{"id":1140,"date":"2024-05-31T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-05-31T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-virtual-assistant\/"},"modified":"2025-10-01T11:05:20","modified_gmt":"2025-10-01T11:05:20","slug":"how-to-become-a-virtual-assistant","status":"publish","type":"knowledge","link":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-virtual-assistant\/","title":{"rendered":"How to become a virtual assistant \u2013 plus a guide to getting clients"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Virtual assistants are remote workers that businesses can hire to do administrative tasks, for example appointment scheduling and arranging travel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Their to-do list can also extend to research, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/business-tax\/what-is-bookkeeping\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1259\">bookkeeping<\/a>, and customer service \u2013 all depending on the individual skills of each virtual assistant, meaning you can build your business based on what you\u2019re good at.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sound like the right job for you? Keep reading our guide to see how you can become a virtual assistant \u2013 plus helpful tips from a veteran virtual assistant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"#what-is-a-virtual-assistant\">What is a virtual assistant?<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"#what-does-a-virtual-assistant-do\">What does a virtual assistant do?<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"#how-to-become-a-virtual-assistant-step-by-step\">How to become a virtual assistant: step-by-step<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"#virtual-assistant-salary-how-much-can-you-charge\">Virtual assistant salary: how much can you charge?<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"#insurance-for-virtual-assistants\">Insurance for virtual assistants<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"#expand-your-virtual-assistant-services\">Expand your virtual assistant services<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-is-a-virtual-assistant\"><strong>What is a virtual assistant?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Assistants aren\u2019t a new concept \u2013 but virtual assistants are. Instead of limiting yourself to one client or one location, being a virtual assistant means you can enjoy this role as a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/what-is-freelance-work\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1412\">freelance<\/a>, contract-by-contract career.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Virtual assistants are often hired by small businesses who don\u2019t have the staff (or skills) to do the work themselves. They typically work virtually from their own location, such as at home or even abroad, and communicate with clients via email, phone, or online tools \u2013 offering freedom and flexibility to those with the right skillset.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Joanne Manville, virtual assistant and founder of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.theindispensary.co.uk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">The Indispensary<\/a>, specialises in working with small businesses and the self-employed. Over her almost decade-long career as a virtual assistant, she\u2019s learnt firsthand how valuable the profession can be to small business owners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cFor a relatively low-risk investment, small businesses can get a huge amount of help from virtual assistants. As virtual assistants, we\u2019re not emotionally involved with their business (at least at the start), so we can just get on with things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe have a wide range of skills and have experience working with a large variety of businesses, so we have a lot of ideas that we can bring to our clients. We also very quickly become a trusted colleague and our clients often use us as a sounding board, as they know everything will remain confidential,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-does-a-virtual-assistant-do\"><strong>What does a virtual assistant do?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Virtual assistants work remotely for clients on a variety of tasks and projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You might commonly think of virtual assistants as doing admin and secretarial tasks for a business, but their skills don\u2019t stop there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Depending on your specific skills , you could also <a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/marketing\/what-is-good-customer-service\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"990\">manage customer orders<\/a>, maintain a business\u2019s social media profile, and oversee its <a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/business-tax\/best-small-business-accounting-software-uk\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1262\">accounting<\/a> and other finances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you\u2019re thinking about becoming a virtual assistant, consider your own interests and what you can offer clients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here are some examples of what you might end up doing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"How to become self employed in the UK\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/O1oK_BOhGTg?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Executive and personal assistant<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These are the administrative-based tasks including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">diary management (like scheduling meetings and appointments)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">booking travel<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">managing email inboxes and other communications<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">event organisation<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">research and reports for executives and directors<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Marketing<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some virtual assistants offer marketing support too, like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-freelance-writer\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"813\">content writing<\/a> and management<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">social media management<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">managing and organising the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/marketing\/how-to-write-a-marketing-plan\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1456\">marketing plan<\/a> and calendar<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/marketing\/how-to-do-market-research\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"982\">market research<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">email marketing<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Accounting<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A further niche for virtual assistants is to offer specialist accounting services:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">bookkeeping<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">managing