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March 16, 2020

How To Start Working From Home – 5 Important Steps

As we enter 2020 there has been a shift in the way we work. 

About a decade ago working from home was considered a luxury but with the small to medium sized businesses booming and becoming the key drivers in our economy, remote employment is emerging as the new trend.

If you’re thinking about transitioning over to a work from home job this article is for you!
In this article, we’ll cover five steps to help kick-start your journey to remote employment.

STEP ONE: Do You Have the Right Stuff?

It takes a certain type of work ethic to be able to sustain and succeed in remote employment.

Here are some of the most important core competencies:

Time Management

Time management is an extremely important skill to have. You’re doing everything remotely from communicating with your boss and coworkers, answering emails, and handling day-to-day tasks as they come in. This is where time management comes into play. Being able to quickly prioritize and plan out your day from the start will help ensure success as a remote worker.

Discipline and Focus

It’s easy to get distracted when you work from home. With family at home, unexpected guests showing up at the door, and being tempted to complete a chore or two, things can quickly add up.

Stand your ground, have some rules of the home in place while you’re working remotely, and set your business hours so that friends and family know when they can contact you or even put your phone on “do not disturb” when you have work to complete.

Strong Communication Skills

Because you’re working remotely, strong communication is a vital skill to have. Whether you’re sending out emails, conferencing in a phone call or jumping in on a Zoom meeting, communication is the key to success in the remote work world. It’s important to communicate and acknowledge tasks, deadlines and project statuses to your team.

Ability to Work Independently

For the most part, you’re all on your own. If you’re someone who needs to be around others and socialize, remote work can sometimes feel isolating.

The good news is that there are ways to still socialize when you have a work from home job. You can join an online Facebook community (HireMyMom has an Online Community for example) or make time to attend networking or social meetings in your area.

Check out this blog for a more comprehensive piece on the core competencies.

 

STEP TWO: Finding Your New Work From Home Career Path


Transitioning to a work at home career can be life changing (in a good way), and it’s important to make sure you’re setting yourself up for success. There are so many different remote work professions to choose from. Here are some of the most popular:

  • Virtual Assistant
  • Copywriter / Content Developer / Blogger
  • Digital Marketing Specialist / Marketing / Advertising
  • Accountant / Bookkeeper
  • Customer Service / Client Support Specialist

It’s important when deciding on what jobs to apply for to assess what you have in your “toolbox”. Your toolbox contains your education, work experience, and any additional training you received that you could incorporate into the position you are applying for.

It never hurts to take a course or two to brush up your skills or learn some new ones. There are several online and in person options available. It’s best to do a Google search to find out what programs are offered as well as a search on YouTube to find any free training.

If you’re interested in becoming a Virtual Assistant we offer two great programs; our 31 Day VA Training Program and our 6-Month In-Depth VA Training Program.


For a more in-depth look at these professions and others including pay rates check out our article “10 Work From Home Jobs For Moms”.

 

STEP THREE: Do You Have the Right Tools?


Working from home does require some necessary tools to get started. Here are some you may need:

Computer and Backup
It’s important to have a good computer to work on plus a backup system in place should your system go down. And having a laptop is convenient for those working remotely since you can pick up and work from anywhere including the coffee shop, the pool or even on vacation.

Programs / Apps
Some key programs and apps you may use when you work remotely include G-Suite  / Google Docs, Zoom, Slack, Trello, Asana and other project management tools. There are also time tracking services like Harvest that are helpful for tracking hours.

Designated Workspace
It’s important to have a designated area so you can tune in to your work and tune out any distractions. You should have a desk area, proper office chair, and good lighting.

 

STEP FOUR: Where to Find Legitimate Work from Home Jobs?

The best place to find work from home jobs is online. There are however some considerations as to which job sites you should avoid.

Some questions to ask yourself when deciding which sites to apply to:

Does the website take commission every time you are paid?

Do they carefully screen employers before allowing them to post a job? (See Spotting Work at Home Scams)

Are you competing with thousands of applicants all over the world or is it a smaller niche site?

Is the website easy to navigate and use?

