Once was a Freelancing Skeptic
now a Freelance Virtual Assistant
When COVID-19 Pandemic happened it reveals all the uncertainties in life. This is when I realized more that nothing is really sure in this life; even a full-time, safe and secured job could not guarantee to support you forever. Back then when I was still at the hype of my full-time physical set-up job I considered freelancing as an unreliable and undependable source of income. It was 10 years ago when I used to question my friends who chose to work in a virtual set-up thinking that there is no firm future in this endeavor and this is not a “real” career.
Years past and in 2019 I worked with a single-mom who’s a bread winner to her family with a lot of side hustles and one of it is an online job. I was still skeptical about freelancing but silently admiring her determination to earn and to provide for her family. She also invited me but because of my skeptic mind I was not then ready and let the opportunity slide.
One after the other I was exposed to different friends, workmates and even churchmates who work online and hear their experiences.
“Time after time I slowly see the beauty and advantages of working from home. Time after time I was being convinced that freelancing is real. I now understand that this is a growing community that offers real life and freedom which is far way different than a physical work set-up..”
I appreciate the freelancing more and more when I was forced to work from home due to COVID-19. It was those moments that I can somehow relate to the feeling of a real online worker but still I am bound by the 8am-5pm working hours (and beyond) with close monitoring and no overtime pay. Yet, this is when my desire grows to be a freelancing virtual assistant that offers virtual services.
With earnest prayers and after seeking the Lord’s approval, I set my heart and my mind to engage with full dedication to my new found community. Thus, I enrolled myself to a freelancing training course through FVA Academy Business Consultancy to help me equip and grow. Now, I am about to finish the course and by faith I could be able to graduate with the gold certificate, Lord willing.
My 5 WHYs in Switching to
a Freelancing Virtual Assistant
1. To have More Time with the King and His kingdom
Cliché as it may sound but this has been my long desire since I committed my life to the Lord—to have more quality alone time with Him and more time serving His people. Without any cover ups, neither to recruit nor persuade my readers, I confess that I’m a born-again Christian, a firm believer, follower and servant of Christ Jesus. No, this is not to offend other groups of faith or to cause trouble but I just want to share my heart in this particular area.
I am not saying that my 8-5 physical set-up work hinder me to take time with God or to serve His people, but as for me personally I know can do more and better when I can take control of my time and not being pressured by the rush of going to the office day by day, wrestling the feeling of unscheduled overtime without pay; and having my quiet time with the Lord being sacrificed. By God’s grace, I made into practice that as I start my day He should be my first priority before I do anything else. I don’t like it when I start the day without talking to God first and without reading His word just because of my work. I know that God can totally understand whatever time I could spend with Him but this is my commitment to Him and I don’t want to give God my leftovers—leftover time, leftover strength.
In a working from home set up, I am at peace that I don’t need to rush my alone time with God and I can spend more quality time, anytime with God’s people without waiting to end the 8-5 and beyond office hours.
2. To Serve My Family
As a wife, desiring to be a mother and a homemaker, I wanted to fulfill this by having more time at home where I can serve my husband and praying to homeschool our future children while earning a reasonable income. I came from an “almost” broken family and I don’t want my own family to experience the same. Also, with freelancing I know I can have all my time and freedom to visit both of our family sides and have more opportunity to honor and serve them anytime I want; not needing to file an application for leave and wait for approval or wait for holidays to be permitted to travel.
3. To Spare Myself from Office Politics
People-pleaser is tiring and exhausting especially when it goes with terrible work competition with unstable organization policies. It is very painful to experience that one cannot be promoted and can easily be demoted just because of personal issues from one of the known “high-valued” personalities in the office without proper basis. Office gossip and dramas are disturbing which can highly affect work performance and person’s life. Thus, I choose to work from home on my own where I can avoid toxic people who can ruin the day and assassinate people’s character.