staff expenses<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/cash-flow\/how-to-write-an-invoice\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1461\">creating invoices<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/cash-flow\/could-ai-help-you-chase-unpaid-invoices\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1474\">chasing late payments<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">managing files, statements, and other documents<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Customer service<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Many small businesses don\u2019t have a dedicated customer service team (for example, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/retail\/how-to-set-up-an-online-shop\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"985\">ecommerce stores<\/a>), so you could be:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">processing orders and managing shipping<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">dealing with customer enquiries<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">managing returns and exchanges<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">keeping an eye on stock and ordering new supplies when needed<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">maintaining the website and product pages<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Project management<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"nba-body-001\">\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you\u2019re interested in virtual assistance, you\u2019re probably already a highly organised person \u2013 so why not build on it even further? Adding project management services means you could be:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">helping with project coordination<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">setting deadlines and defining responsibilities<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">ensuring deadlines are met<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">managing team resources<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Personal assistance<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Depending on your client, you may even be required to help with more personal matters. This is your choice as a virtual assistant, so it\u2019s completely up to you whether or not you offer these services. But if you do, you can expect to help with:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">online shopping<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">booking personal appointments<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">managing household matters<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"how-to-become-a-virtual-assistant-step-by-step\"><strong>How to become a virtual assistant: step-by-step<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Choose your niche and virtual assistant services<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you\u2019re thinking of becoming a virtual assistant, it\u2019s likely you\u2019ve already got some of the skills listed above.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Take a moment to list them. Being clear about the range of services you can offer will help you market your business to clients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After that, you can choose a direction. Will you lean towards marketing support primarily, or will your service revolve around office administration?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A business plan will help you answer those questions (and plenty more) when setting up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/strategy\/how-to-write-a-business-plan\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1199\">Download a free business plan template<\/a> to make writing yours easy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Virtual assistant Joanne started her career as a personal assistant in 2006, but it wasn\u2019t until 2015 that she became a self-employed virtual assistant&nbsp;\u2013 but the idea had been brewing for a while.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cOver the years, people had said to me that it would be great if I could offer PA services to people who were self-employed \u2013 but neither they (nor I) had heard of virtual assistants at that time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cEventually, I realised that there were already people out there doing what had been suggested to me. I decided that I wanted a change and left the public sector company I was with to become a PA in the private sector. But I was only there for eight months when I began to realise that it still wasn&#8217;t what I wanted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt was at that point I decided to go self-employed. I took a month out to do research and launched in October 2015,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Wondering how to become a virtual assistant with no experience?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Joanne\u2019s career path isn\u2019t the only route to becoming a virtual assistant. If you\u2019re new to the role, you can do the business plan exercise above to list your transferable skills. What jobs have you done before that you can market to clients as a virtual assistant?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Whether it\u2019s customer service or content writing, they could be a great base to start your business with.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ideally though, you\u2019ll want to build your skill set to win more work. Think about looking for a virtual assistant course to help you showcase your expertise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Udemy is a paid online learning resource that has courses on learning the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.udemy.com\/course\/virtual-assistant-training-the-most-requested-services\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">must-have skills for virtual assistants in 2024<\/a>, as well as specific skills-based lessons on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.udemy.com\/course\/bookkeepingbasics\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">bookkeeping<\/a>, for example.