So I went to a networking event and found out the reason I am not getting a lot of freelance from clients.

Not becasue my website is horrible (yes working on it), or my even my marketing materials.

It was because I was a male. One person walked up to me and said "You know why you are not getting a lot of work, it's your appearance?" I was like what? He said "not because you are black, because you are a male and people think of females only". My jaw drop!

I had a total of 6 people walk up to me and said almost the same thing. One lady said "I taught your name us Julia instead of Julian"

I am standing there saying to myself "You have got to be kidding me"

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Julian Johns
Administrative Data Services

Hi Julian

Don't let other people's words get in your way and take you off the path towards your goal. This is where you should step on the gas and move forward with more determination than ever, use those jaw dropping conversations as motivation. I know quite a few men in this profession. It's just like when women started getting into jobs that were usually "for men only" and look how far we've come.

Lots of luck to you, I hope to be reading about your enormous success in the near future. Just don't take all the clients, please leave some for me.

Shelsky aka Michelle

Julian,

I am so sorry to hear that and that is crazy, but if that is your reality then lets see how to work around it.. Maybe you need to spend most of your resources marketing via internet.. Business owners need to make adjustments as necessary. Lets get you some clients first and then the referrals will come.

tj

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Tamika R. Johnson, MBA, Principal
administrative partners, llc
www.administrativepartners.net | http://adminpartners.blogspot.com

Isn't it interesting that many, many years ago an office assistant was a male - long before females were in the workplace much? Julian once you've made a name for yourself, it won't matter what gender you are.

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Sue L Canfield
AwesomeAssistant.info
My Blog

Everyone here has made some great points. As frustrating as it must be to be discriminated against because of your gender, I hope you don't let it stop you! There are plenty of people out there who would be delighted to work with you, regardless of your outward appearance. Best of luck to you!

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Tammi Metzler ~ The Write Associate
Free call: "How to Write Email Subject Lines That Grab Attention!"

You know, I never realized until just now that you were a guy. LOL Seriously though, I don't know what to tell you other than, "keep at it and don't let it get you down". I've been in a similar boat, I started doing taxes and bookkeeping when I was fifteen. Needless to say I got some resistance from clients, but I could refuse to tell them my age, you can't really hide the fact that your a guy.

I know my last boss absolutely refused to hire a male in the office, but I honestly think it was just because he was such an a-hole that he didn't think he could get away with it with a another guy w/out getting his @$$ kicked.

There are several other male VAs around, maybe you should start a support group. LOL

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Rebecka Melson ~ Virtual Business Services

Thanks for all the great comments and advice. I love this site everyone is so honest and helpful. Thank you all!!!

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Julian Johns
Administrative Data Services

I was just thinking to myself how VAs appear to be prodominantly female and voila, I came across your thread! Good to see men are also in this industry. Best of luck to you!

As an EA, I have worked with several male EAs and every one my professional relationships with them has been very positive. If I were hiring, I would definitely have no hesitation in hiring a male VA (it shouldn't make any difference what gender one is!).