Virtual Assistant

Samara T. "A Virtual Assistant (VA) comes alongside people such as business owners and bloggers, who are needing help with administration tasks or the "extra" tasks they do not have time for. A VA will manage social media pages, write posts, network with prospective clients for the business, create images, schedule posts, respond to comments, engage readers, and viewers, or handle administration tasks. Their job is to relieve business owners and bloggers with these "extra" tasks, giving them time to focus on expanding, connecting with clients, viewers, or other businesses, and put their attention towards growing their business."

Education

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Required License(s) None

Required Degree(s) None

Importance of GPA not very important

Samara's Highest Degree: Bachelor's degree
Samara's College Major: Events Coordination and Management
Samara's College GPA: 3.6-3.9

Salary

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There is no "typical" salary. It depends on you.

You can charge by the hour (typically $10-$25/hour depending on experience and tasks),  you can charge a fixed rate per month, or you can charge by task (e.g., per article or image), which would be considered contract work. 

Getting the Job

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How did you get your job?

I got my job by seeking out opportunity. I knew that this was what I wanted to do, and I sought out the jobs on my own. I contacted bloggers who I knew were bigger and would likely need help, and presented what I could offer them. Over time, after contacting enough people, I found my first client. Finding my first client led to finding my second client because it gave me more experience. What got me started was the desire to do something and willingness to not give up, even when I was turned down more times than I was accepted. Being an Events Coordinator really helped with this position. You have to be organized, good with people, and be able to manage many tasks. As a Virtual Assistant, you are often working for more than one client and have to balance many tasks and accounts. You need to manage your time to fit them all in, in one day. My previous experience really helped me with this, and also gave me the confidence I needed to reach out to people and network.

How important was networking to landing your position?

Extremely! The way you get positions like this is by networking with other bloggers and business owners. The field of "Virtual Assistants" is still a growing industry. Many business owners do not even realize this is a thing. The only way that I have gained clients is by networking with bloggers and business owners.

Life on the Job

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What is a typical day (or week) for you like?

This one is a hard one to explain. This is one job that I do, but it is not my main job. Most afternoons I spend in cafes doing my VA work and my own blogging work. I usually spend time scheduling social media content, researching, creating posts, networking, and promoting the bloggers work on different platforms. It is an incredibly flexible job, as I can do it from anywhere and all I need is the internet. If I have a really busy day with other responsibilities then I will catch up on my VA work in the evening. I also do not need to do it every day (although I do for the most part). I can schedule things to happen on days but not actually do it that day (e.g., social media posts). There is no day that looks the same, which makes it a fun job.

Does being a woman affect any aspect of your career?

No, it does not. You do not have to be a woman to do this.

What is the best thing about your job?

It is flexible. I can do it from anywhere since all I need is the internet. I have also learned so many things, gained a lot of experience, and connected with some wonderful people.

What is the worst thing about your job?

You do not always have enough work, and have to seek out more opportunity yourself. It is not a typical 9-5 job where you show up and get paid whether or not the day was very busy. I do not mind this aspect of the job, but it can be unpredictable at times (at least until you are well established with a couple good, reliable clients).

How demanding is your job?

It is not very demanding, but does take time. It is important to take time and do the job well, but it is not a job that will keep you up at night. (At least it shouldn't.)

Do you have any advancement opportunities?

Yes, I can advance, for example, by taking on more clients, establishing a business to help others find VA work, using my experience to connect bloggers/business owners with VAs, or training people who want to become a VA. At some point, I will definitely take the next step and expand this position. At this point, though, my focus is not fully my VA position because I am doing other things as well. When these other things end, I will take the next step, and further my career and position as a VA.

Advice for You

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What are the skills, characteristics, or talents that are most important to be effective in your position?

Being organized, creative, attentive, willing to learn, sociable, knowledgeable in social media, and blogging, knowledgeable in a few social media platforms and scheduling tools, and determination to not give up.

What advice would you give to someone thinking about pursuing a career like yours?

Often times I hear people say, "Well, I am not experienced enough and don't know what I have to offer." My response is this: if you have/had a blog, even if it is new, you have something to offer. You know how social media works and have at least a basic understanding of at least one blogging platform. The most important part of this job is the willingness to learn and research when you do not know the answer. I am learning all the time (new things, new programs, better ways to do things, etc.). And when I don't know something, I spend time with my trusty friend Google to find others who do know.