Do they have customer testimonials and good reviews?

It’s important to go with a website that features high quality job postings from reputable businesses. There may be a small cost to join the website but this is a good thing. It means there’s a filter in place to provide quality employment opportunities and greatly reducing the candidate pool so you are not competing with hundreds or thousands of other job seekers.

(HireMyMom has a great selection of jobs to choose from. Give your career a kick start, learn more here).

 

STEP FIVE: Resume, Cover Letter, and Interview Skills


Having an updated resume and cover letters tailored to each individual job increases your chances of getting hired with a quality employer. It’s also helpful to brush up on your interview skills so you can leave a lasting impression and land the job you want.

Need help? We have a collection of articles that offer tips on writing cover letters, advice on how to make your resume stand out, things to think about while preparing for a job interview and more. You can check them out here.

Are you ready to take that next step? Here are a few work from home success stories to inspire you: 

 

 

 

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February 25, 2020

6 Statistics Proving the Benefits of Working at Home

Did you know the number of people who work from home has increased by 140% since 2005?

Over the past decade, technology has really transformed the business world. Now, more and more businesses and individuals are discovering the benefits of working remotely from home.

With small businesses driving 44% of the total US economy, it’s easy to see how allowing employees or contractors to work from home would be beneficial and cost saving. It is a great solution to growing companies who seek an alternative to hiring, training and finding space for on-site staff. 

We at HireMyMom, already know the amazing benefits of working from home but let’s look at the benefits the Industry Experts have to share on remote work: 

 

1. Working at Home Saves Money

One of the biggest benefits of remote work is cost savings. According to Global Workplace Analytics (GWA), businesses can save up to $11,000 per employee each year by simply allowing them to work from home.

There is also less absence in the workplace when an employee can work from home. Again according to GWA, unscheduled absences cost employers $1800 per employee per year. The American Management Association realized a 63% reduction in unscheduled absences.

 

2. Working from Home Saves Time

Remote work can save a lot of time (and stress) because it eliminates the need to commute. According to the State of Telecommuting, part-time remote employees save around 11 days a year by not traveling to work. This means the employee is less stressed, less tired and can commit more time to performance rather than having their energy drained in rush hour traffic.

 

3. Working at Home Improves Productivity

It is true that distraction decreases productivity. There is nothing more annoying to an employer than seeing staff doing more chatting than working. But according to 2018 statistics, the majority of surveyed employees feel there are fewer distractions when working outside of the office.

Forbes.com relays that 77% of those who work from home get more done in fewer hours thanks to fewer distractions like meetings, conversations, and noisy coworkers.

When Highfive.com conducted a study, remote workers accomplished 30% more work in less time. 

 

4. Working from Home Helps Improve Employee Retention Rates

Keeping employees happy is the key to a successful and productive business. If employees are not happy, the quality of work often suffers significantly and could lead to employee loss.

A huge part of employee happiness comes from:

  • less travel time and commuting costs
  • less distraction from their co-workers
  • the ability to have a more flexible schedule and;
  • a comfortable work environment

According to Global Workplace Analytics, a poll of 1,500 technology professionals revealed that 37% would take a pay cut if they could work from home.

From an employer’s perspective, 95% report that working from home has had a high impact on their employee retention rate.


5. Working at Home Improves Health

Remote work can improve employee health both physically and mentally. Monster.com reports that when Staples conducted a study in 2011, they found employees who worked from home experienced 25% less stress. They also reported being able to maintain a healthy work-life balance and experienced improved eating habits as well.

Working from home also means being less exposed to viruses and other airborne illnesses that can sometimes heavily impact the workplace environment. It’s much easier to self-quarantine one person than an entire office. Less sick employees mean less disruption to productivity and in turn can lead to companies saving thousands of dollars each year. This is an especially timely topic given the outbreak of the Coronavirus. 

 

6. Working from Home Is Better For The Environment

According to the State of Telecommuting, the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions through telecommuters / remote workers is equivalent to 600,000 cars.

