Career Idea Have You Thought About Becoming A Virtual Assistant

Career Idea Have You Thought About Becoming A Virtual Assistant I frequently see e-mails from people who have x years in administrative, bookkeeping, organizational, etc. roles, who are well-seasoned and well-skilled.   Because they are not quite sure what else they can do, they are looking for some kind of executive assistant role, hopefully paying more than $10/hour. I hate thinking that someone with so much wisdom, experience and business savvy will have to digress to an entry-level role when they really could and should be able to contribute so much more. Thats where Virtual Assistants (VAs) come in.   Ill confess I dont know a ton about VAs, and if I were as good as Alexandra Levit I would have done a bunch of interviews, and had great stats for you.   Alas, Im not that good, so Ill throw out my ideas, and point you to some resources, and let you do your own research. I love the concept of setting up a VA business because: You can earn more than $10/hour. Depending on how you speciliaze, or where your clients are, I think you can charge more than $40/hour.   Sounds pretty good, doesnt it? You can set your own hours. You are a VIRTUAL assistant, meaning you dont have to go into an office (no commute), and play the political games, and punch your timecard just for the fun of it if you do your best work at midnight, cool. If you do your best work between 9 and noon, cool.   Thats when you work. You define what you do. VAs are quick to point out they are not merely data entry clerks, although Im sure many do data entry ($40/hour is pretty pricey for data entry, but hey, people pay it).   But Ive seen other VAs define their boundaries, and Im amazed at the skillset they are bringing to the table.   Seriously, think about what an assistant would do for you, or for a CEO, or a one-man business. that is what these VAs are doing.   Ive been on radio interviews where the VA is the technician, because they understand what buttons to push to get the recording define your own skillset and market that. It is entrepreneurial. And you already know how I feel about being an entrepreneur, or at the very least, having another income stream. Need more money?   Get another client! Too busy?   Scale back.   You are your own boss, and you set your own schedule. what did I miss? Of course, this isnt for everyone, but I really think its a great option for a lot of people.   And it helps that Tim Ferris, author of The Four Hour Workweek, really sensationalizes the idea of having a virtual assistant, so hes turned the world onto the idea of buying the services. If I were going to look at being a VA, I would start by googling the phrase.   But I would pour over the information at Virtual Assistant Directory,   and the owners website, Kathie M. Thomas.   She writes the popular and information-rich blog for Virtual Assistant Directory.   Another site to check out is Ultimate VA Support. I dont write about career ideas like Alexandra Levit, but this is one of a handful of ideas that I really, really like, and know Ill be pointing people to this post for a while. Career Idea Have You Thought About Becoming A Virtual Assistant I frequently see e-mails from people who have x years in administrative, bookkeeping, organizational, etc. roles, who are well-seasoned and well-skilled.   Because they are not quite sure what else they can do, they are looking for some kind of executive assistant role, hopefully paying more than $10/hour. I hate thinking that someone with so much wisdom, experience and business savvy will have to digress to an entry-level role when they really could and should be able to contribute so much more. Thats where Virtual Assistants (VAs) come in.   Ill confess I dont know a ton about VAs, and if I were as good as Alexandra Levit I would have done a bunch of interviews, and had great stats for you.   Alas, Im not that good, so Ill throw out my ideas, and point you to some resources, and let you do your own research. I love the concept of setting up a VA business because: You can earn more than $10/hour. Depending on how you speciliaze, or where your clients are, I think you can charge more than $40/hour.   Sounds pretty good, doesnt it? You can set your own hours. You are a VIRTUAL assistant, meaning you dont have to go into an office (no commute), and play the political games, and punch your timecard just for the fun of it if you do your best work at midnight, cool. If you do your best work between 9 and noon, cool.   Thats when you work. You define what you do. VAs are quick to point out they are not merely data entry clerks, although Im sure many do data entry ($40/hour is pretty pricey for data entry, but hey, people pay it).   But Ive seen other VAs define their boundaries, and Im amazed at the skillset they are bringing to the table.   Seriously, think about what an assistant would do for you, or for a CEO, or a one-man business. that is what these VAs are doing.   Ive been on radio interviews where the VA is the technician, because they understand what buttons to push to get the recording define your own skillset and market that. It is entrepreneurial. And you already know how I feel about being an entrepreneur, or at the very least, having another income stream. Need more money?   Get another client! Too busy?   Scale back.   You are your own boss, and you set your own schedule. what did I miss? Of course, this isnt for everyone, but I really think its a great option for a lot of people.   And it helps that Tim Ferris, author of The Four Hour Workweek, really sensationalizes the idea of having a virtual assistant, so hes turned the world onto the idea of buying the services. If I were going to look at being a VA, I would start by googling the phrase.   But I would pour over the information at Virtual Assistant Directory,   and the owners website, Kathie M. Thomas.   She writes the popular and information-rich blog for Virtual Assistant Directory.   Another site to check out is Ultimate VA Support. I dont write about career ideas like Alexandra Levit, but this is one of a handful of ideas that I really, really like, and know Ill be pointing people to this post for a while.

