6 Valuable Lessons that I Learned From Working as a VA

Posted September 26, 2016

I can vividly remember the time I started my journey in this industry. This was the point in my life wherein I was looking for a better work-life balance. Coincidentally, I learned from a good friend of mine that it was possible to have this because of home-based jobs. Obviously, this sparked my curiosity. I then probed my friend for more details, and it didn’t take long for me to get convinced.

After I observed my friend’s usual daily routine as a virtual assistant, I was dead set in finding a way to earn from home. I filtered so many job openings until I tried my luck with the ones that resonated with me. Luckily, I got a response from 20four7va, and after going through their job interview process, I eventually got hired.

Fast forward to today, I can confidently say that it’s been a great learning experience so far. If you are a new kid on the block, here are the valuable lessons I have learned:

Work from home is still hard work.

A lot of people assume that working from home is a walk in the park. Let me tell you first hand that this is completely false. You may be in the comforts of your own home, but the fact is, you still have tasks to complete and deadlines to meet. You will also be prone to endless distractions, and you must practice self-discipline. You will be paid by the hour, so no time is wasted on useless socials that usually happen in office setups. You are expected to know that work time is indeed for work and nothing else.
Good communication skills are vital.

Online jobs have a different work dynamic. You do not get to meet your coworkers and clients face to face. Most tasks are set through emails or other team consolidating apps. Your form of communication can be limited because it’s just through these impersonal ways of correspondence. Miscommunication can easily happen and so many things can get lost in translation. Being able to communicate your thoughts clearly, tactfully and diplomatically are so important.
You will have to learn to deal with difficult clients

. At the start of your career, you will not be able to pick your clients. You have to suck it up and learn from these difficult situations. Always be thankful for these challenges because they are learning curves that will help you become better at your job. Just focus on self-improvement and when the right time comes, you will be able to refuse offers because hopefully you will be in demand. Hard work indeed pays off.
You won’t always be appreciated

. Learn to have thick skin. Some clients are kind, some are difficult while others can be downright nasty. Learn not to take things to heart and just do your thing. There’s no point in beating yourself up. Just learn from it, move on and improve yourself.
You must always continue learning

. You must be a sponge and learn what you can everyday. Online jobs are tech based and the trends quickly change. Know what is the hottest and most happening when it comes to online businesses so you can stay on top of the game.
You are dispensable

. This is one of the things you have to swallow early on. You are competing with the rest of the world because you work online. The earlier you accept this, the better. Your client may choose to discontinue hiring you for a multitude of reasons. Always keep you head up and carry on.

Working from home can be fulfilling once you have accepted the basic truths that come with it. The secret to being a VA is to always be grateful that you have this kind of job, so no matter how mundane or seemingly uneventful your day at home might become, you still remember its value and why you set yourself in this path in the first place.

Committed an oversight? Don’t worry. It’s not the end of the world. Read this and know How to Recover After Making a Huge Mistake at Work.