When employees eliminate the commute to work every day they help reduce the amount of pollution. By eliminating the commute, working from home drastically reduces the carbon emissions created from driving. In Entrepreneur.com’s article “How Telecommuting Reduced Carbon Footprints at Dell, Aetna and Xerox” it’s stated remote work, even if it’s only done on a part-time basis, can still reduce over 54 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions each year.


At HireMyMom we help businesses hire talented, affordable, virtual team members and freelancers while at the same time, assist mom professionals in finding flexible, legitimate, home-based work to help create the perfect work-life balance.

If you’re interested in using our services to find your next remote employee you can visit our registration page here.

 

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February 19, 2020

HireMyMom Success Story: Maria Fuentes-Archilla

Tell us about you and your experience on HireMyMom. 

We moved from South Florida to North Carolina almost two years ago and absolutely love it. We moved with the intent of a lifestyle change and that I could be a stay at home mom. Now that my kids are older, I’m hoping to find work from home so that I could still be present but feel productive. I am SO glad I gave HireMyMom a chance!  After just one week, I found multiple jobs that interested me. I’m thrilled to have received two offers and have accepted a position!  Very excited about the work I’ll be doing and best of all I won’t have to sacrifice time with my kids. The fact that I get to work from home while still being present for my kids is a huge plus. I will definitely be using your services again in the future! Worth every penny! 

What did you do previously?

I worked 12 years for local government in their Communications and Marketing Department. I have experience with copywriting, social media and project management.

What are your top tips for landing a job or jobs on HireMyMom.com?

Check for openings daily! I came across one I really loved and have already had an interview and a skills assessment. Hoping it works out but if not, I’ve already gotten two other offers! 

What’s your favorite thing about HireMyMom.com?

The employers know you’re a mom looking for virtual work from the beginning! I found it to be less overwhelming than other career job sites!

What’s one fun or interesting fact about you?

I used to photograph weddings! 

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January 27, 2020 0 Comments

HireMyMom Success Story: Sara Lingenfelter

What’s your success story with HireMyMom.com?

I had only been a member of HireMyMom for 2 months when I landed my first 2 clients! I was only trying to get 1 client, but both wanted to interview me and I thought why not? Besides, I didn’t think they would both offer me the position. But they did, and since neither was a high amount of hours I said yes to both. I learned so fast my responsibilities with my first client grew. We worked together for about 3 years total! I also ended up doing some work for his wife too. It got to the point, I wanted to do business management and he didn’t need that. To this day we are still friends. We even got to meet once at a conference we both happened to attend.
With the second client, after our phone interview, she offered me the job on the spot. She said she didn’t usually do that but after our conversation, she felt I was the right person. She and I worked together about 2 years. Again it was when I was moving onto higher level work and so we parted on a good note. And she and I still talk as well. While working for her, she flew me to an event in Vegas and it was really cool getting to meet her work her event.
After those two, I landed numerous other clients through HireMyMom. Some were just project-based, and during this time I was still working my bookkeeping job from home.  As my network grew, and I submitted really great proposals I was fortunately working a lot. About a year after doing VA work, I realized I could make more money doing that and that it could be a real business. In January of 2013, I decided to quit my job and do VA work full-time. Things had gotten to a point where if I wanted to do more, grow my skills, invest in building a business, I needed to quit my job to focus on this business that I “accidentally” started and just two years prior didn’t even know existed. I know many moms question if they can really make it as a VA. I’m very transparent when asked questions about how I got started, what I learned, and how much money I made. My first 11 months as a full-time VA, I billed out $47,000 which was $10,000 more than my salary as a bookkeeper.
I credit HireMyMom to giving me my start. Signing up was the BEST choice I made when trying to get started. Since starting I have worked with 75+ clients, I’ve really lost track of the exact number. I did eventually take a course to get certified in Online Business Management. The awesome thing about becoming a VA is there are so many possibilities. I ultimately did this work for my son, so he could stay home with me. HireMyMom is connecting clients and VA’s in a way that truly impacts families in an amazing way!

What’s your educational and experiential background?