Average Cost of a Professional Resume Writing Service in New York

Average Cost of a Professional Resume Writing Service in New YorkIn order to get a job today, you have to be able to make the Average Cost of a Professional Resume Writing Service in New York. This can be tough if you don't understand the concept and just expect to get the job. If you can stay on top of this, you will be in business for yourself.As a creative type of person who knows how to effectively present your ideas and thoughts, you can make your way into this type of work. In fact, a lot of people from all over the country and world have found it is easier to become a professional resume writer than getting an actual job in the first place. The person with great ideas for articles, thoughts, and ideas, can make a lot of money doing what they want to do. You might think it sounds too good to be true, but it really can be true.Today's resumes need to be more professional than ever. All of these papers need to be appealing and convey the right information to get a job. A lot of p eople like to read online resumes for jobs so that they can save time reading a resume that has been written by another. A lot of the writing methods that are being used nowadays are being used by computer writers, and it has a lot to do with the competition in the field.There are many career opportunities for people who are looking for jobs. It can be difficult to find jobs without some kind of experience or education. The price for a college degree is going up as well as the cost of living. Sometimes the online courses are very expensive and are not even relevant to the job that they are offering, so it makes sense to just go with the resume writing service that can make you professional looking resumes that you can submit in order to get that interview.Don't despair if you have no experience in writing at all. The work can be done to your advantage as long as you know what you are doing. A lot of the resume services out there to offer help to people with little or no experience w riting resumes.The better resumes can help you land the job that you are looking for and make more money when you decide to go into a more formal career path. In addition, you can use the online skills that you have learned from this resume writing service to meet with clients, give presentations, or take classes. It's a great way to find your own business if you have plenty of time on your hands and some time to learn.Schoolwork and business can sometimes be overwhelming, but you can always make it easy on yourself and have a professional resume writing service in New York that will do the work for you. These services are busy people who do what they have to do so that they can make enough money to survive. The majority of them are in fact doing it to stay afloat.If you are seeking to stay on top of job openings and make sure that you are a valuable asset to the company, then you need to be able to write and submit your own resumes in order to ensure that you are being hired. A res ume service in New York can also help you to market yourself online and build your own business. You can take advantage of all of these benefits in order to have a more stable financial future.