If you could do it over again, would you still pursue the same career?

Yes! If I could do it over again, I would pursue this first and would have skipped other things. Although those other positions in the past gave me more confidence to reach out to people and network effectively, I would have much rather started with this from the beginning.

Follow Up

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Want to learn more? Check out Samara's site here. Want to read later? Pin me -->

Content Marketing Manager

Rachel M. "A Content Marketing Manager is responsible for a company or product's content, from start to finish. This includes creating a content strategy, producing the content, marketing the content, and measuring the results."

Education

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Required License(s) None

Required Degree(s) Typically a Bachelor's degree in a similar field is required

Importance of GPA not very important

Rachel's Highest Degree: Bachelor's degree (Bachelor of Arts)
Rachel's College Major: Communications, with a concentration in Public Relations

Salary

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It varies greatly on the location of the company, as well as the numbers of years of experience the employee has. But for a ballpark, I'd say between $60,000 and $100,000.

Getting the Job

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How did you get your job?

I found out about this job from a recruiter at the company. My now boss found me on LinkedIn, liked my credentials and writing, and the rest is history! I would say that it was likely my experience in SEO (search engine optimization), as well as my freelance writing projects and personal lifestyle blog, that really helped me get this specific position.

How important was networking to landing your position?

For this specific position, none. Which I'm proud of! It's great that people can network their way into jobs, but not everyone is lucky enough to have that opportunity. They say marketing is all about who you know (which is mostly true), but for me it's been more about working hard.

Life on the Job

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What is a typical day (or week) for you like?

I start my week off on Monday with lots of meetings with my team members and coworkers. Throughout the week, I'll be writing content, promoting it, and tracking its results. There really is no typical week, but my mind is always revolving around content. "Oh, that would be a good blog post idea" is said aloud least twice a day.

How closely does your typical day (or week) match up to the general "job description" for your position?

A lot, for the most part. I rarely say "no" to opportunities though, so when someone asks for extra help on something that's NOT in my job description, I tend to help out. That keeps things interesting and exciting, though!

Does being a woman affect any aspect of your career?

Sometimes, yes. Since I work in the technology industry as a non-technical employee, sometimes people think I'm "just a dumb marketing chick." I also look pretty young, so I get a lot of people who treat me like I'm fresh out of college and don't take me seriously in my role.

What is the best thing about your job?

I love the creativity to it. I'm passionate about writing, content, and marketing in general (which is why I am a freelance writer and blogger in my spare time), so the fact that I get paid for doing it is so awesome. I love being able to use my brain to come up with creative ways to present my thoughts and ideas, and ultimately help my company succeed.

What is the worst thing about your job?

Content is everywhere. Every business needs content to survive. So it can be tough to really do something "groundbreaking" that will "stand out from the crowd." Sometimes it can feel like everything has already been said or done.

How demanding is your job?

I'm very lucky that my company values work-life balance (specifically my manager and teammates). Yes, some days I'll stay a little late or answer emails on the weekend, but that's MY choice. I also have a fairly long commute, so I can't just leave the office and be home 10 minutes later. This helps motivate me to leave on time and get home early enough to make dinner and relax with my fiancé and cats.

Do you have any advancement opportunities?

Definitely. I was originally hired as a Content Marketing Writer and was then promoted to Content Marketing Manager after a year. So I think I just went through that advancement, actually.

Advice for You

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What are the skills, characteristics, or talents that are most important to be effective in your position?

Creativity. Excellent organization skills. Passion. Being a good writer (obviously)!

What advice would you give to someone thinking about pursuing a career like yours?

I originally wanted to be a journalist, but was constantly told it wasn't a good idea since it was too cutthroat and that the industry was dying. So I switched to Public Relations, thinking I could use my writing skills there. Ultimately, I ended up in digital/online marketing, using a mixture of those skills from my college years to pave my own way into a "content marketing" career. My advice would be to trust your gut—don't switch your major because someone tells you to. Complete a few internships—they'll help you decide what you do and don't like. Lastly, don't be afraid to work for free! You are not entitled to a job at any time in your life. I started a blog in my spare time to improve my writing skills. I wrote for websites for free to build up my portfolio. Those free gigs have helped me get where I am today (and now I rarely need to do work for free)!

