TOP FIVE PLACES TO FIND WORK AS A VIRTUAL ASSISTANT
As a virtual assistant, I understand that finding work can be difficult, especially when you are just starting. But finding work as a VA shouldn’t be like calculus because virtual assistants are some of the most sought-after remote workers in the market today. (Get 150 Services you can offer as a VA)
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Before you can start earning as a virtual assistant, you must first understand the job and check if you meet the requirements of a VA.
What Is The Job Of A Virtual Assistant?
In a nutshell, a virtual assistant will perform the following tasks;
- Schedule appointments.
- Make phone calls.
- Plan travel arrangements.
- Manage email.
- Perform social tasks (such as sending thank you notes to clients).
- Conduct database entry and lots more
If these tasks seem familiar, well, that’s because these are the jobs of a typical administrative assistant or secretary. A virtual assistant will mostly work from home and perform the duties of a secretary from a remote location.
In this article, we will look at some of the best platforms to find work as a newbie virtual assistant.
1.Upwork
Before you conclude that there is no job for virtual assistants in the freelance market, make sure you have tried Upwork.
Upwork is a Remote job platform that connects professional freelancers to high-paying clients. With Upwork, you can say bye-bye to $1 clients and hello to clients who are ready to spend for quality.
How Does Upwork Work?
I didn’t mean to rhyme, but you need to know how Upwork works to excel on the platform.
First of all, you need to erase any previous ideas you bought about the platform, especially those about it being the hardest platform in the world to get a job.
Sure the first couple of weeks might not turn up with a single job, but the idea is to persist in teams.
Upwork is an American freelancing platform with over 12 million active freelancers and over 100,000 jobs worldwide across a wide range of skills and languages.
Step 1. First of all, you have to apply to get on this platform. Upwork is very particular about the professionalism of their freelancers, so you must first open an account and wait for verification which usually takes up to 48 hours.
Step 2. Once your profile is approved, you can buy connects. Connects are like points that allow you to bid for jobs. Upwork will usually give you ten free connects when you first sign up.
Step 3. Once you have connects, you can start bidding for jobs.
Step 4. Upwork works by connecting you to jobs that best fit the description of the skill you submitted on your profile. Of course, you would have to compete for this job with other virtual assistants, so your proposal has to be good.
How To Become A Virtual Assistant On Upwork?
Virtual assistant jobs are not scarce on this platform; all you need to do is prepare a solid profile and bid for jobs “from the bottom of your heart.”
Now when I say from the bottom of your heart, I mean you should speak to the client through your proposal and let them know that even though you are new on the platform, you are not new in the field, and you can carry out the job well.
You can also follow the steps in this article for more tips on becoming a top-tier virtual assistant on Upwork.
How Much Does A Virtual Assistant Earn On Upwork?
A virtual assistant can earn up to $10 per hour on Upwork. Some jobs pay by the hour, and some pay by the project. $10 an hour for 5 hours a day isn’t a bad deal if you ask me.
That’s all on Upwork. Up next, we will be looking at another platform that can be used to kickstart your virtual assistant career.
2.Indeed
Indeed is another popular platform for virtual assistants to find well-paying jobs. However, it operates in a slightly different way from Upwork. While Upwork is 100% remote work, there are some offline jobs available on Indeed.
This shouldn’t concern you, as the foundation of the career you are embarking on was built on the idea of remote service.
How Does Indeed Work?
Indeed is a job-hunting platform that connects freelancers and offline job seekers to jobs close to them. In addition, indeed can be used to find work close to you.
It is not uncommon for clients or enterprises to ask their remote staff to report to the office now and then. So this platform is good for moms, especially since they can apply for these jobs and leave home only on special occasions.
There are over 50,000 jobs available in every region of the world. In addition, there are currently over 3000 virtual assistant jobs available on Indeed.
Step 1. Open an Indeed account and fill up your profile. Make sure it looks appealing and juicy. With this account, you will receive notifications on new jobs that fit your profile, and you can save jobs that you may want to apply for later.
Step 2. Set up job alerts. These job alerts will notify you when an employer posts a new job that fits your profile. Clients will usually notice the first five persons submit work applications.
You can create multiple job alerts to be sent to you daily or weekly. From your account, you can manage alerts by setting how often you’d like to receive email updates and pausing or deleting alerts.
Step 3. Use advanced techniques to narrow down on virtual assistant jobs in your area. If you narrow down your search, you have less competition. For example, you can search for specific companies or job titles by adding “company:” or “title:” to your search.
Step 4. Protect your personal information and never accept the money you have not worked for. Indeed it is not like Upwork that has its payment system. So you have to be extra careful in this space.
How To Become A Virtual Assistant On Indeed?
Indeed has a user-friendly interface that makes it easy to navigate. Moreover, virtual assistants are not scarce on this platform.
All you need to do now is write a nice resume that will seal the deal on any virtual assistant position you apply for.
How Much Does A Virtual Assistant Earn On Indeed?
A virtual assistant can earn up to $100 per contract from a job on Indeed. Some jobs can get you up to $500.
3.Fiverr
Fiverr is the biggest online marketplace for digital freelancing services in the world. Launched in 2010, their network is rapidly expanding, with more than 1.9 million gigs (services on Fiverr) across 120 categories listed each day.
