How To Tell If You're Ready To Be A Freelance Administrative Assistant

With the increase in remote work, there has been a spike in demand for freelance administrative assistants who can help those employees complete their tasks. If you’re thinking about becoming a freelance administrative assistant, it’s important to make sure that you have the skills and mindset necessary to be successful.

This article will outline how you can determine if you’re ready to be a freelance administrative assistant by outlining which skills and personality types are best suited for this line of work. The information presented here is based on our experience helping many administrative assistants transition into working as freelancers.

How to Become a Virtual Assistant WITH NO EXPERIENCE!

Takeaways
Assess your skills and qualifications to ensure readiness.
Evaluate your time management and organizational abilities.
Determine your comfort level with working independently.
Research the market demand for freelance administrative assistants.
Consider the financial aspects and stability of freelancing.
Identify your strengths and areas for improvement in the role.
Network with other professionals in the field for insights and advice.
Take relevant training or courses to enhance your knowledge and skills.
Create a solid business plan and set realistic goals for your freelance career.
Stay updated with industry trends and technology advancements.
Seek feedback from clients or employers to gauge your performance.
Continuously improve your communication and interpersonal skills.
Develop a strong online presence and market your services effectively.
Stay motivated and resilient, as freelancing can have its challenges.

Table of Contents

Your Expertise And Skills Are In Demand

If you possess the skills that administrative assistants are in demand, then you’re in a good place to start freelancing! Being a freelance administrative assistant means that you have the expertise and knowledge that others need to use. Your skills could include:

How to communicate with the public, often through phone calls and emails

Experience using Microsoft Office Suite and Google Suite software (Excel, Word, Sheets, Gmail, etc.)

Organization – knowing how to organize written materials such as files, file folders, and boxes of documents as well as electronic material such as computer data storage

Time Management – being able to manage your own time so that you can meet deadlines

Verbal Communication – Being able to speak clearly and concisely with clients is incredibly important for administrative assistants.

Being an effective freelance administrative assistant also requires experience in what your services are worth. You should have a sense of how much your services will be used by potential employers or clients so that you can price them accordingly.

Building a successful career as a freelance administrative assistant requires mastering a diverse set of skills. Check out our guide on The Top 14 Skills You Need to Be a Successful Freelance Administrative Assistant to enhance your abilities and stand out in the industry.

You’ll Be Able To Get Your Business License

Before you truly begin your freelance administrative assistant career, make sure you have anything you might need for your state. If working as a contracted employee is legal in your state, you’ll also need to get a business license from the same location. This shows that you’re taking yourself seriously as a professional and are ready to work with clients.

Make sure you have all the licenses necessary before starting work. If necessary, be open to taking another course or job to help demonstrate competence in the field and get any needed licenses and degrees. Do not rely on an employer to do this for you; if it’s required by law, then it will be up to them if they want to continue employing someone who doesn’t have one of these certificates.

You Have A List Of Clients Who Will Pay You

You’ve got a few clients who are happy to pay for your services. Maybe you’ve been working for them as a part-time administrative assistant, maybe you found them through networking, or maybe they’re friends of friends. It doesn’t matter how you met them if they’re willing to give you work and pay you well, that’s a good sign that there are more potential clients out there who could use your services.

If you don’t have any experience as an administrative assistant yet, then it might make sense to get some before going freelance full-time. See if any local businesses in your industry hire interns or assistants; even if the job is unpaid, it will be worth it for the real-world experience and contacts alone! If no one is looking for an intern near you, consider getting some virtual experience by offering to help small businesses with their administrative tasks from the comfort of your own home (and without having to commute!).

You Understand How To Find New Clients

If you want to take your administrative assistant career freelance, you need to understand how to find new clients. This is an important step in the transition from beginner-level office work or being a full-time staff member at a single company, to running your own business, with all of its freedom and risks. Here are some ways of finding new clients:

Understand the value you bring to the role. If you can answer this question, it will be easier for you to find and sell yourself to potential clients. Think about what makes you a great asset, both personally and professionally.

Additionally, think about any particular skills that make you stand out in comparison with other people who do similar work (or might want your job!). Make sure that whatever answers come up can also be communicated clearly and simply when talking with prospective employers.

Use your network. Asking for recommendations from existing clients is an excellent way of finding more jobs if they liked working with you enough that they would recommend that their friends or colleagues hire your services as well, their connections will likely end up being pleased with their decision.

It’s also worth asking your contacts if they know anyone else who works in or runs a business in the same industry or sector networking events are great opportunities for this kind of thing! Social media is another useful tool for this purpose, for example, if someone has written on LinkedIn about starting up their own small business recently and needs help with organizing their ideas into something viable (“I have lots of good ideas about running my own business but no idea how do it”), then contacting them could turn out well.

