Virtual Assistant Forums | Work from Home

vainparadise · #11 (**permalink**) 03-31-2008

You guys are funny!

See I don't provide a resume. I have the thought process that I am not an employee I am a business owner. With my husbands business we never provided a resume, we provided references and I as a business owner have references that I can provide if needed.

Many VA's feel this way as well from what I have read. When I chose my accountant/attorney I didn't ask them for their resume. I don't understand the logic behind VA's providing resumes. We want to be recognised as business owners and not employees so to provide a resume just defeats the purpose I guess.

BinAL · #12 (**permalink**) 03-31-2008

Who did you use for references when you first started out? I don't even have my site up yet, so was unsure how to provide references to my first few clients.

Originally Posted by Bette C

The way I look at it... would you ask your dentist or doctor for a resume? I never have.

No, but I check where they went to school, status with the AMA, call several references etc.

I just feel like there should be some way for clients to do some kind of due diligence when one is first starting out.

Maybe a few references are enough.

virtual writing · #13 (**permalink**) 03-31-2008

You have to go ahead and do work for some people if you haven't already, whether for pay or not, and get references from them. It may be difficult to be credible without at least some of these.
I think your website should also show a basic outline of your work history, so you send people there to get the scoop on your background ....

Tess · #14 (**permalink**) 03-31-2008

Wow, Maria - you were a lot nicer than I would have been - I would have just deleted it. If the girl can't even create a resume correctly how does she expect to impress anyone enough to sub to her??

I guess you can take it as a compliment...I remember when I started getting emails like that I realized that at least *someone* saw me as 'established'

akjenniekt · #15 (**permalink**) 04-01-2008

To be perfectly honest I would have really appreciated potential employers giving me feedback like that. Sometimes you just don't realize that what you are doing isn't necessarily correct. When I was first starting out it would have been great to get that kind of information, even if I didn't get hired.
Jen

Maria · #16 (**permalink**) 04-01-2008

Tess my first thought was to delete it. But then I thought I would want somebody to give me their honest feedback. So that why I tried to help her. But I think she wasn't to happy.

#17 (**permalink**) 04-02-2008

I have been asked for my resume, which I keep updated (in case of that Big If). I used to write resumes, so I feel very comfortable about it. I just see it as an example of my work and only send it when requested. The fact that hers was so bad I think says a lot about the type of work she may produce. It's too bad she didn't take your suggests and run with them!

Gems Virtual Office · #18 (**permalink**) 04-02-2008

I have what I like to call a Professional Resume and it is possible to view it from my website. I used Emurse to create it and then they provide you with a link to put on your website so that it can be viewed. I call it a Professional Resume because it starts off with a Company Objective listing a description of Gem's Virtual Office, and then goes on to list Professional Skills and Experience.

I never send it out with proposals or marketing letters, but is there for people to view if they want. And along with everything else its still a work in progress