As the name suggests, a virtual assistant is a professional who assists their employer with a variety of tasks, and who works remotely. These tasks can be administrative, research-based tasks, logistics-based tasks, etc. The functions assigned to a virtual assistant will be based on their skill set and can change as their client's needs change. Because of this, virtual assistants are encouraged to continually build on their skill sets.
Some virtual assistants work part-time and may have multiple clients, while others may work for one employer full-time. Luckily for newcomers, there is no set expectation for one's educational background, though a degree in business administration, management, or in the industry your client operates in, would be highly beneficial. Also beneficial would be certified virtual assistant courses you have done or certification for tools commonly used in the profession. For this position, experience is king, so get as much experience on your plate as possible.
Here are some successful virtual assistant positions for you to model your resume off of.
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A virtual assistant is there to make their client’s life and/or business run smoothly. Working remotely, you will engage in a myriad of tasks including administrative tasks, social media management, scheduling, project management, etc. You might be working for an individual or a business. Your previous experience is going to be the biggest selling point on your resume so ensure you list the variety of tasks that you have completed. Also because you are creating a general virtual assistant resume, showing your range in ability is key. This extends to the skills section as well, so list any skill that you think could be of any use as a virtual assistant.
Take a look at this strong virtual assistant resume.
The tools section is particularly important to clients looking for a virtual assistant. They want to see if you have experience using the systems that they use. So ensure you keep tabs on all the new and popular tools being used in the virtual assistant industry and get some experience using them before you add them to your tools section.
Do you have a headset and software to make calls to other countries? Do you have a powerful computer and very fast internet? Include these details if they apply to you. They may make the difference between you and a competitor.
The virtual assistant industry is huge and constantly expanding. For entry-level virtual assistants, this is a good thing because there is bound to be an opportunity for you to get started. Entry-level VAs might not be assigned very complex tasks and might instead be assigned relatively simple tasks such as data collection, secretarial tasks, logistics, etc.
When creating an entry-level virtual assistant resume, include any experience in any position where you performed tasks that a virtual assistant would perform. For example in this resume, the applicant included their administrative assistant experience because that position is very similar to a virtual assistant position.
Make your resume individualistic by including your achievements outside of professional achievements. It will be an interesting read for recruiters and you just might have a volunteering activity, hobby, or extracurricular or two in common.
You may not have loads of experience at the start of your career, so give recruiters an idea of who you are by including your virtual assistant strengths in the intro of your resume. So if you are particularly good at multi-tasking, or communicating, be sure to include that.
As the name suggests, this VA works on a freelance basis and not a full-time basis. You will hopefully have more than one client to whom you will be offering your services. Because this position is remote, you will be able to acquire clients from all over the world. As with other VA positions, recruiters will be looking closely to see your experience level as well as the skills you have and tools you have experience using.
To give potential clients a good idea of where you excel, list the number of clients you have had over the years and the industries you have worked extensively in. So if you usually work for companies in the telecommunication field, include that. You can also mention if you mainly work with clients from a specific region.
This type of VA specializes in administrative tasks. These tasks can include email management, calendar management, scheduling meetings and trips, etc. To excel in this position, you need to be experienced with all the industry-standard software and tools including Google suites and Microsoft Office 360, so ensure your tools section is up to date with all the tools and software you have used in previous positions. This job also requires multitasking and very good communication skills so be sure to include experiences where you used these skills successfully.
This type of VA specializes in sales and marketing. This is a more front-facing position where you will be talking to your client’s customers either over the phone or via email. Because of this, your communication, negotiation, and sales skills must be very strong. Your resume should highlight your experience and success interacting with potential customers, as well as a detailed skills and tools section that shows what you use to close the deal with customers.
Take a look at this strong resume for this position.
If you are doing sales and marketing, you will most likely use CRM (Customer Relationship Management) software to keep track of all potential customers you are connecting with. Examples of CRMs include Zoho, Salesforce, Hubspot, etc. List those you are experienced with, in the tools section of your resume.
Because this position is heavy in speaking with potential customers, any communication skills that may differentiate you from your competition is key to list. So if you have a popular accent like an American accent, or if you speak extra languages, be sure to include them to get a leg up.
As a hiring manager who has recruited for top companies like Apple, Amazon, and Google, I know what it takes to create a winning virtual assistant resume. I've seen countless resumes over the years and have learned to quickly identify the ones that stand out from the rest. In this article, I'll share some of the most important tips and strategies for crafting a virtual assistant resume that will get you noticed by potential employers.
As a virtual assistant, your ability to communicate effectively is crucial. Make sure to emphasize your communication skills throughout your resume, including in your summary statement and work experience section.
Instead of simply listing 'communication skills' as a bullet point, provide specific examples of how you've used your communication abilities to achieve results. For example:
As a virtual assistant, your resume summary is an optional section that can help provide additional context about your background and highlight key qualifications. While not required, a well-written summary can grab the attention of hiring managers and complement the details in your work history. Avoid using an objective statement, as these are outdated and focus on your goals rather than what you offer employers.
When crafting your virtual assistant resume summary, focus on your most relevant skills, experience, and achievements. Tailor your summary to the specific job you're targeting by showcasing qualifications that align with the position's requirements. Keep your summary concise and impactful, ideally no more than a few sentences or a short paragraph.
Your work experience section is the most important part of your resume. It's where you show hiring managers what you've accomplished in your career and how you can help their company succeed. Use these tips to write a work experience section that will get you hired as a virtual assistant.
Your education section is a key part of your resume for virtual assistant jobs. It shows hiring managers your relevant training and knowledge. It's also a chance to highlight academic achievements. Here's how to write an effective education section on your virtual assistant resume.
Strong action verbs tell a recruiter your role in a specific task. Virtual assistant resumes should use action verbs that are relevant to virtual assistant tasks. Action verbs like "Coordinated", "Organised" or “Contacted" are examples of strong action verbs that can be used by a virtual assistant.
For more related action verbs, visit Customer Service Action Verbs.
For a full list of effective resume action verbs, visit Resume Action Verbs.
A virtual assistant is a multi-functional position. When we speak of skills, most importantly, you will want to list communication skills as well as tools and software you are experienced with.
Here is a list of skills you would expect to see in a virtual assistant’s resume. Add those that you are experienced with to your resume to impress recruiters.
You can include the above skills in a dedicated Skills section on your resume, or weave them in your experience. Here's how you might create your dedicated skills section:
This word cloud highlights the important keywords that appear on Virtual Assistant job descriptions and resumes. The bigger the word, the more frequently it appears on job postings, and the more 'important' it is.
Thank you for the checklist! I realized I was making so many mistakes on my resume that I've now fixed. I'm much more confident in my resume now.
