How to be More Than "Just" a Virtual Assistant (Faith's Story)

So this month's theme is LUCK and I asked a few authors and my assistant to write about their luckiest day. Well here is Faith's post...it's a response to my post on Monday February 29th, 2016. Take a look...

So this month's topic is Luck and Boom! Stephy asks me to write about the luckiest day, event or occurrence in my life.

Wait a minute! Did she read my mind? I have always wanted to tell her how lucky i am to be part of the team but am not so much of an "emotional expressing" kind of person though under the right circumstance, I really wanted to tell my story.

I have a way of following my gut, I have done that for 23 years, ideally since I was born. I'm not sure if I used to follow my gut during my first five years of living but mom says I was special; I believe her, because I am.

I'm not saying I'm a genius, neither that I have life figured out nor am I at the self actualization level as displayed on Maslows hierarchy of human needs but because I have learnt the art of following my gut and believing that fate, destiny and luck actually do exist.

So what is Luck?

According to Merriam-Webster, the simple definition of luck  is the things that happen to a person because of chance or the accidental way things happen without being planned. Well, I couldn't agree more but I'd like to share my journey on how I found Stephy as my definition of luck.

Okay, let me rephrase this part "how i found Stephy"...

At first, I thought I found Stephy, slowly I had a mixed reaction and I thought she found me but now, few months down the line, seeing us make a perfect match - (don't get it twisted; I mean we make an awesome team.) I think we found each other.

Follow me on this:
Stephy comes from Granada Hills, USA - I come from Nairobi, Kenya. We literally have a (-8) time difference, so when I am sleeping; she is working, while I am working; she is sleeping (well her part of sleeping is subject to discussion because once in a while I have to remind her to sleep).

The difference in economic development between USA and Kenya is just overwhelming (I'm sure most audiences reading this will have to Google map to locate Kenya), well I like to be positive. Kenya is  developed in it's own way but in this case the comparison with USA which is a First World Country clearly marks the difference.

How could two strangers with all these major differences find each other and just make an excellent fit? Well, that is what I call luck.

I did not know what Stephy thought about me until I read her blog post What to Ask a Social Media Manager for Hire (How I Found Faith). Right then, I knew it was the universe making it's confirmation we were both just lucky.

My story of how I joined upwork.com is long and for another time. Here is the important part; after I finished filling my profile, which took me some time because upwork is very thorough, I made my first job application. All I had was a complete profile at 100% that had passed the upwork review process but no previous job experiences on the platform or anything tangible to actually present to employers.

I know of a few people who have been there for years but have not landed on any clients, yet they have amazing resumes. How was I (with nothing much to present to possible employers) going to even make an application?

Truth be told, I had just completed my undergraduate studies awaiting my graduation and if I share the same feeling with most of us, a job was most definitely the priority. Even though I really needed a job, I was specific. I wanted a freelance job. My passion is in Social Media operations which is not so much of an opportunity yet where I come from, so I had to target other countries and this could only be possible through online freelance work at that specific time.

"VA for social media data entry, research and a variety of tasks - Troll River Publications" was my first job application on upwork.

I clearly read all the requirements. Stephy wanted someone who had certain specific achievements of which I did not meet per say. Not that I couldn't do what she was looking for but because she had a criteria which actually made sense - most, if not all employers have such which could be the reason why most employees get bored after time.

Most of the criteria are based on certain specifics that might cut off the right candidates and slot in the ones who are not exactly what an employer was looking for in the long run. I think it's just a societal way of doing things and I don't blame anyone.

Despite not meeting Stephy's set standards, I applied for the job and decided to use a different criteria in my application. I based the application on a real one on one conversation with a person. I will not publish my application proposal here, because it's irrelevant. The point is  I decided not to be someone seeking a project but one willing to build a long lasting relationship, learn, stretch, fit in, thrive and not a "know - it all" whatsoever.

After making the application, I gave it a one month deadline upon which I expected a response. During the first one week of that waiting period, I kept reading my application and putting myself on Stephy's shoes. I was too honest and real. I kept convincing myself if she is human, she will feel the nudge to contact me, not necessarily to give me the job offer but just to have a conversation with me to analyze what I had to offer.

Three weeks down the line, Stephy contacted me. Long story short, I am now her Assistant. Where do I see myself in the near future working with Stephy? That I can't tell you, what I can say is we have had the best of working environment. We have an actual relationship where I can openly air out my opinions and she confidently directs me.

Remember, this was based on luck. So I will continue being the open-minded, Yes-we can do it, Why not, energetic and the fun person I am, give my best in my work, keep my communication real and see where fate leads us.

Who knows? I might just be the next bestselling author of Troll River Publications. NO, no, that was a joke....am more of a behind the scenes pushing to get things done kind of person but not necessarily writing. When our authors get awarded, I feel rewarded for the work we put in.

My secret is:
Show a client you are not only trying to get him or her to give you project and pocketing the checks but rather that you are way more than just that by being invested in their lives, I mean, what they do that you are part of....do not go intruding their private personal lives unless otherwise they choose to involve you in it.

I literally email Stephy everyday, when I don't, I feel something isn't right. At first she took time to respond, well, just a day or two. On that, I came to learn she had a lot of work in her hands and that's why am here.

I remember when I told her my goal is to take at least  up to 40% of her workload, she said it was a "lofty goal". I didn't understand, I thought everyone would love that kind of load off their chest until I realized she does so much that giving me 40% of it would literally overwhelm me.

Slowly I am getting there. We started at five hours a week. Now we are at 15 hours a week. But where luck ends, skill begins, and I'm confident that both skill and luck will land me where I want to be. Best of luck to those trying to find their "Stephy" or their "Faith".

~ Faith (Assistant Troll)

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