7 Tips For Modeling Your 2012 Personal Branding Success - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

7 Tips For Modeling Your 2012 Personal Branding Success - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Save time during 2012 by modeling your personal branding success on the ideas, strategies, and tactics of authors and small business owners who have already built strong personal brands. Avoid the temptation to constantly reinvent the wheel. Look around you for examples of marketing and personal brand building success that you can model and adapt. Modeling, however, is not a license to steal. Modeling is as different from stealing as inspiration is different from copying. Modeling is a sound branding strategy that allows your to be inspired by what others have done, so you can adapt it to your specific marketing situation. Thats a whole lot different than copying their blog posts or their mission statement, and passing them off as your own work. Seth Godins factory For example, on December 18th, I was very inspired by a wonderful photograph of Seth Godins desk in a recent blog post by Jim Connelly,  A Look Inside Seth Godins Factory. The photograph stopped me in my tracks and inspired me to take immediate action de-cluttering my own desk and office. In addition, the photograph inspired and energized me by helping me realize how lucky I am that I dont need to be surrounded by things to make my own factory more efficient. That simple thought added a jolt of caffeine and discipline to my efforts that day, and the days that followed. Note, I didnt copy Seths environment and go out and buy a beautiful blond table and set of conference room chairs. But, I did learn from the photograph and the blog post, and simply adapted the ideas to my needs and resources. The elements of modeling success Use the 7 essentials of modeling success, below, to help you improve your ability to model the success of others in your field as you move forward create the books and marketing content needed for your 2012 personal branding success: Locate. Start by identifying those with a proven track record of success addressing personal brand building challenges similar to the challenges youre facing. Start in your field, but also look allow outside your field for individuals who have overcome challenges similar to yours.   Dont be mislead by 1-hit wonders or overnight successes who quickly disappeared for years. Look for individuals and firms who have consistent success over a period of years. Analyze. Next, take the time to analyze the building blocks of their branding success. Ask yourself, What are they doing over and over again that their less-successful competitors arent doing? Look beyond the obvious, like the wording of a single headline, and try to understand the formula behind their headlines. Follow. Once youve located a consistently successful personal brand you can identify with, dont abandon it too quickly. Build return visits to their website, blog, Facebook page, or their Twitter account into your weekly return. Take notes, or use a screen capture program like SnagIt, so you can follow the visual, as well as content, elements of their personal branding success. Plan. Knowledge, by itself, is not power! The power comes from implementing, or making use of, the lessons youre learning by modeling the personal branding success elements of others. As always, dont try to too much, too soon. Instead, create a plan that identifies the lessons you want to model, and schedule one step at a time over a period of several weeks. Take action on your intentions by committing specific dates and times to specific tasks. Implement. The hard part is over, once you get to the point of knowing what you want to do and when youre going to do it. Many find that actually doing the work is a lot easier than the stress involved in continued procrastination and putting off the work. Track. Tracking follows implementation; its the act of identifying whats working and what isnt working in your particular situation. By measuring the success of your various modeling efforts, youll know what to abandon and what to commit to on an ongoing basis. Repeat. The modeling process never ends. While youre implementing one set of lessons, others are breaking new ground using different marketing and personal brand building ideas, tools, and strategies. Over time, youre likely want to reallocate time to follow a different mix, checking in less frequently with your original sources of inspiration. Share your modeling expeiences The start of a new year provides an excellent opportunity to review your marketing and personal branding activities. Use modeling to enhance your marketing and brand-building skills by learning how model your 2012 personal branding success on the ideas, strategies, and tactics of others who have overcome the challenges youve been facing. Please share your modeling experiences, questions and tips, below, as comments. Author: Roger C. Parker is an author, book coach, designer, consultant who works with authors, marketers, business professionals to achieve success with brand-building books practical marketing strategy. He helps create successful marketing materials that look great get results, and can turn any complex marketing or writing task into baby steps. Visit his website to see how he can help you or to ask a question.

