I received an email via my contact form during the week from a lady who wants to become a virtual assistant. Rather than fill out the application form, she wrote to me first as she wasn’t sure if she had what it took. Her email was badly typed with misspellings, caps missing, and so on.
However, I recognised that she probably didn’t see this in the same way as she might writing a letter of application to an employer. This was my response to her:
To be truthful, if the typing you sent below is an example of your ability to type, then you will find it very hard to get work as a Virtual Assistant. Attention to detail, correct spelling, grammar and caps in the right places are most important.
Email is usually the first contact that clients will have with you and the way you present yourself online is very important.
However, lots do not realise that at first when they join our teams or our forum and they soon correct that once they realise the importance. Text chat on mobile phones haven’t helped in that regard.
May I suggest you join our chat forum that is listed on the front of our website at www.vadirectory.net? It is free and will give you the opportunity to mix and mingle with those who are already working from home and it will help you assess whether or not you can make this work for you. Some members work only 5 hours a week and some 40 hours a week with many others in between – depending on their personal situations.
We do have a virtual assistant training course that teaches you how to run a VA business but we do not teach you how to use software programs or how to type a letter in the correct way – these are things you’ll need to know already.
I hope this helps those who are seeking to join a VA team and work from home – your emails are just as important as letters of applications to prospective employers.
Debbie Stevens says
I am so honored to know such a diligent, and sincere-soul!
Great article, Kathie.
Kathie Thomas says
Thanks Debbie. I believe in helping people as much as I can and giving them a fair chance. What I might take for granted as the best or right thing to do isn’t always what others know – they need to learn.
Anne says
You spelled recognised incorrectly. Should be “recognized”.
Kathie Thomas says
Anne, I use UK English, not US English so recognise was spelt in the correct way.
It’s important for VAs to be aware of different variations of English wording so that they can support clients who might not live local to them. I expect there are variations in other languages too.