Virtual assistants and those who aim to become one turn to online training to learn new skills or improve their existing ones. But with the plethora of websites offering training materials and coaching, finding one that suits your needs can be difficult.
So, what are the best virtual assistant training courses? If you’re having trouble finding one, this article is for you! We’ll list and review the best virtual assistant training websites.
How to Train Yourself to Be a Virtual Assistant
You don’t need experience to kick-start your virtual assistant career. However, businesses have an evaluation process for hiring a VA. They typically look at what you can offer and your relevant training. This is why attending virtual assistant training is important.
Here are steps to train yourself to be a virtual assistant:
- Identify the Services You Want to Offer.
Evaluate your skills and use them to identify the services you’ll offer. Make sure those services align with your strengths to deliver good results. - Take-Up Training Courses.
If you prioritize quality, you’ll attract more clients. You can improve your knowledge through online sources like YouTube or take paid or free courses from certified training programs. - Create an Online Presence.
You can create business profiles using a personal website or platforms like Facebook. Ensure you create your portfolio to showcase your work. - Apply for Jobs.
Market yourself on platforms like Upwork, LinkedIn, and Fiverr. These platforms can help you connect with other VAs and learn how to approach clients. - Learn About Your Clients.
Your first client determines how your business grows. Therefore, building a long-term relationship through quality services and professionalism is crucial.
Get more details on training yourself to be a virtual assistant from Upwork’s official website.
Best Virtual Assistant Training
The best virtual assistant training platforms offer various courses, while some teach multiple skills. The learning period depends on your current experience, the course’s difficulty, and the subscription chosen.
Here are the best virtual assistant training platforms and courses:
1. Udemy Courses
Udemy is a popular online education platform offering multiple courses for aspiring and experienced virtual assistants. This online system is famous for its web engineering and development courses.
The platform specializes in visual courses like graphics design and business-related training, such as entrepreneurship, finance, and digital marketing. This is perfect if you’re interested in an HR position.
Additionally, Udemy offers essential skills and common tasks for virtual assistants. They include social media, email or calendar management, presentations, and research.
Udemy classes are video-based and come in different price packages, including group plans. Currently, the classes cost as low as $12.99.
2. Savvy Systems
Savvy System’s VA Launch Academy is one of the best virtual assistant training programs. It teaches tips, skills, and knowledge for starting and maintaining a thriving remote business.
The course is in a module format, with each stage covering the basics, pros, and cons of being a virtual assistant.
For example, the first stages involve starting your VA career, identifying your strong niche, and learning how to monetize your skills. The advanced module stages deal with your branding, marketing, and how to capitalize on the ever-changing VA market.
If you want to grasp VA basics, there’s an hour-long free training video. After setting up your remote business, Savvy System.Co is always ready to offer consultancy, management, and administrative support for your growing VA business.
3. Fully Booked VA
Fully Booked VA by Gina Horkey is another top training website suitable for beginners and experienced VAs interested in adapting to changing client needs and market dynamics.
Fully Booked VA helps you start your virtual business from scratch. It transforms your skills into a product. The platform can also guide you in getting your initial clients and negotiating your first salary.
Whether you are a beginner or not, Fully Booked VA promises you can achieve this in 90 days or less.
4. The VA Handbook DIY VA Course
The VA Handbook is like a personal tutor, ensuring you gain the needed VA skills as a beginner or experienced individual. It has trained over a thousand VAs, which proves its credibility. The platform won the virtual training category in 2023’s VA Voice Awards.
Like Fully Booked and Savvy, the VA Handbook teaches you how to start and maintain your virtual assistant business. You’ll get personalized guidance during your initial VA journey, ensuring you maneuver the beginner challenges.
5. 90 Day VA
The 90 Day VA is perfect if you already have virtual assistant skills to offer. This training platform provides training in module form.
Here’s a look at the 90 Day VA modules:
- Module 1.
The initial stage guides you through setting up your portfolio and resume and assessing your skills based on the current VA market. - Module 2.
You’ll get knowledge about branding and marketing your virtual assistant career. - Module 3.
The stage involves getting your first client using thesetupportfolio you crafted during module 1 and module 2’s branding plan. - Module 4.
