How to Become a Virtual Assistant: Skills, Steps & Tips for Success

The growth of entrepreneurs and enterprises working remotely is increasing demand for skilled virtual assistants (VAs) to help manage workloads. Many solopreneurs, small business owners and busy professionals are turning to VAs for tasks like inbox management, calendar coordination and general administrative support.

VA work can be a lucrative side hustle or a full-time career that gives you the flexibility to work from anywhere and maintain a work-life balance while using your administrative and organizational skills.

This article sets out how to become a virtual assistant—from getting started to finding clients and building a sustainable career—and explains how Wise Business can help you get paid by your clients.

As a VA you could work with clients in different countries, making it essential to have a multi-currency account. A Wise Business account allows you to receive international payments faster, avoid excessive foreign exchange fees, and manage multiple currencies in one place.
Find out more about Wise Business

What Is a Virtual Assistant?

A virtual assistant is a professional who provides administrative, technical, customer service, or creative support to clients remotely. VAs are often freelancers or contractors, although some have part-time or full-time contracts with employers.

VA roles are as diverse as the clients they serve. From solo entrepreneurs and startups to established enterprises and Fortune 100 companies, VAs support a range of businesses. Each position is shaped by the needs of the client and the assistant’s skills.

Some common VA tasks may include:

• Email inbox management
• Calendar and scheduling management
• Data entry and file organization
• Answering and directing phone calls
• Bookkeeping and invoicing
• Handling travel arrangements
• Customer service support
• Social media management
• Research assistance

Why Demand for VAs Is Growing

The rising demand for virtual assistants is fueled by the need for businesses of all sizes to save time, cut costs and improve efficiency. They can outsource tasks to VAs rather than hiring full-time employees or doing the work themselves.

VAs offer the flexibility of on-demand support that can scale with a business. Hiring a remote assistant eliminates the costs associated with office space, equipment and employee benefits, and experienced VAs streamline workflows while requiring minimal supervision, making business operations more efficient.

Benefits of Becoming a Virtual Assistant

• Work from anywhere in the world
• Low startup costs
• Set your own rates and hours
• Diverse opportunities across industries
• Scalability—from freelancing to running an agency

How to Become a Virtual Assistant: First Steps

Whether you're transitioning from a traditional office job or starting your career, knowing where to begin is key. Below, we walk you through how to become a remote virtual assistant—from identifying your niche and setting up your business to finding your first clients.

Identify Your Niche

Before you launch your business, identify the skills and strengths you bring to VA work and define your niche.

It is possible to become a virtual assistant with no experience. Even if you don’t have direct administrative experience, chances are you have valuable transferable skills like communication, organization, time management, research, or a knack for using productivity tools, that can easily translate into VA work.

If you already have an industry in mind, such as ecommerce, real estate, health and wellness, or sales, start focusing on the tools and processes you’ll need to be familiar with or willing to learn. For example, if you’re interested in how to become a real estate virtual assistant, you would benefit from knowledge of the home-buying process and MLS platforms, while sales-focused VAs may need experience with CRM systems.

Decide whether you want to work with one company or offer your services as a freelancer supporting multiple clients. This will determine how you market yourself and where you look for opportunities.

Set Up Your VA Business

Once you've chosen a niche, it's time to set up your business.

• Choose a business structure (sole proprietorship or LLC), register your business name, and research any licenses you need to operate in your location.
• Design a professional logo, craft a compelling business plan, and write a bio that showcases your services and value.
• Create a basic website or portfolio with a business email address, set up social media accounts and optimize your LinkedIn profile to promote your services.
• Open a business account such as Wise Business to accept international payments easily and securely.

Tips for Finding Clients as a VA

You can quickly build momentum and land your first clients with the right approach. Here’s how to become a successful virtual assistant.

• Start with your personal and professional network: Let former colleagues, friends and family know you're offering VA services, to find clients through word-of-mouth and referrals.
• Build and pitch a prospect list: Make a list of small businesses, entrepreneurs, or startups that could benefit from virtual support and send personalized pitches.
• Check freelance and remote job boards: Look for listings of VA opportunities relevant to your niche.
• Attend industry and networking events: Trade shows, conferences and business events in your target industry are opportunities to meet clients and better understand their needs.
• Use social media: Create content that demonstrates your skills and actively participate in Facebook groups, LinkedIn communities and Reddit threads to make yourself visible.
• Connect with local businesses: Reach out to small businesses locally that may need help with tailored offers.
• Collaborate with other VAs: Experienced VAs can be a source of referrals when they’re overbooked or asked to provide services outside their niche.

What Qualifications Do You Need to be a Virtual Assistant?

While you don’t need a formal degree to become a VA, certain skills and training can go a long way to landing clients.

Essential Skills

• Communication: Clear, prompt, and professional communication is essential, especially via email and video conferencing.
• Organization and time management: Understand how businesses organize their systems and processes. The ability to manage time, oversee calendars, schedules, and appointments, and carry out other organizational tasks is key.
• Project management: You’ll need to juggle multiple clients and tasks. Project management tools like Asana, Trello, Monday, AirTable, and ClickUp, and time-blocking techniques can help.
• Technological proficiency: Using cloud-based tools including Google Workspace, Microsoft Office, and more is crucial.

