Do you want to look for an online job but don’t know where to start? I’ve seen a lot of people get this all wrong so I decided to give you the difference between applying for an online job versus starting a virtual assistant business.
In order to determine the difference, you should ask yourself the following questions first and not just dive into the “UNKNOWN”. Knowing what you really want will give you the right direction and help you become happier and fulfilled in the future.
Determine Your Online Job Skills
1. What skills can you offer?
This question will help assess your skills and not just apply for anything you can find online. You may also rate yourself as to how good you are at certain skills and if it’s good enough to be offered as a service.
2. Would you like to offer your existing skills or offer what you really love doing?
Wanting to offer your existing skills skills differs from offering what you really love doing. I want to point it out because most often that not, when we’re looking for an opportunity, grab what’s in front of us, not thinking if we really want it or not.
Being happy with the kind of things you do is very important and it can “make” or “break” your future plans so I suggest to think about it first and have a solid commitment to yourself. Commit to what you want to do and stick with it in all your endeavors.
For example, I am a graduate of Accountancy but refuse to accept jobs about because I don’t like dealing with it. I am not happy doing it. As you why I took that course, well, back in the province, that’s the best course I can choose from aside from engineering. Wrong move for me but at least I finished it (grin).
Anyway, going back, I have an accountancy background and phone handling skills but I prefer to offer blogging and social media as a service because that’s where my heart is. If you will ask me, “So, you had experience there?” my answer would be, “When I started the business, NO, I didn’t but I learned it in the process because that’s what I want to do”
I was in the high school publication before and I really love writing but I never got the chance to earn from it. Maybe because I didn’t know that I can apply for jobs related to writing even if I’m an Accountancy graduate. I don’t want to blame anyone or myself but what I didn’t know cost me a lot of opportunities and I hope it won’t happen to you.
3. Who do I want to work with?
If you are already reading my other blogs, you’ll often find this “Ideal Client” in most of my posts. It is very important to have a clear definition of who you want to work with, whether you will be applying as an employee or is planning to get your own clients. Same with working what you love, it’s also best to work with whom you like best, right?
4. How much do I want to get paid?
This is something that needs to be established in the beginning. My previous post will help you determine this if you’re planning to put up your own Virtual Assistant or home-based business. If you want to become an employee, you may answer this in a slightly different manner but may still learn from my tips there. Let me know if you have questions, though.
5. How many hours would I want to work on a daily or weekly basis?
This is very important especially if applying for a full-time or part-time work. In business, it’s also necessary that you know how much time you can really commit to your business since it requires more time, discipline and determination.
Again, my previous post about pricing may help you answer this question.
6. Am I confident enough about my skills and the price I want to get paid?
Confidence in ones skills can be gained by years of experience and exposure. Assess yourself and expertise. Most Virtual Assistants have more than 5-10 years (or even more) of office and administrative experience.
What Do You Really Want? an Online JOB or Virtual Assistant Business?
7. Do I want to become an employee by someone?
Applying as employee is always the goal for some but for others that want to become their own boss, you also have to commit to it if that’s the direction you want to go.
8. Do I want to be my own boss and start my own home-based business?
This question is clearly not for everyone but if you think it’s for you, then you better brace yourself and get ready for some real action. I have been sharing what I do since the second month of my business and all of that is to guide new and aspiring Virtual Assistants and online entrepreneurs get started.
All FREE training are in my Youtube channel and the copy of presentation is in slideshare. Feel free to learn as much as you can and of course, you may add and pm me if you have more questions.
9. Am I ready to start now?
For both employees and clients, your availability date is important. Of course, being able to start immediately is a plus.
10. Last question would be, where to apply?
This is always the “HOT” topic. Although I wouldn’t want to refer any company for an online job, you can find most of them online. The only question is, are you willing to accept their rates?
Most of the companies looking for VA work or work-from-home offers a very cheap rate or even have you “BID” on your rate which for me degrades the value of the VA’s skills and confidence. It’s up to you. If you think working on these companies will give you the experience you need to become an effective VA in the future, go for it.
Just don’t get too complacent and don’t stop working for your own home-based business because if you do, it’s just another rat race, only at home.
Now, if all your answers lead you towards building your own Virtual Assistant business, I’ve got plenty of training materials in store for you. There’s so much to learn and to prepare but deciding to go through it is a BIG step and you have to make sure it’s really something you’d like to do and will COMMIT to it.
Feel free to PM me if you want to learn more, though you can start with the FREE VA Training on Youtube and my FREE eBook. You may also read the previous posts and you’ll learn a lot from it.
I personally learned from the techiementor.com, Susan Mershon and Sheila J. Davis, of www.leapfrogvanetwork so I suggest you go there, too. One last advice, “DON’T STOP”. Just keep going no matter what happens and you’ll eventually get to where you want to go.
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