I am self-employed as a Virtual Assistsnt. I have worked in administration for approximately 20 years and after my first child came along I knew that I wanted to be self-employed, providing admin services to other businesses big back then (10 years ago), it wasn't really a thing so I sort of shelved it for a while as a silly dream 😊
Initially, I took a job as a secretary on a part-time basis for a local branch of a national charity. It was completely working from home and I was very fortunate to spot the tiny ad in the local paper! I did this for about seven years and loved it.
However, once both of my children were at school, I felt that I wanted to return to work so I was offered a part time job in the fundraising department of another local charity.
During that time, I slowly built up a client base and in June of last year I left my job to become solely a VA.
I am extremely lucky because the previous owners of our house built a small extension and converted half of the additional room into an office. I work the hours that I choose for the clients that I select. It has its ups and downs, can be very lonely and isolating, is a bit scary, encourages doubters to pass comment on my 'job' and its actual existence (A what? So do you just spend all day on FB? Oooohhh, your house must be tidy if you are at home all day?", it can encourage midday snacking 😄 and the heating bill has increased dramatically. The income can be sporadic (unless you offer packages and retainers as I do), and you solely responsibly fit submitting your own tax return (and paying the subsequent bill!)
I had coveted the local primary school secretarial job and secretly waited for the secretary to retire. I had volunteered in the school office a handful of times during busy periods and the head of school would fairly regularly say that one day there would be a position available for me in the future so I offered my help is often as I could. However, when the secretary retired last year, a new head of school was appointed who had other ideas and the role of secretary has been filled with an acquaintance of hers. On reflection, I have to say I am relieved that the hope is no longer there for me because the hours would require me to place my children into breakfast and after-school clubs, which I definitely do not want to do. Weird that I hadn't thought of that for all of those years!
As a VA, I can still help at school, attend school trips if needed, watch school plays and assemblies without having to check with a boss and I can make tea, have dinner in the slow cooker, and schedule work around my plans and vice versa.
Ifyou have any sort of skills that could be useful to a company or an individual, that would save them time / money / hassle, I highly recommend becoming a VA or offering some sort of virtual
setvice. Certainly for me it's a regular income, I am earning more on a part-time basis pro rata than I ever have in any full-time job. I feel proud of myself (and I'm terrible at praising myself), am regularly shell-shocked and a bit over-whelmed that this is actually 'a thing' and it's working for us, and I also feel that I am contributing just as much as DH, in terms of money and time with my children. I managed to pay for Christmas just gone and a weeks camping last summer. I'm hoping for something a little drier and earner this year! 😆
Oddly, a few of my friends have disappeared because they felt that I gave up a perfectly good job with good prospects, to take a risk. Seems to be working out though 😉😎. Funnily enough, the charity that I left in June is now one of my biggest clients 😊.
Good luck with whatever you decide. Of course I am biased but I'd recommend being a VA anyday 😊