How to write a resume for your virtual assistant business? Resume writing is a skill that can be learned by anyone. Although many may believe that only those with experience in the work field or professional writers can write a good resume, this is not the case.

Anyone can write a great resume! With the right knowledge, such as how to format a resume for a virtual assistant, anyone can start putting together their profile on paper.

The main purpose of a resume is to provide an overview of your educational and/or work history, as well as your skills and attributes. Resumes are typically organized into sections such as education, experience, skills, and references.

The layout and style of your resume will depend on whether you are applying for an entry-level, internship, or full-time position, freelance or permanent position, etc. Therefore, again, there is no right or wrong way to write one.

This article will discuss some tips on how to write a resume for a virtual assistant position.

Experience

Resume experience should include all professional experience, not just job experience. Include volunteer work, career training, and paid internships to showcase expertise.

If you have ever worked as a virtual assistant before, include that on your resume as it shows skill with certain software and administrative tasks. This gives you an edge over other applicants!

Your resume should also include your educational background, skills you have learned through education and experience, and any skill sets you have that are transferrable to the new job.

Include the software programs you are proficient in and how they relate to the job you are applying for. For example, if you are applying for a virtual assistant position for business organization A, then include that you use their software and how well you use it.

Keep your resume to one page unless otherwise instructed by the employer.

Skills

Employers look for skills more so than experience. So, if you are a fluent speaker of two languages, know basic computer software like Word or Excel, and have exceptional administrative skills, you are already ahead of the game!

Many virtual assistants start off by creating an organized system of managing their clients’ communication and tasks. This includes setting up email accounts and task management systems.

You can also add organizing clients’ finances through setting up bank accounts and paying bills on their behalf.

Other basic VA tasks include marketing, social media management, researching, email response time improvement, and organizing or finding info for presentations or meetings.
Whether you start with one skill or all of them, these make you more valuable to your client as they benefit from your assistance with these skills.

Education

A section on your resume for education usually means degrees and/or training. However, for a virtual assistant, this section can be limited to just the training you have received.

Many virtual assistants have received training on various software that aid in the functioning of a virtual assistant business. Some of these include Zoom, Slack, Trello, and Google Drive.

You can include your grades if they are high enough, but it may not be necessary to include them. If you do decide to include them, make sure to highlight the high points such as high grades in courses that relate to the work you will be doing.

Another section that can be added is volunteer work that relates to your work as a virtual assistant. For example, if you have volunteered at an animal shelter several hours a week for several months, you could add that under education. It would show an interest in the field of working with animals which would be helpful to mention.

Certifications

Certifications can add a nice touch to your resume, especially if they are related to administrative and virtual assistant work.

Although they are not required, many employers look for certification for their candidates. Having a certification on your resume shows an employer that you have done some extra research and study into an area of work.

Certifications can also increase your value to an employer, as most require some form of investment on your part. You will most likely need to pay for the certification itself, but this can be worthwhile depending on the job you seek.

Some of the most common certification options for virtual assistants include MindMap Certified Professional, Social Media Marketing Expert, and Google AdWords Certified. All of these are easily researched and obtained through online sources.

Honors and awards

If you have won an award for a specific skill, like WordPress or SEO, include that in your skills section. If you have won an award for your academic performance, add that to your education section.

Honors and awards are a great way to add something to your resume that is not necessarily professional, but showcases who you are as a person.

If you are a member of organizations or clubs, list those as well. It shows personality and commitment to something outside of work.

However, if you only participate in these things because you feel like you need something extra on your resume, don’t add them – it will look too pretentious. Only include things that are true and honest about you.

And remember: don’t lie on your resume! You will be caught eventually.

Professional Affiliations

Associations are a great place to list your skills and experience. Many professional associations offer free membership to professionals with certifications and/or a certain level of experience in the field.

As a virtual assistant, you can list these on your resume to show your expertise in the field. You can also add these to your portfolio for clients to see your expertise.

Listing these on your resume will show potential clients that you are committed to continuing education and learning new skills. Clients want someone who can keep up with their demands and increase their productivity- this is one way to show that!

Associations also hold events, meetings, conferences, etc. All of these opportunities are great to put on your resume- they show commitment and education in the field. Meeting other professionals is also a good way to network for future career advancement or opportunities.

References

References are the final piece to your resume puzzle. References are people who vouch for your skills and abilities, saying that you are skilled at a certain thing and that you do it well.

As a virtual assistant, you will need to include your boss’s name as a reference. Your boss is also considered a reference, so including his or her name is not a problem.

In some cases, your boss may not be willing to be a reference for you. If this is the case, ask someone who has worked with you closely for several months and can speak highly of your work.

You can also choose someone who has asked you for help with something and see if they could offer enough information about you to be a reference.

Virtual assistant company experience

If you have experience working for a virtual assistant company, your resume should highlight this

Many virtual assistants start off working for themselves, so having experience with setting up your own business and marketing yourself is a plus. Some even offer discounts if you are willing to market them.

Having experience with various tasks a virtual assistant performs can also add some bonus points. For example, if you have organized and managed an office schedule for a large group of people, that would be noted as a skill. Or if you run an online store as an e-commerce virtual assistant.

If you are looking to make the transition from being a full-time worker to a part-time worker, or vice versa, being familiar with the ways of virtual assistants can help you find work.

Some may ask you to provide proof of your work or check references, so having some kind of verification is helpful.