Congratulations! You decided to explore a Virtual Assistant career! You may be wondering how to start and what you should know to succeed. Allow me to give you a glimpse into Virtual Work Secrets that may help.

Get Hired!

With the country’s high English proficiency and Western exposure, more international companies are hiring Filipino Virtual Assistants (VA). To get hired, get ready for competition. If you do not reply to your work experience when asked, “Tell me something about yourself,” you’re halfway there. Do not just read your CV to the interviewer; say something unique about you instead. That’s an excellent start to set yourself apart.

Tricks of the Trade

Daily Routine. Having a daily routine develops discipline and assures focus while on the job despite work-from-home distractions. Aim for balanced self-care with work.

To-Do List. You can go old school and use a pen and paper to maximize different software with task lists. The goal is to get organized.

A Tale of Two Clocks. Filipino VAs have two time zones – Manila time zone and work time zone depending on client location. Make sure not to confuse the two, especially for deadlines. (Freelancers with multiple clients may need to take note of more than two).

Your Rules, Your Style, Your Rate. Most clients delegate tasks and give the VA the freedom on the method as long as we deliver the desired output. In the VA world, there is no standardized hourly fee for a specific skill set. Your Virtual Assistant rate depends on what you have agreed upon based on your showcased skills and the client’s budget.

Why Not, It’s Free. VAs are incredibly resourceful, not just in accomplishing tasks but also in equipping ourselves for the job. We understand where we need to invest (internet plan, equipment, etc.) and get helpful software tools for free (noise-canceling software, design software, etc.).

Thank You, Google. Google is VA’s best friend. After all, Google Chrome has been the most popular browser in the US. (This is not to discard other preferred web browsers, of course.) Our role as VAs is to be work angels and not disturb our clients with mundane questions. Thus, we turn to “How To” on Google.

We Are A Community

Virtual Assistants love the freedom and remote independent nature of the work. That is not to say that we want to shoulder the challenges alone. Feel free to look around for VA companies or online communities to answer your questions or guide you in your starting career.

Contributor: Vernela Navarro