Exactly Tess. Sorry, I was assuming she already knew that but thanks for adding it.

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Kathie M. Thomas, VA Coach
A Clayton's Secretary, VA Blog

Not at all!
It's great to see you on the boards again Kathie - I always look forward to your posts

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Thanks Tess, been out of it a bit with other stuff going on, but popping back in now

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Kathie M. Thomas, VA Coach
A Clayton's Secretary, VA Blog

For those suggesting the Elance sight. I am very new at this, not officially launched, but I wouldn't mind getting my feet wet with a little grunge work. Are the jobs on that site for real? I was also looking at a site called www.virtualassistantjobs.com and there's lots of stuff on it, but I'm nervous about being taken for a fool. I will definitely implement some of the personal marketing ideas, however I am not located in my market yet. As I am moving to Atlanta, and that is where I plan to launch my business.

Also how specifically have you utilized Craigslist? Are you looking for jobs in your field and then proposing your service?

Originally Posted by Executive Online Solutions

I just joined the local Chamber of Commerce, and they suggested I go to the local Employment Center to look for job postings. The thinking was that I should send a letter to anyone looking for part-time office work, telling them about my VA services, what I can offer, and how it would be less expensive for them. Has anyone done this? Has it worked? My initial thinking is that it would be better to start local rather than Elance or Craigslist, but I could be completely wrong.

This is a great suggestion, have you tried this yet?

Evelyn

Yes, I know many who've done it. I even have when seeing adverts in the local paper but with a minimum of success. You are much better off meeting and mingling with business owners - those who are snowed under and need your help. These you can get to know on a personal basis and they will engage your services once they're gotten to know you, which is why networking face-to-face is very important. Go to local networking events and meet these people. You can meet business people online in forums too. It's harder work but still effective. Why not check out linkedin.com for example?

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Kathie M. Thomas, VA Coach
A Clayton's Secretary, VA Blog

I was hired through oDesk for a VA job a couple of weeks ago. The pay isn't the highest, but perfectly acceptable (to me at least). I should have a tidy little sum put away by the time I'm ready to officially start my business in September.

Here are my tips:
1.) Take lots of tests. Take as many as you can, but only make the scores public if they are in the top 30%. This proves your knowledge to employers.
2.) Put together a great portfolio. This is just another way to show employers your skills. Make sure what you put in your portfolio isn't mediocre, it needs to stand out.
3.) Find a quick, little job that you can do to get positive feedback. The job probably won't pay much, so find one that won't take much time or skill to complete. Employers will be more willing to hire you at a higher rate if you have a great feedback rating.
4.) Only do hourly jobs. oDesk guarantees your pay if it is done on an hourly basis.
5.) Pay attention to the employer's stats. Look to see how many people the employer has hired vs. how many jobs he/she has posted. If they rarely hire then they may just be looking for estimates on jobs, not a freelancer. Also look at their feedback, an employer with low feedback ratings will likely be a pain to deal with.

I hope this helps!

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Katie B.
Helping Hands VA- Coming Soon!

I have tried responding to local ads, but have had no success. I think Kathie is correct. I have joined some networking groups, including the Chamber, and I think I'd rather focus on that strategy. Not that I will stop responding to ads altogether, but I certainly won't expect much response. Any jobs I do get will be considered "bonus".

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Sharon Foster
"Giving You the Executive Edge"

Thank you all for the great information.