How to Work From Home as a Virtual Assistant

Estimated read time 12 min read


Becoming a virtual assistant is one of the easiest ways to work from home. If you’re not sure what a virtual assistant does and how to become one, keep reading! We’re going to cover everything you need to know about this work-from-home job.

What is a Virtual Assistant?

Virtual assistants, often abbreviated as VAs, are skilled professionals that offer bloggers, executives, and entrepreneurs, administrative support from home.

The services you can offer as a VA are endless, and all depend on your training, experience level, and skillset.

The great thing about working as a VA is you can work full-time, part-time, or start your own business. It’s one of the most versatile work-from-home jobs because of the wide range of tasks you can complete.

Common Virtual Assistant Services:

Here’s a list of some of the most common administrative tasks you can work on as a VA.

  • Blog management
  • Bookkeeping
  • Calendar management
  • Customer service
  • Data entry
  • Digital marketing
  • Editing
  • Event planning
  • Forum moderation
  • Graphic design
  • Inbox management
  • Make phone calls
  • Project management
  • Proofreading
  • Receptionist
  • Research
  • Scheduling appointments
  • Social media management
  • Spreadsheet management
  • Travel arrangements
  • Video editing
  • Web development
  • Writing blog posts and newsletters

W2 Employee, Independent Contractor, or Business Owner? Which Route Is Right For You?

When you work as a virtual assistant, you can work as a W2 employee, an independent contractor, or a small business owner. Of course, there are pros and cons to each work arrangement.

As a W2 employee, you don’t have to invest money, find clients, or pay self-employment taxes. But your salary, work hours, and how you work will be more restrictive.

If you work as an independent contractor, you’re self-employed and have to pay quarterly self-employment taxes. You also don’t receive benefits, but generally, you’ll have more control over your schedule, what clients you work with, and your pay rates. Of course, this isn’t always the case, so weigh the pros and cons when researching companies.

Business owners have the most flexibility with scheduling, choosing clients, and setting their rates. But they also have to find clients, set up their businesses, and pay self-employment taxes. It’s not difficult to start a VA business, and all you really need is a smartphone, a computer, a high-speed internet connection, and a payment processor like PayPal or Stripe. You can even get started without a website, but if you have the funds to get a website, do it, it’ll make marketing easier.

Where Do You Find Virtual Assistant Jobs?

Here are 18+ potential employers and virtual assistant jobs.

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