Virtual Assistant Jobs

I’ve seen a rise in the number of virtual assistant companies in recent years. And this is good news because these companies offer virtual assistant jobs, which just happen to be one of my favorite work from home opportunities out there.

If you’re pretty good at getting things done, perhaps it’s time to consider working as a virtual assistant.

What is a virtual assistant?

A virtual assistant is someone who provides support and completes tasks from a remote location. This means that a virtual assistant in Texas could make travel arrangements for someone in Germany or coordinate meetings for an executive in Seattle.

Really, the possibilities are endless.

Thanks to our ever-connected world and ability to do pretty much anything with a computer and Internet connection, virtual assistants can provide just about any service that an in-office administrative assistant can.

And this means a lot of legitimate virtual assistant jobs out there for those looking to make an income from home.

What does it take to be a virtual assistant?

Given that virtual assistants are entirely remote, you’ll need a computer, high-speed internet and telephone to stay connected with clients and complete tasks.

Depending on the client or company you contract with, there are likely to be additional requirements.

For example, I’ve seen some companies require their virtual assistants, or VAs as they’re called, to have a landline phone. Others require VAs to have the capability to fax, scan and copy from their home office. And still some require specific skills like the ability to type 75 WPM or working knowledge of Photoshop.

The required skill sets or software needed will depend on the company or a client’s nature of business and their individual needs.

Who would make an outstanding virtual assistant?

If you refer to yourself as a Jack or Jill of all trades, you’d probably make a great virtual assistant. Since VAs are often tasked with a variety of jobs, you’ll need to have a little knowledge of a lot of things or at the very least be really proficient in Internet research in order to come up with the answer/solution to any question/problem.

Generally speaking, virtual assistants:

• Have great communication skills
• Can write effectively
• Are self starters
• Roll with the punches
• Stay cool, calm and collected under pressure
• Know how to multitask and prioritize
• Work with a sense of urgency
• Require limited direction

If you’ve ever worked as an admin assistant, personal assistant or in any kind of secretarial role, then you already know what it takes to provide support to others and get things done quickly, efficiently and without interruption to a client’s schedule. A virtual assistant’s role is no different with the exception that you’ll be doing it entirely from home.

Companies that Offer Virtual Assistant Jobs

While some people choose to create their own virtual assistant job, others are more interested in contracting with a company. Really, each has its pros and cons! If you’re looking for companies that do contract with VAs, check out this list:

Lifebushido

• Always hiring
• Part-time work starting at five hours a week with the option to increase to 20 hours based on performance
• Hires worldwide
• Must email jobs@lifebushido.com to receive information about the hiring process

EA Help

• Refers to assistants as Virtual Executive Assistants or VEA
• Prefers candidates with Bachelor’s degrees
• 5+ years experience as an admin assistant, executive assistant or project manager
• On-call availability, must respond to requests within one hour
• 1099 contractor role

Worldwide 101

• Selection process includes two video interviews, psychometric testing, reference and background check
• Hours average between 20 and 30 per week
• Pay rate averages between $15.00 and $20.00 depending on skills, experience, and seniority
• Pay is via direct deposit once a month on the 1st
• Not meant as a weekend, side, or supplement job–must commit to at least 20 hours per week and be available during normal business hours
• Minimum of 3 years experience and impeccable business references required
• Has an orientation for new hires to familiarize them with company operations

Gabbyville

• Virtual answering/receptionist services
• Answer calls during a company’s business hours and takes messages
• May also schedule appointments or take orders
• Not much by way of application process, if interested, need to email career@gabbyville.com

Care 2 Share

• Real estate staffing company that hires VAs
• Must have Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Saturday 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. availability
• WordPress, Adobe, and real estate experience preferred
• Must have high speed internet, noise-free working space, headset with microphone
  for phone calls
• Also prefers college grads, those with accounting experience and knowledge of QuickBooks
• Send resume to jobs@caretwoshare if interested

Zirtual

Note: On August 10, 2015 Zirtual abruptly shut down. They remained closed for seven days until Startups.co (a startup launch platform) acquired Zirtual. They resumed service beginning August 17, 2015. Since then, they haven’t hired Virtual Assistants. If they do start hiring VAs again, I’ll be sure to write an update!

• Rigorous hiring process
• Posts virtual assistant jobs by state–may only be hiring for certain states
• New virtual assistants, or ZAs as they’re called, are enrolled in “Zirtual University”
• Must have Monday through Friday availability between 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. in the timezone of your client(s)
• No weekend work required
• Major holidays are recognized

Contemporary Virtual Assistance

• Offers both full and part time virtual assistant jobs
• Prefers individuals with specialized experience in a particular field, ex. social media, WordPress, graphic design, Google tools, etc.
• Must be available at least four hours a day Monday through Friday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. EST
• Need to have high speed internet and reliable phone access
• Pay rate starts at $10.00 per hour with room for advancement after 60 days

Time Etc.

