How to Create A Virtual Assistant Portfolio
Your virtual assistant portfolio is your first line of defense. It’s the visual representation of all your past work, accomplishments, and skills.
With so many virtual assistant services available on the market, it’s a struggle to stand out from the crowd and get hired as a VA. The easiest way to set yourself apart from other VAs is by creating an impressive portfolio. But how do you create one?
In this post, we share the steps that you need to take to create a memorable and professional portfolio.
Table of Contents
What should be included in a virtual assistant portfolio?
Your virtual assistant portfolio should include a detailed description of your experience, qualifications, and specialization. It should detail what you have done in the field so far, and how you can help people in their businesses. Tell them what they can expect when they do business with you.
Above all, it shows that you are professional, trustworthy, and competent. It should act as a marketing tool to find new clients and keep existing clients happy.
A well-crafted portfolio can help you to achieve your goal of working with people who have the same goals and vision that you do.
A virtual assistant portfolio should include your skills and previous work experience and many more:
Include your sample report
A sample report is an excellent way to showcase your work virtual assistant skills and give potential clients an idea of the quality of work they can expect from you. Include samples from past jobs, giving examples of different types of reports you’ve done in the past.
The more realistic the sample report, the better it will represent what kind of work you do regularly.
Include your qualifications and specialties
A virtual assistant portfolio should include a description of your qualifications and specialties. What makes you stand out from all the other VAs out there? A good portfolio will list your education, certifications, and experience.
It should also include any languages you speak, software programs you use, how long you’ve been in business, and what type of clients you work with. If you have any specialties — such as social media marketing or SEO — be sure to list those as well.
Include testimonials from previous clients
Customer references are a great way for potential clients to understand what it’s like working with you because they can hear directly from other people who have hired you before. If you have received any awards or certifications related to your work as a VA, include them here.
This can be in the form of certificates or letters from companies thanking you for helping them achieve their goals.
Define yourself and what you stand for
As a virtual assistant, the first thing you need to include in your portfolio is yourself. When people look at your portfolio they should know who they are going to work with and what they stand for. In order to do this, write a brief but informative description of yourself and what you hope to achieve as a virtual assistant.
Include Experience in the workplace
The best way to create a virtual assistant portfolio is to submit samples of your working experience.
Your portfolio should include the most relevant working experience in your portfolio. List your work experience and write a short, detailed description of the tasks you are responsible for.
Include your Facebook page link
Add your Facebook page link, along with your other social media accounts. Include any accomplishments and accolades under the “Experience” section. Include a list of your skills, from basic to advanced abilities. By adding your Facebook page link in your portfolio, you can make sure that it looks professional and appealing.
Include your technical skills:
When you’re creating your virtual assistant portfolio, it’s important to emphasize the services that you specialize in and you have to include your proficiency in specific tools and software.
At first glance, potential clients may think that you’re a jack-of-all-trades who’s able to handle any task thrown at them. But, if you set the expectation upfront that you’re an expert at using Google Docs/Sheets or WordPress – potential clients will know better and appreciate your honesty.
Include LinkedIn profile:
A virtual assistant is not only a professional but also a salesperson. Include your LinkedIn profile, or any other social media profile on your VA portfolio so users can connect with you.
Create a LinkedIn profile that is professional, easy to use, and includes a photo of you. Explain why someone would want to hire you as their assistant. Make sure you are getting recommendations on LinkedIn.
How do I make a portfolio with no experience?
When it comes to portfolio building, we hear this question a lot. “How can I build a virtual assistant portfolio without any work experience?” Without a portfolio, you can’t get clients… But you don’t possess a portfolio precisely because you have no clients. It’s the classic chicken or the egg scenario.
Let me tell you, it’s easy.
The best way to create your portfolio is by thinking about the work that you have practicing and the skill that you have gained from those practice. I’m going to give you some of my best advice on how to build your portfolio, even if you have no experience as a virtual assistant.
So what exactly do you need to present in a virtual assistant portfolio and how do you persuade a potential employer that you are the ideal hire?
