Some people wonder if clients hire virtual assistants from Latin America because they need assistants who speak Spanish. The answer to that question is not always clear-cut. Some clients prefer a virtual assistant from a specific location to match their time zone. Others prioritize the assistant’s skills, experience, and background.
People often ask me how I got my virtual assistant job. The answer is simple: I got it through a referral.
I was working for a US-based company that had an office in San Francisco and one in San Salvador. I was an office coordinator. I managed maintenance, paid bills, made reports, handled payroll, and did other administrative tasks in the office. I loved my job, had a great team, my own office and a great salary.
The last picture I took of my office before I resigned.
After some time, the owner stopped paying rent, the internet bill and was behind with our salary payments. The biggest red flag to me was that he started lying to the providers and to us. What was one day a great job, became my worst nightmare.
I had never imagined myself quitting a job without having another one to fall back on. I stayed positive and trusted in my experience. After all, I had been working with US based companies since I graduated high school!
I said to myself “You have experience in project management. You speak English and Spanish. Your work hours are adaptable to the US work hour”. After some positve self-talk, I applied to a virtual assistant position the same day I resigned from my “dream job”.
I am not going to lie to you, I was super nervous and excited at the same time. I was nervous because I did not know exactly what a virtual assistant did. I knew it varies, as there are different types of assistants. I applied to a general ad, hoping to get something related to logistics or administration, but I didn’t know exactly what type of virtual assistant this client needed.
Between applying, the interviews, and the contract documents, I was unemployed for approximately 3 weeks. When I got the job as a project management assistant at a construction company, I was so happy! As soon as I heard “hired”, I started researching about the company, their projects, and the tools I would need.
The company assigned me to a senior project manager who had several projects under his supervision. I quickly understood that his company hired me to make his life easier.
I sorted his emails, texted or called him with urgent matters, and followed up on contracts or missing info for him. I essentially became an extension of my boss. I liked working for him and learned a lot as his assistant, but eventually I felt it was time to leave.
My best friend had just landed a remote job and one of her friends recommended another remote job opportunity. She passed on the offer and referred me instead. Of course, there’s more to the story than what I’m sharing today, but this job was exactly what I was looking for.
With an agency, if a client leaves, there are other potential clients available to interview you. When you work independently, if your client leaves, you need to find new clients by yourself. Deciding to leave my job at the agency was tough. I was worried about diving into the unknown, especially after my experience with my last job.
The hiring process with this new company was slow. The CEO had never hired a remote position outside the US before. We discussed and agreed on all the details of my job contract. This included my salary, work schedule, tools I will use, and my duties.
My first day at the new job was quiet. I received just one call and two emails.
As we all adjusted to the new setup, I met the rest of the management team. While everyone was friendly, during that first week, I kept thinking, “They’re going to realize they don’t need me.” I suffered from ‘impostor syndrome’ the first month on the job. After that, I had a good part of my workload assigned and I felt I was slowly becoming part of the organization.
I’ve been with that company for over two years now. I started as the only virtual assistant, but now I supervise another team member as our team has grown. I hope we hire more talent from Latin America soon as the company keeps growing.
While working in this company, I’ve taken some translation jobs and started blogging again this year. In the near future, I plan to share the tools and tips that helped me secure a remote job.
I hope sharing my journey helps you decide if a virtual assistant or remote job is right for you. I want to write more blog posts answering common questions about virtual assistance in El Salvador and Latin America. If you’re reading this and have more doubts, feel free to email me at info@pmbassistance.com.
I’ve recently joined Workee, a freelancing platform, where I offer one-on-one coaching sessions for aspiring virtual assistants. If you feel you have too many doubts for an email, you can also book a session with me via Workee.
I appreciate your time and I am looking forward to reading your questions or comments. I hope your journey is also filled with learning and self-discovery!
