Have you used Xe.com's currency conversion site? I love this site - so easy to use and I can quickly work out the different currency rates for various things, especially if I'm promoting a new product or tool on any one of my sites. The other day I learnt of a currency I'd not heard of before and went off to my favourite site to check it - sure enough, it was listed there. If you work with different currencies, or perhaps clients in different countries, then this is a worthwhile site to … [Read more...]
8 Random Facts About Kathie Thomas
I've been tagged (again), this time by Angela Wills of StarVA so here I go with some new random facts about me. I'm the eldest of 4 children. I grew up in South Australia. I'm constantly told I don't look old enough to have 5 daughters in their 20s ;-) Yay! I once spent 6 months dressed as a nun - at least in a theatrical play I was. As I grow older I want to spend more time writing - got so much to share! I have written lots of poetry and songs in the past. I used to play guitar and … [Read more...]
Can A Virtual Assistant Be An Employee?
I saw this question posted at a forum I participate in and thought I'd share my answer here for readers too. Virtual Assistants are self-employed operators, they are not employees. The VA industry has evolved with the growth of Networks (which are not employer companies) - networks of virtual assistant members who benefit through web site (directory) listings, referrals or job leads from clients, members benefit from existing advertising already in place (many of the networks are well placed in … [Read more...]
Virtual Assistant Needed
I like to keep watch on various things posted online, as many of us do and it never ceases to amaze me to see someone seeking a 'virtual assistant' and then putting the price on what they want to pay. It frequently doesn't match up - the rate the client wants to pay versus the work they want done. Do they think that VAs are monkeys? Because it seems all they want to pay is peanuts a lot of the time. I recently saw a job post at DoMyStuff.com where someone was advertising for a VA to assist … [Read more...]
Blogathon Interview
Chris Conley at Startup or Bust contacted me recently for an interview for his upcoming Blogathon which is now taking place. Why not head on over there and give him some encouragement and read all the interviews he's done on many different subjects? Mine is interview number 4 out of a total of 48 he's doing over a 24 hour period. You can see him live in action during the Blogathon. KMT Blogathon, blogging, interview … [Read more...]
Do You Skype?
Skype is frequently used by VAs the world over now to have discussions with clients, participate in seminars, partake of coaching and contact distant family members. Recently on one of the VA forums I belong to there was a question about Skype and how easy it was to use. A VA's family member is going to be overseas for a period of time and they wanted to be assured of making contact regularly, easily and at low cost. There are costs involved for some of the services but we've not as yet made … [Read more...]
Virtual Assistants in the Legal World
Some months ago (in 2006 actually) we had a few articles come out in Lawyer's Weekly in Australia and it was good to see the recognition by the legal industry of how Virtual Assistants can assist them in their daily needs. A new article has just been published by Law Practice Today titled The Virtual Assistant: Every Lawyer Needs One! and I thought I'd share the article with you - it is a good one and gives great information about the types of things that VAs can do to service their clients in … [Read more...]
Coaching Courses For VAs
I was recently approached by an organisation I'd never heard of to promote their new certification for VAs. Their email was not very clear in explaining what they were promoting and when I went to their website, I found their page for the certification for VAs. However, I decided to decline their request to promote to my list of VAs till I received further information. Why? 1. They appeared to not be a member of any coaching or educational organisation. 2. There was no apparent affiliation … [Read more...]
Question: I am trying to work from home. How did you get started communicating online and getting assignments. Thank you.
The above was recently posted by a new member of my VA forum and I decided it would be good to share my answer here as well. Hi, this is something everyone goes through when starting out and many new VAs do not realise that getting work online is not the only way to get work. We make the mistake of thinking we're operating 'virtually' so the only way to get work is by promoting online - but that is not the case. Most of my own clients I have met personally, or have been referred to me by people … [Read more...]
