How I started as a work at home mom

It was July of last year when I read about working from home as an ESL teacher. I did not have a laptop, a headset, teaching experience only 10mbps internet speed with heaps of determination. Heaps and heaps of that.

I have a newly opened Pharmacy that was doing fairly well but had its own struggle.  I did not see the problem of not having someone I trust to man it and I had other obligations with the kids. We had no yaya, I had two kids and very pregnant. I was left at home taking care of 2 kids, cleaning the house, and manning the Pharmacy. But had to give up something or I will risk my pregnancy. It was almost impossible to make ends meet. Tatay has a job of course, but I had my share of expenses too. Little did I know that ir was only the beginning of everything. Clearly, it wasn’t working out. 

I only applied as an ESL teacher via mobile. When I received a call for my interview and tech test I had to borrow a laptop from my brother who was working online too. I immediately purchased a laptop with the hopes of landing the job despite the opposition of my mom and husband. They thought this was one of the many things I’d try and give up later. But I didn’t. I was going to use my SSS maternity money to buy a laptop. I was that broke. I was flat out broke. 

Begged my mom to lend me money to buy a laptop. She declined. But being the stubborn daughter that I am I asked her to hook me up with bumbays. Kapit na sa patalim levels man! I had one thousand pesos in my bank, and probably some coins in my wallet. I had to borrow money! I had to. She had no choice but to go to the mall with me and get the cheapest laptop that we can find and pay via installment.

Fast forward to my mock class and I failed. Can you imagine? I bought a frickin laptop for this job and I FAILED. I even had to beg my trainer to give me another chance. But no. She asked me to re-apply after 6 months. I could not bring myself to bring the news to my mom and husband with the fear or hearing “yan di ka kasi nakikinig”. So I didn’t. I cannot NOT land a job I told myself. This is one of the few instances where I am glad I am a hard headed Taurean. I applied to 5 or more companies and landed a job soon enough. I received an offer of P115 per hour and was giddy happy! I imagined working 8 hours a day x 115 x 6x a week with an average monthly of P22, 000 ish. But that wasn't the case for me. 

Again, it was not working out. I consistently had a problem with my internet and electricity. I only had 2 hours of booked classes every day. My classes were consistently affected and so was my teacher's rating. It was hard to get a student because of bad reviews in my teachers' page. Also, add that teaching just wasn’t for me. Did not have an ounce of patience for it. Imagine, I was asked to define "SMALLER" and "SMELL". I don't even have the patience to teach my own kids!!!! Worse, I only get paid for the two hours of booked classes.

Soon after that, I found out that my good friend Kisha works from home too. I was like, wow, this is an industry talaga. She then added me in this facebook group of work at home freelancers who was making lots of money. We are talking about P80,000 per month. No this is not networking, this is legitimate work at home job. in fact, a lot of people are earning at that rate. I knew in my heart I needed to do it. I had to. 

By August I landed few more jobs from Upwork, and from job postings from Facebook groups. I became an outbound caller, part time VA, sourcing analyst etc. But I could just not land a full-time job! I did not have a fixed earning. I thought, maybe God won’t let me get a job because hello, I am still very pregnant. After giving birth, a week later I started applying again. Yes, ONE WEEK! Bills were piling up and could not bring myself to borrow money from Tatay and Mommy. In a week, I finally landed a job! A full time fixed rate! YAYYYYYYY

I was finally a full-time VIRTUAL ASSISTANT. Remote Worker of a Real Estate Agent in the US. I finally earned it.  Took me 3 months of applying daily. It was all faith and hard work. I challenged myself to earn this amount of money by year 2017, and I exceeded it. God truly is good and works in numerous ways. I don't earn 80k just yet. But I am proud to say that, me, the college drop out, the girl who least cared about academics is just a few breaths to earning 80,000 a month. But I will. I will get there. The girl who has fashionably no direction in life, who had absolutely ZERO talent, who excelled at nothing, who did not know what to do, and was on the losing end made it. From being a call center hopping gal, planning to be an FA, wanted to take Fashion Design, took baking classes etc. I did not go to crumbs, and I am not just a wife of a doctor. I am not a failure. I made it where I am today through prayers and hard work.

I remember being in a 2- hour Skype video interview with my client who is a real estate agent and I had to breastfeed my child. Of course Hindi Nya kita, and he had no clue that I was breastfeeding! Truly, being a work at home mom has its struggles and misadventures. 

I was finally a full-time Virtual Assistant. A title I was dying to have. Finally. What is a virtual assistant you ask? Well, you are an assistant only you work remotely. You create reports, answer calls, manage their business remotely, Marketing, make emails, research, could be anything! VA’s usually have US, Australian, Canadian, and UK clients too. Tasks vary per client.

While working

NO. Working at home is not a call center job. This is a common misconception by everyone. By working at home, you can work as a writer, proofreader, HR manager, Bookkeeper, Graphic Artist, Executive Assistant, Project Manager, web developer, Social Media Manager, Transcriptionist etc.

6 months in freelancing, I upgraded my laptop with my own money. I am happy to buy my kids clothes, and all the toys (syempre yung mura lang haha), bought two way ticket to Japan for myself and my husband, got myself the phone i've been meaning to have, and most importantly I dine out with my mom and pay for our meal every single time. Whenever we are out I make sure give back to her and make up for the time when she fed us and bought the kids all our needs when Jaggy and I were unemployed. I remember the time when I was so broke I did not even have P10 to buy Patty water when she asked for it. For the longest time that I was unemployed I cannot even afford to buy P10 water.

The reasons may seem dense, for someone who has absolutely nothing to actually making it in this competitive industry, It is everything. I feel fulfilled when I provide for my kids, my mom, and get my husband things he doesn't want to buy for himself.

So. Basically, that is the story of how I became a virtual assistant and what I do as a virtual assistant. I will leave you hanging for now. More blogs to come! :)