My parents never went to college, and they always talked about how they regretted it. So I went to college at night after graduating high school. I had to work full-time to put myself through school, so that’s the reason I went at night plus the tuition was cheaper for night classes. I went to Drury University and got a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice and Psychology. Then I always had office jobs from the age of 18 to 31. But my plan was to become a Probation and Parole office for the State of Missouri. To be clear, I had NO business background, no entrepreneurial experience, and no training when I started working as a VA.

What is your top tip (or tips) for landing a gig on HireMyMom.com?

I could give many, but I have this top tip and it’s what worked for me! It is, to be honest about your experience. Many clients are looking for certain skills. But when I first started, I didn’t have any experience with the online world. I had just dabbled in Google doc. I didn’t know any software programs. These potentials clients I was sending proposals to wanted people with certain skills that are common for someone that had been working as a VA for a while.
Here’s what I did and you can do too. I had gotten a job as a bookkeeper (prior to working online) but when I went to the job interview I thought I was interviewing to be a secretary. At the interview, I find out the owners of the business changed their mind. A friend referred me to them and told them I was smart. I had experience with money, payroll, and unions but that was it. And it just so happened they needed to replace their bookkeeper more than they did their receptionist. Long story short, they offered me the job. What does this have to do with being a VA? Well in a few months and with a bit of training, I was doing all aspects of bookkeeping for this HVAC company that did average sales of $3.5 million a year. In my proposals to potential clients I explained, that even though I didn’t have experience with the programs they list, I know that if given the chance I was 100% confident I could learn that program or programs. And I gave them the short explanation of how I went from never doing bookkeeping to being able to fully perform all job functions needed and had that job for 10 years. I did payroll, used account/inventory software, created financials and much more.
What does this mean for you? Give an example of a time you learned something and performed it very well! If they understand you can learn, potential clients are often very willing to give you a chance, especially if they feel you are organized, pay attention to details and communicate well. You can’t always teach someone those soft skills but you can teach them a software program or give them a chance to learn it.

What’s your favorite thing about HireMyMom.com?

My top favorite thing is that potential clients realize most of the VA’s applying are moms. I’ve heard negative talk in the past about a mom working from home also having her kids home with her. By having this site, most potential clients understand you have kids and it gets you over that hurdle that can be an issue with some. It makes the process easier and I love that.


What’s one fun fact about you?

I went skydiving when I was 21 but yet I am scared of rides at theme parks. I’ve never been on a roller coaster or any other ride like that, I play it safe, too scared! LOL I have no idea the logic.

Want to be one of our Featured Success Stories? Click here for our form!

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January 20, 2020 0 Comments

5 Tips For a Winning Cover Letter to Get You Hired

Ah, the cover letter – the sister document of your resume! It’s an important but often overlooked part of the job searching process, and one that demands more attention.  Whether cover letters come across as an afterthought, are too lengthy, or simply lack any depth, there can be a number of errors avoided by taking a second look.

Grab their Attention

Realize the hiring person may get 30-50 resumes (or more on mega job sites). And the resumes that get read are the ones with something that GRABS their ATTENTION!  Something like, “Let Me Take More Off Your Plate!”  Or, “I thrive on being proactive in ways to make your life easier! Hire Me!”

Don’t be afraid to add some personality to your cover letter and show your “go-getter” attitude. No one wants to hire a bump on a log. Also, the P.S. is the most read part of ANY email or letter.  P.S. Your “Go Getter Attitude” so that you stand out

Be Diligent

You want your first impression to be a good one! Be sure that your grammar is perfect, your spelling is correct, and your sentences well-structured. Don’t rush through this because it tells the hiring person you aren’t paying attention to details and aren’t putting 100% effort in.

This doesn’t mean that you can’t inject some personality into your letter, but proper writing rules remain a required element of the job application documents.

Focus on the Company

The number one goal of your cover letter is to show why you would be a great fit for the job!  Your letter shouldn’t go on and on about your accomplishments, but rather convey them in a way that shows relevance to the employer.

You should always look up the company to show that you’ve done your homework and took the time to learn about them. (Hint: Read their “About Us” page and a few blogs to get a feel for the person and company).

