There are many ways to earn extra cash online, and one of the ways that has become popular over the past several years is working as a virtual assistant.
If you are looking to earn money in a flexible way, this might be a good opportunity for you.
If this is something you consider, I highly recommend you continue reading to learn more about what it means to work as a virtual assistant (VA). Then, you can find out whether it is the right opportunity for you.
I will also include a few sample sites where you can find virtual assistant jobs to help jumpstart your virtual assistant career.
What is a virtual assistant?
In case you don’t know what a virtual assistant is, it is a type of job that provides administrative services outside of the client’s office or workspace. Normally, virtual assistants work from home or any other place outside the office.
A virtual assistant is normally an independent contractor working for an individual or company. This means you’ll have to pay for your own Medicare, taxes, social security, and more.
The usual jobs you’ll have to do when working as a virtual assistant are responding to emails and phone calls, scheduling meetings, booking travel accommodations, and bookkeeping. But more and more people are hiring virtual assistants to do more streamlined tasks that are important for their business.
So, if you want to work as a virtual assistant, being versatile is a huge asset. You have to be capable of doing various types of tasks. But the two most important factors you need to have, in my opinion, are that you need to be good with computers and you need to know your way around the internet.
If you have those two basic skills, you can practically apply for any virtual assistant position.
How much can you earn as a virtual assistant?
Just like with any other job, your earnings will depend on what you bring to the table. In other words, the amount you will earn will depend on your skills and experience.
If you are interested in working as a virtual assistant, the first thing you need to do is research the market rate of beginner virtual assistants. You need to figure out how much beginner virtual assistants are getting paid so that you’ll have an idea of how much you are going to charge your clients.
You see, working as a virtual assistant involves negotiating your salary. And the only way to successfully negotiate a good salary is to determine your baseline so you won’t work for less money than you should.
There are also other factors in determining your salary. For example, if you are asked to perform specialized tasks like graphic design or writing, you can demand to be paid more. Normally, an inexperienced VA can earn around $300 to $500 per month.
If you have several years of working as a virtual assistant under your belt, the monthly salary will be significantly higher ($1,000 or more). In fact, you can actually earn a full-time income working as a virtual assistant.
However, how much you can earn will also depend on the country you live in. If you live in the so-called first world countries, you can, in many cases, earn more than mentioned above. But, of course, only if you have the skills. You can read more about this in this article – just scroll down on the page and find the section that talks about this.
But, no matter what, just remember that if you are just starting, earning a full-time income as a virtual assistant will be very hard, so make sure to manage your expectations properly. If you want to earn the same amount as an experienced virtual assistant, you need to take on several clients, which isn’t that hard to do, but it is not encouraged.
I would only suggest you go for taking on multiple clients if you have the time management skills and you find the right clients. Otherwise, I highly suggest you just stick to one client at a time.
Where to find virtual assistant jobs?
Now that you know what to expect if you work as a virtual assistant, it’s time we discuss where you can actually find jobs for virtual assistants. The options I will be showing below are all legit, and I will include a brief description of each option.
It is not a prioritized list, so you can just choose which option/s suits you best. It is recommended you choose multiple options so you get access to more virtual assistant opportunities. Anyway, at the end of the day, it will still be up to you which jobs you are willing to take on.
I will keep updating this page if I find more sites that are worth it, so make sure to bookmark this page and check on it from time to time for new opportunities.
#1 – Flexjobs
Flexjobs is essentially an online job board that offers an opportunity for you to find full-time or part-time jobs that can be done remotely. So, there’s a huge chance you can find VA job offers from this site.
The good thing about this site is it posts any type of job from entry-level to executive level, so there are opportunities for everyone. If you see a VA job you are interested in, you have to apply for it and submit your resume.
It also has a mobile app that will work with iOS devices, so you can conveniently check for job vacancies even when you are not in front of your computer. Just be aware that there will be a subscription fee involved if you decide to sign up as a member.
#2 – UpWork
UpWork is one of the most popular freelancing sites available today. You can virtually find any freelance opportunities on this site, including virtual assistant jobs.
And best of all, it is free to join, so you don’t have to spend a single dime to find work. However, I do have to say that you will have to build your reputation as an UpWork contractor if you want to command higher pay for the jobs you want to accept.
So, if you do decide to join this site, you just have to be patient and work your way up until you can establish a good reputation as a freelancer. Once you’ve done that, you’ll be able to earn a decent amount from this site regularly.
#3 – Fancy Hands
One of the premier sites where you can find virtual assistant jobs is called Fancy Hands. Most of the virtual assistant jobs offered on this site will only require you to work on short tasks that take 15 to 20 minutes to complete. So, if you are looking for filler work, this is a good option, in my opinion.
You will get paid via direct bank transfer through Dwolla, so the payment system is pretty convenient. Just keep in mind that Fancy Hands is only available in the US, and there’s no guarantee you’ll be accepted as one of their virtual assistants if you apply.
But if you manage to become one of their virtual assistants, you can expect to earn regularly from this site since there’s a steady stream of jobs available.
#4 – Indeed
Indeed is a job market website that posts job offers. It acts as a sort of middle-man between you and a potential employer.
You’ll have to spend some time hunting down virtual assistant jobs, and you will also have to provide your resume. So make sure to always have your resume handy and updated.
Although I do have to say that Indeed is more focused on traditional office-based jobs, I did notice that there have been more and more online and remote jobs available over the past couple of years. So, you will eventually be able to find a virtual assistant job to your liking.
#5 – LinkedIn
If you want to work as a virtual assistant, one of the basic things you need to do is create a LinkedIn profile. If you don’t know what LinkedIn is, it is an employment-oriented social media platform. So, if you are looking for work, one of the best platforms to find one is LinkedIn.
You can actively look for jobs on this platform, or you can just indicate in your profile that you are looking for work as a virtual assistant. And believe me, sometimes someone will really contact you and offer a job opportunity. Just don’t expect it to be immediate.
Just make sure your LinkedIn profile is up-to-date. Think of it as your online resume.
#6 – Time Etc
If you are a virtual assistant looking for work, you can check out Time Etc, which is a site that offers paid work for virtual assistants. It is only available for US residents, though, so if you live somewhere else, then this is not for you.
Time Etc uses PayPal as its payment method, so you can conveniently withdraw your earnings. You’ll get paid an hourly rate of around $13 to $17, which is not a bad rate.
However, the downside to this site is that they will only accept virtual assistants who have at least 5 years of experience working as a virtual assistant. So, if you are new to the virtual assistant industry, this is not for you.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, working as a virtual assistant is a legit and plausible way to earn money online. In fact, it is possible to earn a full-time income working as a virtual assistant, but you have to back it up with skills and years of experience.
As a rule, if you want to make it as a virtual assistant, you have to be reliable and always reachable so that clients can easily submit requests. When you work as a virtual assistant, you have to be in constant communication with your client. Otherwise, you won’t be able to provide quality work. Believe me, this is based on experience.
And to go the extra mile, you always have to stay current with the advancements in your chosen field.
For example, you need to know the current cloud-based communication technologies if you want to keep up with your job of scheduling appointments. It's little things like this that can help you become a successful virtual assistant.
Now, if you are looking to earn a full-time income and not work under a company or individual, I highly suggest you check out how you can earn a full-time income through online methods instead.
If you have any comments, questions, or you have experience working as a virtual assistant, I would love to hear from you in a comment below.
