How to Apply for VA Jobs: Resume, Portfolio and Intro Video
Most VA applications get a few seconds of attention. Yours needs to answer three questions fast: can you do this work, will you be reliable, and is there proof? Here's how to build a resume, a small portfolio and a short intro video that answer all three.
What clients look for
Whoever reads your application is usually busy and is scanning many others. They're checking for:
- A clear match: your headline and top skills line up with their post.
- Proof: a sample, a result, a recording, something they can see.
- Reliability signals: your hours, time zone, internet backup, and how you communicate.
- Care: no typos, their instructions followed (if the post asks for a word in your message, include it).
Your resume, section by section
Headline
Your lane, not just "Virtual Assistant": "Virtual Assistant · Inbox, Calendar and Travel Management" or "Appointment Setter · Real Estate · GoHighLevel".
Summary (2–3 lines)
What you do, for whom, and one result. "I keep founders' inboxes and calendars under control. In my last role I cut a manager's unread emails from hundreds to zero within two weeks and kept it there."
Tools
A short list of the tools you can actually use, grouped: CRM, office, design, communication. Only list what you'd be comfortable using in a test.
Experience
For each role, three or four bullet points that start with a verb and end with a result: "Booked 15–20 sales calls a week from cold leads". Office, call-center and retail jobs count: describe the VA-relevant parts.
Availability and setup
Hours you can work (in the client's time zone), part-time or full-time, your internet with backup, and a quiet workspace. Clients ask about these anyway.
Links
Your portfolio folder, an intro video and a professional profile. Make sure links open without a login.
One page, simple layout, a normal font, saved as PDF with your name in the file name ("Maria-Santos-VA-Resume.pdf"). Fancy templates don't help; clear ones do.
A small portfolio (even without clients)
Two or three samples for your lane are enough. Make them for an invented business if you don't have client work you can share:
- Admin: a tidy spreadsheet tracker, a sample travel itinerary, a meeting-notes template.
- Sales: a recorded mock call and the script behind it.
- Social media: a week of posts in one brand style, plus captions.
- Bookkeeping: a reconciled practice month and a plain-English summary.
- Any lane: a one-page SOP for a task you know well.
Put them in one shared folder with a short note on each: what it is, what tool you used, and how long it took.
The intro video
Many VA employers ask for a short video, because it shows your spoken English, your setup and your confidence in one go. Keep it to about a minute:
- Hello, your name and where you're based.
- The work you do ("I help real estate teams follow up with leads and book showings").
- One concrete example or result.
- The tools you use.
- Your available hours and how to reach you.
Face a window or a lamp, use a headset or a quiet room, and look at the camera. Record it a few times; the third take is usually the natural one.
The application message
Short and specific. Use this shape and rewrite it for every role:
Hi [name],
I saw you need help with [task from the post]. I've done this for [type of business or practice project]: [one result or sample].
I use [two or three tools from the post] and I'm available [hours, in their time zone].
My resume and samples: [link]. Happy to do a short test task.
[Your name]
Before you hit send
- Your headline and top skills match the post.
- You followed every instruction in the post.
- Every link opens without a login.
- No typos (read it out loud once).
- The employer is real, and nobody has asked you to pay anything. If they have, read how to spot fake offers first.
Questions people ask
What should a virtual assistant resume include?
A clear headline with your lane, a short summary, the tools you use, experience written as tasks and results, your availability and time zone, your internet setup, and a link to two or three work samples. Keep it to one page.
How do I write a VA resume with no experience?
Lead with transferable experience (office, customer service, sales, school projects, volunteering) and describe it in VA terms: "managed a shared calendar for 6 people". Add practice samples for your lane. Proof of skill matters more than job titles.
How long should a VA intro video be?
About a minute, two at most. Say who you are, what work you do, one example of a result, the tools you use, and your available hours. Good sound and light matter more than a fancy camera.
Should I send the same application everywhere?
No. Keep one base resume, then change the headline, the top skills and the first lines of your message for each role. A tailored application beats a stack of identical ones.