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Set up your business<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Every new business needs to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">decide on a legal structure \u2013 sole traders aren\u2019t separate from their business, while limited companies are different legal entities, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/starting-out\/sole-trader-vs-limited-company\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1532\">read about the pros and cons of each<\/a> here<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"\/knowledge\/business-tax\/self-employed-tax-changes\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1514\">register for Self Assessment<\/a> \u2013 you should understand all your tax obligations (limited companies usually have more responsibilities, like a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/business-tax\/company-tax-return\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1430\">company tax return<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/business-tax\/when-is-corporation-tax-due\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1592\">corporation tax<\/a>)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/starting-out\/how-to-register-a-business-name-uk\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1129\">register a business name<\/a> \u2013 our data shows that&nbsp; 51 per cent of consumers are more likely to choose a business with a funny or witty name (check out our Business Name Generator if you need some inspiration)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Discover the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/starting-out\/how-to-start-a-business\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1444\">steps to starting any new business<\/a> for a full overview of becoming a virtual assistant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Check your budget and funding<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can get started as a virtual assistant without needing to spend too much initially. But there are a few basic things you\u2019ll need to budget for, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">a computer or laptop that has the necessary software (like an office suite, for example Microsoft Office 365)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">a broadband internet connection<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">a separate phone line (or number) for your business \u2013 you might want to look at a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/tech\/virtual-landline-guide-for-businesses\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1133\">virtual landline<\/a> if you\u2019ll be talking with lots of clients<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">office stationery and equipment to keep you organised<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can use our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/income\/how-to-budget-calculator-and-guide-for-the-self-employed\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"956\">budgeting template and calculator<\/a> to keep your finances organised.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can also check out our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/cash-flow\/what-is-a-cash-flow-forecast\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"972\">cash flow forecast template<\/a> to assess how much money you\u2019ll have coming in and going out from your business over 12 months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Sort your branding and marketing<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When thinking about marketing, go back to your niche and skill set. These can help you work out what sort of clients you\u2019re hoping to get.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Once you know your audience, you can develop a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/marketing\/how-to-write-a-marketing-plan\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1456\">marketing plan<\/a> to reach them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While your marketing will be unique to your business, here are some guides to its specific elements:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/marketing\/how-to-create-a-brand-identity\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1114\">how to create a brand identity<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/marketing\/advantages-of-social-media-advertising\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1121\">the advantages of social media advertising<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/marketing\/what-is-tone-of-voice-in-business\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1120\">how to develop your tone of voice<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As you\u2019ll be working remotely, it\u2019s important to have an online presence so that people can find and get in touch with you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This means creating a business website, developing your social media accounts, and getting to grips with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/tech\/best-seo-tools-for-small-businesses\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1341\">SEO<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For more on these parts of the process, read our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/marketing\/how-to-advertise-your-business\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1410\">in-depth guide to advertising your small business<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Finding virtual assistant jobs<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Once you\u2019ve set up your business, you can get on with finding clients. Joanne believes visibility is key to finding clients, telling us: \u201cOur clients come from all over \u2013 from networking connections, our website and social media, and referrals from people we\u2019ve supported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe don&#8217;t have any particular pitching methods, we just ensure that our marketing is consistent and that we always ask for testimonials and case studies.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you\u2019re looking for somewhere to start, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.societyofvirtualassistants.co.uk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Society of Virtual Assistants<\/a> can support you in getting work as well as running your business in general.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Membership is free, although they ask for a recommended \u00a310 donation. But you\u2019ll then get their newsletter and have access to their forum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">They also have another level of membership: \u2018approved\u2019. You need to agree to their Code of Practice, but you can then be added to their \u2018find an approved VA\u2019 listings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here are some more ways to find work:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">use a specialist virtual assistant agency \u2013 you can join the books of a virtual assistant agency, but make sure you research your options (and avoid scams that ask for money upfront or make claims that sound too good to be true)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">become an Upwork virtual assistant \u2013 businesses look for freelance virtual assistants on digital platforms and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/best-freelancer-websites\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1196\">online job boards<\/a> such as Fiverr and Upwork<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">use social media like LinkedIn to self-promote \u2013 we mention LinkedIn as it\u2019s the professional networking platform, but social media in general can be a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/marketing\/how-to-use-linkedin-to-promote-yourself\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"19481\">powerful tool when looking for work<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"virtual-assistant-salary-how-much-can-you-charge\"><strong>Virtual assistant salary: how much can you charge?