5 Best Virtual Assistant Training Courses to Get Your First Client

Making the dream of working from home with a flexible schedule can become a reality easily. In fact, this might as well be included in the job description for every open virtual assistant opening. But it does beg the question as to whether you really need to take some sort of virtual assistant training to get started the right way.

There’s no doubt that being a VA (virtual assistant) is a simple way to start earning money at home at your own pace and your speed. The great thing about becoming a VA is that the more you learn, the more you earn. 

This is why becoming a virtual assistant has become quite a lucrative stay-at-home career. What used to be a simple side gig or side hustle for many has now turned into a full-time job. 

The great news is that there is always work to go around in the business world so virtual assistants are always in demand. However, before calling yourself a virtual assistant, it’s important to take the time to research and study exactly what a virtual assistant does. 

The best way to do this is to take a VA course online so that you’re in the know and prepared on how to land your first (and definitely not your last!) client. Don’t worry – we’ve done the gathering for you to present the best courses online to learn how to become a virtual assistant.

Best virtual assistant courses online

Keep in mind that these are just a few of the VA courses that are out there and available. These are the ones that have a proven track record and rave reviews from the students who have taken them. 

1. Fully Booked VA

Fully Booked VA is a great course that, over more than 85 lessons, gives you step-by-step guidance in how to start your VA business from the ground up. This is a big deal because this is often the biggest hurdle that people have when it comes to becoming a VA. 

Run by Gina Horkey, who was earning $7,000 per month from being a VA (on the side of her main job!) within one year of starting, this course gives you the framework to focus on your skills while giving you the confidence to learn new skills as well. All the guesswork is eliminated because this process walks you through literally step-by-step. 

The end result? You’ll learn how to build a strong business by finding out the perfect services to offer. You can then use that knowledge to find new clients, set your own rates and learn how to scale your business to whatever works for you. 

This course is for someone who is just starting out and wanting guidance every step of the way. Not only will you gain confidence in your abilities but by the end of the course, you’ll know just how to sell your services online and start building up your client list.

Find out more about Fully Booked VA here, including exactly what each of those 85 modules cover.

2. $10K VA

The plan is really all in the name. That is, $10K VA shows you how to go from zero dollars to earning $10k per month. The basis behind this course is that you’ll learn everything that you need to know about becoming a VA from the way to pitch yourself to businesses to how to structure your pricing.

And you know the information is good when you see who it’s coming from. Kayla Sloan, the course creator, built her very own VA business up to earning more than $10,000 every month. She now uses her experience from doing this to help others do the same!

This course uses a model that focuses on your current skill sets to show that investing in yourself now will really pay off big in the future. No need for a fancy college degree because you can learn these skill sets easily. 

There are a ton of success stories that have come out of this VA course (some of which you can see at that previous link!) and Kayla herself is still very much a big leader in the VA world as well. Knowing that you’re learning from someone who still does VA work on the side makes this course feel like it’s relevant and would stay extremely up-to-date and knowledgeable. 

Click here to find out more about the $10K VA course, including a full breakdown of what’s included.

3. Become a Pinterest VA Today

This virtual assistant training course is a tad bit different than the others that are offered because this one totally specializes in Pinterest. This means that if you’re a particular fan of Pinterest, this might be a great VA course for you to take. 

The great part about becoming a Pinterest VA (or a Pinterest manager, as others call it but which is basically the same thing) is that you can really focus your expertise on this area, by handling many different accounts. You’re also free to schedule your clients’ pins and the time it takes to create these around your schedule as well. 

The Become a Pinterest VA Today course is a self-paced course that teaches the ins and out of understanding Pinterest. This would be a great foundation for anyone who needs to understand how Pinterest truly works.

It’s run by Kristin Larsen, who took just ten months to turn her side hustle as a Pinterest-specific VA into a replacement for her fulltime job. 

This means the course is built for those who want to do the same thing. You’ll learn about everything from the more technical aspects of managing Pinterest accounts and setting up your own business to things like how to land (and keep!) clients.

The great thing about becoming a Pinterest VA is that it’s a platform that is extremely popular and drives results for bloggers and many businesses, meaning there are plenty of ways to make money on Pinterest. This also means that there are always demands for people to need help in running their Pinterest accounts as well. 

