How to Write a Virtual Assistant CV: Step-by-Step Guide

In today’s ever-evolving job market, characterised by its adaptability and the growing prevalence of remote work, online roles such as virtual assistants are increasingly popular with businesses adapting to the digital era. This surge in demand reflects the rise of remote and hybrid work models. 

What distinguishes the role of a virtual assistant is its accessibility; it often requires no prior experience, making it an excellent career path for recent school leavers, current students, and those considering a career change or returning to work after a break.

This article serves as your guide to crafting a CV template tailored specifically to virtual assistant positions, helping you showcase your relevant skills and experiences effectively.

Here’s what we cover:

• How to stand out: tips on how to construct a modern CV that targets your desired jobs and catches the eye of potential employers.

• Optimising for ATS: Strategies for formatting your CV to ensure it stands out in application tracking systems (ATS), allowing recruiters to review and scan your application more efficiently.

• Highlighting relevant sections: Advice on which sections to include to best align with your experiences and career aspirations.

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Virtual Assistant CV example 

This virtual assistant CV example is tailored for a virtual assistant with 6 years of customer service and project management skills. Ben has a (BA) in Business Administration and a course in VA training. demonstrating relevant customer service, administrative support, and project management skills. The CV template for a virtual assistant is Wisconsin, which is ATS-friendly and presents Ben's key information using a professional and easy-to-read format.

What to include in a virtual assistant CV? 

Crafting a compelling CV as a virtual assistant should include a profile summary, skills, work experience, education, certifications, references and language. Mention an understanding of current developments in digital marketing and administrative technologies. This shows potential employers you can contribute to online marketing efforts, streamline office processes and handle a wider range of tasks more effectively. 

While the emergence of AI-related jobs like prompt engineering may influence your performance, you must know how to provide personalised assistance and use a human-centric approach to support clients. Emphasise industry-specific experience in fields like legal, business, accountancy, or finance. Highlighting transferable skills is crucial, as virtual assistant roles span a variety of industries and require diverse skill sets.

Learn how to use a master CV and customise it to be job-specific and meet the requirements of your target office assistant role. The ideal CV length is determined by your level of experience and the job you are applying for.

How to write a virtual assistant CV: 5 steps with examples 

1. What are the important skills for a virtual assistant to have on a CV? 

To succeed in a virtual assistant role, there are some essential skills you must showcase on your CV. List hard skills in a bullet point list such as proficiency with software tools, and handling workloads or project managing.

Show soft skills like communication, collaboration and organisation, applicable to providing regular updates to clients in remote work settings. Additionally, soft skills should be integrated into your personal profile and work experience sections to provide a holistic view of your capabilities. 

Here are five essential virtual assistant CV skills:

1. Time-management: efficiently managing tasks and prioritising responsibilities to meet deadlines set by the client.

2. Communication: conveying information through verbal and written channels to ensure effective collaboration.

3. Organisation: structuring workflows, planning and maintaining orderliness to enhance productivity and efficiency.

4. Computer proficiency: using relevant email, phone or software tools such as Microsoft Office, Google Suits, or video platforms like Slack or Zoom. optimise task performance and workflow management. 

5. Data management: handling files,  data archiving or office-related tasks like calendar management and replying to emails.

Discover how to add skills to your CV for more tips and examples. 

2. How to write a personal profile for a virtual assistant CV 

This first section on your CV allows you to showcase you to demonstrate your capabilities for the role. Begin with a concise introduction to summarise years of expertise and mention soft skills. Include notable achievements such as completing complex projects ahead of schedule, being efficient, or receiving positive feedback. 

Highlight personal assistant skills such as time management, organisation, and problem-solving competencies, providing specific examples to demonstrate you can collaborate with clients in a remote office setting. If you’re a student or have little work experience, mention transferable skills, such as customer service or project management. 

Refer to our admin CV example for more tips!

Explore our customer service CV example for further insights!

Refer to our blog for ideas on how to write an appealing CV personal profile that will attract recruiters.

