How to Become a Virtual Assistant in 2024

Virtual assistants (VAs) offer administrative services from nearly anywhere in the world. As long as you have an internet connection and the necessary skills, becoming a virtual assistant can grant you flexibility and freedom to earn an income from any location. 

With the onset of remote work, virtual assistants are in demand more than ever. According to data from Business Research Insights [1], by 2028, the global VA market will likely grow to a worth exceeding USD 8.6 billion. Companies like SpareMyTime, a UK-based VA firm, are experiencing significant growth in the United Kingdom. In 2023, SpareMyTime reported a 325 percent growth in its business and a 74 percent increase in revenue [2]. 

Both statistics suggest promising opportunities if you are interested in becoming a virtual assistant. Explore the position, common skills you’ll need, and how to become a virtual assistant.

What is a virtual assistant?

A virtual assistant (VA) offers support to businesses and professionals. A virtual assistant uses technology to perform tasks remotely rather than commuting to a physical location. A few reasons business owners hire virtual assistants include: 

• Making business operations run more smoothly

• Scaling business growth 

• Ensuring that tasks outside of the business owner’s core competency areas get done

For example, a virtual assistant can take on administrative tasks. You might provide services like data entry, email management, or appointment scheduling to enable business owners to focus on serving customers, developing new products, and planning the next growth phase. 

Build job-ready skills with a Coursera Plus subscription

Start 7-day free trial

• Get access to 7,000+ learning programs from world-class universities and companies, including Google, Yale, Salesforce, and more
• Try different courses and find your best fit at no additional cost
• Earn certificates for learning programs you complete
• A subscription price of $59/month, cancel anytime

Start 7-day free trial

Becoming a virtual assistant: What to know in 2024

As part of the larger business process outsourcing market, the virtual assistant economy continues to evolve and serve businesses in a variety of industries, including health care, online education, interior decorating, sustainability software, publishing, banking and finance, e-commerce, mortgage and lending, IT, and more. Statista defines this industry as “the transfer of entire business processes or individual activities from a company to a third party and is often IT-based” and predicts that industry revenue in the UK will exceed USD 38 billion by 2029 [3].

Discover some of the trends and opportunities in the virtual assistant space. 

Virtual assistant talent marketplaces

Online VA talent pools make it easier for virtual assistants to source clients and businesses to find the right support. Fiverr and Upwork are amongst the more popular and well-known pools. 

Other talent pools include: 

• Admin & More

• Belay Solutions

• Reed.co.uk

• Remote CoWorker

• Society of Virtual Assistants

• Time ETC.

• The VA Hub

• The Virtual Hub

Some advantages these talent pools offer include secure payments, client matching, the ability to build a detailed profile and description of your services, and access to success tips and educational resources. In addition, VAs on these talent marketplaces can find work at companies such as GE, Microsoft, Airbnb, COTY, Meta, Google, and AWS.

Popular virtual assistant services 

While virtual assistants traditionally provide administrative services, today’s VAs also offer a wide range of services that require specialised knowledge and skills, as we will cover in more detail in the next section. 

For example, as of August 2024, Fiverr lists more than 29,000 open virtual assistant positions. The virtual assistant tasks and services employers frequently seek include:

• Data entry

• Administrative assistant 

• E-commerce management

• E-commerce store management 

• Social media marketing

• E-commerce product research

• Web research

• Copy and paste

• Research assistant

What do virtual assistants do? 

Virtual assistants help startups, entrepreneurs, and companies of all sizes improve their operations. VAs can work as freelancers, running their own virtual assistant business, taking on several clients at once, and completing short-term projects that last varying amounts of time. They can also find long-term employment opportunities.  

The following table reviews the virtual assistant service offerings on the talent marketplaces listed above to show the range of possibilities:

How much do virtual assistants make?

As you consider launching a virtual assistant career, you may wonder what salary you can expect. Your income depends on several factors, including: 

• The services you offer 

• The prices you charge 

• The country you live in 

• The number of clients you serve at a given time 

• Your skills and expertise 

• The methods you use to promote your services to potential clients 

Considering the average salaries can help give you a good idea of what you might expect to make. According to October 2024 data, the average annual compensation calculated by three reputable job sites is as follows: 

• Indeed: £30,985 [4]

• Glassdoor: £27,737 [5]

• Talent: £29,250 [6]

Another helpful strategy for estimating how much you can make is to click through virtual assistant profiles on various marketplaces. How much do other VAs charge for their services? For example, on Fiverr, you can compare the rates of the top virtual assistant listings. Additionally, you can set hourly or project rates on Upwork, depending on your services.

How to become a virtual assistant

Entering the field requires some preparation, including building your skill set and choosing the menu of services you want to offer. Learn more about becoming a virtual assistant from home or anywhere.

1. Decide what types of services you will offer. 

Answer these questions to gain clarity: 

• What kinds of businesses, start-ups, or entrepreneurs do you want to help?

• What business core competencies do they need to focus on? 

• In what areas of business operations do they need the most support? 

• What holds their business back from growing and scaling?  

• What services can you offer to allow businesses to focus time and energy on their core competencies?

• How would your service save them time, increase their efficiency, and improve 

• How will you package and price your services?  

2. Build relevant skills.

Once you know who you can help and how to help them, assess your skills and experience. What skills are your ideal clients looking for in a virtual assistant? What skills do you possess that can help you offer value to clients? What skill gaps will you need to fill?  

To build virtual assistant skills, consider taking online courses you can complete at your own pace. For example, you can prepare to help businesses improve their marketing efforts with skills developed in the Google Digital Marketing and E-commerce Professional Certificate and the Meta Social Media Marketing Professional Certificate. 

To gain experience, consider finding an entry-level position in your skill area, remote or onsite, or completing short-term projects freelance. Be sure to gather letters of recommendation and testimonials from satisfied clients.

Reflect on your growing skills and experience to deepen your understanding of potential clients and their needs so that you can tailor your services accordingly.

3. Create an online presence.

An online presence can promote your virtual assistant services, display your skills and experience, and make finding new clients easier. Review your services, skills, experiences, letters of recommendation, and testimonials. Draft clear, compelling copy, such as a value proposition, mission statement, services list, and an ‘About Me’ paragraph. Then, set up any or all of the following: 

• Website 

• Online portfolio

• Profiles on virtual assistant talent marketplace sites

• Social media accounts specifically for promoting your VA services  

You may also find value in joining professional organisations, attending networking events, and connecting with businesses needing your services. 

4. Look for virtual assistant jobs.

Whether you want something full-time, part-time, or temporary, you can find various virtual assistant jobs to meet your needs. You can earn income as a VA in many ways, including:

• Part-time virtual assistant jobs 

• Temporary VA gigs

• Remove virtual assistant jobs 

• A long-term VA position

• Starting your own VA business 

As you look for potential clients or employers, update your online presence, enhance your resume, and hone your interviewing skills.

Watch this short video, "Get Found by Buyers," from the CalArts Building Your Freelancing Career Specialisation, for ideas on how to get potential clients to notice your work.

Start your virtual assistant career with Coursera 

A job as a virtual assistant provides flexibility and the ability to work from home or anywhere with an internet connection. Online courses and earning credentials can help you build your skill set and develop a rewarding VA career. Check out the vast array of Professional Certificates on Coursera in tech, marketing, project management, sales, and more.