Become a Home Based Administrative Assistant

With digital technology providing professionals the ability to be mobile and work from anywhere, administrative assistants are trading in cubicles outside of their boss's offices for the comfort and flexibility of their own homes. As a virtual administrative assistant, you can work as an independent contractor for a variety of clients, or keep your job with a specific company and work from a home office. Become a home-based administrative assistant by demonstrating your ability to meet all required support needs from a remote location.

Steps

Training to Be a Home-Based Administrative Assistant

  1. Update your education. While there are no specific education requirements for a home-based administrative assistant, continued learning is appreciated and may be required by employers and clients.
    • Take additional classes online when you can, and look for opportunities to become certified in specific areas. For example, take a course that provides certification in Microsoft Word or Excel. You might also build a specialty in particular fields, such as legal or medical administrative work.
  2. Gain some experience. Most successful home-based administrative assistants have worked in offices as secretaries, word processors, receptionists, office assistants or executive assistants.
  3. Collect references and contacts. Anyone you have worked with or worked for in your professional life will help.
  4. Update your skills. This is important if you are currently employed and hoping to start working from home, or planning a new career as an independent contractor working for clients from home.
    • Demonstrate above average typing, writing, communication and organizational skills. Sought after administrative assistants type at least 75 words per minute and can provide writing samples. Be able to multitask and provide examples of your expertise with word processing, spreadsheets and other necessary computer programs.

Setting up a Home-Based Administrative Assistant Office

  1. Dedicate some space in your home. You do not need a separate room in your house, but space for a desk and a computer is necessary.
    • Find a place that is free from distractions. It will be hard to work from a desk in front of the television, or surrounded by children and pets.
  2. Make sure you have a high speed Internet connection. Most of your work will be done online, so accessing websites and email quickly is essential.
  3. Invest in necessary equipment. An all-in-one printer, copier and scanner will be helpful when you need to print and scan documents for clients.
    • Buy other equipment and supplies that will make your work more efficient. You might want a fax machine, a land line telephone and a variety of files and folders to keep your printed materials. Have pens, pencils, envelopes and other office supplies available.
  4. Upgrade to a smart phone. It might be necessary to send an email or schedule a meeting while you are away from your office. You need to be mobile.

Marketing Yourself as a Home-Based Administrative Assistant

  1. Write a resume that highlights your education and experience.
    • Post your resume online. You can use employment sites such as Indeed.com and Virtualassistants.com.
  2. Respond to online ads seeking administrative assistants who work from home. Provide your resume and the names of a few references.
  3. Actively look for work. There are sites such as Elance and ODesk that match administrative assistants with employers looking for those skills.
    • Set up a profile on all virtual contracting sites and respond to projects that fit your skill and expertise level.
  4. Develop your own website. Having a website that you can direct potential clients to will help build your business.

Tips

  • Be flexible with your projects and rates. Some home-based administrative assistants charge an hourly fee and others have a flat fee based on the project.
  • Ask your current employer about the option to work from home if you want to keep your job and benefits but say goodbye to office life. Your employer might be willing to try it for 1 or 2 months, and if it works out you might be opening up opportunities for other administrative assistants at your company to do the same.

Things You'll Need

  • Computer
  • Smart phone

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Sources and Citations

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