The course guides you on negotiating your salary with clients and other tax requirements a VA must understand. - Module 5.
This last stage is all about working with your clients successfully and how you can maintain them.
If you’re an email marketing manager, make sure to choose a training platform that will hone your skills for email handling and management.
6. Virtual Excellence Academy
Virtual Excellence Academy (VEA) is a reliable course projected to make you an in-demand and certified virtual assistant. You’ll learn to be a VA and how to get clients through easy-to-follow steps.
For guaranteed success, the course doesn’t blindly direct you to platforms like Fiver or Upwork to get jobs. Instead, it teaches you how to pitch to clients successfully. The course also guides working with new clients and negotiating your first salary.
VEA classes are perfect for beginners seeking basic knowledge about creating portfolios and assessing their skills. You also get bonus courses, depending on your course package. For instance, a Podcast Kit lesson provides all the dynamics of managing podcast customers.
The VEA also has a community called The Inner Circle Facebook Group. It consists of professionals ready to help if there are any issues during your VA journey.
7. The Start
The Start is one of the best virtual assistant training platforms, offering guidance in multiple VA fields. Its classes run for 6 weeks or less, depending on how fast you can learn and supplement your skillset.
The 6-week course has three live coaching calls, where you’ll be together with like-minded individuals. You’ll also get daily learning videos and can opt for personalized training templates for different courses, including infographics, presentations, and whiteboards.
The VA program also offers templates on factors like setting rates. All this is for a flat fee of $1997, payable in three installments of $695 or six installments of $365.
Are you running a business? Do you want to help your employees improve their skills? If you answered yes, then here are the top virtual training platforms for business.
8. Pinterest VA
Are you a Pinterest user interested in maximizing your time on the platform as a VA? Pinterest VA trains aspiring VAs with the skills they need to make a living out of using Pinterest.
The training courses include Canva design, social media management, Pinterest ads, and video editing. You can use these skills to start your personal business.
Moreover, Pinterest VA’s course packages offer lessons about establishing your virtual assistant career. The basic class is “Become a Pinterest VA Today,” a self-study program with a question-and-answer feature.
For additional knowledge, “Pinterest Manager Academy” and “Pinterest Expert Business Academy” have tutors and offer client leads.
9. Laptop Lifestyle Bootcamp
Last on the list is the reliable Laptop Lifestyle Bootcamp by Amanda Kolbye, offering immersive live VA classes. The tutors are successful VAs in social media management, SEO content, email marketing, graphics, and visual practices.
Laptop Lifestyle Bootcamp partners with Pinterest through a marketing course that offers tax modules and technical skills.
The combined course takes 12 weeks to complete, and you pay a one-time fee of $1,497. You can pay the amount in 4 installments of $397 or 2 installments of $789.
Learn more about the payment options on Laptop Lifestyle Bootcamp’s official website.
What Is the Most Difficult Part of Becoming a Virtual Assistant?
Just like any other career, being a virtual assistant comes with its own set of challenges. You can expect to encounter different challenges depending on your field and level of expertise. However, there are common factors that affect most virtual assistants.
Here are the challenges of becoming a virtual assistant:
- Work-Life Balance.
Unlike a 9-5 job where the schedule between work and rest is uniform, virtual assistant jobs have irregular schedules, especially if you’re a beginner. This makes it difficult to have a consistent social life. - Communication Troubles.
You might land a job with clients who don’t use English as their primary language. This can make it difficult to understand the job description and poor communication. -
Consistent Changes in Technology.
New technologies, such as AI, offer alternative methods for tasks like writing, design, and coding. However, it may not be accessible to everyone. For example, it can be costly to purchase advanced devices if you have a start-up virtual assistant business.
- Maintaining Client Relationships.
Without face-to-face interactions, building strong professional relationships can be challenging. Your relationship with clients is solely based on your work, which can sometimes end once the project is completed. - No Job Security.
Freelancers don’t enjoy the job security of an in-office workforce. Your job security is dependent on your skills and hard work. In addition, virtual assistant jobs are often contract-based and may end after completing a project.
Here’s more on the most difficult part of being a virtual assistant from LinkedIn.
