Become a VA: Get Hired!

So you've got the skills and you've set up your workspace. You're all set for your new career as a virtual assistant (VA). But how does one get hired as a VA?

The best way to start is to set up your profile in a website that caters to freelancers looking for legitimate work-at-home jobs. oDesk (www.odesk.com) is one such site and one that I recommend due to its ease of use, simple requirements, and the fact that it doesn't charge you a fee when you apply for jobs or take skills tests.

Once you've signed up for the site, completed your profile, and taken the oDesk readiness exam, you are ready to start applying for the numerous jobs available. VA jobs fall under the Administrative Support category. After your first application, you may start to realize that there are literally hundreds of freelancers all over the world vying for the same post. Do not be disheartened; you will need a lot of courage, gumption, and patience to start a work-at-home career all on your own, without a manager or Human Resources to guide you. Landing your first job is just one of the many trials that you will be sure to face as a VA.

While there's no foolproof method to getting hired, here are some tips that are sure to increase your chances:

(1) Complete your oDesk profile, following the site's instructions. Look at the profiles of other freelancers applying for VA jobs to get an idea of the skills and attributes you should highlight.

(2) Build up your portfolio. If you have no samples from previous work experience, consider creating your own blog or website. Having your own website will showcase your skills in technology, web design and maintenance, and writing, among others.

(3) Take the oDesk exams. The most common skills that clients look for in a VA are English, communication skills, and Microsoft Office. Having high scores in these areas and publishing your scores in your portfolio will be sure to catch the eye of most employers.

(4) Take on simple fixed-price jobs at a low rate to start with. Employers often look at feedback and ratings when preparing a shortlist of applicants for their VA job posts.

(5) Be wary of scams. oDesk is a legitimate site, but some of the employers using the site may not be. My very first typing job was a scam that got pulled down by the admin and I never got paid. Employers have feedback and ratings too! Be sure to check on that before applying.

More VA tips to come on my next post! Good luck! :-)

Become a VA: Set Up Your Work Area

Want to be a virtual assistant (VA)? Why not? It's a legitimate profession that earns well and that you can do in the comfort of your own home. Perfect for an aspiring work-at-home-mom!

How do you start? First of all, you need to get an idea of what a virtual assistant is and the type of work you'd be dealing it. As its name implies, you would be assisting your client, typically by handling back-office administrative tasks remotely (i.e., you do not need to be physically present in their office, all you need is a computer and a reliable internet connection and you can work from anywhere in the world!). The tasks of a VA vary, but usually involves one or more (or all) of the following:

• research
• writing
• processing documents (converting from one format to another)
• entering data into spreadsheets
• assisting with emails and phone calls
• travel planning
• setting appointments
• creating presentations
• social media (update of Facebook, Wordpress, etc.)
• finding suppliers and placing orders
• and basically anything under the sun!

The key to being a good VA is to be ready for anything. Be flexible and reliable and always have the client's end goal in mind. You certainly don't need to know everything, you just have to be open to learning new things. And never, ever be afraid to ask questions when things aren't clear. 

Still interested and raring to go? You're halfway there. Your next step is to set up your work area. If you're working at home, you'll need to have a workspace where you can focus on your tasks. A place where the hubby and kids know that you're in the "zone" and are not to be disturbed. A desk that can hold your desktop or laptop, papers, and other work materials would work quite nicely, along with an ergonomic chair where you can toil comfortably (without breaking your back!).

Here are your essentials:

• a computer that can handle multi-tasking (you needn't have a souped up monster that gamers use, but one that wouldn't crash when you have Adobe Photoshop, Google, Skype, and an array of Microsoft Applications running at the same time would be ideal) while maintaining a reasonable speed.
• a RELIABLE DSL internet connection; at least 1mbps
• headset 
• email account (even a free gmail account would do)
• Skype (most clients still communicate via Skype)
• Microsoft Office (at least Word, PowerPoint, and Excel)
• Adobe Acrobat Reader
• Dropbox account (for storing and easy sharing of large files)

Here are some nice-to-have's:

• scanner/printer
• Adobe Photoshop, GIMP, or similar
• ABBYY or some other software that aids in converting from one file format to another
• Microsoft Outlook (some clients require this)
• smartphone
• plug-in USB internet (in case your reliable DSL connection fails you)

All set? Next up is landing that coveted VA job. More on that on my next post. Til then!

