The greatest benefits virtual assistants enjoy are the freedom to work from the comfort of their homes, to set their hours, and to get paid well for providing various services to clients, both remote and local.
We know that breaking into the virtual assistant business as a beginner isn’t easy, but we’re here to help.
We’ll direct you to the best virtual assistant jobs for beginners, break down what each entails, and help you find freedom in the comfort of working remotely. Continue reading to get started!
Virtual Assistant Jobs for Beginners
An overview of the best virtual assistant jobs for beginners:
- Data entry clerk
- Personal assistant
- Translator
- Social media assistant
- Customer support representative
The Best 5 Virtual Assistant Jobs for Beginners
Try landing one of the following jobs if you have no work experience:
1. Data Entry Clerk
Data entry clerks work with company and client data, and this path is usually the first option for beginner virtual assistants.
Most of the time, you’ll be entering and updating information into computer systems while verifying data accuracy. Maintaining records and keeping backups may also be part of your duties.
Remember that verifying data accuracy is critical; you don’t want to cause your employer or their clients any sort of damage. Also, note that the data you’ll work with might be confidential—trust is indispensable for data entry clerks.
Data entry clerks earn around $28 per hour.
What You’ll Need to Do Data Entry
Good typing skills and attention to detail are a given. You’ll need to be familiar with spreadsheet and database software like Microsoft Excel, Access, and Google Sheets.
Pros
- You can work in virtually any industry, from healthcare to education.
- You can improve crucial professional skills, including typing, data analysis, problem-solving, and communication.
- Data entry clerks get paid well, especially in high-end industries like medicine and tech.
Cons
- Technology advancements and automation may make this job redundant in the future.
- This job can be exhausting if you deal with large volumes of data while complying with tight deadlines.
Top Places to Find Data Entry Clerk Jobs
You can try Amazon MTurk and Axion Data Services. Working Solutions also offers remote data entry jobs, among others.
2. Personal Assistant
Your duties as a personal assistant will include several administrative tasks. You’ll be responsible for managing schedules, appointments, and virtual meetings. On top of that, making and answering phone calls and composing emails will become part of your daily routine.
The average salary of personal assistants in the U.S. is $22 per hour.
What You’ll Need to Do Personal Assistant Duty
Excellent organizational, problem-solving, and communication skills are the basis of this job. You also need to be servant-hearted, which might not sit well with many.
Pros
- You have access to similarly high-profile individuals’ contact information if you work for a successful person.
- Many virtual assistants in this field earn well while enjoying excellent benefits and perks from their employers.
- You’ll be open to a wealth of experiences and things to learn as a personal assistant.
Cons
- Stress and pressure are inevitable in this job, as dealing with a successful person’s professional and personal life is no easy task.
- You may need to be on call 24/7. Sometimes, you’ll sacrifice your personal life to manage that.
Top Places to Find Personal Assistant Jobs
Directly email people you think would benefit from having a personal assistant for the true, full-time PA experience.
You can also become a tasker on TaskRabbit and get hired as a personal assistant, but it’s usually short-term. Indeed and FlexJobs are also great options.
3. Translator
Translation work-from-home jobs are available if you’re considering a promising virtual assistant career.
Your duties can involve converting written or spoken material from one language to another. You need to preserve the meaning and tone and capture the subtlest nuances of the target languages. Google Translate and its alternatives can’t do that—companies hire virtual assistants who can translate for that purpose.
You also have to proofread and edit your work.
It’s one of the most recommended freelance writing jobs for beginners since it pays $21.73 per hour on average. Still, your salary may be less impressive if you work on a gig-to-gig basis.
What You’ll Need to Do Translation
You must be well-versed in two or more languages and cultures. Some companies will also ask you for a college degree in translation, but they’re few and far between in the freelance world.
Pros
- Translators earn more than most other virtual assistant services, especially if they have a college degree to back up their skills.
- You can work as an independent contractor or as a part-time or full-time employee. You can also set your hours.
- Translators are required in every field, primarily law and media.
- The field you’ll work in will open you to many learning opportunities and experiences.
Cons
- Language proficiency alone isn’t sufficient, as you must be well-versed in the target language’s culture to capture its meanings.
- You’ll face ruthless competition from experts in the field and machine translation tools.
- You’ll be constrained by your client’s requests for the most part. Personal expression is very limited in translation jobs.
Top Places to Find Translation Jobs
We recommend you work as an independent contractor on a gig website like Fiverr, Upwork, and TranslatorsCafe or with virtual assistant companies like Gengo or TextMaster.
