How to Become a Virtual Assistant

Today’s Money-Making SAHM (who wishes to remain anonymous) has agreed to share with you how to become and work at home as a virtual assistant.

A warm welcome to my anonymous friend…

Q. What inspired you to begin working?

A. My kids are all in school full-time and working part-time from home seemed to be something that I could manage during the day without disrupting our schedule.

Q. How did you go about starting your business or arranging a work at home position?

A. I had been thinking about working from home for a while. I had weighed it out and looked at my schedule carefully before I made a decision. Then I started keeping my eyes open for positions that may suit me and my family best. I saw a posting for a Virtual Assistant position posted on Facebook through a friend of a friend. After reading the description, I felt it would be a good fit for me and I contacted the employer.

I sent the employer my resume and did a few phone interviews and a short editing test I was sent.

Had I not seen the ad I would’ve signed up for a third party like Elance or Odesk and/or started marketing myself on social media channels as well.

Q. What are some tips you would like to share with others who are interested in doing something similar to help out financially?

A. Know your schedule beforehand. Take time to figure out when you will work and how it will affect your family. Make sure you are not going to miss out on anything that is important to you, such as volunteering in your child’s classroom or attending a dance recital.

Q. How many hours do you work a week or how much of your time does this position require? Is it flexible? Is it consistent?

A. I am currently working between 10 – 15 hours per week. It is very flexible and consistent. I rarely have large fluctuations in my workload.

Q. When/how do you find the time to work?

A. I have found that I like to get up before my kids are awake and work. This was actually surprising to me, because I am not a morning person. However, I am more focused when my kids are asleep and don’t need me.

Q. Are there certain tips/advice you’d want to share with others who want to start working like you?

A. Most importantly, you have to be honest with yourself regarding your schedule and your personality. Working from home is not always the easy. It is much easier to get into work-mode when you step into an office. There are far more distractions at home with all of the different roles we play acting on us.

You also need to be disciplined. You have to know that you will sit down and complete your work every day that is required. No one is checking up on you during your working hours at home, so it is up to you to stay focused.

Most importantly, you need to be honest. Your employer has to know that you are working the hours you say you are. I keep a notebook by my computer and log my time. If the phone rings or my kids need me, I stop my time, address the situation, and return.

Q. Was training/schooling required for the position? How/when did you complete it?

A. I have a four-year degree, as well as a Paralegal Certificate. I earned my Paralegal Certificate online, and while my position does not require me to use my paralegal training, I learned a lot about working at home from this experience. I also partially worked at home for three years after I had my first child. I would work 10 hours in the office and 10 hours from home. There was a learning curve to setting up an effective system that worked for me, and the experience was invaluable.

Training may vary for other jobs though. Virtual assistant jobs may include: social media management, ghostwriting, editing, graphic design, tutoring, researching, writing, Photoshop or photo editing, secretarial duties (schedules, phone calls, time managing etc.), video editing, copy-writing, writing, miscellaneous tasks, data entry, and basically anything one can do virtually.

I mostly did social media management and editing.

Q. What is the income percentage you bring in? Or does the income help a little, medium, or is the main source of your family’s income?

A. The income I earn is currently going towards my children’s lesson expenses. With this extra income, I am able to pay for their dance and sports lessons that can be expensive. *Rates typically range from $12.00-$100.00 an hour depending on experience and skill set.

Q. How would someone who wants to do something similar get started with a job like this?

A. Keep your eyes and ears open. Also, let friends and family know you are looking for a position. Oftentimes, word of mouth is the best tool. There are also several job websites online that advertise for Virtual Assistants a great site is Elance. Another site is Odesk.

Invest in this inexpensive eBook The Bootstrap VA. It talks about how to become a Virtual Assistant, how to get hired or find employers both offline and online, how to keep the job, manage your schedule, how to avoid any spammers, etc. It is excellent and I highly recommend it if you are interested in becoming a Virtual Assistant.

Thanks so much to my friend who shared her experience! Want to read other ways to make money as a SAHM? Check out the posts below:

Introduction to Money-Making SAHM Series

Series 1: Medical Billing

Series 2: Starting an Online Business

Series 3: Housecleaning

Series 4: Cosmetology

Series 5: At-Home Airline Assistant

Series 6: Become an At-Home Employee

Series 7: Beachbody Coaching

Series 8: Freelance Writing

Series 9: Run an at-Home Daycare

Series 10: Write and Self-Publish an eBook Part 1 & Part 2