Bullets are Key

Begin your cover letter with a brief paragraph or two, then consider using bullet points to highlight key selling points on why you think you’re the best candidate.  This breaks up large chunks of text, allows the employer to see your points quickly and easily, and makes you appear considerate and well prepared.

Show Why You’re a Fit

What do you bring to the table?  List specific character traits, past experiences, and job roles that are a direct fit to this specific position. Have a testimonial from a past client? You may want to consider adding it to your cover letter.

You may have had 10 jobs that you’re proud of, but which jobs, and more importantly, which qualities from those jobs, will allow you to shine in this new role?

By focusing on the company and job position, you’re focusing on the employer’s needs, not your own.  Be sure to include succinct, relevant information that will allow the employer to see what they would get from you immediately.

Lastly, make it easy for them to read, add some personality, and show them your “go-getter attitude”!

Click here to see some of our Newest Job posts.  

Ready to apply? Click here to add your resume and start applying!

What have other Job Seekers said about HireMyMom.com?

Click here for some helpful blogs on resume and cover letter tips.

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January 14, 2020 0 Comments

5 Tips for Setting Achievable Goals for Today’s Entrepreneur

Goal setting is a common practice for entrepreneurs and small business owners like yourself. At the beginning of a new year, we typically feel inspired to be better, to do better. Let’s face it, it is a great time to create goals and ideals for the next twelve months.

Effective goals are those that are able to be accomplished, don’t cause too much stress or strain, and create a feeling of accomplishment. Read along for some actionable tips to set effective goals for an improved year.

Here are 5 tips to help you set achievable goals for the coming year:

Be Specific

The best goals are specific and measurable. For example, “grow my business” is a nice goal, but it’s not very specific or strong. Lay out your ideal job when creating your goal, as this allows you to see it in action more clearly.

Another example would be, “I want to earn more money.” Again, a great goal, but can you assign a specific amount?  The more measurable the goal, the more concrete steps you can take to achieve it.

Be Realistic

Although setting lofty goals is admirable, it’s important that they’re also obtainable. If you hope to get a new client in one week, but you don’t have a plan on how you will do that, it’s not likely to happen.  Although it can be done, goals are more likely to be achieved when the timing makes sense.

Give yourself a push with the goal, but don’t stress yourself out either! Becoming too focused on a goal can cause burnout – do your best but skip the rigid thinking.

Consult the Past

What worked in the past? Maybe you’ll notice that a specific type of goal keeps popping up, or that one goal is always on your list, but never gets done. Consulting your past goals can help you see what works for the future, and what’s likely to get done and propel you forward in the year to come.

Check in Often

Checking in on a daily, weekly and monthly basis keeps the goals fresh in your mind. We tend to create goals at the beginning of a new year and stop thinking about them by the end of the month! Put them in your calendar, on your “to do” list, and every other place that you consult frequently.

Seeing and spending time thinking of your goals keeps them top of mind, which is the first step to successfully achieving them.

Do Something Everyday

Be sure you’re doing something every day that moves you closer to your goals. You’ll be checking in weekly on an official basis, but a daily reminder is even better. Work from a daily, weekly, monthly goal sheet such as the one we’ve created for you. Or create a vision board where you can see your goals visually, or simply work from a positive mindset when working towards career goals.

Setting and achieving goals is a challenging process, but one that is truly important to our personal and professional growth. Follow the steps above when creating your goals for this upcoming year, and you’ll be well on your way to new and exciting things this year!

If your goal is to find your next great hire or to find a great remote job, let us help! You can find great candidates right here on HireMyMom as well as great work from home jobs posted by small businesses and entrepreneurs across the country.

 

 

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January 6, 2020

5 Ways Online Groups Can Help You Succeed Working From Home

Working from home offers many benefits but, at times there can be some small drawbacks as well.

Unlike an office environment, remote work at home often involves minimal daily interaction with others. There’s also a lack of support, and it’s up to you to create a good workflow, be disciplined enough to follow through with it and to be able to tap into the right resources when you’re presented with a challenge.

This is where having a solid “tribe” or community comes into play.

Your community can be your most precious commodity. Having a place to turn to (especially one with like-minded people) can be the difference between liking work at home and loving it!