4. Social Media Manager
Managing social media accounts should appeal to you if creativity and innovation define you. Being a social media manager gives you the freedom to work anywhere in the world at any time of the day.
It’s a challenging job, though. Part of your employer’s online strategy’s effectiveness rests on your ability to innovate and inspire. You have the creative role of managing your employer’s online presence. As such, your social media posts must be consistently engaging.
Social media managers earn $21.62 per hour on average.
What You’ll Need to Do Social Media Management
Being well-versed in many skills is necessary; you must excel at communication, project management, content creation, designing, and using analytics software.
Being qualified in marketing is also a common requirement; a college degree or a reliable online course can help.
Pros
- You get to interact with fans and collaborate with influencers daily.
- You can work anywhere in the world at any time of the day, provided you have a reliable internet connection and a smartphone or computer.
- You’ll always have an outlet to express your creativity while working as a social media manager.
Cons
- You’ll always be concerned about new trends and their effect on your campaigns, as your success rests in your delivering satisfying results and staying up-to-date with them.
- Social media never sleeps, so you should always be ready for unexpected situations or urgent requests from your employer.
- Every brand is fighting for the perfect online image, and brands similar to your employer aren’t an exception. You can stand out only by being smart, creative, and strategic.
Top Places to Find Social Media Management Jobs
Belay hires virtual assistants of all sorts, social media managers included. It’s a US-based virtual-assistants-for-hire company you can apply to; they teach you how to become a virtual assistant and connect you with clients.
5. Customer Service Representative
CSRs have one of the most challenging types of virtual assistant jobs since they need to listen and empathize with clients to solve their problems or address their complaints. Your primary focus is the clients’ happiness and satisfaction.
But you’ll also have to maintain records for future references and meet your team’s goals and standards of quality and performance. It depends on the industry you work in, after all.
CSRs get paid $17.39 an hour on average.
What You’ll Need to Do CSR
Patience and professionalism are indispensable to your success (and sanity) because your primary focus is the clients’ happiness and satisfaction.
Experience in the field in which you’re providing support is necessary. Other than that, you’ll only need a high school diploma or a GED.
Pros
- Your problem-solving and communication skills are always tested as a CSR. They’ll improve with time.
- Generating sales leads, referrals, or exceeding expectations will land you hefty bonuses and commissions.
- CSR jobs enable you to access entry-level positions in many companies. You can learn so much and use that knowledge while transferring to other careers.
Cons
- Dealing with problems hourly takes a toll on your mental health. Only work as a CSR if you have the patience and professionalism to keep it together.
- CSRs usually work long hours as they have to remain on call to manage the flux of client complaints.
- Compared to other virtual assistant jobs, CSRs get paid less.
Top Places to Find Customer Service Representative Jobs
Teleperformance connects various industries and organizations with its dedicated team of CSRs. You can also try Peak Support. Freelance jobs are available on Fiverr, Glassdoor, and Indeed, too.
Similar Jobs
There are countless jobs to pick from, but we chose those that we believe require the least skills for an aspiring beginner virtual assistant to break into. You can also consider the following:
- Jobs Paying 25 An Hour: Are you looking for jobs that pay 25 an hour? Our article will guide you to the best high-paying jobs in various fields.
- Jobs With Flexible Hours: Is flexibility your priority? We’ll direct you to the best gigs with flexible hours to ensure your work-life balance and financial freedom.
- Freelance Writing Jobs for Beginners: Do you have impeccable writing skills? You can earn money by lending them to clients and companies.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Are The Skills and Qualifications Required for a Virtual Assistant Job?
Most entry-level positions require only professional skills and a high school diploma. Those skills depend on your employer.
Generally, communication, problem-solving, and time management are essential, but some employers prefer candidates with diplomas in a relevant field.
How Can I Find and Apply for Virtual Assistant Jobs Online?
Your best friends are Fiverr, Upwork, Glassdoor, Indeed, and FlexJobs. Some companies also have dedicated websites, which you can find on those job boards.
How Can I Balance Work and Life as a Virtual Assistant?
Don’t opt for jobs that require you to be on call or have long work hours. Instead, work as an independent contractor to set your hours.
Wrapping Up
Landing a virtual assistant job is an excellent step toward breaking into the labor market and grasping its intricacies; you’ll build your CV while preparing for more lucrative earning opportunities later.
Most jobs have minimal requirements. You’re in as long as you have the professional skills they ask for—communication, punctuality, patience, problem-solving, etc.
Our article outlined some of the best virtual assistant jobs beginners can seek. Let us know in the comment section whether you found it helpful. Share it with your friends, too!