Time management is crucial for freelance administrative assistants who juggle multiple tasks and responsibilities. Learn effective strategies in our comprehensive guide, The Freelance Administrative Assistant’s Guide to Managing Your Time, and optimize your productivity.

You Know How To Price Your Services

Before you leap, you must have a clear idea of how to price your services so that both you and your clients are happy. It’s tempting to charge as much as possible, but remember that the lower you price yourself, the more likely you are to find work. At the same time, pricing too low will result in less profit and may reflect poorly on your business as a whole. A good rule of thumb is to start at about $100/hr., but adjust this rate according to both experience and market demand.

In addition, be prepared for lots of negotiations clients rarely accept a quote without questioning it first. This is normal; just be sure to have an explanation for each item on your invoice ready so that conversations about pricing go smoothly for everyone involved.

You’re Prepared To Work On Weekends And Evenings

As a freelancer, you may be called upon to work when your clients need you, including on weekends or in the evening. While this may be difficult, especially if you have other obligations during these times, you may also be getting paid a premium for last-minute work, and having the flexibility to set your schedule makes other times more flexible too.

Also, as a freelancer with little experience at first, it can help build up your reputation to show that you can take on tasks at any time of day or night and get them done quickly and efficiently (which will lead to more and better-paying gigs).

You’ve Begun Developing An Online Presence On Your Own

You’re beginning to develop an online presence as a freelancer. Your website and/or social media accounts are a strong asset when attracting new clients, so you should make sure to update them regularly (at least twice a week) and polish your profile on professional directories.

You might even consider having a dedicated email address or phone line for your freelance work, so your business contacts don’t get mixed up with personal ones. Once you have these details sorted out, it will be easier for potential clients to reach you.

You Want To Make Sure You’re Ready For Some Serious Competition

You want to make sure you’re ready for some serious competition. Before you go any further, search for “freelance administrative assistants” in your area and see how many people pop up. If there are a lot of results, it’s important to remember that the clients you’re reaching out to have probably heard from most of those other assistants already.

Your best bet is to work with someone who will help you build a clear brand for yourself and give you direction about which specific services and skillsets should be highlighted. This way, every potential client will know exactly what services they can expect from working with you (and why they should choose you over the other options).

As a freelance administrative assistant, having a streamlined workflow is essential for efficiency and organization. Discover valuable tips and techniques in our article, How to Manage Your Workflow as a Freelance Administrative Assistant, to enhance your work processes.

Consider How Good You Feel About The Administrative Assistant Skills You Already Have

Administrative assistant skills include both soft skills (e.g., communication and organization) and technical skills (e.g., Microsoft Office). While technical skills may come easily to you, it’s often helpful to brush up on key administrative assistant soft skills that are hard to learn from books.

For example, how long does it take you to accurately type 60 words per minute? How comfortable are you with multi-tasking? Do you typically work best under pressure or when given ample time for a project? Are you able to meet deadlines promptly? Be honest with yourself!

Before diving into the world of administrative assistance, make sure your computer is up to date with Microsoft Office 365 and Google Suite. You will also want to have general experience with website creation, social media, email marketing platforms like MailChimp and Constant Contact, as well as SEO tools such as Hootsuite (or similar) and Google Analytics.

Having a personal website is not required but can be helpful when interviewing for freelance roles since it allows potential employers/clients a chance to review samples of your work before contacting you directly.

Dispense With The Notion That Going It Alone Means Working In Pajamas All Day

It’s great to have a flexible schedule, and you may even be enticed by the idea of working in your pajamas all day. However, it’s important to remember that your clients will expect a certain level of professionalism from you. You’ll want to make sure that your video meetings are well-lit, clear, and polished the complete opposite vibe of a late-night Netflix binge.

A professional appearance isn’t just about what you wear (or don’t wear). It also means being disciplined enough not to let chores or animal friends get in the way of work. When it comes down to it, running your own business has its perks but it also requires hard work and self-discipline.

Take An Honest Look At Your Work Environment And Decide If It Will Support Your Career Goals

Administrative assistants in a traditional office setting rely on their external environment to keep themselves organized. For example, they’re able to keep track of which projects are urgent by the fact that everything is flagged with a red sticky note. They don’t have to worry about whether or not they’ll remember to pick up their dry cleaning because their boss’s calendar reminds them.

If you’re considering freelancing, ask yourself: can you maintain this regimented level of organization? Freelance administrative assistants need the same kind of structure and predictability as those in an office setting, if not more so. The difference is that they must create it for themselves.

