Online Learning Opportunities

One of the drawbacks to working virtually is the occasional feelings of isolation. Knowing that you don’t have a buddy in the next office or cubicle to bounce ideas off of, or chat about problems and issues you are having can cause some overwhelm, especially when you are everything from the Chief Pencil Sharpener to the Chief Executive Officer of your company.

Fortunately for me and many other Virtual Assistants, we are not in this alone! Many of us belong to an organization called the International Virtual Assistants Association (IVAA). We all make connections with one another through their online forum, asking questions and, in most cases, getting an answer from another very helpful and knowledgeable VA within anywhere from minutes to a few short hours.

Another benefit of IVAA is the RFP (Request for Proposal) section, where I was initially connected to several of my clients. I strongly recommend this area to anyone who is looking for a VA with a specific skill set. You are sure to find the right person here.

But what I enjoy most about IVAA is the learning opportunities. Every year they have a live “Summit”, where we connect with and get to know one another. This is where we meet other VAs with skill sets in areas that we don’t provide to whom we can sub-contract. IVAA also offers short classes on a regular basis, and their annual “Online Summit” which I attended for two days last week. No need to travel. Just grab your cup of coffee and settle yourself in front of your computer in the comfort of your own office for a choice of 31 different sessions from which to choose, which were offered via GoToWebinar. All the sessions were recorded and available for future download in case I missed anything (which I obviously did).

There are lots of other online learning opportunities available through many sources. I will discuss some of these in future posts.