6 Things You Learn in a Job Search - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

6 Things You Learn in a Job Search - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career There are a lot of truths you will discover about yourself and others in the job search process. Everything from recommendations to referrals, to people you have helped and now cannot seem to find 5 minutes to call you back, to the way you can insure your job search process is as smooth and professional as it can be, Bottom Line: Searching for a job is a job. Six Universal Truths and Truisms Here are Six  Universal Truths and Truisms I have discovered in searching for a job. I have been on both sides of this equation and I have to admit I have not always been the most responsive. However, I do indeed try. And, what I’ve learned is … sometimes you just cannot get back to everyone. And, yes … I do feel badly about that. I hope people don’t hold that against me, but if they do perhaps these tips will help explain a little more. One Everyone has Great Intentions Give people the benefit of the doubt. Assume they have the best intentions. Assume  best intentions, but be realistic. See point two. Dont hold that against them. Let their best intentions come out. Two Everyone is Busy Just as you will be when you find your next great challenge. Expect people to be busy. Dont expect them to drop everything for you. Do expect them to, eventually, follow up. For the ones that dont follow up in a manner you expected … just remember theyre busy … just like you will be when you start back into the working world. Again, dont hold it against them.  When they reach out for help in the future treat them the way you want to be treated. Three Follow Up People are people. Time is a luxury that doesn’t treat everyone fairly or equally. Just remember … they are people. They have competing priorities. Work within their parameters. Four  â€" Ask! If you dont know something… Ask! While you might feel a bit awkward asking about someones priorities… Trust me the smart ones  dont mind sharing. Why? Because then you know how to work within their parameters. If they won’t share … respect that. But, it might be a red flag. Three Things you can and should be ready to realistically ask: For a friend: Ask: Who’s hiring for someone with my skills? Your pre-amble can be different. For example, you might say … I’m looking to make a change, or my role is going away, or I need a new challenge. Then ask your question (see above for one example) Warning: You are opening the door to a candid conversation about this person’s perception of your skills. Encourage that and ask them to be candid. I encourage people to be Brutally Candid For a recruiter Ask:  What is the timing on filling this role? The answer you are  seeking is  to  get a sense of the priority in  filling the role. If theyre just sort of looking around, first off the  job probably  shouldnt of posted, but if theyre serious they should be able to tell you a rough timeframe. To a hiring manager: Ask: Based on what you see from my resume and from talking to me what am I missing that might prevent you from moving my candidacy forward? Asking for candid feedback is a skill and one that requires you to be willing to listen with an open mind.Developing this skill is one that will help you stand out in your career. Pro tip:  If somebody doesnt share their goals or answer your questions in an honest and forthright manner this may not be someplace you want to work. Five Thank You Just two simple words can go a long way. Remember to use them. Use them early and often. Six â€" Remember Remember how you felt. Remember to give back when you do you land your next job. Remember how it was as you were searching. Your Own Best Advocate Ultimately you have to be your own best self advocate. These six tips should be able to help you get and keep the ball rolling. Just remember that it  ultimately it comes down to you. Yes, people can open doors for you. But, dont expect it. Yes, people will make introductions for you and smooth the path. Appreciate it and thank people for opening doors. Expect people to be busy, but also expect them to follow up. Especially if they committed to do so. Softly and gently remind them once or twice. If that doesn’t help remember point two. Good luck and please share your experiences in the comments so we can all learn from your successes. Please share the truths you have discovered about yourself during your job search process. Share what you learned about others too. We can all learn something from each other.

Tips on How to Open a Resume Writing Business

Tips on How to Open a Resume Writing BusinessIf you're thinking about starting an internet business as a way to supplement your income, opening a resume writing business is a good option. You can work part-time or full-time for the business, making anywhere from $20 an hour to a little more.To start, decide on a good work schedule for yourself and make sure to stick to it. You should be able to create your own hours and do things at the right times, so that your clients know that you're available and not just pulling an extra shift every now and then.Make sure that you stay on your feet and have something to do every day on a regular basis. Many people think that a work-from-home job is ideal, but if you don't actually have a lot of time to spend with clients, you might be disappointed with the amount of work you put into it. Also, remember that not everyone needs a computer or Internet connection.Working from home has its advantages. For one thing, you'll only have to buy the basic computer and Internet connection for the business. You may even be able to get some free wireless Internet access or just use a USB data drive from a coworker or friend. If you don't have a PC at home, you may also be able to run your own business using some other free programs and services available on the Internet.Other advantages include being able to work in the evenings and weekends, which means you'll get to make a little extra money, too. Working in your pajamas isn't a problem either! You don't need to have a lot of things that you have to purchase to set up a business like this, and if you just make the occasional suggestion to customers about what they might like to see, you might get some new clients.There's one drawback to working from home, though. In order to be successful in the business, you'll have to have some contacts. Even if you're not trying to sell anything at the moment, you still need to have some existing relationships, such as with people who work for comp anies and other businesses that are looking for new employees.Another way to make extra cash at home is to be able to network with people who have experience in a particular field and become their mentor. This is a fairly easy way to get started, but it can take a lot of hard work and effort to do well in this type of business.If you want to open a resume writing business, you're going to have to work for it. It can be a great way to supplement your income, but it doesn't mean that you have to sacrifice quality. So long as you make sure to put in the hours and manage your time effectively, you'll be able to make a great living with just a little bit of effort.