Specialized Skills

• Basic bookkeeping and accounting: Managing expenses, processing invoices and maintaining financial recordkeeping is a valuable skill that can make your service more attractive.
• Digital marketing: Familiarity with online marketing strategies will allow you to help your clients promote their businesses as well as your own.
• Social media content creation: Many small businesses lack the time, strategy, or skills to create consistent, engaging content. A VA who can handle this becomes a key player in the business.
• Travel planning: Being able to efficiently manage travel itineraries, bookings, and accommodations for clients and adjust swiftly to changes saves clients time and money.

Certifications and Training

Training programs and certifications can make you more versatile and help you stand out. Some standard options for how to become a certified virtual assistant include:

• Google Digital Marketing & Ecommerce Professional Certificate
• Google Project Management Certificate
• QuickBooks Certification
• Salesforce Administrator Certification
• VA training programs like Horkey Handbook, The VA Handbook, and 90 Day VA

Courses can help you develop specialized skills, network in relevant communities and hone your services.

How Much Can You Earn as a Virtual Assistant?

Some virtual assistants charge hourly, daily or weekly rates. Some charge additional retainers or offer monthly service bundles, which provide steady income and predictable workloads, while others choose to be paid on a per-task basis.

The average pay for a virtual assistant in the US is $27.30 per hour.¹ But the amount you earn can depend on the services you offer, your skills, expertise, experience and location.

Tools and Resources for Virtual Assistants

To thrive as a VA, having access to the right resources is essential.

Software and Tools

To stay organized and efficient, equip yourself with essential software and tools for productivity and communication.

• Project management: Trello, Asana, ClickUp
• Time tracking: Toggl, Clockify
• Communication: Zoom, Slack, Google Meet
• File sharing: Google Drive, Dropbox
• Invoicing and contracts: HelloBonsai, Dubsado, HoneyBook
• Automation: Zapier, Calendly

Most of these offer free accounts or plans, making them accessible when you’re just starting out.

Community and Support

You don’t have to go it alone. Joining VA networks and forums can offer mentorship, job leads and accountability:

• Facebook groups: “Virtual Assistant Savvies,” “The VA Lounge,” “90 Day VA Members”
• Slack channels: Some VA training programs or online communities have dedicated Slack groups.
• Reddit: Subreddits like r/virtualassistant and r/freelance can be helpful.
• Coworking apps: Virtual coworking spaces like Focusmate or Flown can help maintain productivity.

What Are the Best Platforms to Find Virtual Assistant Jobs?

There are general freelance marketplaces such as Fiverr, Upwork and Guru where you can create a profile, submit proposals to prospective clients and build a reputation in a specific niche.

There are also platforms that specialize in VA work including:

• Belay Solutions
• Boldly
• Time Etc
• Zirtual
• Prialto
• VituDesk
• The Virtual
• The VA Hub

These talent pools allow you to build a profile, match with clients and access tips and educational resources. Joining both general platforms and specialist sites will maximize your chances of finding work. You can also find VA jobs on employment marketplaces such as Indeed, FlexJobs or Remote.co.

How Do I Start Working as a Virtual Assistant?

Whether you’re interested in how to become a virtual assistant as a side hustle or flexible career, it can be a rewarding path, especially if you're self-motivated and eager to learn. To get started:

• Choose your niche based on your strengths and interests
• Set up your business—get legal, create a brand, build a web presence
• Develop in-demand skills
• If you’re starting with a limited budget, look for free courses on how to become a virtual assistant
• Find clients through online platforms, social media and networking
• Use the right tools to stay efficient and professional
• Join communities to stay connected and informed

With global demand for VAs continuing to grow, there’s never been a better time to pursue this flexible, remote way of working.

Discover Wise: The Easy Way to Get Paid as a Virtual Assistant

Once you’ve determined how to become a virtual assistant to earn money online, you’ll need to open a business account to get paid by clients from around the world.

Consider a Wise Business account, which can make it easy and cost-effective to convert your pay into your preferred currency at the mid-market exchange rate.

Open a Wise Business account online

Wise is not a bank, but a Money Services Business (MSB) provider and a smart alternative to banks. The Wise Business account is designed with international business in mind, and makes it easy to send, hold, and manage business funds in 40+ currencies. You can get major currency account details for a one-off fee to receive overseas payments like a local. You can also send money to 140+ countries.

Read the guide on how to open a Wise Business account

	Editor & Business Expert:
	Panna is an expert in US business finance, covering topics from invoicing to international expansion. She creates guides and reviews to help businesses save time and make informed decisions. You can read more useful business articles on her author profile.

	Author:
	Nicole is a professional journalist with two decades of experience in writing and editing, she has also run her own freelance business for the past five years. Her expertise spans the financial and technology industries, including payment processing and small business banking.

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¹Virtual assistant salary in United States