3. How to include practical work experience 

When incorporating relevant work experience into your virtual assistant CV, it's essential to highlight specific tasks and accomplishments in bullet points that showcase your skills, capabilities and what you can offer to the client.

List each entry using a chronological format; this can be freelance, volunteer or part-time jobs to demonstrate your skills and adaptability to different work environments. Mention action verbs such as “assisted”, “managed” or “addressed” to show how you proactively made an impact and helped to handle or complete online tasks. 

Virtual Assistant CV work experience example with little to no experience 

Bartender Supervisor, Flames Bar & Grill, Nottingham, 2018-2020

Displayed outstanding organisational skills by adeptly handling client tasks during busy periods, ensuring high-quality support as a virtual assistant. Maintained clear communication with clients to identify their needs, offer suggestions, and resolve any issues. Managed scheduling, processed data accurately, and kept track of essential documentation to ensure efficient operations. Worked collaboratively on projects and special promotions, enhancing team productivity and client satisfaction. 

• Recognised as "Employee of the Month" for exceptional performance and commitment to excellence in client service. 

• Successfully handled client concerns in partnership with management, achieving a 15% increase in client retention rates.

Particularly for school leavers or students who have gained part-time work experience while studying, highlight transferable skills such as communication, customer service, and problem-solving, acquired in a sales or retail environment,  which can transition into administrative tasks and client interactions as a virtual assistant. Learn more about how write a CV with little to no experience.

Virtual Assistant CV work experience examples 

Personal Assistant, ABC Company, 2020-2022

Providing comprehensive support to the CEO, managing their schedule, coordinating meetings, and handling correspondence. Additionally, liaised with clients and stakeholders, organised travel arrangements, and managed personal tasks as required.

• Successfully streamlined the CEO's schedule, demonstrating excellent organisation, multi-tasking, and project management skills, resulting in a 20% increase in productivity.

• Developed and introduced a new filing system, streamlining the document retrieval process, cutting down retrieval time by 30%.

  Administrative Assistant, XYZ Corporation, 2019-2021

Supported the administrative team with tasks such as managing incoming calls, organising files, and scheduling appointments. Additionally, facilitated data entry, prepared reports, and coordinated office events.

• Improved office efficiency by 25% by initiating a new filing system.

• Enhanced customer satisfaction by promptly responding to inquiries and resolving issues, demonstrating excellent communication and teamwork abilities.

  Sales Assistant, DEF Retail, 2018-2020

Held the position of Sales Assistant at DEF Retail, assisting customers with product inquiries, processing transactions, and maintaining a clean and organised store environment. Responsibilities also included restocking inventory, creating attractive product displays, and contributing to achieving sales targets.

• Consistently exceeded monthly sales targets by 15% through effective customer engagement and upselling techniques, showcasing strong collaboration and teamwork skills.

• Used a new inventory management system and reduced stock discrepancies by 20%.

Follow these 8 steps to write work experience on your CV. 

4. How to include education on a virtual assistant CV 

It's useful to highlight courses or certificates relevant to business, project management, customer service, communications and administration. Typically, employers do not request specific training. But if you have undergraduate qualifications in business administration, account management or finance, listing these on your CV  can be beneficial.

If you are thinking about working as an online assistant for the first time, consider finding an apprenticeship, self-studying or a course to acquire skills and find work. Showcase how you managed study tasks, delivered work on time and were punctual to class in academic settings.

Here are some examples of how to format your education section:

University degree:

Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration, Manchester University, UK, 2019-2022

GCSEs:

Liston Academy, London, UK, 2014-2016

10 GCSEs with grades A-C, including Mathematics and English.

A Levels:

English Literature (A), Business Studies (A), Economics (B)

Loughborough College, London, UK, 2016-2018.

Read more about tailoring your education on your CV for the job you are applying for.

5. Boost your CV with additional information

Adding additional sections to your virtual assistant CV can increase your chances of standing out and distinguishing yourself from other candidates. For example, mention any extracurricular activities, study projects or personal interests which are professional and show transferable skills. Hobbies like graphic design, writing, blogging, teaching, are relevant on a virtual CV as excellent communication skills, organisation and leadership are relevant to an online assistant. 