Fiverr is popular for its similarity with Upwork and its notorious competition. However, they are both green, and new freelancers might misplace them sometimes.
Don’t be deceived; Fiverr is a great platform, but it is slightly below par compared to Upwork. Nevertheless, it is still a great platform to find work as a virtual assistant.
How To Get Started On Fiverr?
Because a Fiverr account doesn’t need verification or screening, every Tom, dick and Harry is on the platform.
The competition is fierce, and clients don’t pay nearly as much as Upwork. However, once you establish yourself on this platform, it becomes relatively easy to get jobs.
Step 1. Open a Fiverr account. It is really easy to open a Fiverr account and set up a profile. If you want your profile to stand out, start using a real picture and nice videos to describe your service. Make sure your profile picture displays an enthusiastic face.
Step 2. Create a gig. There are over 1.9 million gigs on Fiverr, and the competition is fierce. To stand out on Fiverr, your gig must stand out. So make sure to describe your gig like a boss.
Step 3. Keywords are very important if you want to make money as a virtual assistant on Fiverr. If you want a good ranking, make sure that you use target keywords at least 3-4 times in the description and use it intelligently in the title.
If you need more info on how to get started on this platform, you can visit this website.
How To Become A Virtual Assistant On Fiverr?
Virtual assistants are plenty on Fiverr. However, if you want to stand out, you must make your gig attractive.
How Much Does A Virtual Assistant Earn On Fiverr?
As a virtual assistant on Fiverr, you can earn between $10-36 per hour. A virtual assistant will average $16.5 per hour on Fiverr.
4.LinkedIn
LinkedIn is the number one networking platform in the world.
LinkedIn Jobs is still primarily focused on traditional roles, but that doesn’t mean you can’t find quality virtual assistant jobs.
LinkedIn functions as a social media platform. But unlike other social networks, LinkedIn is a professional networking site designed to help people make business connections, share their experiences and resumes, and find jobs.
How To Get Started On LinkedIn
Getting started on LinkedIn is pretty easy. All you need to do is follow the steps below;
Step 1. You can start by opening a Linkedin account and choosing a very professional photo. Linkedin is all about professionalism, so it’s paramount that your photo is professional but charismatic (Smile in the picture).
Step 2. Decide if you want to use Linkedin premium. LinkedIn premium is a version of LinkedIn that offers added services. For instance, you get features such as online professional development classes, insights into who’s viewing your profile, and the ability to instant message anyone on LinkedIn, even if they’re not in your network.
Step 3. Start building your network. To succeed on LinkedIn, you Mummys surround yourself with people in your niche and professional circle. The idea is to build as many connections as possible. The more connections you have, the more likely you are to be contracted for a job.
How To Become A Virtual Assistant On LinkedIn?
To become a successful VA on LinkedIn, you must build up your skillset. The idea is to save your client time and energy by completing his/her task. So, you need to make sure you can do that and complete it efficiently.
I say this because there are a lot of virtual assistants on LinkedIn with very little knowledge about the job. In addition, virtual assisting is an experience-driven job, and companies will require some years of experience.
If you are starting, this shouldn’t deter you. All you have to do is brand yourself properly and be great at what you do.
How Much Does A Virtual Assistant Earn On LinkedIn?
As I said, LinkedIn operates almost like a social network. So, deals are not closed- it is merely a platform for freelancers to meet clients.
A virtual assistant can find a job that pays between $15-23 per hour on LinkedIn. The opportunities are endless because the higher your skill level, the better you get paid.
5.Belay
Belay is a popular virtual assistant company. However, they do not require all that job experience and prefer a simple bachelor’s degree in any related field and remote work (not specific to VA experience).
Belay also offers social media strategists and bookkeepers job opportunities close to them.
They may also waive all these requirements aside for the right candidate. You may think that I have saved the best for last, but if you have gotten to this point of the article, the. You deserve to see the best.
How To Get Started On Belay?
Belay is a great site if you are looking at transitioning from your in-office role to a virtual assistant position with little experience.
Step 1. Open a Belay account and tell them about yourself or your organization. You will need to speak to someone from the team (Like an interview). The team will analyze your personality and strengths, and work experience.
Step 2. You will be linked to someone called a client success consultant once you have signed that agreement contract. A client success consultant will guide you every step of the way.
Step 3. Work and network with fellow new virtual team members.
How To Become A Virtual Assistant On Belay?
Belay describes the ideal virtual assistant for their company as someone with at least five years of experience in the virtual or administrative assistant position. Belay also wants someone with high emotional intelligence and the ability to manage your own emotions and the emotions of others.
How Much Does A Virtual Assistant Earn On Belay?
The typical Belay virtual assistant salary is $18 per hour. However, if you are an OG in the field, you can earn up to $20 an hour.
Conclusion
A virtual assistant must be highly organized and emotionally intelligent. These are the two foremost requirements of a secretary that applies to a VA also.
As a mom, you can work as a virtual assistant from the comfort of your home. I am a virtual assistant, and all the magic happens in my home- with my kids around.
These platforms I have just mentioned are some places you can get started as a newbie virtual assistant. Sooner or later, clients will start approaching you in your mail and not the other way around- keep tugging.