Pros and Cons About Working Overseas - CareerAlley

Pros and Cons About Working Overseas - CareerAlley Pros We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. The United Nations reported that over 3% of the worlds population is now living and working abroad, and the numbers continue to grow. As finding a job in ones own country becomes more difficult due to the lack of work and rising competition for each post, its little wonder that finding work overseas has become quite fashionable. Chances are, you already know somebody within your family or friendship group that has already left your fair isles, and jetted off to another country to begin a new life, on a short-term or a lifelong basis. Is working abroad right for you? On this site, we have shown you it is possible to move abroad, but you should take a step back before getting on the plane. Tweet This The question you may be asking yourself, however, is this. Is working abroad right for you? On this site, we have shown you it is possible to move abroad, but you should take a step back before getting on the plane. To help you make the right decision, we have listed some of the pros and cons that you might find helpful. So before you pack your bags, read on to find out more. Pros Transferable job skills While there are some jobs that are exclusive to working abroad, it is also relatively easy to continue your career in another country. Whatever your destination, have a look online and check out their job boards. For example, this is the best Jobs site for IT professionalsin France, though you will need to speak the language to read the postings. Whatever your career path, you dont need to stick around in your own country to pursue it. New Experiences The reason people visit other countries on holiday is to gain new experiences from the culture on offer. If this is something that appeals to you, working and living abroad may be a life-changing opportunity you dont want to miss out on. You will gain knowledge from different working practices that you could take back to your own country. There will also be the chance to explore the place you are living in, take part in local customs, try new foods, and enjoy a different style of living. source Learning a new language English isnt the only language in the world, though it is spoken in many foreign countries. However, you cant guarantee that everybody will speak your lingo so you should make an effort to learn the languages predominant in the country you intend to work in. This will make your life much easier when you arrive, as you will need to communicate with your colleagues, as well as the local populace. This will take effort on your part, but you will improve your employability in the long-term and learn something new to boot. Foreign currencies You may be able to earn more money in your job when working in away from home. If you are currently deciding on a possible destination for employment, we recommend you use this currency converter to help you understand how the value of your money will change in another country. If you are driven by money, it makes sense to go where you are likely to earn more. Of course, the value will revert back to your current currency if you return home, but you may be able to make a substantial difference to your bank balance in the meantime. Meet new people By moving abroad, you will automatically expand your social circle. You will understandably be overwhelmed at first by the sea of new faces that surround you, but provided you have bothered to learn the language, you will strike up new personal and professional relationships. As in most social situations, it will take time to get yourself known, but you wont always be a stranger in a strange land if you take the time to meet the people around you. You will gain some valuable life and work lessons as a result. Work-life balance Are you dragged down by long hours, with little time to relax and enjoy life? Then moving to another country may be just what you need. There are countries that may have a better work-life balance than your own, with shorter working weeks, and a better priority for personal and family time. Life is too short to always be at work, so escape the daily grind by taking time to enjoy lifes other pleasures by choosing the right place to live. A good resume will not only get you noticed, but it can also get you that job interview or a chance to present your ideas for a project. Before you can get to that stage, however, you need to think about how you can make your resume different from the competition. How to Boost the Value of Your Design Resume Add to your resume It doesnt matter if you work abroad for a short or a long time, you will still add weight to your resume. Future employers will be impressed by your international travels and may be keen to learn from your experiences in another country and workplace. Should you return to your own country, you will surely stand out from the crowd of other job applicants when you can evidence a broader mind and understanding of the international job market. Learn new skills Whatever job you are involved in, you will gain new skills in the way you work. Methods of working may also be different, and it may be that you learn better ways to be productive in your chosen field. Learning new skills is invaluable for all aspects of life, but especially when