The debate on if virtual assistants need CVs or should even partake in interviews is getting louder.
I have gotten the question a couple of times so I decided to answer it here in the hopes that you’ll get the answer if you also have the question.
My short answer is : it depends.
Don’t worry, I’ll give my reasons and at the end of this post you’ll be able to say if you need a virtual assistant CV or not.
I’ve seen expert virtual assistants talk about this from both sides of the aisle and nobody is wrong. I believe they are only sharing based on their experience.
Virtual assisting is a dynamic field and not like traditional employment where CVs and interviews are a norm. First a virtual assistant is an independent contractor and not an employee so as a VA you don’t get employee benefits.
So the widely acceptable method is going on discovery calls with prospective clients, sending in a portfolio. So the CV is replaced with a portfolio and the discovery call is the interview.
Get it?
A discovery call is just a conversation between you and your potential client accessing compatibility and needs.
You don’t require an education to be a virtual assistant so your portfolio works just fine. Clients want to see that you have experience and can get the job done. They don’t care if you have a PhD or no degree.
Experience is the magic dust.
Portfolios do a better job of showcasing your skills and past work. A well-crafted portfolio can provide concrete evidence of a VA’s capabilities, often more effectively than a CV. So you need to understand that.
However, sometimes you’ll need a CV.
When You Absolutely Need A Virtual Assistant CV
1.) Platform Requirement:
When you are applying on some job platforms like Indeed that specifically request for a CV. Then having a CV and cover letter is essential. Don’t be delulu. You can’t go on a platform that has clearly spelt out their requirements and have a meltdown about why virtual assistants don’t need CVs. Or even refuse to send one.
Their platform, their rules. If you only want to do discovery calls and not take the time to create your virtual assistant CV or cover letter, avoid those platforms.
2.) Client Requirement
You see, many expert VAs will not agree with this. Some argue that submitting a CV or sitting for an interview will alter the equal business owner mindset VAs have worked hard for. At this point the most common comparison is “we don’t ask our plumber, hairdressers etc. for CVs, but we trust them”.
If a client requires it and has given specific details like sending your CV to a specific email address, or filling a specific form and asking for your CV and cover letter to be attached, just do it. Sometimes they have systems in place to weed out people who don’t follow instructions because they believe they didn’t completely read the job description before applying.
Although some people who ask the VA for a CV do so in ignorance. They just put out an Ad and don’t know that a portfolio and discovery call is better and what is obtainable. If they knew better, maybe they would do better so forgive them in advance.
3.) Your Business Model
The wonderful thing about having your own business is that you make the rules. If you are in a place in your business where you really need the work. It could be for experience or money. Then you call the shots, create a CV and sit through the interview. You can decide to find clients only on freelance marketplaces as a VA… so naturally, your business model will follow their rules.
That said, if a potential client or traditional platform wants virtual assistants to send in their CV and cover letters and you don’t like it, DON’T APPLY.
I mean, what is easier than NOT applying for a position you don’t like?
Easy, yeah?
If you like the position but not the recruitment process, you’d have to decide what you want in life.
So Should You Have A Virtual Assistant CV or Not?
I’ll tell you this. Although I didn’t have a CV when I started my business, I have one now and a cover letter to match. Like I mentioned earlier, I have vetted a lot of CVs for VAs over the years so I know this is a valid route. However, I have never gotten any clients by submitting a CV or completing an interview. Not even when I was a brand new virtual assistant. My clients all pass through a discovery call and my onboarding process.
But that’s not the reality of everyone. I have been a VA for many years and have experience, past clients who refer people to me etc. A new VA looking for clients will have to make a choice.
If you are fine with getting jobs on freelance marketplaces like indeed, or working with clients who request a CV. Then you should be okay with sending in a CV, cover letter and getting interviewed. Again, the goal is to get paying clients and do the work you love.
Some of these platforms and clients that ask for a CV, cover letter, portfolio, give a test and then interview the successful applicants before giving the job still work. I read a couple of job descriptions on indeed and noticed that they clearly spell out that they are looking for an independent contractor. So you’ll still have a flexible work schedule etc. If they are offering set hours and a salary etc. then you are going to become an employee working remotely and NOT a virtual assistant. There’s a difference.
Though I have not gotten a client from any freelance marketplace, I believe a CV and interview is a small price to pay if you are actively looking for clients and can get them there.
Whatever you decide, don’t let someone guilt trip you into not doing what you have to do to put a roof over your head. In My experience, most new VAs get clients this way.
