Margie,

I am in the same boat. I will not be able to provide references as all of my former employers have ceased to exist due to the current economic situation. I would have to go waaaaay back to find someone that is still around. Hopefully we will have a couple of clients under our belt before we are asked to produce references. Good luck.

Carla

What a great reminder! I only use current clients as references. That way I'm fresh in their memory.

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Lisa Morosky
VAforBloggers.com

Thank you Carla for the words of encouragement. I wish you good luck in your business venture.

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Margie Gibson
http://mgvirtualofficesolutions.org

What if you don't have any current references - as in coming back into the workforce after raising children, or being retired?

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Daneille

Originally Posted by brandyellen

I haven't ever responded to an RFP. How exactly does it work - does this mean RFP's that you see on job boards - or does it mean when a client contacts you for work?

An RFP can be advertised in any type of media form (newspaper, job boards, Guru, Elance, etc.), can be sent to specific VAs, ... basically an RFP is what it stands for, your response to a "Request for a Proposal". An RFP will give you directions on what service is being looked for, how they want you to respond and what information you need to provide.

By not being able to follow the directions given in a written document, is an automatic rejection on RFPs. IF a VA cannot follow written directions, the client will more than likely discount they can follow verbal directions (it is presumed a VA will have to take notes on verbal directions and then they are back to the "cannot follow written directions").

Here's another tip. If an RFP requires 2 references, make sure you provide TWO references and not more or less. Here's a horrible response when an RFP requires two references:

"If {company name} is shortlisted, references will be provided upon by request."

I am still in shock on this response. It was already requested in the RFP. So those little details are important and can mean whether or not you receive a chance at work.

On another note, the client has stated that all future RFPs being sent out will have an automatic screening. Any VAs that were rejected due to poor references from this particular project are to be automatically excluded from all future work. The client doesn't want to waste my time in researching them again.

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Mary Hettwer
Hettwer Virtual Office

Originally Posted by turtlelove

What if you don't have any current references - as in coming back into the workforce after raising children, or being retired?

Have you done any volunteer work for the schools, churches, civic organizations, City, clubs, etc. ? Those are excellent resources for references. You may not have been getting paid, but you were providing a great service.

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Mary Hettwer
Hettwer Virtual Office

Just another example to double and triple proof everything you send out! Even spell checking can miss correctly spelled words (i.e. no instead of on)
And as I tell my kids when doing homework, READ the DIRECTIONS, and then RE-Read them, just to be sure you didn't miss something!

Sharon Heywood
VersaOffice

Volunteer references would be personal or childcare - not in my career field, but references that can verify that I have done something like written grant proposals are many years old - if I could even find them.
Is an old reference in my field better than a new one that is not?

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Daneille

I fall into the same category being a new VA. I have a reference from my last employer, thank goodness I asked him (before I retired) for it. Soon after he left the company and moved to another state. I was just asked for 3 references by a multi va team owner. I let her know I would have to get an ok first before releasing names. The problem is I don't really have 3 names now. I have one more I am sure I can use. It is from a former teck teacher when I took my 4 month computer course last year. But I am still shy one reference. So I guess that is the end of that lead. I guess things will improve in the future after I have some clients. But it can get discouraging in the beginning. There are so many things that have to be taken care of before things start happening.



Jo-Carole

Jocarole,
I would just be honest with the multi va team owner. Ask if she would give you a project on a trial basis. Sometimes personal references can work to vouch that you are honest, trustworthy and reliable - even if they haven't worked with you.

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Daneille