I am wondering what is the best VA association to affiliate myself with? I am a VA newbie and know that being linked with a reputable association is essential when building my bio, and listing credentials.

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Have a Great Day on Purpose!!!!!!!!!!!

My personal opinion [and the reason I have never aligned myself with ANY of the various VA organizations] is that your clients will likely not care what VA groups you are a part of, much less know one from the other [unless your clients are VAs themselves].

And many of the VA sites out there aren't really true 'associations' at all - just sites that were developed around the concept of virtual assistance, and in an effort to bring someone's idea of standardization to the industry.

I would recommend seeking out and promoting your affiliations with groups such as your *local* chamber of commerce, and any specialty groups related to your industry [for instance, if you are a bookkeeper, or real estate VA...].

There are a lot of sites out there for VAs charging money for 'membership' or 'certification' and all it's based on is someone's opinion of what a VA 'should be'. There are also many 'gurus' out there promoting paid memberships to their site or certificates - they imply that they are running a wildly successful VA practice, but my guess is they make their profit off of incoming VA hopefuls.

I've never once been asked by a client or potential client if I'm affiliated with an organzation in the VA industry - and my practice is flourishing anyway

This is my personal opinion - certainly there are people who feel strongly that an affiliation with one group or another has been useful to them... I'm just not one of them.

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Honestly? There are multiple organizations out there... and some of them are a good fit for some, not for others. Some of the organizations have very strict philosophies about the profession, others do not. Some are more self-serving to their organizers than others. Some are for profit, others are non-profit. Some are well-run, others not. Some are free, like VAF, others are not.

There's one that I avoid, for example (no I won't name it!), for two reasons. First, I don't agree with their professional philosophies. Second, many (though not all!) of the members come off as pretentious, gossipy snobs -- the kind of people that made me want to become a VA in the first place! I absolutely could not stand the office politics and all of the related nonsense... but this particular organization seems to just be mired in it. For some reason, they run their businesses as if they are still employees in the cubicle maze. ugh. No thank you.

I think the best way to find out which one is right for you (or more than one!) is to just do your research. I recommend looking of the leaders of the organization and research them, as well. What other groups are they connected to? Read their blogs or publications. eventually, you will discover that those that appeal to you the most may share a common organization or two. Look at the organization and see how it is set up. Read what they have to say and how it fits with what you want to be as a business person.

Also, don't be fooled by glitzy websites or uppity claims about SEO ranks... those are not always indicative of a quality VA organization. It doesn't mean that they aren't, either.... but sometimes, the glitter tends to suck you in.

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Marian Harmon, Certified Virtual Assistant
www.crossmydesk.com

Well said Tess...

I agree, you need to do what is right for yourself. Check out the sites and see if you get a feeling of wanting to belong before you just give them money.

Rebecca

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Rebecca Thompson
CLR Virtual Connection * fanTABulous fan pages

I agree with Tess as well. I have seen many site to join an association and offering certification classes for a fee. Hello - I think we all have experience if not we will not be in the VA world. LOL.

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Virtual Express Inc.:daisy:
Ramonita Comas

I agree with everyone here. When I first started I subscribed to a VA forum and paid for the membership. Included with the membership were forms and a monthly seminar which of course were helpful to me as a newbie. There are many forums and membership sites for VAs right now . VA is exploding and we are only seeing the tip of the iceburg. So you can hop around the Internet and check out what is available, what they give you for your money and then decide. This is what I did. Ultimately, you will have to do your own research and make your own decision on what you think is best for you.

I didn't come upon VAF at that time but wish I did. VAF has forms, seminars, a friendly forum where people love helping you, book clubs, A Virtual Perception Podcast, VA interviews, book reviews, blogs, RFPs, VA news, local VA meetups, The Virtual Entrepreneur e-zine, did I forget anything? and no paid membership is required.

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JoCarole
http://www.shoreofficeservices.com

The thing that bothers me about certification are those organizations that will "certify" you after completing a course. That means nothing to me, and I will admit if I see one of those badges on a VA's site, it makes me pause and wonder what skills they actually posses. I'm confident enough in my skills and experience that the idea of a "VA Course" seems ridiculous.

However, I do believe in some form of accomplishment or certification based on skill. That's why after a long time of considering it, I chose the IVAA CVA route. The kicker was that I actually *have* been asked about certification for the field, and one in particular asked about IVAA certification. It was on a public forum, too, and I'd be happy to provide the link if TPTB don't object, since it isn't a VA related forum. However, specifically, the gentleman said:

"Hi Marian, are you a member of IVAA and if so are you either a CRESS or CVA? I use a couple of VA's here and there and this is one area where I believe that since there is no government license for VAs that certification is a valid means of establishing a baseline of professionalism and service."