So, where can you find a work from home “tribe” to call your own?

For some, it could be in the form of a local networking group. Networking groups often meet in person on a weekly basis and may require a membership fee in order to join. They actively support each other’s businesses by getting to know the products and services each member offers and by providing referrals to each other’s companies. 

Because remote workers can perform their job anywhere and are considered more self-employed, restricting yourself to just local business interaction might not be the best choice.

This is where Facebook and other online communities can come in handy. Online support groups are often free to join and can be accessed virtually 24/7.

 

Here are 5 benefits to joining a Community Group that supports remote work from home individuals:

 

1. Job Leads

Depending on the group you decide to join, others may post their job leads or requests within the community. This allows you to have access to leads that may not be posted elsewhere on the internet. 

You can also share job leads and others can share the ones they have found with you. This creates a place to find quality job postings without turning to mega job sites that expect more for less (we share more about that in our article “Why Moms Looking To Work at Home Should Avoid Free Job Sites“).

 

2. Tips & Pointers

Your community group can be a great place to learn and grow. Are you looking for the best ways to keep your home office organized? How about being able to manage your routine tasks more efficiently?

When you have access to a group of other workers who, just like you, face and overcome the same obstacles, they are more than eager to share their experiences, life lessons, and wisdom.

What better way to learn how to grow and sustain your remote business than through the minds of others who can offer their insight and expertise.

 

3. Valuable Resources

When it comes to living and working in a digital world, there are many benefits however, the drawback can be all of that “digital noise” we get flooded with on a day to day basis. When you’re subjected to hundreds of posts, photos and ads daily, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and confused. 

You can also lose precious time having to sort and navigate through the “junk” to get to the information you want and not get distracted.

If you choose to be a part of a community support group, you’ll find many helpful articles, information on upcoming events that might benefit you and more.

 

4. Inspiration

Let’s face it, we all need some inspiration from time to time. When we are inspired, we feel motivated, creative, and action-oriented.

When we are motivated we tend to do a better job and have a more positive mindset when it comes to getting the job done.

Your community support group is like your own personal cheerleading squad that can help you push through the day with a better outcome compared to doing it all alone.

 

5. Friendships

Remote work can feel very isolating so it’s important to build friendships and stay connected. 

Some of the best friendships start with common ground. Interacting with other remote workers (and Moms) just like you can make you feel like you’re not alone in this journey of self-employment.

Because an online group is primarily virtual, you can access your friendships more frequently as it fits into your schedule. You can break up your workday over a coffee and Skype chat with a fellow stay at home Mom worker as an example.

There you have it, 5 benefits you can experience firsthand from joining an online community group. 

Our Hire My Mom Facebook Support Group is full of amazing women (like you) who are passionate about their careers, their families and their HireMyMom tribe. Interested in joining? You can find a link to our group here. We would love to see you join us!

 

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November 25, 2019

5 Questions Every Small Business Entrepreneur Should Ask Before Hiring A Virtual Assistant

As an entrepreneur, you may have reached that point in your small business where you are thinking you need some help. There just aren’t enough hours in the day for you to check and respond to emails, field phone calls, create social media posts, create email blasts, manage your calendar, research topics, manage day to day operations, and on and on.

There are many advantages to having someone who can assist with tasks that feel overwhelming so you can focus on the more important, revenue generating activities of your business. And working with a virtual professional can help you focus on GROWING your business and help you leverage your time better.

Before you jump in feet first and start the scouting process to find a Virtual Assistant (VA), there are some things to carefully consider.

Here are 5 questions you should ask and answer before hiring a Virtual Assistant or a Virtual Professional.

1. Do You Know What You Need?

Take some time to decide what tasks would be most beneficial to have someone else do. Make a list of the job duties you don’t like or don’t have time for as well as any tools or programs needed to complete the tasks.  As you create your job post, this list will help you refine the duties to help you find the right person for the job.

Are the tasks suitable for one type of assistant or should you hire more than one person? It may be that you need a part-time administrative assistant as well as a part-time social media manager, bookkeeper, blogger or customer service specialist depending on the tasks and duties you need to have done. Many businesses start out small and hire someone for 5-10 hours per week until their business grows and they need more help in various areas.

