Periodically I get emails from VAs who have sought the assistance of other VAs only to be let down by them due to a lack of commitment, understanding of time sensitivity or simply just not taking the work seriously. They accept the job and then contact the VA outsourcing the work sometime later to say it hasn’t been done or they don’t have time, or something else has happened.
I’ve had clients complain of the same thing – thankfully few and far between, but it does happen. Or, I’ve seen a VA respond to a job request via a VA network and then a couple of weeks later they’re posting the same job request because they can no longer give commitment to the job at hand and want to pass it on to someone else.
I don’t know why this is – is there something wrong with the way they see their businesses and their credibility in the eyes of clients (whether that be internal clients to the VA industry or external clients)? Is it that they still don’t see or understand the importance of their work? Or is this how they behaved in their previous jobs or corporate roles and just discarded what they no longer wanted to do and leaving it to others to clear up the mess or rush to meet deadlines?
As business owners, Virtual Assistants must accept responsibility for the work they accept and if they cannot meet the time frame or it’s not to their liking, then they really need to reassess how they’re operating their business and the way they are pursuing work. After it’s not ‘make pretend’ and they are dealing with real people and real work. And behaving in a ‘flighty’ manner will tend to make others steer clear of them. I can understand some thinking this business doesn’t really work if that is how they operate.
If you’re new to the VA industry, then think carefully (not too quickly) about the type of work you’re seeking or trying to grab. If it’s a short-term project, then stick it out, even if you do not like the work. If it’s long-term, then thinking doubly as long before putting your hand up for it – especially if you’re not sure if you’re cut out for the work. What’s that old saying? Act in haste, repent at leisure?
Kathie is the former owner of VA Directory and is former past President of the Australian VA Association. She founded the Virtual Assistant industry in Australia in the mid 90s, having already been operating a home-based secretarial service. Today the VA industry covers a multitude of office-based services for clients worldwide.
Lesley says
After reading your blog I was quite gob smacked about the issue VAs who have agreed to help another VA out and then have a lack of commitment, understanding of time sensitivity or not taking a job seriously. That is very sad to hear.
I just thought I would share an experience with you. An expression of interest re: a subbie job in April through ACS jobleads was met with the VA who was seeking regular assistance “If you have been in business since 2006, why would you want to sub contract?†I got the feeling she thought it was quite odd. That annoyed me immensely. I love helping other VAs as I feel comfortable working with other VAs and that I do subbie jobs for six other VAs when they require assistance. The VAs I assist uphold the VA competencies as I do and I love the variety of work also. I withdrew my expression of interest as a result. I am not sure what the issue was but I welcome assistance from VAs who are guided by the VA competencies and especially if they have been in a business for a while, wouldn’t you?
Lidia Griffin says
Kathie – I think that it is a very daunting task to consider outsourcing VA work. I guess ultimately it comes down to the fact that if you can ask you clients to have enough faith in you to delegate, the that’s a skill that you have to work at as a VA. Great though in principal, but I am sure that when the time (hopefully) comes that I am in that predicament, I will be extremely cautious in who I outsource to based on som of the horror stories I have read.