4. The Savvy System

The Savvy System is great not only for the course itself, but for all the other goodies that Abbey, the course developer, has made available (many of which are free!). There’s a clear sense of community, with a great focus on not only how to get started as a VA but also to continue helping you even after you have more experience.

This means that this course will work well for anyone looking to be supported throughout each step of their entire VA journey, from beginner to five-figures.

To see the level of information that Abbey provides, I’d recommend grabbing this free VA starter kit that she has on offer. It’s a great guide to how to find virtual assistant jobs for beginners, including all the things you can do even without any virtual assistant training!

Alternatively, if you’re already working as a virtual assistant, take a look at the Savvy Vault. It offers more advanced skills training to help you (and your pricing) level up as a VA.

5. Work From Home as a Virtual Assistant

While the other courses are fantastic in terms of what they can teach you, they may be slightly outside of your price range.

If so, you definitely need to take a look at the Work From Home as a Virtual Assistant training course. It’s a VA course through Udemy that’s been taken by over 4,000 students with an average rating of 4.5 out of 5, so it’s definitely got the information you need to start as a VA.

And the price is, frankly, unbeatable. That’s especially when you consider that not only do you get almost five hours of video lectures, but it also comes with a range of templates – including free sample contracts and proposals you can use with clients. Documents like these are often sold for far more than the course price, so it’s pretty incredible that they’re part of the package.

Some of the course comments note that this is going to be better for absolute beginners rather than someone who has experience working as a VA and is looking to work on their skills. So if this is you, this is definitely worth checking out.

Which is the best virtual assistant training course for me?

The best virtual assistant training course for you will depend on just what you are looking for. For example, if you’d rather be a more general VA, courses like Fully Booked VA or $10K VA will work well. Alternatively, if you’re looking to specialize in a certain area, Become a Pinterest VA Today may be more appropriate.

As you can probably tell, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer to this. In fact, this just might be the biggest question that you have to ask yourself. Dig deep and understand what you’re trying to accomplish by becoming a virtual assistant.

Are you wanting more money? More flexibility in your daily schedule? The ability to quit your day job and try becoming a full-time VA? All of those wants and needs can happen with just a little bit of planning. 

The good news is that there are virtual assistant training courses that can give you the information that you need to succeed. The tough news is that you then have to take that information from the courses and actually put it into play. 

While the courses will provide the framework for being able to learn how to become a virtual assistant, you’ll have to be prepared to do a lot of the leg work to make it actually come to fruition. 

How do I start a virtual assistant business from home? 

Starting a virtual assistant business isn’t hard, but there are a few steps you should take.

We go into this in more detail in our article on how to become a virtual assistant but it can essentially be broken down as follows:

1. Decide which services you’ll offer – Whether you want to offer more general services or hone your expertise on one particular area, like Pinterest or even social media more broadly, deciding this first is helpful for shaping the rest of your business. Although don’t worry, you can always shift this later!
2. Create your online presence – Given you’re aiming to be a virtual assistant, it’s important to have a virtual presence. At the very least, it’s a good idea to start a website that advertises your services to help potential clients find you. You may even want to do it before finishing any training you choose to do so you know you’ve locked in your dream website name. 
3. Do some training – To be honest, there’s no exact time that you should consider doing a virtual assistant training course. You could do it before you start, but it’s also something that’s worth doing after you actually become a VA to keep your skills sharp. But if you’re just getting started as a VA, some training at this stage of the process would definitely help to ensure you’re building your VA business the right way.
4. Choose your business structure – This is probably a bit too complicated for a short summary here so, in brief, talk to a professional, whether it’s an accountant or a lawyer, so see which company structure is best for you.
5. Figure out the fees you’ll charge – We’ve got some guidance for you in this article on how to set this but basically: keep it simple for now.
6. Reach out to clients – The various courses will show you how to do this, but checking out these virtual assistant websites can also help.
7. Build your VA network – It’s always good to have support when you’re getting started so you can bounce ideas off one another. Check out some of the VA-specific Facebook groups that are out there to start building that VA network.

Is there any free virtual assistant training with a certificate?

There are a ton of free virtual assistant training courses out there but they don’t give you a certificate upon completion. This is because the free courses are just going to give you a small amount of information and not actually fully teach you the whole concept at once. 

