Is anyone here a marketing VA?

[marketingVA]

Can't find a part time job anywhere and all online jobs have the whole world and his wife applying.

I'm highly skilled in SEO, Data Analytics, Excel, content writing and general marketing shenanigans and I was just wondering if anyone was a Virtual Assistant with a marketing focus?

I just had a look on Upwork and it all seemed so scammy.

Feedback from remote jobs is that I'm too far away (yes, even for remote work! I'm in the South West)

I'm just looking for between 10-28 hours a week. I don't know what hourly rate as salaries here are £10.90 and I'm just used to it even after over a decade 😭

My self esteem is low after redundancy and a failed job hunt. But just looking at other options. If there are any.

If you are sw, look at Bristol based companies that allow wfh - how long to get to Bristol if you needed to go for a meeting? Tip of Cornwall could be a bigger issue than east Devon. Exeter has a few companies but less in the tech sector

@gogohmm Bristol is 4 hours away.

I've tried Exeter but a recruiter there told me I'm a bit old for marketing and they seem to hoard the majority of the jobs. (I'm 35)

There are loads of VAs doing this and lots of communities online to get support and ideas. Starting out I got loads of info from www.vact.co.uk there's a Facebook group you can join.
Places like Upwork can be really daunting when you are starting out.

Have you posted about something similar before OP? I remember a little while back someone in the south west was looking for marketing jobs.

I can't believe they told you that you were too old at 35! I'm 38 and recently changed jobs to a marketing role at a small company - might be worth trying smaller places?

@DaisyStream nope not me! We do have a huge employment issue down here as roles are so badly paid. There isn't much about at all apart from marketing holiday homes (and then you get all the social media abuse)

Thanks @GrimDamnFanjo for that helpful link!

I'll try and find the other thread as it might be useful

Have you tried charity jobs.

You can filter by part time and remote.

www.charityjob.co.uk

If you’re doing self-employed / contract / freelance work in the meantime why not go for SEO & writing work as a copy/content writer & strategist rather than a VA? You’ll command higher rates just with that slight change in positioning. The trouble with a ‘VA’ title is that many have the impression this is a generalist admin role and see VA skills as being far less specialised and easier to come by. (Including VAs themselves really – it’s a flooded market.)

35 too old for marketing?! 😂 The only place I can think this came from is that some companies might think they need young people who are immersed in tik tok and emerging platforms popular with gen z (or just stuff they don’t know about generally).

Do you have any stuff you can use for a portfolio?

I work as a senior marketing and communications manager.

I am confused as to why you would describe yourself as a ''virtual assistant' if you want a marketing role.

It makes it sound like your experience is more admin/PA type which is unlikely to get you the roles your want, so you might need to look at how your present yourself in your CV/application forms.

Looking at charity roles is a good suggestions. Or look at content managers/content designers role in the public service. Some schools and college also sometimes have marketing roles.

I never found a single job through a recruitment agency in my entire career by the way, I always got comms/marketing roles by applying directly to employers. I find agencies utterly useless.

@Greenfairydust Hi, I don't describe myself as a Virtual Assistant yet. It's just that there are barely marketing exec or marketing manager roles available here so I'm exploring other avenues. Considering the lack of vacancies in my part of the UK I was considering a remote role - which hasn't worked either. So my final hope is "VA" style stuff as I know it exists with a marketing edge.

Also many of our roles in the SW are advertised via recruiters and not directly through Indeed / LinkedIn. That's not an issue with how I'm applying for roles - it's just how the area is.

I used to live in another part of the UK and you're right, I never once used a recruiter there.

If a company advertises a marketing role here directly it tends to be very badly paid (nmw for a marketing manager level role). Opportunities via recruiters tend to pay slightly better.

Hence my thread :) but thanks for your reply anyway.

@OCarumba I'll have a look into self employed stuff. I just assumed I'd only ever be on £10.90 forever and that I couldnt afford freelancing. I think redundancy has knocked my confidence!