Work From Home, More Quality Time

Working while taking care of my huggable, kissable nephew :)

Quitting from my 7-year job as Executive Secretary, I found more time to pursue my passions and thankfully, get more virtual work from oDesk.

In a month, I was able to finish two e-books, launched them into a self-made site and get new clients from oDesk. The pay may not yet be as great as my office-based job but the rewards of freedom, peace and sense of fulfillment are far more gratifying than any amount of money. Plus there's that cutie pie you can watch while you work :)

Start your own career as a virtual assistant or---as some prefer to be called nowadays---virtual contractor! Check out the easy-to-follow tutorials of my internet mentor Jomar Hilario by clicking here.

Free Brainbench Tests!

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One of the effective ways to attract employers and increase your hireability (if there's such a word) as a virtual assistant is to have certifications on your online resume.

Brainbench.com is one of the most-recognized online assessment company in the industry and being certified by them will make your resume quite attractive to potential employers, especially if you have minimal experience in the virtual assistant field or if you're only starting a career and have no ratings yet (some employers prefer higher-rated contractors).

Known for its innovative, yet easy-to-use online assessment solutionsBrainbench is the only assessment company with a rich offering across personality, knowledge, skills, abilities, and past work behavior. Other companies offer strengths in one or two of these areas, but only Brainbench offers world class tools in each category. 

Create your free account now and avail of their free tests while they still are. Most of the important assessment tests here are paid so better grab this opportunity so you can be certified free-of-charge. 

Kuwait couple gets death for Filipina murder - Yahoo!

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Kuwait couple gets death for Filipina murder - Yahoo!: "Kuwait couple gets death for Filipina murder"

'via Blog this'

Another of our countrymen victimized as an overseas domestic helper, quite sad. That was the point I was trying to make on my blog post on virtual workers, that Filipinos need not be out of the country to earn dollars. We have got to get out the word out there that there are jobs in the country and they could even work from home via oDesk!

It's the Year of Virtual Workers!

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Just read Chadwick Hagan's article on The Huffington Post telling that 2012 is the year of independent workers: 

The internet has opened up markets that were originally unavailable and now independent contractors can simply join an online marketplace and upload their details. They can be ready to go in a matter of hours. Online marketplaces like oDesk, Guru and eLance offer employers the ability to hire employees for a wide range of projects -- from specialized engineering to hourly employment. Managers have the ability to review work before ending the contract and can see screen shots of the employees computer. Employers can easily post job notices on these sites and have qualified contractors submit their information.

Read the article: Why 2012 is the Year of the Independent Worker

I'm inclined to believe that because at the start of 2012, my oDesk employers went from 1 to 3 and that's only in January. And just this week, my new employer gave me a bonus barely 2 weeks after she confirmed my contract under her. 


Here's some of the tweets, I got from fellow VAs and oDesk too!

oDesk @odesk

Congrats Millicent! RT Bonus already from my new @odesk boss?! The Lord just keeps on proving that we can never outgive Him :)

Benjamin Hall @bendhall

@millimarti @odesk Congrats Millicent!

Lunniey Nescense @lunniey

Hi @millimarti I work in @odesk too! nice to hear that ^^ God bless u!

Becoming a virtual assistant only last 2011, under the mentorship of Philippine Internet guru Jomar Hilario, made me realize that I could work from home by offering the same skills I use at my day job to online employers. No additional skills needed, just the same honest and consistent service one can give when you're working at an office setting. Don't let the technology discourage you either because it's as easy as surfing the internet which I'm pretty sure you know how (otherwise, how did you get to read my blog?). 

Read the article: How to Open an oDesk account

Having an online career has given me a new perspective in life, especially in improving my earning capacity as a solo parent. I can earn extra dollars while being with my son and without having to be an overseas contract worker like so many Filipinos believe they have to become in order to provide better for their families. I hope and pray that more Filipinos, especially parents, would explore this new industry so that they wouldn't have to sacrifice the very important things in their lives just for a couple of dollars. 

How to Open an Account in Odesk

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After honing your skills and deciding which virtual career you would take, the next step is to open an account in a reputable and dependable freelancing website.

• top freelancing websites you must know about! (areeza.wordpress.com)

As a neophyte virtual assistant, I have only so far used oDesk in starting my career online and I find it to be user-friendly. Well, not at the beginning when I had to set up my resume and portfolio but it only shows that this site means business and would only tolerate serious contractors. But it was oDesk's helpful tests and guides that landed me my first job on my 3rd application, considering that it was mentioned in oDesk's blog that the first gig is usually sealed after an average of 45 applications!

oDesk is described as:

"... a company with a global job marketplace and a series of tools targeted at businesses that intend to hire and manage remote workers. Based in Menlo Park, CA, oDesk was founded by Odysseas Tsatalos and Stratis Karamanlakis. The name is a short version of "no desk" in reference to the company's intent to enable anyone to work anywhere, anytime."

I'd advise you to open an account in oDesk even if you have no idea yet how to use it so that you can already access the site as you study their instructions. Here's a simple presentation on how to open an account in oDesk:

How to open an account in oDesk

View more presentations from Millicent Reyes


CARPE DIEM!

Got interviewed as a Virtual Assitant!

With excitement for being hired as a VA in such a short a time, I wrote a lengthy letter of thanks to my Internet Marketing mentor, Jomar Hilario.

Jomar responded right away and invited me to be interviewed via live streaming for those interested to become VAs! Check out the recorded version of the streaming below:



Yup, am 8 days into my job as a Virtual Personal Assistant and Social Media Expert! And I got the gig on my 3rd application! Really grateful to Jomar for all the fab lessons he taught me.

If you want to earn in US Dollars and twice what you're getting on your day job while working from home, click here: http://www.jomarhilario.com/p/how-to-be-virtual-assistant-work-from.html


CARPE DIEM!

Becoming a Virtual Assistant: The First Step is The Hardest!

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I have heard about "Working from Home" from my mentor Jomar Hilario, the Philippines' Internet Guru and got interested so I enrolled in his workshop "How to be a Virtual Assistant" sometime in April 2010.

After so many excuses and with a drastic change in my financial status, I finally decided to pursue becoming a VA, in the meantime as a part-timer, and build a career from there. I hope to be a full-timer later so that I could spend more time with my son, being a single mom and all.

There are so many sites where you can learn on how to start a career in VA but the lesson of Jomar was so concise, I had no trouble applying what I learned even though I didn't do the homework at the end of the lesson (forgive me, Jomar!) but I am doing all of it: the application and the homework (this blog is one of the homeworks) simultaneously so I could already begin looking for a job right away! I'm a chronic multi-tasker, you know ;)

So the first step which is the most difficult is to DECIDE! Yup, DECIDE that you want to dedicate some of your free time to this job --- less Facebook time, no more Plants vs. Zombies, no more late night-outs, etc.--- or all your work time if you want to do this as your day job (or night if your employer is on a different time-zone). DECIDE that you can earn from home and spend more time with your loved ones! And DECIDE that in the near future, you will be your own boss!

In my next post, I will tell you about my application to Odesk, the best marketplace for online work!

CARPE DIEM!