SVA Forum

[Jen]

Hi,

I'm completey new to all this and haven't the faintest idea where to start. I have worked for Chartered Surveyors for over 10 years. Unfortunately, due to the current property market, my employer is making me redundant as of the 1st September.

I currently work from home as employed. My current employer has encouraged me to undertake virtual work and he will use me on an invoice basis to carry out his work, but charge an hourly rate.

The only thing is, I need other work and haven't got a clue where to start. I've had a quick look round this website and feel that it could point me in the right direction.

Fingers CrossedXXXXX

Jen

[secretary4hire]

Lucky You! (my glass is always half full ...)

Being made redundant means redundancy money, which will mean you'll be able to get the bits and bobs you don't already have. Presume you'll have quite a lot already as you're working from home now? Get yourself a snazzy name and website and decide which service(s) you are going to offer. You've got a HUGE head start having a ready made first client.

Really, it's not as scary as it seems at first.

Do LOTS and LOTS of research. This forum is an invaluable resource and the VAs on here have a wealth of information which I'm sure everyone will help you with. But first of all read EVERYTHING you can. You've got a few weeks yet. Set up as a sole trader initially and make sure you set your 1st client the correct hourly rate. You don't want to undersell or undercharge yourself.

You'll need to contact the taxman and let him know your start date of being self employed.

My advice is RESEARCH, RESEARCH and then RESEARCH some more. Anything you feel isn't answered already within this forum, just shout. Everyone's really friendly and extremely helpful.

The best of luck and glad to see you on here.

Marj
_________________
Marj Beattie
www.secretary4hire.co.uk

Email - enquiries@secretary4hire.co.uk
Tel: 0844 884 2818
Fax: 0870 838 6597
Mob: 07854 408142

[cabbytoes]

Don't be scared. There is so much advice out there. Marj is right.

I would suggest contacting your local Business Link for help with the legal side of things. I came away with a tick list of all the things I needed to do to legally get up and running. They also run loads of courses/one day seminars.

Also, get your website/name sorted. Try to think of a punchy name and make yourself stand out.

With a home office already, you're probably set up but one of the best bits of advice I got was don't run out and buy every bit of fancy kit out there - get the basics and expand your office equipment etc as you go and as you need it. For example, I've never had a colour laser printer until recently when a client I've been working for for 5 months started regularly getting me to print out client portfolios in graph format on a regular basis - they just look so much more slick on laser and therefore I was happy to invest in the kit. He was impressed!

In terms of clients, get networking - sell yourself. Scary I know but you can do it just be confident. Find out about local breakfast networking groups and other networking forums. I joined FSB and have a really good local group but I know others are less pro-active so do some research on this and see if its worthwhile. Local adverts etc help and I've actually had a pretty good return rate on doing targetted local business cold calling by letter. I homed in on local estate agents, financial advisers, solicitors etc.

Good luck - PS> one thing I've found with the SVA; there's no competitive edge - we're all here to help each other and promote our profession!

Hope this helps and remember where we all are!
_________________
Carol Rothwell - CR Virtual Solutions
www.crvirtualsolutions.co.uk
Email: enquiries@crvirtualsolutions.co.uk

For monthly SVA training sessions please visit: http://tinyurl.com/39abrt
Or to support SVA please donate to: http://tinyurl.com/37urec

[Jen]

Thanks for your responses. I do have knowledge of how a business runs, I basically look after the running of the business for my current employer, book-keeping, maintaining bank account etc., it's just doing it for someone else is one thing, doing it for myself is completely different.

I take on board your comments and look forward to chatting with you on future forums.

Jen

[caroline]

Hi Jen

Welcome to the forum - lots of great advice there. As you can tell we're really unfriendly and ruthlessly ambitious!!! Tehe!!

Ask your employer to recommend you or invite you along to networking events he goes to. He must move in professional circles and meet others in the industry... Now is a good time to get favours off him too because if he doesn't make it worth your while to work as a self-employed person you won't be able to continue and he'll be left high and dry typing his own reports!!!

C.
_________________
To support SVA please donate to: http://tinyurl.com/37urec

[Nellie]

What a fabulous opportunity. If you do decide to take it by the horns, you are very lucky in that you are going into it with a client already onboard. Let's face it, if this firm of Chartered Surveyors need you then so will others.

If your previous employer has found themselves in this situation then others probably will too and how lucky for them that there is a VA who has 10 years of experience in the Chartered Surveying industry!

For me, this would be my starting point though I would not limit myself to Chartered Surveyors in the long term.

You will probably find your previous employer will be more understanding than a cold client if you don't have all the right equipment from the off etc, but this will give you the chance to get up to speed on the remote aspect of it and as everyone has already said, this is a fabulous place to come and ask all those questions you need to ask in that respect.

Good luck! Keep us posted on how you get on!

From one new kid on the VA block to another! lol!