Virtual Assistant Skills: Definition, Examples and Tips

Updated March 28, 2023

Side view of a person typing on their laptop.

Virtual assistants are employees who help clients with clerical work,
administrative tasks and website development projects. They typically work
remotely from home and specialize in specific skill sets, like blog writing
and organizing travel arrangements. If you're interested in working as a
virtual assistant, you may benefit from learning about what skills clients
value the most.

In this article, we describe what virtual assistant skills are including a list of
16 virtual assistant skills and how to improve your own skill set, how to use
it in your work and how to highlight your skills during your job search.

Please note that none of the companies mentioned in this article are
affiliated with Indeed.

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What are virtual assistant skills?
Virtual assistant skills are skills you commonly use while helping clients
with administrative tasks. For example, some clients might need a virtual
assistant to organize their emails every day, answer their phone calls and
create newsletters. Some virtual assistants find loyal customers by
marketing their specialized skill sets and becoming experts at single tasks
like website design, social media management or assisting with public
relations projects. If you choose to work remotely, you often use power
skills like self-discipline and time management to search for potential
clients and finish your tasks before deadlines arrive.

Related: 10 Ways To Find Virtual Assistant Jobs

16 examples of virtual assistant skills

Here's a list of 16 skills that virtual assistants use in their work:

1. Writing
You might be able to market yourself to clients by promoting your ability to
write easy-to-read emails, social media posts and promotional material.
Here are some examples of subjects you can research to strengthen your
writing and make it more appealing to clients:

Speed
Accuracy
Grammar
Sentence structure
Formatting
Tone
Readability
Creativity
Associated Press Style
Technical writing
Calls to action
Humor
Uniqueness
Related: 35 Virtual Assistant Companies and the Services They Provide

2. Communication
Virtual assistants spend a lot of time listening to client requests, persuading
new clients to hire them and updating clients about project changes.
Consider researching some of these subjects if you want to communicate
with your clients more effectively:

Active listening
Conflict management
Collaboration
Clarity of speech
Being concise
Verbal communication
Written communication
Related: 38 Virtual Assistant Interview Questions (With Sample Answers)

3. Technical prowess
Some virtual assistants specialize in technical tasks, like analyzing data to
help clients develop their businesses. Here are some examples of subjects
you can learn about to strengthen your technical expertise:

Cloud storage programs

Social media management
Website maintenance
Adobe Creative Suite
Canva
Microsoft Office
Related: 20 High-Paying Virtual Assistant Jobs for Beginners

4. Critical thinking
To resolve some situations, virtual assistants think critically and consider all
of their options before taking an action. While performing tasks that require
critical thinking, you might use some of the following skills:

Analytical thinking
Problem solving
Open-mindedness
Related: 12 Companies Hiring for Virtual Assistant Positions

5. Accounting
Many virtual assistants help their clients with basic accounting tasks. If you
want to improve at accounting and budgeting duties, you might read about
some of the following subjects:

Budgeting
Financial statements
Accounting software
Related: How To Write an Executive Virtual Assistant Resume

6. Time management
To complete tasks before deadlines, virtual assistants practice effective
time management while working. Here are some examples of subjects you
can study to improve your time management habits:

Long- and short-term goals

Task prioritization
Outsourcing tasks
The Eisenhower Matrix
Related: 14 Virtual Assistant Jobs (With Salaries)

7. Organization
Since they manage numerous records and service multiple clients at a
time, virtual assistants often use organizational techniques to stay efficient.
Here are some subjects to consider while learning how to organize your
projects:

Resource management
Record keeping
Appointment scheduling
Related: How To Become a Virtual Assistant (With Little to No Experience)

8. Customer service
Whether resolving a customer complaint through email or calling a client to
follow up after completing a project, virtual assistants often prioritize quality
customer service. Here are some examples of customer service skills you
might use during your work:

Persuasive speaking
Emotional intelligence
Product and service knowledge
Conflict resolution
Flexible communication styles
Related: What To Expect From a Virtual Assistant

9. Marketing
To promote themselves and their work, virtual assistants create physical
ads and market themselves online. You might consider the following
elements of marketing while promoting your work:

Search engine optimization

Email promotion
Public speaking
Copywriting
Related: Virtual Assistant Resume Template and Example (With Tips)

10. Sales
Since virtual assistants often pitch their services to potential clients, you
might benefit from learning some sales techniques. You can use some of
the following sales skills to convert potential customers into loyal clients:

Relationship building
Giving presentations
Negotiation
Overcoming objections
Related: 114 Tasks Virtual Assistants Can Handle for a Company
11. Self-education
Since virtual assistants often work independently, they're responsible for
creating opportunities to teach themselves new skills. Here are some
practices you can adopt, which might help you consistently improve at your
administrative duties:

Teaching yourself according to your learning style

Setting a learning schedule
Using your available resources
12. Adaptability
When plans change, virtual assistants require quick thinking to resolve the
situation and create an outcome that satisfies all parties. You might learn
some of the following skills if you want to adapt more quickly after sudden
changes occur:

Accepting and learning from criticism

Turning surprises into opportunities for innovation
Staying resilient after sudden changes
13. Project planning
Virtual assistants often work on multiple projects at once, and they create
plans for each. You can pursue certifications in this area such as the
Professional Project Manager (PMP) certification. Here are some subjects
you can study to improve your project-planning skills:

Leadership
Risk management
Reviews and evaluations
Agile methodologies
Iterative project management
14. Content creation
Depending on the types of clients you service, you might create content
that's shareable and useful to the people who read it. Here are some skills
to consider if you want to make your content more appealing to viewers:

Metrics analysis
Post scheduling
Brand analysis
15. Business development
Many virtual assistants work independently as small business owners.
Studying the following subjects might improve your strategies as an
entrepreneur and expand your client list more quickly:

Return on investment
Business intelligence
Data analysis
Prospecting
Networking
Data entry
16. Reliability
Clients often prefer virtual assistants who answer messages promptly and
consistently finish projects before deadlines. The following habits are
helpful if you want to develop a positive reputation with your target
audience:

Prioritizing commitments
Meeting deadlines
Providing updates
Tips to improve virtual assistant skills
Consider taking the following steps if you want to improve your skills as a
virtual assistant:

Invest in a career counselor. Consider investing time and money in a career

counselor. You may find career opportunities that match your skill set and
help you understand how to improve your most important skills.
Find a mentor. You may research coaching and mentor programs online or
in your area. The right mentor may help you evaluate business plans and
suggest helpful changes.
Enroll in a virtual assistant certification program. There are classes you can
take and certifications you can obtain that might teach you the fundamental
aspects of being a virtual assistant. Consider researching the virtual
assistant training opportunities that are available online.
Get interview-ready with tips from Indeed
Prepare for interviews with practice questions and tips
Virtual assistant skills in the workplace
Here are some examples of how you might use your virtual assistant skills
in your work:

Create shareable content. One of your clients might want you to create
infographics to put in their social media posts. You can use your design
skills to create infographics, or you might outsource the work to a visual
artist.
Adapt to changing situations. Travel arrangements can change suddenly,
and you might find a new plane or cab for one of your clients. This involves
communicating with travel agency staff and updating your clients about
changes.
Perform website maintenance. Some clients want you to maintain their
websites, track analytics and schedule blog posts. They might also want
you to perform more technical tasks, like moving their website to a new
domain.