While it is true that many virtual assistants speak English as a first language, it certainly is No A demand that so many people find shocking!
There is a lot of concern for non-native English speakers; It can be scary to work with native speakers if you do not have all the vocabulary variety or you have an accent.
But let me tell you: Business owners do not care.
As I always say, customers will only care about one thing, and that is whether you can do the job or not. If you are bad at your niche, be a native speaker if it is completely irrelevant.
My tone 90 VA Day The students do not speak English as a mother tongue and when I spoke to them, they actually found an advantage in speaking English as a second language!
So here are some ways in which they shared that non-English speaking English can still succeed in the world of remote work.
Expand your horizons
While people think that speaking English as a second language will reduce the number of jobs available for applying, it will do the complete opposite.
To be a native English speaker who does not constitute harm; This is another door for you to put your foot in.
Many of my students have found that speaking more than one language expands their options, and they are able to offer their services to more customers than to people who only speak English.
At Virtual Assistant Internship, we actually get requests all the time for virtual assistants who speak another language alongside English, so these job postings are really great for students who speak English as a second language.
You can also offer your services to customers who speak your native language, so in reality, you increase the number of people you can offer three times!
Offers specific services
Let’s be honest here: English is a difficult language!
Even I will admit it, and I have a degree in education.
For many non-native English speakers, the idea of having to write and communicate constantly in English can be very daunting.
This is why many of my students who have studied English as a second language recommend focusing on specific services that you feel your strengths lie in.
B 90 days VA There is a blogging module that even native English speakers have a hard time getting through, but it is only one module out of more than ten!
This means you still have a lot of other skills to learn and suggest that will not revolve around having to speak or write English all the time, like managing podcasts or video editing.
If you really wanted to continue writing, managing social media, marketing or any other niche that might require an in-depth understanding of the language, you can still do it!
Find customers in your native language to whom you can offer these services, and focus on other services for English-speaking customers.
Do the thinking work
It feels like hitting a dead horse every time I say it, but it’s one of the most important things you can do to be successful as a virtual assistant.
Your mindset dictates how much you are willing to jump into the unknown and take the necessary risks to thrive.
All of my non-native English speaking students agree that speaking English as a second language can be a major mental hurdle that must be overcome when starting a career as a virtual assistant. It’s already hard enough to jump into a new career, so adding to each other can make it much harder to get started.
This is why everyone also agrees that the right mindset was essential to their success. There is a lot of fear of rejection when you apply for a job that is not in your first language, but with the right mindset, you can overcome it.
I have small thinking classes scattered all along the way 90 days VA Because I know how hard it can be to convince yourself. Believe me, I’ve been through this too, and these lessons are just me teaching you how I managed to get to where I am today.
The impostor syndrome is real and a huge pain in the buttocks, so it’s super important to go through the thinking classes and remember you can do it!
Just jump in
When I spoke to former VAI staff member Christine Offner for my podcast (you can check out the episode here), she stressed that non-English speaking virtual assistants need go for it.
This does not mean just applying for a job; It means assimilating yourself into the distant world of work by joining groups, meeting people and offering help to others.
She even mentioned that she got her first job not by applying to it, but by chance after talking to a member of VA’s Facebook group. They needed VA and she had the knowledge to provide the service. Casual chat has become a discovery call and boom! She had a job!
Another 90-year-old former VA student and non-native English speaker, Alyssa, also shared her experience of becoming a VA:
Like they both said, go for it! If you have passed the course, you have everything you need to get these remote jobs, regardless of whether English is your first language or not.
And if you’re trying to get the skills to become a virtual assistant, 90 Day VA will be open for registration this month! You will learn about the hottest niches for virtual work so you can join our remote work revolution.
Want to learn more? Check out my free master class here.
