When you respond to Job Requests or Requests for Proposals via the different VA networks do you send your CV? Because VAs are business owners and not employees, the general consensus is ‘no’ – we’re not applying for a job with an employer, we’re responding to a request for help with a client’s business. So, just how much information should you provide when responding to one of these requests?
On one of the VA forums I belong to there has been discussion about whether or not to send CVs to prospective clients.
I thought I’d bring the same conversation here as I’m sure the feedback below would be of interest to many of you.
This is feedback I got from a client who came through my webform a couple of weeks ago – I send out follow up emails. She was making comment that only one of my team who responded to the request offered their CV and the others didn’t. She gave the work to the one who furnished it.
I emailed her back and advised the VAs aren’t employees and so wouldn’t ordinarily offer their CVs but could have portfolios or an outline of their experience and perhaps some testimonials. Her response back to me was this and I thought it worth sharing here:
Thanks for that feedback – maybe I got the terminology wrong. I realise that these people are not employees – neither am I but I send a cv and a short history of previous assignments out to prospective clients.
Any information on the kind of work/assignments the respondents have done would be helpful eg the person I chose had experience in both the health sector and in governance, both of which I was after. I chose her because the documentation she sent me included this. The others only sent me price details with assertions that they were very experienced, but with no evidence.
Sorry to labour the point but I found the difference very important and would hate to have had the point missed because of my terminology – it’s the evidence of their experience that I thought would improve their responses.
I thanked her for her feedback – it is important that we can view things from the client perspective as much as possible. It is also important that sufficient information is provided to prospective clients when responding to job leads – particularly if you’ve responded to a request that has come via a VA network or VA job list. The client doesn’t know anything about you so needs to be given that information. Clients who approach you through your own website would possibly have a different view – they’ve already read about your skills and abilities on your website.
Teri says
This is a very valuable blog.
There is quite a different perspective between sending out a CV when requesting a job, and responding in a professional way to someone seeking your services.
I think it could be perceived as arrogant for a VA to assume that the client should accept they are ‘professional’ if they provide no evidence. To me it is both courteous and common sense for a VA to provide succinct advice about their areas of expertise, tertiary or other qualifications, and experience. It enables the client to make the best fit, and enables the VA to show off their wares!