This article is going to teach you how to create a virtual assistant portfolio with no job experience:
Create an imaginary client to complete a project for
Create imaginary clients to complete a project for. Once you’ve developed an imaginary client, imagine that you’re meeting with them in person and presenting your product to them. The idea is that you will be able to talk about your business in an authentic way, and also know how you can help them.
For example, if you’re a marketing agency, what would you do for a client who wants to grow their email list? How would you help them?
Offer your service to help nonprofits or charities
Offer your service to help nonprofits or charities. If you’re good at something, like Virtual Assistant, Photoshop or graphic design, offer your services to nonprofits for free. This will give you a chance to build up your portfolio and gain some valuable experience.
Volunteering is a great way to get experience in your field and build up your resume, especially if you’re just starting out. If you’re fresh out of school and don’t have any professional experience, consider offering your services pro bono to nonprofits or charities.
In order to gain experience, connected with local businesses and formed partnerships:
If you are just starting out and don’t have much experience yet, a good way to build up your portfolio is by doing side projects for local businesses or nonprofits. You can also offer to do pro-bono work for non-profits in order to gain experience in this field.
Once you’ve built up a solid portfolio, you can begin applying for jobs that match your interests and skillset.
If you’re having trouble finding jobs in your area of expertise, consider reaching out to local businesses and offering your services free of charge until someone agrees to hire you on as an intern or apprentice. Your goals are to get your foot in the door, build
Offer your services for free or discounted to boost your portfolio
If you have no experience, it can be difficult to find clients. The good news is that many companies are looking for interns and entry-level workers. This is a great way to get some work experience and begin building your portfolio. You can also offer your services at a discounted rate or even for free if you’re passionate about the job. However, there are ways around this!
For example, offer your services for free or discounted in exchange for being able to include those projects in your portfolio. This will help potential clients see what kind of work you’re capable of doing — and it will add some great pieces to your portfolio!
Use full advantage of social media networking and social media presence:
The first thing you need to do when building your portfolio is set up an online presence. Use LinkedIn as your main platform for showcasing your skills and experience. It’s important that you do this because LinkedIn is one of the most frequently used platforms by companies when they’re looking for new hires. This means that if they see that you have a strong presence on LinkedIn, they’ll be more likely to contact you about potential job opportunities.
They also won’t have access to your full resume until they contact you directly — which makes it easier for them to get in touch with you without having their suspicions raised prematurely. Use social media sites like Twitter and Facebook for professional purposes only.
Create a profile on every network that you can and make sure that everything you post is original content that doesn’t violate copyright laws or privacy laws.
How can you make an impressive virtual assistant portfolio?
Creating an impressive VA portfolio isn’t as simple as it sounds. You have to make sure your work samples are properly presented, include all the relevant information and showcase your skills in the best light possible. A VA portfolio is a compilation of samples of your best work as a virtual assistant in the niche you want to get paid for. Its purpose is to demonstrate what you can do—the quality, quantity, and kind of work products that you’re capable of producing.
Your portfolio should include examples of the types of projects you’ve completed and be organized in a way that shows how they are related to your niche. You need to showcase the amazing virtual assistant services that you can offer. That is why it’s important to build an impressive portfolio.
Here are some tips on how you can make an impressive portfolio with or without a virtual assistant experience:
Use an eye-catching unique design
Your portfolio is the first thing potential clients see when they check out your site, so it needs to grab their attention and make them want to learn more about you. Choose a design that’s eye-catching and memorable. If you don’t have any graphic design skills, look online for free templates that can be customized with your own information and photos.
A great place to start is Canva — it has lots of templates that are simple to customize and easy on the eyes.
Consider using different fonts, colors and styles in order to make yours stand out from the rest. When creating your portfolio, it’s important to consider how it will be viewed on different devices. Make sure all of your work samples are relevant to what you do as a VA and show off your best work.
Create great work sample to impress potential clients
Work samples are an important part of the hiring process. They help you show off your work and demonstrate your skills. When you’re creating work samples for a job application, think about what makes you unique.