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to <a href=\"https:\/\/uk.indeed.com\/career\/virtual-assistant\/salaries\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Indeed<\/a>, virtual assistants in the UK make \u00a311.72 an hour on average.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.payscale.com\/research\/UK\/Job=Virtual_Assistant\/Hourly_Rate\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Payscale<\/a> puts the hourly salary in a range between \u00a310 to \u00a325 an hour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s always a good idea to research other virtual assistants in your niche and skill set and try to find out how much they make.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As you get more experience and skills, you should be able to increase your earning potential, whether that\u2019s by taking on new work or upping your rates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Keep in mind that being self-employed, you\u2019ll need to pay your taxes and set money aside for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/allowances\/can-i-get-self-employed-holiday-pay\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1275\">holidays<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/staff\/self-employed-sick-pay\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1513\">sick pay<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/management\/retirement-age-uk\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1503\">retirement<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"insurance-for-virtual-assistants\"><strong>Insurance for virtual assistants<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As you\u2019re running a business, an insurance policy can protect you against the unique risks you face. Virtual assistants should consider:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/business-insurance\/professional-indemnity-insurance\/\">professional indemnity insurance<\/a> \u2013 this covers you if you make a mistake in your work that leads to a loss for your client, for example if you lose documents or data or give bad advice<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/business-insurance\/public-liability-insurance\/\">public liability insurance<\/a> \u2013 this can cover compensation costs if clients, suppliers, or members of the public suffer personal injury or property damage because of your business<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/business-insurance\/business-equipment-insurance\/\">business equipment insurance<\/a> \u2013 this can cover expensive equipment like your laptop against theft and property damage<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"expand-your-virtual-assistant-services\"><strong>Expand your virtual assistant services<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Once you\u2019ve been up and running for a while, you might be looking for a way to grow your business. The first thing you could consider is offering additional services, such as the ones listed above.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Start by assessing the needs of your current clients and consider which services will complement your existing offerings. For example, if you currently offer administrative support, you could expand into project management too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But while the needs of your clients are important \u2013 it\u2019s also important that you enjoy what you do. When thinking about what services to offer, virtual assistant Joanne has a helpful reminder:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cMake sure you know what your skills are, what skills you&#8217;d like to develop, and what tasks just don&#8217;t float your boat. Don&#8217;t be afraid to say no to work or clients that don&#8217;t make you feel excited.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Another way to grow your business is by asking for feedback. Asking your clients how you can improve gives you a unique opportunity to develop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And of course, networking is key when finding more clients. If there\u2019s a particular industry you enjoy working in, seek out industry events or join networking groups. You may even find new clients or referrals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>More guides for small business owners<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/starting-out\/how-to-become-self-employed\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1418\">How to go self-employed<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/banking\/best-small-business-bank-account\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1332\">Which bank has the best business bank account?<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/business-tax\/what-is-business-turnover\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1577\">What is business turnover?<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/business-insurance\/faq\/do-i-need-public-liability-insurance\/\">Do I need public liability insurance?<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"nba-upsell-001\" class=\"wp-block-group has-azure-200-background-color has-background has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-94e519ba wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--80);padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--80);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40)\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\">Ready to set up your cover?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\">As one of the UK&#8217;s biggest <a href=\"\/business-insurance\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"5152\">business insurance<\/a> providers, we specialise in <a href=\"\/business-insurance\/public-liability-insurance\/\">public liability insurance<\/a> and protect more trades than anybody else. Why not take a look now and build a quick, tailored quote?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-a89b3969 wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/quote.simplybusiness.co.uk\/business\">Start your quote<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Photograph 1: Kateryna\/stock.adobe.com<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"nba-body-end\">\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Have admin and secretarial experience and want to go self-employed? Becoming a virtual assistant could be for you. Read more.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":2681,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"sb_hreflang":"","sb_hreflang_url":"","disable_breadcrumbs":false,"sb_breadcrumbs":[],"sb_reviewed_by":"","sb_review_date":"","sb_enable_content_gating":true,"footnotes":""},"categories":[336,335,111],"hidden-category":[],"coauthors":[24],"class_list":["post-1140","knowledge","type-knowledge","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business-structure","category-freelance","category-marketing"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.2 (Yoast SEO v27.2) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>How to become a virtual assistant<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"What is a virtual assistant and how do you become one? If you\u2019re organised, adaptable, and tech-savvy, this could be a great remote business opportunity.