How to list languages on a CV 

Language skills can be highly beneficial for a virtual assistant job. Clearly list each language you speak and indicate your proficiency level next to it. Prioritise listing language skills on your CV that are relevant to the job you're applying for, especially if the role involves working with clients or partners from specific linguistic and multicultural backgrounds.

How to add courses and certificates

Include the name of the course or certification, the institution or organisation where you obtained it, the date of completion, and any relevant details such as coursework modules or achievements. Focus on listing courses and certificates that are directly related to the skills and competencies mentioned in the job description. This targeted approach ensures that your qualifications align with the employer's specific needs, demonstrating your suitability and readiness for the role.

Examples:

• Certificate in Office Administration, City College, London, UK, 2020

  Completed a comprehensive program covering office management, communication skills, and administrative tasks.

• Diploma in Customer Service, Online Course, 2019.

  Attained proficiency in handling customer inquiries, resolving issues, and maintaining high service standards.

• Associate Degree in Business Management, Staffordshire University, 2022.

  Acquired foundational knowledge in business principles, organisational behaviour, and project management.

Read our best tips for adding courses and certificates on your CV.

How to include references on a CV

References are crucial in substantiating your experience and skills through the endorsement of those who have previously supervised your work. Provide a list of references from previous managers or teachers to demonstrate the positive feedback you have received. Rad more about how to include references on your CV. Or create a portfolio of collaborations and work for clients to add credibility to your virtual CV.

How to write a virtual assistant CV with little to no experience

Even if you don't have experience specific to a virtual assistant role, it's all about demonstrating your transferable skills and how you can support clients or businesses in a remote work setting. For example, employers also value customer service skills and the ability to maintain strong client relationships, which can be gained from roles within hospitality like waitering.

If you're entering the workforce after graduating consider mentioning hard skills such as filing, preparing documents, report writing, managing schedules and attending appointments. Any academic skills or tasks you perform at college or university can also be relevant for office management roles. Show how you can multi-task, are detail-orientated and are comfortable with IT skills.

If you have online work experience, mention any freelance projects related to administrative tasks, such as digital support, business, sales or consultancy. Even unpaid experiences from self-study and hobbies and interests can demonstrate transferable skills and a proactive approach.

If you have little to no work experience, use a skills-based CV format to emphasise transferable skills rather than chronological work experience.

Key takeaways 

Crafting a virtual assistant CV requires highlighting skills like organisation, communication and project management. Ensure you tailor your CV to the virtual assistant role and include any customer service, or administration experience. If you don't have any experience, mention academic achievements and demonstrate with examples how you could be a good online assistant. Read how to improve your CV for more guidance.

Next steps? 

Explore our collection of CV templates and use our CV maker designed to help you create a professional and impactful simple CV tailored to your needs. Alternatively, consult our CV Writing Service for expert guidance and support in crafting a compelling CV that lands you a job interview. Start tracking your job applications and use our templates to send a CV via email professionally.

FAQ 

How much can I earn as a virtual assistant? 

Compensation for virtual assistants varies widely, typically falling between £10 and £25 per hour in the UK, contingent on experience and expertise.

What does a virtual assistant do? 

Virtual assistants undertake remote administrative, technical, or creative tasks, encompassing email management, scheduling, and customer support.

Will personal assistants be replaced by AI? 

Despite AI's advancements, personal assistants bring unique human attributes like empathy and problem-solving, rendering them indispensable despite automation trends.

How do I write about myself as a virtual assistant? 

Emphasise your strengths and experiences relevant to the role. Highlight your proficiency in administrative tasks, organisational skills, and effective communication. Showcase any relevant certifications or training you've completed and give examples of high-quality work, reliability and exceptional client service.

How do I become a virtual assistant with no experience in the UK?

If you have no experience, leverage transferable skills such as organisation, communication, and time management. Consider enrolling in online courses or gaining certifications relevant to a virtual CV. Offer your services on freelancing platforms to gain practical experience and build your reputation handling online client relationships.