If you could do it over again, would you still pursue the same career?

Definitely. I wish colleges would revamp their communications programs to include newer areas like online marketing or content marketing. Those are the jobs that journalism/PR graduates are getting these days.

Follow Up

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Want to learn more? Check out Rachel's site here and her portfolio here. Want to read later? Pin me -->

Social Media Director & Events Coordinator

Emelia "I oversee the promotion of our salon and spa through social media and creating ads, images, and more that make people want to visit. I also coordinate the part of a bride's wedding day or someone's special event that takes place in the salon...including the schedule and chilling the champagne to making sure the day is flawless from start to finish."

Education

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Required License(s) None

Required Degree(s) High School Diploma

Importance of GPA not very important

Emelia's Highest Degree: Bachelor's degree (Bachelor of Arts)
Emelia's College Major: Communication & Media Studies with a Minor in Psychology
Emelia's College GPA Range: 3.6-3.9

Salary

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$30,000 to $70,000

Salaries are typically consistent, but can vary by company. 

Getting the Job

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How did you get your job?

I started in a different role at our salon and spa, as our Front Desk Coordinator and worked my way up in to this position. I had previous experience in another career where I put on many events and promoted the business which helped me coming in to my current role. My part time blogging hobby has taught me so much about social media that I incorporate in my professional position daily.

How important was networking to landing your position?

It's always great to have a mentor and a handful of people who share the same ideas, visions and understand what you are doing on a daily basis. I think discussing opinions, struggles and meeting people in the same field can do nothing but help you.

Life on the Job

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What is a typical day (or week) for you like?

A typical day for me usually starts with e-mail. I review any incoming requests for events, or questions from brides or hosts of parties. While I'm reviewing e-mails, I'm also on social media seeing what is happening on our channels, along with checking out the competition. While we don't sale shop or put up discounts to compete with other businesses in our area, it's good to see what everyone is up to. I work on Excel sheets updating schedules for events making sure that the group is leaving the salon when they need to and that all our appointments are arranged so that the whole day runs smoothly. I may also be working on a promotion for an upcoming holiday, or taking a picture of some new jewelry that just came in from New York in our boutique to put on Instagram. I have a lot of hats to wear within my position, so staying organized with my to-do list is most important as I go about my day.

How closely does your typical day (or week) match up to the general "job description" for your position?

Very closely. My job description is a few pages long, but I love it. I'm a creative soul so I like working on many things at once. I enjoy big challenges, making things happen on a tight deadline and being busy.

Does being a woman affect any aspect of your career?

I think the industry I'm in helps me connect with the people I'm working with because they are mostly women.

What is the best thing about your job?

The best thing about my job is being a part of a special event in someone's life to make it memorable. Whether I'm hosting a 7 year old's birthday party or walking a bride out our front door I love making people feel great about themselves. I get to be part of their day from start to finish and beyond...when I share it on social media.

What is the worst thing about your job?

I never turn myself off. I wouldn't blame this on the job itself, rather the way my brain works. I get ideas, I become inspired... and I'm always curious.

How demanding is your job?

In terms of physical toughness, I wouldn't say my job is too demanding. Mentally, I'm always on. I can't help but check our social media sites in the evening at home and being on top of it all.

Do you have any advancement opportunities?

Not necessarily. I work for a small business (with less than 50 employees) as opposed to a large corporation, but the owner is very open to adding duties to my title as our business grows. I would love to see where this takes me next as social media evolves.

Advice for You

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What are the skills, characteristics, or talents that are most important to be effective in your position?

Being organized, on top of the business, and very outgoing is extremely important in my position. I am always dealing with people, so I always need to be ready.

What advice would you give to someone thinking about pursuing a career like yours?

Look at it as an adventure. What can you do next? How can you make this next promotion, event, or advertisement better? Every day is different, so be ready for change, but enjoy the ride... it's such a fun one to be on.

If you could do it over again, would you still pursue the same career?

Yes, I would never think that my previous positions would have led me here but they all have added to my skill set that I continue to use now.

