How To Become A Virtual Assistant (VA) ?

by Lanilane Ocbina

Being an online worker is good but at times, it can be very stressful. Anything really has its own pros and cons. As per this job, the good thing has always been being able to work from the comfort of home and usually at the time you prefer to get busy. You can also determine how much you want to earn by taking loads that you think you can carry. The downside is that, there are so many uncertainties especially today that the freelance world has been expanding where the supply of online services has already exploded.

I have started working from home since 2007. That was the time when only few people are still working under their pajamas since most are taking on their office chair in the corporate world. I would take 12 to 16 hours work to earn a thousand dollar per month, which was already a big income that time for a fresh grad like me. 

Leaving my work in an oil company and took on a content writing job (as writing was my first love), I got oriented with the online world. But after a year of working in that autoparts company, I decided to stay at home, since my little brother needs more attention after my mom died  in 2006. From then, I hopped from different online jobs like writing, project management, graphic designs, and a lot more. Since I learned  a lot from experiences, at some point, I was able to call myself a Virtual Assistant. 

A virtual assistant is like an online secretary but a lot more all- around worker. It actually depends on the client, whom you are assisting in his/her field of work. As for me, I have been working for a medical doctor for a decade and a half now. It is actually a miracle since in this job, a year of work with a single client is already long. I am sure, the LORD has truly led me to this kind of work. 

Being a VA, I was able to do more in the ministry. I also had a lot of opportunity to move around the country and Asia for mission works. I just had to take my backpack and laptop and boom, I have work, I have travel, I have ministry. That is how awesome the LORD has designed it!

To become a VA today however is more challenging. During my first years, there were only few of us working in the world wide web as us. But today, knowledge has exploded. Yes we have been refined with skills but today's experts are really experts. The competition is really high. Writers everywhere, programmers everywhere, graphic designers everywhere, animators... vloggers.. and more.

Nonetheless, I think for you to become a VA, there are two important things to keep in mind: First, you have the skill, and Second, you want to sharpen that skill with all your heart, mind, and soul as if you are doing it for the LORD. So if you are a writer, go ahead and write! If  you like coding, go ahead and get some work done! If you like graphic designer, go ahead and be the best artist! and so forth.. In short, for whatever skill you already have, be a good steward and excel.

If you have the skill or at least want to sharpen that skill, go ahead. Then there are lots of sites that you can check but always remember, the competition is high. Be on your best shoe. 

Some sites that I have been using since the start were craigslist, bestjobs, and odesk which is now upwork.