I was actually shocked when he said that. Obviously, this is somebody already familiar VAs.... but it was this event, as well as the two others the prompted me to go for it. In the long run, it may not mean much, but I have earned enough work since achieving it that it obviously makes some kind of difference.

But, it's not for everyone.

I do wish there was a true standard... but I doubt there will ever be one. That's why when I was researching I looked at those VAs that I liked, saw what they were doing and went in that direction. I also paid attention to the ones that were a bit too.... well.... let's say "abrasive" than others. I realized we didn't share the same ideas or philosophies, so I quickly wrote them off, despite self-promoting tactics that may indicate otherwise.

That said, there are a LOT of excellent VAs that do not belong to any associations. It's all about what your needs happen to be, and the kind of work you're trying to get... things like that.

I love VAF because it's free and there are some absolutely amazing things to be found here.

However, I'm also careful of the VAs who take bootstrapping to a whole new level and refuse to do anything that will cost them a dime. I'm as frugal as they come... but I'm not opposed to making a good investment when I need to. When it comes to VA organizations... I'd would say that there are 2... maybe 3, tops, that would be worth the money..... but only if they offer something you need.

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Marian Harmon, Certified Virtual Assistant
www.crossmydesk.com

Originally Posted by Marian

However, I'm also careful of the VAs who take bootstrapping to a whole new level and refuse to do anything that will cost them a dime. I'm as frugal as they come... but I'm not opposed to making a good investment when I need to. When it comes to VA organizations... I'd would say that there are 2... maybe 3, tops, that would be worth the money..... but only if they offer something you need.

I have to agree with Marion. VA is a business, like any other business. You can't expect not to spend money in starting up a business. "You get out of it what you put into it" is so very true here. Besides the obvious, like a good working computer, printer, reference books, marketing materials there are others costs. It's not just an "I think I'll work from home concept" and make a great living. VA is all about 'cutting edge technologies' plus whatever it is that you do. But since technologies are constantly upgrading itself on a daily schedule, it is going to cost more to learn these new technologies. Which means if you want to stay in the loop and keep up with your competition, you will need to continue studying either online or locally, upgrading your equipment when necessary, having the comparable software as others in the industry or better, memberships for different associations that will benefit your business, locally and online. Free is good but unfortunately at some point in time we all have to bite the bullet! Whether it is paying for an expert to write up your first PR or get some help for your Web site or SEO or something else. This is inevitable. So it may be a sacrifice to find this money to put into your business. I had to give up some things that I used to buy before but now I think everything through before buying anything. My deciding factor is ' always' ...will I get a return on my investment? And I know it will when I invest in my own business.

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JoCarole
http://www.shoreofficeservices.com

Building your bio and listing credentials should be about your skills and education not any organization that you belong too. I belong to some organizations for my benefit only and not to say I am affiliated with this group.

I have never been asked by any of my clients about groups or certifications that I have. Instead I have been asked about my experience, my philosophies and general business practices. That being said there may be some potential clients where an affiliation may be essential to them but overall that is not the norm.

When choosing programs or groups for certification (or education) you need to look at what is best for you and your business. If you think that a certification will help you then go for it. But I would choose the programs wisely and look at your ROI for them. Are you getting certified to make sure that you have all the skills necessary for a certain niche or service? Or are you getting certified to say that you are certified.

Like the others have said there are some groups out there that are looking for the membership fee and have no benefit and there are others who offer much information for a small fee or no fee (VA Forums rocks here!) There are also many groups that are non VA based that have tons of helpful information and programs.

I also agree that it takes money to make money. Your investments should be made to enhance your service offerings, whether it be a piece of equipment, a software program or a seminar. Potential clients will look at what you have in your office. Do you have quality equipment, up-to-date software programs and specialized training in some areas? I believe if you are going to invest in your business this should be where you spend first. Adding paid certifications to bolster your company profile is not a wise choice in my opinion.

I guess what I am trying to say is you need to make the decision based on the value to your business. Recommendations from the group will vary but ultimately only you can decide which direction you need to go and what it will bring to your VA practice.

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Lee Drozak
My Office Assistant

I also agree with Tess and Lee on this subject. I have looked at all the groups and honestly they do nothing for me. None of them have anything to offer that I don't already have or I can get for free from all of the online free educational services that are offered. (We will be doing an article for the October issue on the Free education and certifications that are offered online--- So, check out the October issue for this information) But, to go back to the topic. We came into this business with the skills we developed over the years in our industry. This is what makes you what you are. You should start with what you know and not what you want to know. Once you have built up your business then you can add to it along the way. I totally agree with investing your money into your business with buying updated software, equipment and tools.

Just my 2 cents

Andrea~

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