it comes to your career. By developing in your chosen field abroad, you will not only improve your employability, as you will stand a greater chance of promotion if you return to a company you have already worked for should you head back home. Cons (image source) Loneliness Moving to a foreign land has many advantages as we have seen, but for a while, you may feel out of place. Yes, you will make some new friendships, but you will still miss your friends back home. While you can keep in touch through phone calls and Skype, it just isnt the same as popping over to their house for a chat or having a shoulder to cry on. Should you be moving alone, with no family to support you, it will be an even lonelier experience. Eventually, you will start to feel positive, but the first few months will be the hardest. Culture shock Learning a new culture is a great experience, but it will take time to become accustomed to your new surroundings. Every culture has its own belief system, values, and attitudes. You are going to have to accept this, as people wont necessarily bend to your western lifestyle. By entering another country, you need to be prepared to change aspects of your life that have been comfortable for you in the past. You should also be aware of countries with strict laws, as what is acceptable behavior in your own country, maybe severely frowned upon somewhere else. The clue here is to do your research. Entering a country blindly and with ignorance is not going to serve you well. Photo by Ral Njera on Unsplash Communication barrier It isnt easy to learn a new language, so if you struggle to know the lingo, you are going to have major difficulties with communication. Over time, and with a lot of effort on your part, this will get easier. However, if learning a new language is a struggle for you, it will make your day to day life in another country very difficult, both in and out of work. Financial problems For starters, you should have some money saved up before you move abroad. Even if you already have a job lined up, you are still going to need to find somewhere to live. There is also no guarantee that the job will pay more than your current salary, so you really should check those exchange rates first. You may also have to start lower down the career ladder, no matter your professional standing back home, so be prepared to prove yourself to your new employers. Personal safety Not all countries are safe to live in, on a small and global scale. For starters, unless your career dictates it, you probably shouldnt move to a country that is stricken by war and violence. Then consider your position in a new land. You will be unfamiliar with the location at first, and you will stand out like a sore thumb to anybody interested in fleecing a newcomer. We recommend you read these safety tips before you head out on your journey, as it is better to be safe than sorry. Photo by Lubo Minar on Unsplash Decision time So, we hope we have given you enough information to help you make the right decision. Moving and working abroad is not something to be taken lightly, and you should think carefully before uprooting your life completely and heading off to a new country, climate, and culture. Remember too, that there are people who love you. They also need to be prepared for your possible move, and you should consider whether you are willing to leave them behind. However, those who do care for you should also support you in your decision, and working abroad, even for a short term, maybe a fantastic opportunity for you. Ultimately, this is your life, and we wish you every success in whatever you decide to do. What's next? Ready to take action? Choose the right tools to help you build your career. Looking for related topics? Find out how to find the opportunities that help you grow your best career. Subscribe and make meaningful progress on your career. It’s about time you focused on your career. Get Educated Contact Us Advertise Copyright 2020 CareerAlley. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy + Disclosure home popular resources subscribe search

Suggested Promise of Value Employed Struggling

Suggested Promise of Value â€" Employed Struggling Suggested Promise of Value â€" Employed Struggling Suggested Promise of Value â€" Employed Struggling April 23, 2010 by Career Coach Sherri Thomas 1 Comment Everything you do and say sends messages to your manager, senior managers, clients, peers, and subordinates. Your words, actions, presentations, reports, work deliverables, and professional accomplishments shape the perceptions others have about you and the value you provide. You were hired, or promoted, to perform a very specific job function. You were hired over the other candidates because your clients or manager believed that you would successfully deliver something of value. Your message should be that you consistently deliver that promised value. You should be continuously role modeling those strengths, talents and personal characteristics your company values. You should strive for others to view you as a person with particular expertise who provides high quality and results. In this way, you stand out from your peers and gain credibility that fuels your personal brand. You are also helping to create an emotional connection with your employer so the thought of losing you to a competitor makes him cringe.