That doesn’t mean that free courses can’t provide great knowledge and information, but what it does mean is that you’re not going to have anything tangible to show for it when you’re done. 

Free training can be great for refreshers or even see if the paid course is something that you’re truly interested in. As a good example of this, check out this free webinar on becoming a VA from Gina, the creator of the Fully Booked VA course.

What qualifications do I need to be a virtual assistant?

To become a virtual assistant, you’re going to need basic qualifications to get started. Trust in your gut instincts as well about what you can and can’t do when it comes to 

1. Know how to navigate email and a laptop 

Since this is going to be your main source of work and communication, you have to be able to do this in order to work. 

If your computer skills are a bit rusty, it’s fine. Just see if there are any tips or typing training online that you can do in your spare time to get caught up and ready to go. 

2. Strong communication skills

Even though you’re going to be working independently and from home, you’ll still be communicating a lot with the people that are asking for your help. 

Most times the communication will be done via email but there is a chance that phone conversations and even Zoom meetings will happen. In fact, many clients like to schedule these fairly regularly, just so you can have an understanding of what they need while you can also update them on anything you have spotted that may help their work.

3. Solid organizational skills

Since you’re going to be working for different people, you need to be certain that you have the ability to balance them all and meet their work requirements. Being a VA can get very demanding so organization and time management are important. After all, there’s a reason project management is one of the best high income skills out there.

4. Good writing and editing skills

There are a lot of VA jobs out there that are all about writing and editing. Be certain that you brush up on your writing skills as well as your editing skills so that you know what to expect. 

How to train to be a virtual assistant

The best way to train to be a virtual assistant is to enroll in a virtual assistant training course. Not only do they give you the foundation that you need to get started but they also give you that boost of encouragement as well. They’re also generally self-paced so you can go at a speed that you’re comfortable with. 

The journey to becoming a VA is one that is different for everyone and should be treated as such. It’s true that each person can take the same course and come out on the other side with a totally different outcome and thought process. 

And this isn’t a bad thing! In fact, part of being a good VA is being able to work well with your clients. While this comes down to many factors, one of them is often simply personality.

This means, as a freshly trained VA, you’re going to have a different perspective on things than other VA might, meaning you could be just what your next client is looking for!

What online services are in demand?

Right now, in the world that we live in, all types of services are in demand. This means that the life of a virtual assistant can literally change every single day. 

Some of the biggest demands right now are:

• Ghostwriting
• Blog management
• Social media scheduling
• Data entry
• Email answering
• Schedule planning
• Event planning
• Editing
• Graphic design

And that’s just a few of the biggest job needs on the list. All of those items are skill sets that individuals can learn and become trained on as well – which is actually one of the reasons that working as a VA can be one of the best part time online jobs (or full time, if you prefer!). 

What are the duties of a virtual assistant?

As you can tell, becoming a virtual assistant is quite a fun gig. This is because there are so many different things that you can specialize in to make a living or some extra cash on the side. 

While this isn’t an all-inclusive list by any means, here are some of the most popular services that virtual assistants have to offer to paid clients. 

• Social Media Manager. If you love all things social media, why not get paid for it. You can easily manage social media accounts for bloggers and businesses and get paid to literally be online communicating with others. There is always a need for Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, and more social media account managers. 
• Graphic designer. From logos to pins for Pinterest to even digital stickers, graphics are a big deal. Even if you don’t consider yourself to be creative, you can train and teach yourself how to create. Since you’ll be using a computer and online animation, it’s different than you actually have to draw something yourself. 
• Ghostwriter. A lot of people get their start in the VA world being a ghostwriter. This is a job where you write for bloggers and other publications but then give your words to them and they publish under their name or the business name. Some people are fine with this while others aren’t. If you’re okay with writing and getting paid for it without getting any credit, ghostwriting can be a very lucrative gig. 
• Editing. Do you love finding grammar mistakes? People will pay big bucks for that! With the world of technology rapidly changing, there is always a need for someone to double-check and triple-check everyone else’s work. You don’t even have to have a red pen – just a superb eye for detail.
• Calendar management. This is actually a pretty big need for many top executives and businesses. There are only so many hours in the day and they always seem to be fast-paced and busy. If you have the skills to multitask and manage calendars then you can easily do this for others and get paid. This often comes with scheduling appointments and planning business trips as well. 
• Blog management. This one is more geared towards bloggers but this is actually a big need. Blogs are huge in the online world and they require a ton of upkeep and work to keep up. If you’re able to stay on deadlines, edit and write, post to social media and basically handle the ups and downs of running blogs, you might find that you excel at blog management. 

