What you need to know to be a VA

Many have asked and now is the time to answer it all. 

This is just the first part, the basics of what will be discusses in my training class for freelancers and VAs. Read on…

First topic would be FINANCES. Money is always an important issue for all people, not just for freelancers. Many of you might be used to getting a regular paycheck weekly, bi-monthly or monthly. This time you have to get used to having days when you don’t have clients and no moolah is coming in. What do you do? Make sure that you have enough money in your bank account so that when you don’t have projects coming in, you still have enough to get by. 

Second is your WORKPLACE. If you would like to work at home (like many of us), consider the environment. Is your house quiet enough so you can focus? Do you have kids roaming around and throwing tantrums every now and then? If so, you need to find your own place where you can work. My suggestion is to rent a nearby place and share it with other freelancers. Split bills such as rent, electricity and other utilities. 

Third would be your RESUME/PORTFOLIO. Build your resume/portfolio like life would depend on it, because it actually will. Your resume/portfolio will either make or break you. The first few months/years/projects would probably be your building blocks. Make it good. Improve and learn during the process. Another great tip would be to not to lie in your resume. List only that things or companies that you have worked on or worked for. Don’t exaggerate. Be truthful. 

Fourth is HOLIDAYS. If you are from the Philippines like me, consider the holidays that your client has. If you work for them fulltime, make sure you set it straight the first time. Tell them and ask them what holidays you are willing to take.  BUT, having a good vacation is crucial to stress release. I personally would like to get a few extra days off to unwind, clear my mind, refresh and recharge. 

I hope these tips once again helped you. Take my class to get more of these. See yah!

Benefits in getting a Virtual Assistant

I wanted to share today the benefits for clients in getting a virtual assistant. So why exactly would you have to hire one? Let me enumerate the top reasons :

• Pay only for the time used for your business
  
• No overhead costs like physical office, computers, equipments, office supplies, etc.
• You do not pay for vacations, time-off, sick leaves, maternity leaves, health benefits, coffee breaks, government taxes and mandated benefits.

 So getting a virtual assistant would definitely help you and your business. Hire now!

More advantages

I’ve been contemplating on my business for the past few weeks. Thinking as to why I decided this was the best job I ever accepted. And here’s some reasons why :

1. I don’t travel from home to work, therefore saving time and money.  
2. I don’t spend on office uniform or business clothes
3. No traffic!
4. I get to spend more time with my family
5. Laid-back feel in my home-office setup, therefore, less stress
6. No politics
7. Flexible working hours (maybe or maybe not)

Just a few of what I consider as my perks on this job.  

Now Accepting Paypal Payments

The best way to pay. 

International.

Secure.

Hassle-free.

My Virtual Office

As I have mentioned on previous posts, I have been in this industry for quite some time now, and as preparation, I’ve made a substantial investment for my virtual office. I’m always on the lookout for new programs and constantly upgrades or change my setup. 

• Desktop -  Pentium 4, 120GB HD, 1.5GB RAM, Windows XP Pro SP3, Combo Drive
• Laptop - HP Compaq Presario V3000, Intel Core Duo, 80GB HD, 1GB RAM, Windows XP Home
• Notebook - MSI Wind Edition U100 LXP8 Intel Atom N280, 1.66ghz, 2gb RAM, 250gb HDD, Windows XP Home
• Wireless (WiFi) Network - Apple iPhone3G 16gb
• Printer - EPSON 3-in-1 printer, scanner, photocopier
• Microsoft Office 2007
• Quickbooks Plus 2007
• AVG Pro Antivirus; Spybot Search and Destroy
• Dropbox
• GoToMeeting
• FireFTP
• Messenger/VOIP - Yahoo, MSN, Skype (voicemail and forwarding available)
• Internet Connection - DSL 1mbps; Backup - Globe Wireless Internet

Always check on this list for updates.

Going local

I have been thinking of a really nice start-up business for this virtual assistance thing. I have high hopes and am very optimistic on the ideas I have. I wish I could find some time to have it on paper and finally launch it. Interested? Email me. 

Recent Happenings

These times are not very good for me as a virtual assistant. I mean, I still have a job, but a lesser paying one and something that pays only once a month. As compared to the previous job, which gave me thrice the money that I’m earning now plus it paid me weekly. I could say that recession and global crisis has indeed affected me and most of those like me. So here may be some tips that would work for you and me , to recession-proof our jobs and our lives: 

 1.) Think of it as your business. Make sure you earn profit on top of the capital you’ve invested like your computer, electricity, taxes, health benefits (if applicable), internet connection fees, labor (of course!), and other miscellaneous stuff (scanner, printer, software, etc)

2.) Sell yourself. Sell your business. Be visible to the industry. Make sure your target market see your works and how efficient you are. Make a website about it if you must.

3.) Broaden your horizon. Be open to ideas and new jobs. It’s never too late to learn something new so don’t limit yourself to what you just know. 

4.) Study new things. Whether you enrol in a class or just do trainings and webinars over the internet, get your skills up to date and increase your valuability. 

5.) All it takes is attitude. Some virtual assistants never make it far if they are or have become whiners. Lets all be professional and show our “boss” what he’d miss if he won’t get our services. 

6.) Increase your friends list. You’ll never know when you’d meet the one who would give you the best job you’ve ever had. Do social networkig, or just about anything to make more friends. 

 7.) Make your resume look good. Just like how you would like to see yourself during interviews. Make it professional and full of pertinent details. Don’t put unnecessary stuff that your probably employers would see as desperate or not up to par. 

These are just some few tips I would like to share for those who are interested to enter this kind of job or maintain it.