Consider Whether You Have A Strong Informal Or Formal Network Of People Who Could Be Your First Clients

There are three main ways you can find clients, and it’s important to have a good balance of all three. The first is the word of mouth if someone loves your work, they’ll tell their friends. The second is through professional networks that you may be part of colleagues from previous jobs or connections from networking events.

And finally, you may get clients by advertising on job boards like Upwork or FlexJobs. All of these ways might be new to you, but don’t worry! We’ll cover the best strategies for finding clients in the next section, but for now, just recognize that if you start freelancing too soon and don’t have strong networks yet this will be a skill set that is incredibly valuable to build out early on.

Transitioning to a freelance administrative assistant role can be challenging but rewarding. Gain insights and advice from our expert tips in Tips for Successfully Transitioning to a Freelance Administrative Assistant Role to navigate the change smoothly.

You Love The Idea Of Working From Home

You love the idea of working from home. It’s a common misconception among those new to freelancing that it will be like being on vacation. If you’re one of these people, please re-evaluate your reasons for pursuing this career path before you commit.

Whether you work in your pajamas or not, working from home is still work and it brings with it the same set of demands as any other job. In some ways, however, the pros outweigh the cons. For example, if your ideal day begins at six in the morning and requires twelve hours of intense concentration followed by five more hours of staring at a screen without blinking, working from home could be for you.

You get to set your schedule and can have complete control over how many hours per day you spend focusing on your responsibilities. This doesn’t mean you’ll be living a life of leisure: many successful freelancers find themselves devoting more time to their projects than they would if they were working outside the home. It means that there is no one dictating when or how long these tasks are done it’s all up to you. Still not sure? Try it out for two months and see how it goes.

You Are Comfortable With Technology

Along with working independently and being organized, being comfortable with technology is essential to freelance administrative assistant work. You don’t have to be a software developer, but you should know your way around a computer.

You’ll need to use word processing software like Microsoft Word or Google Docs to create reports, letters, and other documents, spreadsheets like Excel or Sheets for creating reports and charts based on data you’ve collected, and presentation software like PowerPoint, or Keynote for putting together presentations for clients.

You’ll also need to be familiar with cloud-based apps and services that you can access from any device (like your phone) as well as common business applications like Skype and Slack. If this all sounds foreign to you, it’s best if you try out these programs before committing yourself to become a freelance administrative assistant.

You Are Great At Planning And Organization

You should be great at planning and organization. You have a calendar system that works for you, and a good to-do list keeps you organized and on top of your tasks. You stay calm under pressure, are comfortable with prioritizing tasks, and know-how to motivate yourself.

You’ll be interacting with clients, so that means having great interpersonal skills as well. A positive attitude will go a long way when meeting with others!

When it comes to technology, many administrative assistants need to learn new programs on the fly or troubleshoot software issues for their clients (or even their computer!). You don’t need to be an expert in every program out there, but you should be comfortable using technology and willing to pick up new tricks along the way.

Your Family Is On Board

The transition to working from home can be a big one for you, but it’s also important to think about how it might impact those around you. Before leaping, talk openly with your spouse and children about what your new work will entail and how their lives may change as a result.

Make sure they understand that they’ll need to be respectful of your time while you’re taking care of business which means no extra-loud TV watching or blaring music while you’re trying to concentrate. Also, seek advice on where in the house would be the best place for you to set up shop if there are kids involved, away from bedrooms is probably best; if there are significant others involved, away from the living room is likely ideal; if there are pets involved…do we need to go into this?

The next step in deciding whether freelancing is right for you involves understanding that even when everything else has been taken care of (you know what skills are needed and which ones you have; your partner knows exactly why it’s so important that you get up at 4:30 am every day), self-motivation is still key.

Choosing the right software is crucial for managing your freelance administrative assistant business effectively. Explore our guide on How to Choose the Best Software for Your Freelance Administrative Assistant Business to find the perfect tools for your specific needs and optimize your operations.

Final Thoughts

Becoming a freelance administrative assistant is exciting, but it’s not always easy or comfortable. Being self-employed can be fun and rewarding, but tough and uncomfortable at times. It is important to understand that from the start.

Now that you’ve read through this article, you should have a much better idea of whether or not the freelance career path is the right one for you. Just remember: it doesn’t happen overnight. While there are many advantages to being an independent freelancer.

It takes time and effort to build your resume and establish yourself as someone who can be trusted by clients. If you’re still unsure about leaping into full-time freelancing, consider doing it part-time first so that you can see what it’s really like before committing fully.

We wish you all the best on your journey

How To Tell If You’re Ready To Be A Freelance Administrative Assistant