As a language freelancer, juggling client acquisition while completing your work can be challenging. You may find yourself juggling multiple projects and clients, leaving little time to do your own business development - searching for new opportunities.
To keep you on track and chasing every great opportunity, get someone to do it for you.
Who? An online personal assistant also known as a virtual assistant can help manage your schedule, handle administrative tasks and help find new clients.
Here are some tips for getting a personal assistant to help find freelancing work.
To keep you on track and chasing every great opportunity, get someone to do it for you.
Who? An online personal assistant also known as a virtual assistant can help manage your schedule, handle administrative tasks and help find new clients.
Here are some tips for getting a personal assistant to help find freelancing work.
Write Your Requirements
The first step in finding an online personal assistant is understanding what you want from them.
Yes, you want to save time looking for work, but what will that entail for them? Start by writing a detailed list of your requirements, including:
Yes, you want to save time looking for work, but what will that entail for them? Start by writing a detailed list of your requirements, including:
- The specific tasks they will need to perform such as researching potential clients, crafting outreach emails, designing forms, automating processes, and more.
- The skills they will need to perform such tasks such as fluency in English, knowledge of email campaigns, familiarity with job sites like ProZ.com, etc.
- The tools they will need to use to perform such tasks like spreadsheets, forms, websites, search tools, and more
Consider Your Budget
Before asking for applications, you must have an idea of how much you are willing to pay for their services. Once you know how much you can pay, say per month, you will be able to decide on an hourly range span and an idea of their work hour requirements.
Remember that hours and pricing will vary by individual, so setting up an acceptable range will be the most helpful.
Do not expect that your personal assistant will be exclusive to you. In fact, it may help if you get an expert who can help you - and is also making it their business to help others.
Remember that hours and pricing will vary by individual, so setting up an acceptable range will be the most helpful.
Do not expect that your personal assistant will be exclusive to you. In fact, it may help if you get an expert who can help you - and is also making it their business to help others.
Finding your personal assistant
Finding the right personal assistant will require some work in the search. Best personal assistants might be found through word of mouth, searching online profiles, through staffing agencies or by posting an online job. As noted above, it may be great to get someone who is successfully helping someone else.
For this blog post, we will focus on posting an online job. In your job, include the following:
- Identify yourself and your goals to establish trust
- What you offer your clients/ customers
- Expected job hours, focus on how much work should be available
- Your pay budget.
And where to post the listing?
There is a long list of platforms where you can post for a VA. Do a google search for virtual assistant jobs. Some that will appear include Upwork, Fancyhands, VANetworking, maybe even ProZ.com.
There is a long list of platforms where you can post for a VA. Do a google search for virtual assistant jobs. Some that will appear include Upwork, Fancyhands, VANetworking, maybe even ProZ.com.
Vet and interview the applicants
Discard all applicants who do not meet the minimum requirements, keeping only the best performers. Many times, you will be able to try out the relationship before getting into a long-term relationship. Be sure you are ready to communicate your needs to this virtual assistant.
Once you have hired a personal assistant, it's essential to create a system for communication and task management. This may include setting up regular check-ins, using project management software, or creating a shared calendar. By having a clear system in place, you can ensure that your personal assistant is working efficiently and effectively to help you find new freelancing opportunities.
Provide clear instructions
To get the most out of your personal assistant, provide clear instructions and guidelines. This may include providing templates for proposals, outlining your target clients, or providing specific keywords to use when searching for new opportunities. The more specific and detailed your instructions, the better your personal assistant can meet your needs.
To get the most out of your personal assistant, provide clear instructions and guidelines. This may include providing templates for proposals, outlining your target clients, or providing specific keywords to use when searching for new opportunities. The more specific and detailed your instructions, the better your personal assistant can meet your needs.
Stay involved
You're teaming up with this personal assistant. For this plan to work, you'll need to be involved. When a job is shared, be sure to act on it. Keep your personal assistant abreast of what is working and what is not.
You're teaming up with this personal assistant. For this plan to work, you'll need to be involved. When a job is shared, be sure to act on it. Keep your personal assistant abreast of what is working and what is not.
Success depends on you. If your first personal assistant is not a good fit, give yourself the option to end the relationship and try again.
Have you had success using a personal assistant to help find work? Are you doing this for others? Add your comments below.
Have you had success using a personal assistant to help find work? Are you doing this for others? Add your comments below.
