Contact 1-800-466-1535 (250) 448-4670
Is Career Training Right For You? Take The Free Quiz |
Is it worth it to be come a Virtual Assistant? Becoming a Virtual Assistant is a choice and a journey. This is Lynnette Westcott’s journey from a student in CanScribe’s Administrative Assistant / Virtual Assistant program to becoming a stay-at-home professional.
Lynnette is an inspiration for parents who want to make a career change for their children. Follow Lynette’s story below where she answers the question, “Is it worth it to become a Virtual Assistant?”
Is it worth it to become a Virtual Assistant?
After the birth of my oldest child, I knew that I wanted to be a stay-at-home mother. I believed that to do that I would have to give up any chance of a career. I also knew I wanted to be a homeschooling mom. It seemed like I had a choice: either stay at home with my kids, or I could get a job that I could pursue and enjoy.
I did not think it was possible to do both. I put the idea of getting a career out of my mind and focused on taking care of my kids. That was ten years ago, and I do not regret a thing.
So, what changed? I still homeschool my children (my oldest is now in fifth grade), I still believe that I should be home with my kids, and I still do not regret my decisions. What changed was the realization that I do not have to do an “either-or.” This isn’t a choice of whether I want to stay home with my kids; it isn’t a choice of picking one or the other.
I realized that I do have skills that I can use to do both. I do have the potential to not only stay with my kids but model hard work, a good work ethic, what it means to pursue something worthwhile, all without sacrificing my passion for being with them.
That’s why I chose to attend CanScribe. I wanted to attend a place where I could develop skills that I knew I had and learn new skills so I could pursue a career.
With a need to excel I set high standards for myself. I did not realize how fulfilling it could be to see what I was capable of. Then, I finished school much earlier than I anticipated and graduated with honours. It was so challenging and rewarding, and I was amazed at the process.
As I have been going through the process of applying for jobs, I am thankful for the skills that CanScribe has taught me. I have been given skill tests that, apart from my training with CanScribe, I would not have been able to complete. Being able to show what I have learned has been just as encouraging and rewarding as doing schooling in the first place.
After graduating, I began to pursue a career, hoping that I could find a job easily and quickly. It is not easy. It takes a lot of work. I created a LinkedIn profile, a website, a Facebook page, and started looking on job search sites for any position. I expected that it would be easy, a simple case of just applying to a few jobs.
The truth is, it takes a lot of hard work to find employment. I got a few rejection emails. There were many times I never heard back. It was so challenging. However, I knew I couldn’t give up. So, I pushed through and continued to do so. Looking for work is the most challenging aspect. I often felt discouraged. I reached out to the team at CanScribe, and they were more than helpful.
The instructors and other staff members went above and beyond to help me in my pursuit of a career. Everyone I spoke with was friendly, kind, engaging, and encouraging. They helped me to keep pushing through my doubts, my fears, and my insecurity. It was through them that I was able to keep reaching beyond my expectations. Their confidence inspired me to keep holding on.
The crazy part is I still don’t have a job yet. I’m still looking for work. I’ve had a few job scams where I thought I had work, only to find out that it was not legitimate.
And I am asking myself, “Was this worth it?” Was it worth going through this process, was it worth pushing myself when I don’t even have a guarantee of work? Was it worth pushing myself through school for this? And my answer is an unqualified yes. Yes, it has been worth it to see what I am capable of. Yes, it has been worth it to push myself beyond what I imagined and know that I have skills that I can offer. Would it be nice to have a job?
Obviously, yes. But I wouldn’t change this experience for anything in the world. Doing this has changed my perspective on who I am and what I have to offer. I owe much of this confidence and ability to CanScribe, and I can’t wait to see where this journey takes me.
______________________
What do you think? Is it worth it to become a Virtual Assistant? Check out Lynnette’s website to learn more about what she does! Follow CanScribe on Facebook for more news, tips, and more advice on the question, “Is it worth it to become a Virtual Assistant?”