These are just a few of the main jobs that virtual assistants are expected to do. This doesn’t mean that you have to do them all but it does show you that there is a big need for a wide range of skills. 

What degree do you need to be a virtual assistant?

You don’t actually need a degree at all to become a virtual assistant. Having a college degree can be helpful but it’s not a requirement at all. If you’re willing to learn new skills, you can easily understand the process quickly of how to be a VA. 

That said, there are many people that feel the need to spend money on a degree for this type of work, but again, it’s not a requirement at all. This doesn’t mean that a degree might not land you more jobs but it’s not something that you have to have to start in the world of a virtual assistant.

Instead, it’s probably going to be more helpful (and certainly faster) to go through some actual virtual assistant programs and certifications. By having VA certification training, what you’ll learn will be much more focused on the specific tasks and skills involved in becoming a VA rather than the more general business or admin tasks that doing a degree may teach you. And it still means that you’ll be able to market yourself as an accredited virtual assistant!

How often should I be taking virtual assistant training courses once I start to work as a VA?

This is entirely up to you. Some people like to take a course and be done with it and that’s fine. Others like to take a course and then do refresher courses as things change. Because that’s the truth of the matter – things will change.

Google will change its algorithm, as will Pinterest. There will be days that it feels like technology is against anything productive happening because algorithms and search feeds tend to update and change all the time. 

When this happens, just do your research and formulate a new plan of action. This doesn’t mean that you have to take a new course but it does mean that you’ll want to stay on top of the changes so that you’re current and relevant in your pricing and knowledge. 

Keep in mind that many professions have their employees take refresher courses all the time so there is nothing wrong with doing that in the VA world, too. It’s a great way to stay in the loop on all the changes while showing your clients that you’re dedicated to being the best VA for them as well. It’s a simple step in building a solid knowledge of exactly what a VA does and is expected to do. 

What are the limitations of being a virtual assistant? 

Being a VA is a job just like any other job. Some days will be great, others might be more of a struggle. However, the positives of having that flexibility and freedom tend to outweigh any type of limitations that might come. 

It’s also good to know the potential downfalls of any type of choice as well. Struggling to find clients is something that is commonly referred to but can easily be overcome. As long as you’re willing to reach out to people and businesses and put yourself out there, you’ll be able to make connections that will be valuable for you now and down the road. 

Instead of thinking about limitations that can happen, why not think about how you have the chance to work without any type of real limitations at all. Having a job that you run and choose how to spend your day shows that flexibility is actually quite important. 

What companies hire virtual assistants?

There are more and more companies that hire virtual assistants these days, especially as having a remote team is becoming much more common.

Some examples include:

1. Bloggers
2. Online store owners
3. Medical centers
4. Law firms
5. Accounting firms
6. Real estate brokers
7. Recruitment agencies
8. Marketing agencies
9. Small businesses
10. Other ‘solopreneurs’

The range of services that VAs can provide these kinds of businesses will vary, from more administrative tasks to things like updating content on these businesses’ websites, creating social media posts, graphic design and more.

You can even tailor yourself to a specific type of client, which may include relying on your pre-VA experience. For example, if you worked in HR before, a recruitment agency would love to rely on the expertise you got from that role combined with your other VA-related skills.

Final thoughts on the best virtual assistant training courses

If you’re ready to dive in and talk about the best virtual assistant courses online, here are the top choices to consider. All of these courses have shown success in one way or the other. It’s up to you to filter through and find the best one for you and what you’re hoping to accomplish as a VA.

Whether you’re considering being a VA as an online job for you as a stay-at-home mom, as a great stay-at-home dad job, the perfect online job for college students or basically anyone else, having some training can help you to hit the ground running. The sooner you get your first client, the sooner you can start earning money – and this is definitely where some virtual assistant training can help!