Since we are now living in different times and most businesses are operating remotely, the demand for Virtual Assistant services is on the rise. Every day my inbox is flooded with questions about how to get started as a Virtual Assistant and wanted to know what it’s like to be working as a VA. Working from home sounds like easy-peasy but believe me it is NOT and I suggest you ask these QUESTIONS to yourself before you take the plunge!
Chances are, you are reading this because you are probably interested and curious to know how to become a VA. And you’ve probably even spent some time on blogs, forums and around the web, trying to get some answers.
Problem is, you keep getting conflicting answers, right?
And I guarantee that you’ll get conflicting advice. Some people will tell you to do this and that AND there are lots of mentors and coaches around to listen to..
So you’re left to sort through the wheat and the chaff.
If you’re new to the gig economy, it’s even harder because you don’t know who to trust. Because the truth is, there are plenty of wannabe who want you to think they know what they’re talking about – but they’re just as clueless as everyone else. And in some cases, these types of people are offering downright dangerous advice.
That’s why I compiled this list of questions for you to ask yourself instead if becoming a VA is the right choice for you. I wanted to make sure you got the right advice from someone who’s successfully navigated the world of freelancing full-time-head-on-working-from-home-stay-home-mom. Read on…
What is your WHY?
By defining your why, you are preparing yourself to move more confidently in the direction you really want to go in your life. This will be your motivator when things get difficult.
Answer the questions below to help you discover and defining your why.
WHY are you ready for change in your work life?
WHY do you need it to change?
What do you want your future to look like?
Here are my answers, in hopes they will inspire you for your own:
- I was ready for change in my work life for so many reasons:
a)I wanted to be home with kids especially for my eldest who has ASD and with special needs
b.)I wanted more freedom day to day but still earn an income
c.)I didn’t have the desire to advance my career as nutritionist and going back to college is NOT an option right now for me especially with two busy boys around.
2.I needed it to change for my own happiness and for my family.
3.I wanted to be in control of my time in the future with more freedom and more time with my family.
Those are the things that motivated me to get up extra early and to stay up late to work on client projects.
I run my business from home with 2 awesome kids and they are growing up so fast and I want to be around as much as possible for them. I’m sure you feel the same way!
Ever since I got my first full-time job out of college I consistently wondered what else was out there for me. I knew being stuck in a fast-food 8+ hours a day just wasn’t going to cut it for me or for my family.
It took me a while to figure out something I could do from home, but after some trial and error, things finally clicked into place early in 2012. I heard about the Virtual Assistant industry. I have to be honest and say that when I first learned about it, I just didn’t think it was for me. After all, like I said I had a degree in Nutrition and Dietetics. I was making a decent income. How was I going to replace that as a Virtual Assistant?
But as I did more research, I realized that I could take my love of technology along with my experience and help small businesses and online entrepreneurs build their businesses while I worked from home. I liked the idea of picking and choosing who I worked with and being flexible enough with work hours that I could pick up the my eldest from the school and make it to all the school functions and all his therapy sessions. Not to mention not having to freak out anymore when one of the kids got sick and had to stay home.
Next questions will help you navigating your skills inventory and translating them into marketable services. It will also help you to choose your NICHE or your target client/market.
What do people always ask you for help with?
What do you really enjoy doing?
What do you WANT and NOT want to do?
Of course, I wouldn’t have made it without some help and guidance along the way I’ve learned a lot over the past years. What works, what doesn’t and believe me if there’s a stumbling block on this journey, I’ve found it … and more importantly, I’ve overcome it and got to where I am today. I am proud to say that I am now one of the Top Rated Freelancers in Upwork with 3 active long-term clients and at the same time working as a Part-Time Contractor in a local appraisal firm.
For me, I feel incredibly blessed to have found this rewarding career, there are definitely some highs and lows, good and bad and my hope for you is that after you answer these questions above, you may also find what is best for you and I really hope this post shed some enlightening! Let me know how it goes, I’d surely love to hear it!
Good luck and all the best!
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