If You Decide To Have A Virtual Assistant CV, Here Are Some Tips
1.) Tailor Your CV To Virtual Assistance ONLY
A one-size-fits-all approach won’t work for your virtual assistant CV, especially when you’re juggling different careers. For example, I am a medical laboratory scientist and my medical laboratory science CV is separate from my virtual assistant CV. My Med lab CV focuses on my scientific expertise, laboratory skills, and related experiences. While my virtual assistant CV emphasizes my tech and marketing skills and other relevant VA experiences. Needless to say, highlighting soft skills like communication, time management, and adaptability is also crucial.
So if you are transitioning to virtual assistance or running a virtual assistant business on the side, you will need distinct CVs for each profession.
2.) Add a link to your portfolio in your CV
This makes a world of difference because they will notice. But first your virtual assistant portfolio has to come correct and be online. Remember that a lot of these jobs that ask for a CV and interview get a lot of responses so I encourage you to stand out as much as possible. This is one way to do it. So they’ll see that you’re not only talking about what you can do via your work experience section, you are showing what you have done in the past as well as glowing testimonials from the clients you did it for.
Does it make sense?
Perfect.
3.) Things that should absolutely stay out of your CV
If I want to mention all the things that shouldn’t be on your virtual assistant CV, I’ll need a new blog post so I decided to lump it all together in this paragraph.
- Your exact address: Don’t make it easy for randos to visit you. I’ve seen it all at this point and it’s not even a paid service or full-time job. Please don’t add your complete address to your CV. Your state and country work just fine.
- Your age or date of birth: We all had a meeting and decided that we collectively don’t care.
- Your marital status: Yes, we don’t care that you are single, married, divorced, separated etc. This will never change.
- Your photo: Please take this off. Yes even if it’s a professional headshot. It belongs on your Linkedin profile. Thank you.
- Referees or “references available on request”: If they need referees, they’ll ask for them so now is the time to remove the details of your university lecturers from your virtual assistant CV and the name of your accomplished uncle.
- Father and Mother’s name: Don’t be shocked that people actually add this, it was a thing in the 1990s and early 2000s and I reviewed 2 CVs last month (June 2024) that had those details. One from someone who created the CV several years ago and another from someone who graduated less than 5 years ago. You can only blame the second person for meeting someone who has outdated info for help.
- Your secondary school position: We get it, you were the school prefect at 15. But we’ve all moved on and so has your school. Instead replace it with positions held in university like departmental associations, religious fellowship positions etc.
- Your primary and secondary education information: Everyone knows that you need a primary school certificate and secondary school certificate to get admission into a university. So if you have a degree, there’s no need to add your secondary school info there.
With these few points of mine, I hope I have been able to convince you on why your virtual assistant CV or any CV at all, can do without the above.
Now that that is out of the way,
Here’s How To Turn Your Interviews To Discovery Calls
1.) Research the client
This is a necessary step whether you are preparing for a discovery call or interview. You want to know the industry, and the client’s pain points. This helps you tailor your answers to their specific needs during the interview/discovery call. Research is not negotiable. That way, you’d even be able to point out ways you can help that they may not have considered.
2.) Showcase Solutions
Use the interview to demonstrate how you can address the client’s specific challenges. Be ready to succinctly explain how your skills and past experiences make you the ideal candidate for the role. Have concrete examples of your past work and successes. This can turn a traditional interview into a value-driven conversation (aka discovery call real quick). Bonus points if you included a link to your portfolio on your CV. Sometimes, the client is looking at your CV during the interview and asking you questions based on what is on your CV.
3.) Ask insightful questions
Don’t just sit there and answer questions. If you want to be treated as an equal business owner, you have to act like one. You need to ask the right questions about the role, the team, the client’s goals etc. That’s one of the reasons why you did your research in the first place. This will show that you are proactive. Sometimes you may find that you’ll love the opportunity even more by asking questions and understanding more. Other times, you will realise that you don’t want it at all. So prepare to not only contribute to the conversation, but to lead it in a way.
4.) Practice Common Interview Questions
This goes without saying, prepare for common interview questions related to your VA skills and experience. Practicing your responses can help you feel more confident and articulate during the interview. There’s a lot of methods experts recommend like the STAR method of answering questions.
Conclusion: A Case-by-Case Approach
Ultimately, whether you need a virtual assistant CV or should partake in interviews depends on the platform and the client’s preferences. My personal opinion is that being adaptable and prepared with both a tailored CV and a compelling portfolio can give you an edge in diverse job markets. Turning interviews into discovery calls can create more meaningful and productive client relationships.
So whether you’re applying on traditional job platforms or engaging directly with prospective clients, this balanced approach ensures that you are prepared for any scenario, enhancing your chances of securing rewarding business opportunities.