Head lice no more with Oilganics Treatment Shampoo!

I was nothing short of horrified when my mother discovered that my 4-year-old daughter had lice (otherwise known in the Philippines as "kuto"). "Kuto"??? No way, I thought. Not my little girl. At the time, I barely even knew what lice or kuto meant, except that it was something utterly distasteful. I did not fully comprehend at the time how disgusting and annoyingly itchy they were, and how easily and quickly they spread throughout one's scalp and hair. I shuddered at the thought of all those little insects with their numerous legs crawling all over my daughter's head!

I wanted them out. FAST. We got a fine-toothed comb and tried the manual method at first. We shampooed her hair 2 to 3 times a day. Still they continued to spread. Research revealed a quick-acting lice shampoo that only required one treatment, but it seemed as popular as it was controversial. For every site lauding its effectiveness, there was another talking about how it was actually an insecticide and could be dangerous for very young children. I was desperate to find another, natural solution.

Finally, I stumbled upon a smartparenting article entitled How to Get Rid of your Child's Head Lice. It talked about an all-natural head lice shampoo that was safe to use. I immediately jumped to the Oilganics website, which featured their shampoo and conditioner. It would take two weeks of regular use to get ride of the lice, but it was NATURAL and SAFE. I hung on to those two words and used it on my daughter (and everyone else in our household!).

Two weeks later, my daughter was finally lice-free! We continued to use the shampoo and conditioner for a month for good measure.

The best part is - I recently had my hair rebonded with L'Oreal Extenso Rebond and my hair remained straight and shiny despite chucking the expensive L'Oreal shampoo and leave-on conditioner for Oilganics (at a much cheaper price!). I'm considering asking Oilganics if their product can still be used long after the pesky lice have gone :-P

MommyPatch to the Rescue!

My daughter has extremely sensitive skin that seems to be prone to all kinds of insect bites. The worst part is that the bites get really red and huge due to her allergies. Unfortunately, most people in our family (including my little girl) are also sensitive to strong smells so Citronella wasn't our answer.

Or so I thought. Enter MommyPatch Anti Mosquito patches, an effective mosquito repellent crafted through Citronella oil. Although a tad pricier than its counterparts, it's subtle scent more than makes up for the added cost - saving both our irritable noses and my daughter's skin! No more mosquito bites and oddly enough, we noticed that the ants, bed bugs, roaches, and whatever else had been triggering her allergies have been successfully kept at bay as well. The patches are effective for 12 hours and because it uses 3M adhesive, we're able to reuse them throughout the day before one last application on my tot's pajamas at night.

You can find the patches at SESOU Nature Source in Alabang, Glorietta, Trinoma, or Market! Market! or at any of the MommyPatch local and international distributors listed on its website.

Look before you Leap

Do NOT buy Leadpad 2 or any related product without asking the sales representative for full disclosure on how to install, set up, and download content for the system. My husband and I have spent a sleepless night trying to install their App Center (which failed on 2 out of 3 computers) only to discover that Asia is not included in the list of countries in the App Center. If you are from "other countries" (e.g., Asia), you will not have access to download the quality, branded apps that feature Disney and Nickelodeon characters. And this after waiting nearly a month for the release of the Leappad 2, which is sold at near double the price here in the Philippines (to say nothing of the additional charge to buy the rechargeable batteries). Now I will have to face a disappointed little girl on the morning of her birthday who was expecting a Leappad with a Dora or Disney Princess app. This is not at all what I expected from a renowned developer of children's toys and educational applications. I will do my best to resolve within the next two days - if I don't, I must say the company should not have bothered to sell their products internationally.

******UPDATE******

Below is the response from Leappad Support, which basically just says that "App Center content may vary by country" and that I can purchase cartridges instead. Unfortunately, the cartridges here in the Philippines are limited and a lot of the ebooks and applications on the App Center are not available in cartridge format. Also, the downloadable content doesn't just "vary." It's extremely limited and does not allow "other countries" to download ANY content related to Disney or Nickelodeon characters. This lackluster response does not resolve the issue and substantially brings down the product's value for money in Asian countries. Kudos to Rustan's Makati for processing our return without much fuss after we explained the situation and for allowing us to exchange for another toy of similar value.