Follow Up

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Want to learn more? Check out Emelia's site here. Want to read later? Pin me -->

Digital Marketing Consultant

Tami B. "I help small businesses and startups market themselves online. Their goal is to reach customers and sell something, like a new product, a service, an app, etc., but they don't really know where to begin. I help them set up and manage their online presence, which might include their website, an e-commerce store, social media platforms, email campaigns, and more."

Education

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Required License(s) None

Required Degree(s) Bachelor's degree

Importance of GPA not very important

Tami's Highest Degree: Bachelor's degree (Bachelor of the Arts)
Tami's College Major: Telecommunication
Tami's College GPA Range: 3.6-3.9

Salary

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Depends on Experience

$25,000 - $30,000 for entry-level

$100,000+ for senior-level

Getting the Job

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How did you get your job?

I began my career right out of college as a TV news reporter (that's what I went to school for). I spent five years in TV before making the transition into public relations, which allowed for a much less stressful work schedule. Public relations is a common transition for people coming from journalism jobs. I got a job at a PR/advertising agency, and while working there realized I wanted to hone in on digital services (aka online). I started taking freelance clients on the side, and when I felt comfortable with my freelance income I left my full-time job to work for myself as a consultant.

How important was networking to landing your position?

It wasn't necessarily very useful for landing my position, but it's very useful in getting new clients. Nearly all of my clients have been referred to me by a mutual friend or colleague, so it helps to know people in a wide variety of fields.

Life on the Job

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What is a typical day (or week) for you like?

Since I work for myself, my schedule is very flexible. I prefer to keep normal(ish) working hours, but work naturally creeps in on nights and weekends. A typical day might consist of creating and scheduling social media posts for clients, writing and posting blog posts, coordinating promotions or sales, writing and scheduling marketing emails, meeting with clients to plan our strategy, and doing my own admin "stuff" like accounting and billing. Sometimes I spend the day outside the office doing fun stuff like a photo shoot or media interview. Occasionally I travel for work to attend events or meet in person with an out-of-state client.

How closely does your typical day (or week) match up to the general "job description" for your position?

I'd say it's a pretty standard digital marketing job, though people in this field tend to specialize on one thing or another. For example, I have a heavy workload of social media clients, while another digital marketing professional might do more search engine optimization or website development

Does being a woman affect any aspect of your career?

On a day-to-day basis, it doesn't, but there have been times when I've needed to assert myself or "prove" myself simply because I was the only woman in a group of men. Thankfully these times have been few and far between.

What is the best thing about your job?

Being my own boss and knowing that my successes are the direct result of my own hard work.

What is the worst thing about your job?

Dealing with the ever-changing demands of clients.

How demanding is your job?

Working for yourself is incredibly demanding in terms of time. For the first year I worked many, many nights and weekends. That gets better with time, though. There are periods where it's very mentally challenging. When things aren't going so well, you don't have anyone but yourself to blame or turn to for support. But, I'd say there are far more high points than there are lows.

Do you have any advancement opportunities?

Working for yourself is interesting because it's up to you to create the "next step" in your career. For me, that might mean hiring full-time employees and growing into a full-fledged agency. Or, someone in my position might opt to go back into the corporate world as a marketing director for a major company. I've spent so much time helping other startups launch THEIR product lines that that's a very interesting option for me. I could see potentially creating and launching my own product or service OUTSIDE of marketing, and building an entirely different company.

Advice for You

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What are the skills, characteristics, or talents that are most important to be effective in your position?

Working well with many different personalities, being able to manage various projects that each have their own deadline, being motivated enough to work even when you don't have a "boss" to answer to.

What advice would you give to someone thinking about pursuing a career like yours?

Regarding working for yourself, absolutely go for it. If you have an inkling that you want to be self-employed, you most likely won't be fully satisfied in any job until you are. Regarding marketing, be a sponge and learn everything you can, even if it means you won't make that much money right away. My time in TV and at a PR agency were both critical in putting me in the position to be able to eventually take on my own clients.

If you could do it over again, would you still pursue the same career?

Probably, yes.

Follow Up

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Want to learn more? Check out Tami's site here. Want to read later? Pin me -->