 

2. Are You Looking for a Certain Personality?

You will be working closely with a virtual assistant, so it’s important to find someone who gets you. Are you a Type A driven personality who works better with similar personality types? Are you more laid back and work better with someone who is too? Do you procrastinate too often and could use a no-nonsense person to help keep you on track? Do you run a faith-based business and want someone who shares your Christian values?

Knowing your personality type and what type of person you are looking for in a virtual assistant who will complement that is essential.  If this is important to you, you may consider having the applicants submit their scores to a personality assessment test.

 

3. How Will You Work With Your Virtual Assistant?

You will have the most success working with a VA when roles and communication are laid out clearly. There are a lot of project management resources out there like Slack, Asana and Trello to help with task tracking, communication, and project management. Or you may choose to keep it simple with daily or weekly check-ins by email or Zoom calls, sharing via Google Suite or DropBox folders. Decide up front how you will work best to ensure efficiency for you both in work and communication. But remember that communication is key and that no one will be able to read your mind or do a good job if they are not taught, show and directed early on especially.

 

4. What Skills Do You Need in a Virtual Assistant?

Having a list of tasks to delegate is a solid foundation when you are ready to hire a virtual assistant. Keep in mind, though, that hopefully this will be an individual who can grow with you and your business to form a great long-term working relationship. Think about what kind of skills you want a virtual assistant to have and what would bring you the most value as your business grows over the next two or three years.  If you are unsure, try searching the internet for Virtual Assistant (or whatever role you need) job duties to get an idea of what others are hiring these assistants to do and what skills may be needed.

 

5. Will They be Dealing with any Private or Sensitive Information?

If you need someone to help with parts of your business that include sensitive or private information to you or to your clients, you should consider not only checking references but also doing a background check or requesting a Trust Badge from a service such as SafetyPin Technologies. In today’s remote economy, it is important to do the extra work up front to reduce the chances of someone having access to sensitive information or business assets that turns out to be less than trustworthy. It is wise to get to know the person before allowing them full access to your business. Start small and allow them to prove themselves. The extra work up front may save valuable time and headaches in the future.

  

And when you are ready to hire, HireMyMom can help you find a great Virtual Assistant or Professional.  We believe Moms make great virtual employees or contractors.

FACT: Over 5.4 million mothers put their careers on hold to stay home with children*. That adds up to a lot of talented women with experience, education, skills and the motivation to find flexible work that can be done from their home office. (*Source: U.S. Census Bureau)

What are the benefits of hiring remote employees or contractors from HireMyMom?

  • Save time.
  • Save money.
  • Save on office space and office equipment.
  • Save Your SANITY!
  • We do NOT take any commissions from You or our Job Seekers!
  • You will have more time to focus on your clients and improve your business.
  • Your project or job is posted to our entire pool of talented work from home candidates saving you valuable time.
  • You save money by not paying high salaries and benefits for traditional employees.
  • You interview, evaluate and decide which candidate is best suited for your business (or you may choose our Small Business Concierge program and allow us to do it all for you).
  • We provide the candidates. You provide the work. We get out of the way.
  • We’ve been around since 2007, and as moms and entrepreneurs ourselves, we are committed to helping small businesses, entrepreneurs and moms find mutual success!

FIND A TALENTED VIRTUAL ASSISTANT

 

What Types of Professionals Can You Hire?

Here are some of the more common job types posted with us:

  • virtual assistants / administrative assistants,
  • blogger / writers / editors,
  • social media marketers,
  • marketing / public relations / advertising,
  • legal & real estate assistants,
  • researchers,
  • graphic designers,
  • accounting / bookkeeping,
  • web designers,
  • customer service reps,
  • sales,
  • e-commerce specialists,
  • human resources, and more!

FIND YOUR NEXT VIRTUAL PROFESSIONAL NOW!

If you need help with hiring, try our Small Business VIP Concierge service and we can do all the hard work for you!

