How to Bag your First Ever Freelance Virtual Assistant Assignment

The scenario in bagging each freelancers first freelance job assignment, regardless of their expertise, is never easy. In fact, it is always very tricky. The competition is as stiff as ever and if you are not up for the challenge— landing your first freelance job can make you feel very frustrated. One of the many areas in freelancing which poses these challenges is Virtual Assisting.

Virtual Assisting is a freelance job which has lots of field of specialization. To name a few there are data entry, appointment setting, word processing and bookkeeping. These are jobs that were traditionally done in an office setting, but are now being outsourced for practical reasons such as business cost-cutting. And, if it is a common job in the ‘real world’; it should be relatively easy to do it in the virtual world. Needless to say, if you are aiming for this job in freelancing, you can be confident that you are in for a greener pasture out there. Below are tips that will help you jumpstart your Virtual assistant career so you can eventually enjoy the good opportunities this new line of business pursuit has to offer.

1. Define your interests and know your skills. Be certain of your goals and work on it. As mentioned earlier, you can specialize in this kind of freelance job and specializing will do you good. Not only will it allow you to set your own boundaries, it will also allow you to build a name and brand as a freelancer in the long run.
2. Do your homework. Research and study to prepare. Be familiar with industry terms and be aware of your job description.
3. Redraft your resume to satisfaction. Make sure to emphasize your relevant skills and work experiences. If you lack a relevant work experience, make sure to note any possible relationship to any of your activities and work experiences to the freelance job that you are aiming for.
4. Prepare your place for success. Even if you are not yet hired for a freelance job assignment, make sure to already have the essentials handy— folders, cabinets, a printer— these are you investments. These are fairly cheap as compared to the hassles of travelling to and from work.
5. Set up a realistic rate. By realistic we mean a rate that is affordable, but is also enough to pay for your own resources that you used for the freelance job (electricity bill and your time). You may have saved on travel fare, but these things replaced it. However, make sure to offer a competitive rate that a client will not dare refuse. A balance in this aspect of your career will back you up for a good and fair competition with other freelancers.
6. Build your name by offering a service that buyers will be crazy to deny. Go the extra mile if necessary. Make sure to impress a future employer. Do it right the first time!
7. Finally, be excellent and remain excellent. Landing your first freelance job assignment is no reason to be too self assured and be lousy. Remember that your feedback score counts in your pursuit for a constant stream of work. Similarly, a client’s feedback towards you can cost you a stable continuous business with him or her.

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