Are you seeking a flexible way to earn money without having to showcase years of experience? If you are organized and have excellent communication skills, virtual assistant work could be your perfect fit. In 2025, businesses of all sizes are looking to outsource virtual assistant roles to handle a wide range of tasks from scheduling to customer service. Here is how to start your virtual assistant career without any prior experience. Start building your income and career from day one.
What Is Virtual Assistant Work?
Being a virtual assistant means helping businesses, executives, or entrepreneurs with tasks. It’s remote, and the work is mainly administrative, so you might see demand for work such as:
- Answering emails
- Managing calendars
- Posting on social media
- Data entry
- Basic customer support
Many businesses are starting to outsource operations and have staff work remotely, so the demand for beginner virtual assistants has grown fast. Here are the steps to take to start a remote career as a virtual assistant:
Step 1: Identify Your Skills and Strengths
You will need skills and strengths that make you an asset as a virtual assistant. This might include:
- Strong organizational skills
- Good with customers
- Great communicator
- Comfortable with modern tech
You’ll also need to be efficient. Most people hiring virtual assistants do so to free up their time, but they will need work turned around fast.
Step 2: Learn the Basics
Spend a few hours learning some basic skills to help you secure your first role; YouTube videos and free or low-cost online courses on places like Coursera are ideal for this. Focus on learning skills such as basic email management and calendar scheduling because when you start your first job, you want to hit the ground running.
Step 3: Create a Simple Online Profile
Your best option to get your first role as a virtual assistant is to try gig work. Choose an online platform that sells virtual assistant services to people, such as Fiverr or Upwork. Create a basic profile and a resume. If you have time, set up a simple one-page website using a tool like Carrd to help showcase your skills. Be clear about what you offer, and make sure any unique skills (like knowledge of using a specific piece of software like WordPress) stand out.
Step 4: Offer Beginner-Friendly Services
When you start, keep your services simple. Focus on beginner-friendly tasks such as email inbox management or appointment scheduling. If you have plenty of experience posting on social media, you might want to include that, too.
Since you are a beginner, don’t price your rates too high; aim to be competitive without undercutting other VAs. You want to attract some clients and get some reviews and testimonials before you start raising your prices.
Step 5: Start Applying for Small Jobs
Focus on small jobs to begin with, such as 1-5 projects for a client. Fiverr is great for this, as tasks are usually fairly small. Once you have 2 or 3 happy clients and positive reviews, you can start raising your prices and offering some bundled services to land longer-term, high-paying contracts.
Final Tip
Succeeding in virtual assistant work this year is all about taking action. Don’t let your lack of experience put you off. Focus on your basic strengths and build some simple skills to help you land your first gig. If you perform well, rinse and repeat, and watch your VA career grow!
