When in Manila and you are tired of your 8 to 5 job, I have some great news for you! As long as you have a working computer, a reliable internet and a brave soul that isn’t afraid of clicking the buttons of a computer, then you can actually work from home as a Virtual Assistant. Sounds Greek to you? I myself found “Virtual Assistants” very foreign even when I was already in the How to Work from Home as a Virtual Assistant seminar of Jomar Hilario.

The How to Work from Home as a Virtual Assistant seminar (Php 2,375) ran from 9am to 6pm. It was complete with two snacks, packed lunch and free-flowing coffee. How I wish this is everyday work day.

When I reached the function room where all the Virtual Assistants wanna-bes met, it seemed like I just entered a first-class resort somewhere faraway. The function room in Rosewood Point was enclosed with plenty of tall windows that showcased a tempting swimming pool with a fancy wooden bridge, a great number of trees, clear blue skies and a colorful playground set. It was a refreshing place to take in chunks of new information.

The first things I learned were some myths on Virtual Assistants.

Myth #1: According to people, it’s easy for Virtual Assistants to get clients because there’s a lot of them.

Busted. There’s a lot of potential clients, but it’s not always easy to get them unless you move.

Myth #2: You need to be fluent in speaking English.

Busted. It’s all about the skills being developed.

Myth #3: You must be a computer course-related graduate.

Busted. Who needs classes when there are free tutorials online?

Jomar Hilario made this point clear. He said that from how-to-use-new-computer-programs to how-to-make-sales-presentation, you can learn most of them online. The speaker illustrates for example you want to learn from Zig Ziglar, just go to Youtube and watch his playlist while you sip a cup of coffee in your own house.

Apart from the skills, Jomar Hilario says self-confidence is another key to become a successful work from home Virtual Assistant. The current rate in the country for a Virtual Assistant is $2 to $3 per hour which is very small compared to the $ 23.84 international hourly rate. According to him, it’s the lack of self-confidence of the Virtual Assistants that keeps them from earning what they’re worth.

In order to discern a real Visual Assistant work from a scam, a real Virtual Assistant work does not require a membership fee before working. It is quite odd to be paying when you’re the one working, isn’t it? A real Virtual Assistant work also does not entail the Virtual Assistant to provide a complete written piece, on a topic chosen by the client, as a mere sample. According to Jomar Hilario, the client might use the sample without your consent and reject you as a VA. He suggests Virtual Assistants to place their resumes on odesk.com.

Mia is a graduate of Jomar Hilario’s How to Work from Home as a Virtual Assistant workshop and she shared with us how becoming a Virtual Assistant has given her more time with her son. Nothing beats having quality time at home with family while earning at the same time.

In order to become a Virtual Assistant, you would need to have a new mindset. From becoming an employee to an entrepreneur. From having a boss to having a client. It is an active work of seeking and keeping the clients by fulfilling technical and administrative projects on the computer. There are several kinds of Virtual Assistants. There is (1) the ghost writer, spinner or blog commenter, (2) Virtual Assistants for online promotion or SEO, (3) Virtual Assistants for Internet Marketers, (4) Virtual Assistants for Social Media such as Facebook, Twitter, etc., (5) Database management, (6) Press Release Writers, (7) Grant Writers, and (8) Virtual Assistants for sales or customer service.

The seminar was indeed packed with interesting stories and very useful information. Jomar Hilario generously shared with us at least 20 (many of them unheard of) computer programs that we can learn and include in our skills as a Virtual Assistant. I’m very excited to try some of them, like the Carbonmade that helps you build and manage online portfolios, Wofram Alpha that answers scientific and experimental data, and Evernote that remembers everything!

A class won’t be a class unless it has an assignment! The long list above shows you our 2-month long assignment. Those who can do their assignments will not only graduate, but according to Jomar Hilario, will most likely get a job! Interesting.