4. To be Free from Office Unreasonable Policies
Time is precious especially to those family-oriented people and I’m one of them. It is just so tiring and draining to be repeatedly being stolen by your time that is meant for your family or more valuable meetings just because of unannounced and unpaid overtime. And it is more tiring to hear when you heard somebody would say that it is not counted as overtime because you are being paid by your salary. Back off. In the freelancing world, according to Interaction Design Foundation, “If you’re working, you’re earning. You charge clients for work, and you don’t work unless you’re getting paid.”
Another unjust treatment-- unable to avail bonuses and other perks just because of unreasonable agency ruling and discrimination of job status while others are enjoying their 13th month pay, 14th month pay and other bonuses; and others are suffering in the long wait of their scanty salary.
Thus, I prayed to be blessed in this journey where all my efforts and time will be given proper justice.
5. To be Able to Do the Work I love and have the Potential to Grow
Being a freelance virtual assistant, I can have spare time to do the things I love and can make my knowledge about it grow. I love arts, I love plants and handcrafted products. Now I can have time to avail online classes on how to improve my other skills and more time to express myself in an art which can help my mental health as well.
5 Things I Prepare in Transitioning
from 8-5 Employee to a Freelancer
1. Heart and Mind
This is not an overnight process and it definitely requires willingness to do hardwork. Leaving behind a “secure job” is always risky that is why I earnestly prayed this to God and asked His guidance because I won’t go without Him. I set my mind that once I started this journey I must have a full commitment or I only be wasting. I encountered a lot of tiring and discouraging moments but I chose to pursue my dream future with my family and remember my whys. I also watched videos and read articles about freelancing and being a virtual assistant to help me have a full heart and mind in joining this community.
2. Resources: Money for Training and Gadgets
Along with the heart and mind preparation, I face the reality that this entails money and that I have to invest for a training to make me effective. With the help of my supportive husband we find ways to fix my laptop problem. I acknowledged that these resources are necessary things to be able to achieve my goal of offering freelancing virtual assistant services.
3. Enrol in a Reliable Company that Offers Freelancing Online Trainings
I am really thankful to God that I was able to discover the FVA Academy Business Consultancy through an advertisement in social media. One of the things convinced me to enroll in their academy is that they have this commitment to never let go of their students until having its first client. And indeed, the training is worth the pay and I could say that Coach Keren Cajes-Ame is one of their best and hands-on coaches. FVA Academy will surely help you expand your skill set.
4. Peaceful Corner to Work
It is not an immediate need but it is very important especially when having a virtual meeting with the client. Peaceful corner is being specified to be able to help me focus with what I am doing. Noisy and crowded places are usually destructive for me and can affect my work output.
5. Find a Sure and Long-term Clients before Leaving My 8-5 Job
Be prudent in making decisions – a reminder to myself. I cannot gamble my family’s well being just because of my personal dreams without calculating the future result. That is why I enrolled at FVA Academy knowing that they are committed to help their student grow and find its client. But before taking the path of becoming a freelance virtual assistant, I said to myself that I have to secure first a number of sure and long-term clients before handing over my resignation to my 8-5 job.
Quitting my 8-5 job may not sound right as I was thinking before, but considering the thought of having a break free from a toxic workplace and having more time to spend with my family is worth all the time I am taking to pursue this new career.
Recommended Sources to Prepare
If you are planning to pursue any online career path, as I repeatedly mentioned, I highly recommend FVA Academy Business Consultancy. You can be assured that you are not wasting your hard-earned money for nothing.
As a freelance virtual assistant, I am also offering affordable virtual assistant services. You may also check my portfolio to see my outputs. To know me more please see my resume and online profile. Please don't hesitate to contact me for more details or any queries. I am also willing to share the basic skills I learned.
To end this blog, allow me to share a few points I learned from my freelancing online course and related video I watched. Let me quote this line from the YouTube Channel The Girl and The Word that says “We are blessed to live this era where there isn’t a traditional career path in making a living”, therefore take advantage of every opportunity we have. Take your time and get all the foundations you needed. Don’t compare yourself with others because it is unnecessary to compare. Take your journey with the One [God] who knows everything and please only Him. Make the move when you are completely ready and fly high!