 

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Written by
November 19, 2019

7 Benefits of Working From Home for Moms

Are you contemplating working from home? Many of us Moms do, in fact, for our HireMyMom members – the contemplation has become a reality!

Most Moms make the decision to work from home because of at least one of the following:

1. To be at home more for their children,

2. To have more freedom and flexibility in their schedule,

3. To be their own boss,

4. To earn money for their family.

 

Working from home can be an amazing experience, but it does require some key qualities:

  • Self discipline,
  • Strong organizational skills,
  • Effective time management,
  • Flexibility,
  • Administrative skills

(If you don’t have a lot of administrative experience, we highly recommend our 31 Day Virtual Assistant training program.)

 

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF WORKING FROM HOME?

 

  1. Flexibility – when you work from home, you have the ability to work at your own pace, set your own hours as well as the amount of hours you want to work.
  2. Control over your work environment – imagine being able to create your own unique work environment … from the paint on the walls to your office furniture, you can design the work space you want. You can also play whatever music you want, add some refreshing scents, and create a personalized atmosphere for your work environment. 
  3. Wear what you want – whether you want to work in jeans and a t-shirt, your favorite yoga pants, or even your PJ’s, your mornings are a little less stressful and more harmonious when you don’t have to worry about putting on business attire.
  4. Less disruptions and more productivity – other than the kids coming home from school, there can be a lot less distraction when you work from home. You can focus on getting your work done without office chatter and impromptu stop ins to your office.
  5. No commuting – say good-bye to the long drives and getting caught in rush hour traffic. A work from home job requires very little travelling, if at all. With no fuel costs or wear and tear on your car, you are saving both time and money.
  6. You can get chores done on your breaks – you can take a quick break from work to throw a load of laundry in the wash, start the dishwasher, or give the floor a sweep. By the end of the day, there will be less chores to do and more time for you.
  7. More time for your family – when you work from home, you’re there for your family when they need you. You can work your schedule around soccer games, dance practice and doctors appointments quite easily. Because you aren’t commuting, you get off work earlier and start family time as soon as you shut down your computer.

 

More and more companies are starting to recognize the benefits to having work from home employees. The surge in self employment has caused a demand for this type of work, especially in cases where a business is starting to grow, but they can’t afford the costs of hiring internally. 

As technology evolves, there will only be an increased demand for work from home employees, freelancers, and entrepreneurs. 

If you think working from home might be a great fit for you, our “Top 10 Work From Home Jobs” is worth the read. We cover some of the most in demand jobs based on our postings here at HireMyMom.

If you’re ready to step into a work from home role, you can sign up  on HireMyMom and gain instant access to our database of remote job postings. 

We look forward to seeing you as one of our Success Stories!

 

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Written by
November 11, 2019

HireMyMom Success Story: Melanie Villeda

Tell us a little about you and your experience finding work on HireMyMom.

I was laid off in April and was job searching for months. I joined a women’s business group on Facebook. Someone asked advice about work with flexible hours and HireMyMom.com came highly recommended. I was not very successful in my search and needed help. So I joined HireMyMom and was impressed with the types of jobs posted. I applied to 5 positions over time. In a weeks time, I had 3 interviews scheduled and one job offer!! I highly recommend this site.
I also am a proud mom of 4, 3 of which are teens, 2 furry babies and wife to an extraordinary husband.

What did you do previously?

I started my career in Television Production. For the past ten years I was a Marketing and Public Relations Manager.

What is your top tip for landing a gig on HireMyMom.com?

I recommend visiting the site at least three times a week and not using the filters. Check all the listings available. New jobs are posted daily!

What’s your favorite thing about HireMyMom.com?

The jobs listed are well vetted and quality positions that can’t be found other places on the internet.

What’s one fun or interesting fact about you?

I am a singer and actress. I have been in several shows, operas and musicals. My latest role was of Ms. Andrews in Mary Poppins at the Crighton Historical Theater.
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Want to be featured here as one of HireMyMom’s Success Stories?

Mom Professionals, please complete this form our Mom Professionals Success Stories.

If you are a Small Business / Employers, please use this form for Small Business Success Stories!

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