"We apologize for the inconvenience.
There are 3 ways you can purchase items from the App Center:

1. Redeem an App Center or Leaplet Download Card or Code to fund your account balance

2. Redeem a bonus code

3. Use a credit card (credit cards may not be accepted in all countries) 

Important: All App Center sales are final. Your account is charged when you click the Place Order button. App Center Download Cards are valid only for purchases in the LeapFrog App Center for the country in which the card was purchased. **App Center content may vary by country."

You can purchase the cartridge games for the device. You can contact your local distributor."

Seeking Board Games for Preschoolers? (No, It's Not Hi Ho Cherry-O)

My husband and I love board games! Naturally, we thought it would be a good family bonding activity with our little girl also and started to look into games that she could play.

We started with the typical Snakes and Ladders. It's easy and has a lot of variations (Mickey Mouse, Princess, etc.) at the toy store so it's easy to find a set that your child will appreciate. The game teaches kids the basics of counting, taking turns, and winning/losing graciously.

The next step was a bit harder. We wanted something more challenging, but still apt for our preschooler's level. I chanced upon Monopoly Junior Party at the toy store and this proved to be the answer for us (at least, for now). Instead of properties, players buy parties that cost 1-5 money. The denomination of the money is all 1's. With uber-simplified game rules, cupcake tokens, and a party box in place of railroads - this game is just right for preschoolers. It taught my daughter to count faster and further ingrained the concepts of taking turns. The chance cards encouraged her to read and already she's starting to show interest in the original version of the Monopoly game.

Dominoes was another sure hit with our little girl. We got it when she just turned 3. At the time, she was more interested in building houses with it. We tried again now that she's about to turn four. She finally understands the concept of the game and it's become one of our favorite (and fun!) family activities. There are a lot of versions available, we bought the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse one that features the faces of the characters (instead of just the dots). There is a Do-It-Yourself Dora version available online at the NickJr website.

Top (and free!) 5 iPad Apps for My Preschooler

Wow...it's been a little over two months since my last post - a testament that the life of a SAHM and/or WAHM can get very hectic! Let's see if I can make up for lost time... ;-)

My husband and I got an iPad for our anniversary and despite our noble intentions to try to limit the time our curious little girl spends with it (we still believe in active play, or at least, that's what we try to tell ourselves as we attempt to pry her little fingers from it so we can collect coins at the Snoopy Fair!), we can't help but give in to her at least a couple of hours a day. If nothing else, it's a sure-fire way to get her up in time for her morning classes!

As much as I'd like to stick to the educational apps, I have to admit that they're not very appealing - especially if they're free. Despite being on numerous "Top 10" lists out there, a lot these are repetitive, with bad graphics, and let's face it - downright boring for our kids. Here are a few gems I've discovered that I find to be appropriate edutainment for my tot's age (and best of all, you don't need to pay a cent!):

(1) Colormixer - this is one of the first ones we got and we love it! Kids are only given buckets of primary colors to work with that they have to mix to get new colors (e.g., red and blue make purple) for the app's coloring page. It's a great way for preschoolers to learn about color combinations.

(2) Mickey Mouse Road Rally - this free app from Disney features the full-length film in interactive format. Your tot will help Mickey Mouse and his friends solve puzzles to reach the finish line - a must have for any die-hard Mickey Mouse Clubhouse fan! If your child is leaning more towards Jake and the Neverland Pirates, there's a free educational app featuring this show's characters too!

(3) My Little Pony by Ruckus Reader - this app comes with a free eBook featuring the adorable Twilight Sparkle and all her friends from the My Little Pony Friendship is Magic generation. The app reads out the words to your emerging reader and includes a "sticker page" at the end for free play.

(4) Barbie I Can Be - does your little girl want to be a baker, veterinarian, or pizza maker? This simple app will give her a dose of what it's like to be all three!

(5) Barbie Fashionista - if your daughter loves dress up games, there are numerous Hello Kitty and Princess Dress Up games out there, but Barbie Fashionista by far surpasses all. Skip the part about needing a ring/accessory - you don't need it to use the basic dress up app, which gives you a choice of more than a dozen barbie dolls and hundreds of combinations for clothes, shoes, hair, and accessories. I was planning to buy my girl the actual Barbie doll with the closet, but with this app, I may no longer need to. This is just the thing for all little girls who want to play dress up - and for moms who still wish they had their Barbie collection!