• Appears to be very part-time work (read the review here)
• Requires a minimum of just three hours of availability per week but prefers a five hour per week commitment
• Must be available Monday through Friday
• Need to have 2-3 years of admin/secretarial experience
• Starting pay rate of $11.00 per hour
• Need to have a Skype account, printer, and Microsoft Office
• Writing skills preferred as jobs might include blogging, content writing, social media updates
• Prefers a one-year commitment

Paragon Planners

• Hires on a contract basis for both full and part time virtual assistant jobs
• Seeking individuals who are seeking to work long term
• Has several opportunities available:
  • Scheduling & Appointment Setting
  • Marketing
  • Admin/Operations Support
  • Event Planning
• If interested, send resume and cover letter to Cheryl Learfield at opportunities@paragonplanners.com

Vicky Virtual

• Seeking work-at-home receptionists to handle calls, answer questions, schedule appointments, etc.
• Must be living in the United States
• Need to have a headset for answering calls, reliable high-speed internet connection, type at least 50 wpm
• Should be able to speak in a “neutral accent”
• Experience providing phone-based support and customer service is a plus
• Pay rate starting at $9.25 per hour

Fancy Hands

• Crowdsourced VA platform (read the review here)
• Paid per task ($2-$7)
• Work available 24/7
• Payments issued every two weeks
• Pays via Dwolla
• Opportunity to move up

$99 Social

• Help small businesses around the world with their social media accounts
• Write creative content for social media (Twitter, Facebook, G+, LinkedIn)
• Discover and find unique content around the Internet
• Minimum commitment of 10 hours
• Earn an average of $12/hour

Smith AI

• Not always hiring
• Hired on freelance basis
• Answer phone calls and take messages on behalf of clients
• Light transcription work
• Base pay + per call pay
• Availability from 2pm-6pm PST is ideal
• Bilingual candidate are a plus

Red Butler

• Always looking for executive virtual assistants to add to their team (read review)
• Work as team — you will not be assigned to a particular client
• Most common tasks include research, proofreading, scheduling, document creation, travel arrangements
• You can work as either a Virtual Executive Assistant or Remote Travel Specialist
• Assistants are available Monday through Friday, 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. PST

Aspire

• Work as a virtual concierge
• Service operates 24/7/365 — you must be available nights, weekends, and holidays
• Respond to customer requests via phone, email and live chat
• Full-time and part-time positions available
• College degree not required, but preferred
• Previous customer service, travel experience and/or white glove customer service experience

exec-u-sist

• Must complete a self-guided interview
• Employee position
• Will need to create a five-minute video as part of the application process (answer questions, show your workspace, and demonstrate your personality)
• Have four days to complete the application process

Office 88 Tele-Staff

• Must sign up and take a short test
• Four types of virtual assistant jobs:
  • web designer
  • graphic designer
  • translator/proofreader
  • secretary
• Hired as a freelancer
• Can also earn commission for selling Office 88 services

OkayRelax

• Not always hiring (scroll to the bottom of the page to see if they are)
• Virtual assistants complete a variety of tasks — personal, business, travel, administrative, management, etc.
• Must be college educated
• Clients get to choose their plans and whether or not they work with a team of assistants or a dedicated assistant

Team Delegate

• Says they’re always looking for the “best and brightest.” However, they’re not always hiring
• Contract position as an executive assistant
• Administrative background is helpful to get hired here
• Assist small business owners, solopreneurs, and busy professionals with a variety of clerical and admin-related tasks

Vasumo

• Must go through a certification process
• Application also includes a number of tests — personality, sample tasks, practice scenarios, etc.
• Most tasks include scheduling, calendar management, travel arrangements, and appointment setting
• No application or careers page; Must send your resume to careers@vasumo.com if you’re interested in working with them

Clara Labs

• Work as a remote assistant, mostly processing emails
• You also help ‘train’ Clara’s artificial intelligence platform
• Must be familiar with Google Calendar and Gmail
• Hired as an independent contractor
• Flexible schedule, but must be available during business hours PST

Virtual Office VA Staffing

• Must be a resident of the U.S. (Texas residents cannot be accepted)
• Contract position
• Pays weekly; $9.00/hour for actual work completed (not idle time)
• Must complete free training before being offered a contract
• Decide how much you want to work and for which clients

Create Your Own Virtual Assistant Job

As you can see, there are no shortages of virtual assistant jobs out there. But contracting with a virtual assistant company or getting hired on as an employee doesn’t make sense for everyone.

The good news is, you can start your own virtual assistant business — even if you have no experience. Just ask Gina Horkey. She built a successful VA business from scratch to $12,000/month. She’s pretty transparent about how she got there, and even delivers the step-by-step goods in her self-paced course, 30 Days or Less to Virtual Assistant Success — the perfect place to start your VA career regardless of your past experience!

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