If you want to work from home in an administrative capacity, you may be trying to figure out how to write a virtual assistant resume. Don’t worry. We’ll share everything you need to know so you can create a resume that lands you an ideal role.
Want to take the guesswork out of writing a top-quality resume? Consider using a professional resume writing service.
If you are ready to land a job as a virtual assistant, start your job hunt on ZipRecruiter. ZipRecruiter is easy to use and free for jobseekers. You can also upload your resume to their resume database so that employers and recruiters who use ZipRecruiter can find you!
What Is A Virtual Assistant?
As a virtual assistant, you’ll take various tasks off the full plate of a busy professional or entrepreneur. You could find yourself serving in a secretarial capacity, tackling duties such as managing calendars, drafting correspondence, or responding to customer inquiries. You may also be responsible for more niche responsibilities like blogging, graphic design, or social media management.
Note: You can be a virtual assistant as an employee of a company, but it’s common for businesses to fill this role with a freelancer. For more information, check out our guide on how to become a virtual assistant.
What Is Unique About A Virtual Assistant Resume?
A virtual assistant resume has much in common with any other type of resume. However, the critical difference is that it’s written intentionally to try and secure a work-at-home job as a virtual assistant.
What Should Be Included On A Virtual Assistant Resume?
Your virtual assistant resume should include several sections. Let’s review each one.
Contact Information
The recruiter, hiring manager, or business owner needs to be able to reach you quickly and easily to set up an interview. So, list your cell phone number and professional-looking email address under your name.
Warning: Avoid using an email address that contains slang, profanity, or a nickname, as it could turn off the person reading your resume.
Summary or Objective Statement
The summary or objective statement is your opportunity to grab your reader’s attention and should highlight why you’re an ideal candidate. If you’re a seasoned professional, you should write a summary statement that captures your best career achievements to date. But, if you’re new to the field (or the workforce in general), you should opt for an objective statement explaining your desire to succeed in the role and how your transferable skills will help you do that.
Pro Tip: This section should be a maximum of three or four concise, compelling lines.
Work Experience
In this area, list your work history in reverse chronological order. That means your most recent role should appear first.
You should include your title, the company you worked for, and the dates you held the position for each job. Then, write three to five bullet points showcasing your most remarkable achievements during your tenure.
Here are some examples that could appear on an effective virtual assistant resume:
- Maintained the business and personal calendars for six executives.
- Wrote and published two weekly blog posts of 1,000 words each on the company website.
- Managed the company’s social media marketing strategy across five platforms (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok).
Remember: Your bullet points should feature an action word to illustrate a specific skill you have and a number to demonstrate the scope of your position or what you accomplished.
Education and Certifications
In this section, you should list the relevant degrees and certifications you’ve earned. If you’ve got an extensive work history, you can keep it short like this:
2017
Bachelor’s in Business Administration
ABC University
Join The Break Community
However, if you’re new to the workforce or field, it’s a good idea to flesh out this area. Here’s what that could look like:
2021
Bachelor’s in Business Administration — 3.8 GPA
ABC University
- Related coursework included Digital Marketing, Principles of Online Business, and Intermediate Copywriting.
- Served as the marketing professor’s assistant and entered grades for 200 students two to three times per week.
- Completed an internship as a Social Media Marketer, where I grew the company’s Twitter following by 75%.
Note: You could also list your internship as a separate entry in your work experience section.
Pro Tip: Be sure to include any notable online courses you’ve taken recently to expand your skill set — especially if that capability or knowledge is listed as a requirement in the job description.
Skills
You should feature your most relevant skills here, including any additional languages you read, write, or speak. But, while it may be tempting to share everything that you can do, keep this list to ten items or less. That way, your resume appears focused, and the section doesn’t overwhelm the reader (or take up too much valuable space on the page).
Awards
Use this section to end your virtual assistant resume with a bang. Include any relevant recognition you’ve gotten, such as Employee of the Month or Administrative Professional of the Year. If you’re early in your career, it’s appropriate to include the accolades you received in school or while you held a volunteer position.
What Should Be Left Off A Virtual Assistant Resume?
When editing your virtual assistant resume, you should omit any information that doesn’t make you look like a great candidate for the job. For example, your potential client or employer probably doesn’t need to know that you were a heavy machinery operator 15 years ago because it’s unrelated to the work you’ll do as a virtual assistant.
Note: If your sole or most recent professional experience is unrelated, include it. For example, if you’ve always worked as a heavy machinery operator, you should focus your resume on the transferable skills you honed in the role, such as attention to detail. However, if you're currently a heavy machinery operator but have previously held other, more relevant positions, just mention this job briefly to show steady employment history.
Important Job Skills For Virtual Assistant Resumes
Let’s dive into the important job skills you should include on your virtual assistant resume, breaking them down into hard and soft categories.
Hard Skills
Hard skills are capabilities that are specifically related to the role and are often more technical in nature. Here are several examples:
- Calendar management
- Email inbox management
- Content writing
- Social media management
- Graphic design
- Podcast editing
- Video editing
Soft Skills
Soft skills are competencies that are universally applicable, regardless of what position you hold. Examples of soft skills include but aren’t limited to:
- Communication (oral and written)
- Attention to detail
- Organization
- Time management
- Customer service
- Teamwork
- Problem solving or resourcefulness
Remember: Each virtual assistant role will be unique, so your resume should showcase the skills listed on the job posting (if you have them!).
Frequently Asked Questions
What should a virtual assistant put on a resume?
A virtual assistant should list their experience, education, certifications, skills, and significant accomplishments on their resume.
What skills does a virtual assistant need?
A virtual assistant needs many universally applicable skills, like communication, organization, attention to detail, etc. They may also need position-specific skills such as graphic design, content writing, or social media management.
How do I write a resume for a virtual assistant with no experience?
If you have no experience, you can still write a resume for a virtual assistant position. Highlight your education, certifications, and transferable skills you picked up in school, during an internship, or while serving in a volunteer capacity.
Do you need a resume as a virtual assistant?
A well-written resume can help you land virtual assistant jobs. However, you can also create an online portfolio or launch a website featuring similar information.
The Bottom Line
We know you’ve got what it takes to write a winning virtual assistant resume. But, if you’d like some support, check out one of these best resume writing service providers. Then, be sure to look for your next role on ZipRecruiter!