What are your strengths? If you don’t have any physical samples of your work, consider creating an online portfolio instead.
There are many different ways to create one — from simple WordPress sites to more advanced options like Behance ProSite or Squarespace Showcase — but all should include examples of your best design work.
Create a Blog, Vlog, Podcast and more for your portfolio
If you’re looking to add more content to your portfolio, consider creating a blog, vlog and podcast.. What if you want to showcase your personality and creativity in addition to your skills and experience?
Blogging offers a unique way to show off your writing skills. You can use it as an opportunity to showcase your expertise or share knowledge with a wider audience.
Vlogging is another way to get noticed by recruiters. Your video should be short (2-3 minutes) and concise, focusing on one topic at a time. It’s important that you are comfortable speaking into the camera so that viewers can hear what you have to say clearly without distraction or background noise.
A podcast is similar to a radio show that’s delivered via an audio file rather than broadcast over the airwaves. Podcasts can be downloaded onto computers or mobile devices and listened to at any time on demand.
Use high-quality professional photos and website for your brand identity
As a virtual assistant, you’ll be working with clients in a variety of industries, so it’s important that your brand conveys professionalism and expertise or your professional website.
Use your own domain name or an inexpensive hosting service like Wix or Squarespace (which also offer templates). Make sure that your website looks professional and matches the rest of your brand identity.
If you don’t have time to create a website yourself, there are plenty of freelance websites where you can hire someone to build one for you at an affordable price. Make sure all websites are mobile-friendly. If you’re looking to stand out from the crowd, professional photos can help. Use images from your own photo archive.
If you have family photos or other images that relate to your brand or business, consider using them on your website or social media profiles instead of stock photos. This helps make your brand feel more personal and real for potential customers — which can help build trust between them and your company or organization.
Include a bio that shows your personality and skills
A good bio is an important element of your personal brand. It’s an opportunity to show off your personality and skills. But it’s also a chance to let people know what they can expect from you.
Don’t exaggerate your accomplishments or skills. You don’t have to be perfect at everything; just be honest about what you’ve accomplished and what you can do well.
Identify your audience and type of services they would like
The first step is to identify your target audience and what kind of services they need. You may think you know who your customers are but don’t be afraid to do some research with surveys, focus groups or interviews before deciding on your target audience.
When you have an idea of what people want from you, it will be easier for you to create content that speaks directly to them. Once you have identified your audience, think about what kind of services they need or want.
Once you know what type of service or product your clients want, it will be much easier for you to create an impressive VA portfolio.
Create a professional profile on LinkedIn or Facebook
Social media is a great place to showcase your professional accomplishments.
In order to be as effective as possible when it comes to your digital presence, it’s vital that you have a solid social media presence on sites such as Twitter and Instagram, LinkedIn and Facebook.
The social media platform LinkedIn is specifically designed for professionals. These sites allow you to share your work history, education credentials and more with potential employers.
If you don’t have a professional LinkedIn profile, then it’s time to create one now!
Finally make sure that your portfolio is well organized around all aspect:
Your portfolio is your one and only chance to make a good first impression. So make sure it’s well organized around all aspect:
- Works sample
- Content
- Information architecture
- Design (visuals, layout)
- Usability
- Create your own niche website for portfolio
- List your soft skills
- List your hard skills
- Social media presence
Is Canva portfolio free?
Canva is a free online graphic design software that allows you to create your own professional designs. You can easily create your free Canva account to start using its features.
You can create a professional design in minutes and use it for your virtual assistant business, social media or any personal project.
Conclusion
Designing a portfolio is not something that you should take lightly. It is the first impression that you will make on any potential employer, so it has to be eye-catching and professional.
Be sure to include both a writing-based resume and digital versions of your best designing work, as well as links to other relevant work (i.e. videos, blogs, etc.). You can create a Google Drive folder where you can add your credentials and then create a shareable link.
Then, once you’ve designed and uploaded your new, eye-catching virtual assistant portfolio to the internet – get started on your job search!
