a HarbourX. HireHarbour encourages self and career improvement and offers access to a comprehensive executive virtual assistant training program, HarbourUniversity. With a positive work culture and a fun workplace, you will undoubtedly have a good time working and learning.

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More Tips and Tricks from Our Own EAs! 

• Always think like an executive. Remember that you are working for a founder/business owner, etc. and executive assistants are their direct extension. By thinking like an executive, EAs can streamline workflows, manage priorities efficiently, and provide valuable support that aligns with the overall goals and objectives of the client.  

        “Think like executive, act productive” - Bianca Ramos  

• Always clarify things and ask questions. This will help avoid misunderstanding the details and instructions that could lead to errors. It is crucial for EAs to understand the tasks given by their manager or their executive head. By seeking clarity and asking questions, we promote a culture of openness, teamwork, and ongoing improvement within the company/business. ‍

         “Spare time by asking questions” - Nicholle Flores

• Maintain professionalism. Treat your virtual assistant business like any other professional endeavor. Be punctual, reliable, and courteous in all your interactions with clients. Professionalism goes a long way in building trust and credibility.

         “Being professional all the time is key!” - Fritzie Agor