14 soft skills you need to get a job as a Virtual Assistant
Our Co-Founders, Emma and George, on the top things we look for in our Hive Minds experts
Every now and then, our inbox gets an email from someone asking for advice on how to become a virtual assistant — which genuinely makes our day.
It really is one of the best jobs in the world and, if there’s ever an opportunity to talk about it, we absolutely will.
Between us, we (George & Emma) have over 15 years of combined experience either:
working as virtual assistants
managing remote support teams
or hiring assistants and specialists for Hive Minds and other businesses
Over time, we’ve learned what really makes someone excel in this role and what separates a good assistant from a truly exceptional one.
So, if you’re looking to become a VA, Executive Assistant, or part of a modern remote executive support team, here’s what we look for.
Soft skills we look for in a good virtual assistant
Excellent time management
As a virtual assistant, you’re not just managing your own time — you’re often managing someone else’s too.
Diary management, meetings, scheduling, reminders and prioritisation become part of everyday life, so you need to stay organised and proactive at all times.
This is why strong executive-level virtual assistants are so valuable to busy founders and leadership teams.
Strong communication skills
Communication isn’t just about replying quickly.
A great assistant knows how to:
ask the right questions
cut through noise
communicate clearly
summarise effectively
keep things moving
The best strategic EA services rely heavily on concise, thoughtful communication.
Attention to detail
The extra half-hour buffer between meetings.
The typo caught before a proposal is sent.
The travel detail checked twice before an important trip.
These tiny things make a massive difference.
A strong high-level business support professional notices details before they become problems.
Highly organised
Virtual assistants make life feel easier for everyone around them — but that only happens because they themselves are highly organised behind the scenes.
Processes, systems, reminders, checklists and planning are everything.
Whether supporting entrepreneurs, executives or growing businesses, organisation is at the heart of great remote EA support.
Resourceful
You won’t always have:
perfect systems
perfect information
perfect timing
or every tool you need
Great virtual assistants are self-starters who find solutions anyway.
That adaptability is what makes flexible business support so valuable.
Professional
Even when supporting personal tasks or lifestyle admin, professionalism matters enormously.
That means:
handling confidential information carefully
communicating appropriately
delivering reliably
representing businesses well
Trust is everything in a premium virtual assistant service.
A positive outlook
We’ll level with you — being a virtual assistant can be demanding.
There are difficult situations, changing priorities and stressful moments.
But the assistants who go furthest are the ones who stay solution-focused and positive when things don’t go to plan.
Soft skills we look for in a great virtual assistant
Growth mindset
People with a fixed mindset resist change.
People with a growth mindset embrace learning, development and improvement.
In the world of AI-enabled executive assistants, evolving technology and modern business support, this mindset matters more than ever.
The best assistants constantly improve:
systems
communication
workflows
digital skills
AI tools
productivity processes
Service-focused mindset
A great assistant doesn’t just “complete tasks”.
They create an experience.
The strongest managed EA support services are built around proactive thinking, ownership and reliability.
Even when something isn’t technically their fault, exceptional assistants still want to help solve it.
Respect for the role
There are still outdated stereotypes surrounding assistants and support staff.
We completely reject that.
Strong assistants are not “just admin”.
Support professionals often become:
operational glue
strategic partners
workflow managers
culture-builders
trusted right hands
We love seeing pride in the role and a genuine understanding of the value that support professionals bring to businesses.
Emotional intelligence
Emotional intelligence (EQ) is hugely important for virtual assistants.
It helps you:
read situations
communicate sensitively
handle pressure
build trust
navigate personalities
support people effectively
For anyone providing executive support for entrepreneurs, emotional intelligence is a superpower.
Active listening
Active listening means giving someone your full attention and making them feel heard.
The best assistants:
don’t interrupt
ask thoughtful questions
absorb information properly
understand context
pick up nuances
This prevents mistakes and builds stronger working relationships.
Our active listening tips:
Make the conversation about them
Let them set the agenda
Don’t interrupt
Maintain eye contact on calls
Don’t spend the entire meeting buried in notes
(There’s technology for that now.)
Being good at failing
Yep — this matters.
Things will occasionally go wrong. Everyone makes mistakes.
What matters is:
taking ownership
learning quickly
improving systems
preventing repeat issues
The best virtual assistants don’t waste energy hiding mistakes — they focus on solutions and growth.
“We” instead of “me”
Even though many virtual assistants work remotely and independently, they’re never operating in isolation.
The strongest assistants understand how their work impacts:
founders
teams
clients
operations
culture
business growth
That team-first mindset is a huge part of what makes great plug-in business support teams successful.
Trust is the real currency
There’s one thing all of these soft skills have in common:
They build trust.
When you work remotely, you’re not sitting beside your client or boss every day. That means trust becomes your most valuable currency.
If you’re applying for a VA or Executive Assistant role, showing examples of these skills in action will massively strengthen your application.
Whether you want to become:
a remote executive assistant
an AI-enabled business support specialist
a high-end EA service professional
or part of a modern flexible support team
—these are the skills that will help you stand out.