Free template
Virtual assistant job description template: say exactly what you're handing over
Copy it, keep the tasks you're handing over and post it. There's a filled-in real estate version, a task list to pick from and a question that screens out copy-paste applications. Free, no sign-up.
Most VA job posts say "various admin tasks" and get a pile of copy-paste replies. The ones that work list the actual tasks, the hours that overlap with yours, the tools and one question to answer. That's what this template asks you to fill in.
Copy the virtual assistant job description
Job title: Virtual assistant ([admin / customer support / bookkeeping / real estate])
Hours: [__] hours a week, [days], with at least [__] hours overlapping [__] to [__] [your time zone]
Pay: [currency][low] to [currency][high] an hour, paid [weekly / monthly]
Start date: [date]
Reports to: [name]
About us
[Two sentences: what the business does and who the customers are.]
What you'll do
[Keep the tasks you're handing over and delete the rest. The list should fill the hours above.]
- Sort the inbox each morning and reply to routine emails using our saved replies
- Book and move appointments in [calendar tool]
- Enter [orders / invoices / leads] into [system] the same day they arrive
- Answer customer questions on [email / chat / social media] within [__] hours
- Send invoices, and reminders for overdue ones, in [accounting tool]
- Update [the CRM / our spreadsheet] after every [call / sale / enquiry]
- Schedule the social media posts we've approved in [tool]
- Research [suppliers / prospects / listings] and send a short summary
- [Any other task that repeats every week]
Tools you'll use
- [Google Workspace / Microsoft 365], [Slack / WhatsApp], [CRM], [accounting tool], [password manager]
What you'll need
- [__]+ year(s) as a virtual assistant or in an admin role
- Written English our customers will read without a second look
- A computer, a reliable connection and a quiet place to work
- Comfortable following written steps, and asking when something doesn't fit
How we'll work together
- A written list of tasks, with the steps for each one, so you're not guessing
- A check-in at [time] on [channel], and a short end-of-day note: done, stuck, next
- Logins shared through [password manager], never over chat
How to apply
Reply with your CV and your answer to this: [one question about the work, e.g. "A customer emails at 6 pm asking to move a booking that's tomorrow at 9 am. What do you do?"]. We'll only read applications that answer it.
Which tasks to list: the 10 to 15 hours a week you'll hand over first
Start with work that repeats every week and that you can explain in writing. Add more once the first tasks run without you.
- Inbox and calendar: sorting email, booking and moving meetings, sending reminders
- Customer support: answering email and chat with saved replies, logging requests
- Bookkeeping: entering bills and receipts, sending invoices and reminders
- Sales: updating the CRM, following up enquiries, booking calls
- Social media: scheduling approved posts, answering comments
- Real estate: listings, viewings, enquiry follow-ups, seller updates
What a real estate virtual assistant job description looks like filled in
Rachel and her team are made up. The pay is left for you to fill in.
Job title: Virtual assistant (real estate)
Hours: 25 hours a week, Monday to Friday, with at least 4 hours overlapping 10 am to 6 pm Singapore time
Pay: S$[low] to S$[high] an hour, paid monthly
Start date: 3 November
Reports to: Rachel Lim, property agent
About us
We're a team of three property agents selling and renting homes in the east of Singapore. Most of our week is viewings, and the admin around them is what we're hiring for.
What you'll do
- Upload new listings to the property portals within a day of signing, with the photos and description we approve
- Book, confirm and move viewings in Google Calendar, and send each buyer the address and time the day before
- Reply to portal and WhatsApp enquiries within 2 hours during your hours, using our saved replies
- Log every enquiry and viewing in our CRM the same day
- Send buyers a follow-up message two days after a viewing
- Put together a one-page market update for each seller every two weeks, from the portal data
- Schedule our approved Instagram posts for new listings
Tools you'll use
- Google Workspace, WhatsApp Business, our CRM, Canva, the property portals, Bitwarden
What you'll need
- 1+ year as a virtual assistant or in an admin role, real estate a plus
- Written English our clients will read without a second look
- A computer, a reliable connection and a quiet place to work
- Comfortable following written steps, and asking when something doesn't fit
How we'll work together
- A written list of tasks, with the steps for each one, so you're not guessing
- A check-in at 10 am on WhatsApp, and a short end-of-day note: done, stuck, next
- Logins shared through Bitwarden, never over chat
How to apply
Email your CV to rachel@eastside-homes.example with your answer to this: a buyer messages at 9 pm to move tomorrow's 10 am viewing. What do you do? We'll only read applications that answer it.
Five job description mistakes that bring in the wrong applicants
Fix these before you post.
- "Various admin tasks." Without a list, every applicant says yes to everything.
- Hours with no time zone. 9 to 5 means nothing until you say whose 9 to 5.
- Skills for five jobs. Bookkeeping, video editing and running ads are three different hires.
- Pay that says "competitive". A range saves you calls with people you can't afford.
- No question to answer. One short scenario sorts the careful readers from the copy-paste replies.
Or skip the job post: we recruit, vet and employ the VA, and you direct the work
The template is free. If you'd rather not screen applicants yourself, that's what Catalyst does: we vet each VA before you meet them.
- We're the employer, so payroll and equipment are ours to run.
- Plans start from around $8.80 an hour, billed monthly per assistant.
Frequently asked questions
What does a virtual assistant do?
Repeatable desk work, done remotely: email and calendar, data entry, bookkeeping, customer support, social media and lead follow-up. If it's a repeatable task done at a computer, a VA can usually take it.
What should a virtual assistant job description include?
The tasks you're handing over, the hours and how many of them overlap with yours, the pay range, the tools, how you'll work together, and one question to answer when they apply.
How many hours should I ask for?
Start with the tasks, not the hours. Add up how long each takes you in a week. You can start part-time and add hours once the first tasks run without you.
What does a real estate virtual assistant do?
The admin around viewings and listings: uploading listings, booking and confirming viewings, replying to enquiries, logging leads in the CRM, follow-ups and seller updates. The filled-in example above shows a full post.
How do I screen virtual assistant applicants?
Ask one scenario question in the post, read only the answers that address it, then give your shortlist a short paid task that matches the job.
Is the template free?
Yes. Copy it or print it. No sign-up and no email.