SVA Forum

[VirtualGary]

Hi Everyone,

My name is Gary and I’m 26 from just outside Glasgow, Scotland.

I have been looking into the VA world for about a year now and wondered if it is possible to do in addition to a full time job?? I first stumbled on the idea after doing internet searches and apparently it is a great way to make money "on the side" but looking at everything on this site it would seem to suggest otherwise.

All the threads I have gone through are centred on the role effectively being full time or the primary source of income.

So my question is does anyone know of anyone that does this at evenings and weekends? Is it possible?

I have a variety of skills I am hoping to utilise from Production of Legal Docs, Website Management/Maintenance, Social Media Management, high level PowerPoint/Excel/Access use etc.

This is something I would like to take further than just a part time business in the long run but I figure the best thing to do is find a solid starting point and ask the people that know the business inside out.

Thanks

Gary

[coxvos]

It is possible to be a part-time VA and some members did start start that way but you need to consider how you will deal with client enquiries during the hours when you are doing your daytime job. Clients like prompt responses to their emails and they like to be able to contact their VA by phone during office hours. This could present you with a conflict of interest in your daytime job as your current employer will undoubtedly be unimpressed with you talking to your clients and doing your business during the time you are employed. As a start up a call answering service for your VA business may be an expense you cannot afford and although it means your clients will get their phonecall answered during office hours, they won't be able to talk to you. Being a VA is hard work and you need to build confidence with your clients - being unavailable will not inspire confidence.

Being a VA is portrayed in some circles as an easy way to make money on the side - it isn't. My experience was that getting clients was hard work and I never managed to make a living from it as I lacked marketing skills. I was able to do it full-time around being a full-time mum and when I returned to the workforce part-time more than three years ago I tried to supplement my income with my VA business but I had to fight tiredness after a day at work, my family needed attention and I couldn't be loyal to both my employer and my VA business.

I would advise you to make a business plan and examine the reasons you want to become a VA.
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Regards

Lynn

[NickyH]

Although I live in the 'virtual world' full time these days since being made redundant, I started off part-time doing just evenings and weekends. I knew my job was at risk for some time before the redundancy and found that doing the 'virtual' work part-time gave me an incite into what I could do. I was lucky in that I received some excellent help and training from a company my former employer brought in to help us, and decided pretty quickly that I wanted to make a go of it full-time. I was also very proactive in looking for anything that could help me achieve my goal - went on self employment courses, researched on the internet, and put in some leg work locally to try and get clients. I had to fit this around a full-time job, but it can be done.

My job is perhaps 'easier' than most VA's on here, as I'm purely a transcriptionist (typing anything and everything for anyone that wants it, so I get up in the morning, sit in front of the PC and stay there until the job is done). I started 'locally' while I was still employed, so I was able to deal with my client (in the singular at the time) face to face. She knew my job situation, thankfully, and was tolerant of me working around it and happy for me to work for her whenever I could as long as I met the deadlines. However I do admit that on occasions there was a bit of 'overlap' (thank goodness for mobiles, empty offices and lunch breaks in the old job... but shush, don't tell anyone that)!!

It certainly isn't an 'easy option', but I'm finding now that I'm reaping the benefits of my hard work and it's a fantastic feeling. I wouldn't have it any other way now.

I'd agree with everything the former poster has said about planning and thinking about the sort of things you're planning to do and services you want to offer. Just go for it! You're already in a job, so what have you got to lose from trying it part-time? I wouldn't claim to know the business inside out by any means... I've only been doing it full time for 18 months... but previous to that I was working with my local lady for 5 years on a part-time basis, so it can be done.

Good luck.
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Nicky

[caroline]

Hi Gary

I'm in Pollokshields, so not too far away!

There certainly are part-time VAs (some 57% of the VAs in the last UK VA Survey classed themselves as working part time). However, it's not really something you go into to make money on the side, simply because the effort you need to put in to get clients makes it too time consuming. All the VAs in the survey worked at least 11+ hours a week. (you can buy the full survey here: http://www.societyofvirtualassistants.co.uk/va-products/ which gives you average earnings, rates charged etc.)

You could of course use freelance sites like Odesk, Elance, Guru etc. to get clients but the fees paid are so low, it's not a sustainable business model where you can earn a living from it.

So it is possible to work part-time as a VA, but your business needs to run full-time in order to service clients.

Hope that helps!
Caroline
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