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-virtual-assistant\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How to become a virtual assistant\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Have admin and secretarial experience and want to go self-employed? Becoming a virtual assistant could be for you.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-virtual-assistant\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Simply Business UK\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/simplybusiness\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-10-01T11:05:20+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/06\/how-to-become-a-virtual-assistant.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:title\" content=\"How to become a virtual assistant \u2013 plus a guide to getting clients\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@simplybusiness\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"12 minutes\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"Rosanna Parrish\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-virtual-assistant\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-virtual-assistant\/\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"Rosanna Parrish\",\"description\":\"Rosanna Parrish is a Copywriter at Simply Business specialising in side hustles \u2013 as well as all things freelance, social media, and ecommerce. She\u2019s been writing professionally for nine years. Starting her career in health insurance, she also worked in education marketing before returning to the insurance world. <a href=\\\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/rosannaparrish\/\\\" target=\\\"_blank\\\" rel=\\\"noopener\\\">Connect with Rosanna on LinkedIn.<\/a>\"},\"headline\":\"How to become a virtual assistant \u2013 plus a guide to getting clients\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-05-31T00:00:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-10-01T11:05:20+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-virtual-assistant\/\"},\"wordCount\":2268,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-virtual-assistant\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/how-to-become-a-virtual-assistant.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"Business structure\",\"Guides for freelancers\",\"Marketing your business\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-virtual-assistant\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-virtual-assistant\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-virtual-assistant\/\",\"name\":\"How to become a virtual assistant\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-virtual-assistant\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-virtual-assistant\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/how-to-become-a-virtual-assistant.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-05-31T00:00:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-10-01T11:05:20+00:00\",\"description\":\"What is a virtual assistant and how do you become one? If you\u2019re organised, adaptable, and tech-savvy, this could be a great remote business opportunity.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-virtual-assistant\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-virtual-assistant\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-virtual-assistant\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/how-to-become-a-virtual-assistant.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/how-to-become-a-virtual-assistant.jpg\",\"width\":825,\"height\":549,\"caption\":\"how-to-become-a-virtual-assistant.jpg\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-virtual-assistant\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Knowledge\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/%category%\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"How to become a virtual assistant \u2013 plus a guide to getting clients\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/\",\"name\":\"Simply Business UK\",\"description\":\"\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/#\/schema\/person\/73ec77668d0ec554cd7df8942c664049\",\"name\":\"elliottstocks\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/simply-business\/dist\/images\/default-author-avatar.webp9df6147f02078f0218660330fdfbacf3\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/simply-business\/dist\/images\/default-author-avatar.webp\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/simply-business\/dist\/images\/default-author-avatar.webp\",\"caption\":\"elliottstocks\"}},{\"@type\":\"PostalAddress\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-virtual-assistant\/#local-main-place-address\",\"streetAddress\":\"Hylo, 105 Bunhill Row\",\"addressLocality\":\"London\",\"postalCode\":\"EC1Y 8LZ\",\"addressCountry\":\"GB\"},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-virtual-assistant\/#local-main-organization-logo\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/logo.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/logo.png\",\"width\":533,\"height\":187,\"caption\":\"Simply Business UK\"}]}<\/script>\n<meta property=\"og:video\" content=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/O1oK_BOhGTg\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:video:type\" content=\"text\/html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:video:duration\" content=\"163\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:video:width\" content=\"480\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:video:height\" content=\"270\" \/>\n<meta property=\"ya:ovs:adult\" content=\"false\" \/>\n<meta property=\"ya:ovs:upload_date\" content=\"2024-05-31T00:00:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"ya:ovs:allow_embed\" content=\"true\" \/>\n<meta name=\"geo.placename\" content=\"London\" \/>\n<meta name=\"geo.region\" content=\"United Kingdom (UK)\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"How to become a virtual assistant","description":"What is a virtual assistant and how do you become one? If you\u2019re organised, adaptable, and tech-savvy, this could be a great remote business opportunity.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-virtual-assistant\/","og_locale":"en_GB","og_type":"article","og_title":"How to become a virtual assistant","og_description":"Have admin and secretarial experience and want to go self-employed? Becoming a virtual assistant could be for you.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-virtual-assistant\/","og_site_name":"Simply Business UK","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/simplybusiness","article_modified_time":"2025-10-01T11:05:20+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/06\/how-to-become-a-virtual-assistant.jpg","type":"","width":"","height":""}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_title":"How to become a virtual assistant \u2013 plus a guide to getting clients","twitter_site":"@simplybusiness","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"12 minutes","Written by":"Rosanna Parrish"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-virtual-assistant\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-virtual-assistant\/"},"author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Rosanna Parrish","description":"Rosanna Parrish is a Copywriter at Simply Business specialising in side hustles \u2013 as well as all things freelance, social media, and ecommerce. She\u2019s been writing professionally for nine years. Starting her career in health insurance, she also worked in education marketing before returning to the insurance world. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/rosannaparrish\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Connect with Rosanna on LinkedIn.<\/a>"},"headline":"How to become a virtual assistant \u2013 plus a guide to getting clients","datePublished":"2024-05-31T00:00:00+00:00","dateModified":"2025-10-01T11:05:20+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-virtual-assistant\/"},"wordCount":2268,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-virtual-assistant\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/how-to-become-a-virtual-assistant.jpg","articleSection":["Business structure","Guides for freelancers","Marketing your business"],"inLanguage":"en-GB","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-virtual-assistant\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-virtual-assistant\/","url":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-virtual-assistant\/","name":"How to become a virtual assistant","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-virtual-assistant\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-virtual-assistant\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/how-to-become-a-virtual-assistant.jpg","datePublished":"2024-05-31T00:00:00+00:00","dateModified":"2025-10-01T11:05:20+00:00","description":"What is a virtual assistant and how do you become one? If you\u2019re organised, adaptable, and tech-savvy, this could be a great remote business opportunity.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-virtual-assistant\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-GB","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-virtual-assistant\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-virtual-assistant\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/how-to-become-a-virtual-assistant.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/how-to-become-a-virtual-assistant.jpg","width":825,"height":549,"caption":"how-to-become-a-virtual-assistant.jpg"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-virtual-assistant\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Knowledge","item":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/%category%\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"How to become a virtual assistant \u2013 plus a guide to getting clients"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/","name":"Simply Business UK","description":"","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-GB"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/#\/schema\/person\/73ec77668d0ec554cd7df8942c664049","name":"elliottstocks","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/simply-business\/dist\/images\/default-author-avatar.webp9df6147f02078f0218660330fdfbacf3","url":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/simply-business\/dist\/images\/default-author-avatar.webp","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/simply-business\/dist\/images\/default-author-avatar.webp","caption":"elliottstocks"}},{"@type":"PostalAddress","@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-virtual-assistant\/#local-main-place-address","streetAddress":"Hylo, 105 Bunhill Row","addressLocality":"London","postalCode":"EC1Y 8LZ","addressCountry":"GB"},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-virtual-assistant\/#local-main-organization-logo","url":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/logo.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/logo.png","width":533,"height":187,"caption":"Simply Business UK"}]},"og_video":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/O1oK_BOhGTg","og_video_type":"text\/html","og_video_duration":"163","og_video_width":"480","og_video_height":"270","ya_ovs_adult":"false","ya_ovs_upload_date":"2024-05-31T00:00:00+00:00","ya_ovs_allow_embed":"true","geo.placename":"London","geo.region":"United Kingdom (UK)"},"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","canonical_url":"http:\/\/simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-virtual-assistant\/","smart_links":{"inbound":0,"outbound":0},"traffic_boost_suggestions_count":0,"meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"How to become a virtual assistant \u2013 plus a guide to getting clients","url":"http:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-virtual-assistant\/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"http:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/freelance\/how-to-become-a-virtual-assistant\/"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/how-to-become-a-virtual-assistant.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/how-to-become-a-virtual-assistant.jpg"},"articleSection":"Business structure","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Rosanna Parrish"}],"creator":["Rosanna Parrish"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Simply Business UK","logo":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/04\/icon-512x512-1.png"},"keywords":[],"dateCreated":"2024-05-31T00:00:00Z","datePublished":"2024-05-31T00:00:00Z","dateModified":"2025-10-01T11:05:20Z"},"rendered":"<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"wp-parsely-metadata\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"NewsArticle\",\"headline\":\"How to become a virtual assistant \\u2013 plus a guide to getting clients\",\"url\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\\\/knowledge\\\/freelance\\\/how-to-become-a-virtual-assistant\\\/\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\\\/knowledge\\\/freelance\\\/how-to-become-a-virtual-assistant\\\/\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/3\\\/2024\\\/05\\\/how-to-become-a-virtual-assistant.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/3\\\/2024\\\/05\\\/how-to-become-a-virtual-assistant.jpg\"},\"articleSection\":\"Business structure\",\"author\":[{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"Rosanna Parrish\"}],\"creator\":[\"Rosanna Parrish\"],\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"Simply Business UK\",\"logo\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/3\\\/2024\\\/04\\\/icon-512x512-1.png\"},\"keywords\":[],\"dateCreated\":\"2024-05-31T00:00:00Z\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-05-31T00:00:00Z\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-10-01T11:05:20Z\"}<\/script>","tracker_url":"https:\/\/cdn.parsely.com\/keys\/simplybusiness.co.uk\/p.js"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/knowledge\/1140","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/knowledge"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/knowledge"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1140"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/knowledge\/1140\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":42116,"href":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/knowledge\/1140\/revisions\/42116"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2681"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1140"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1140"},{"taxonomy":"hidden-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/hidden-category?post=1140"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=1140"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}