Instituting “Standards” into the Virtual Assistant Industry.

I feel that in a lot of cases it’s the dreamers and people who “just don’t fit in” that start something new, and then people come in after the fact and want to put requirements in place.

Virtual Assistance is a new way of doing business (I know it’s been around since a long time ago, but it’s finding it’s audience much more recently.) To try and put the industry or any of people into little boxes would be not only horrible but truly unethical.

And Terry – Insert random lambasting here! (just kidding, of course)

People have been saying they can do things they can’t since time began. They always get found out eventually…and if not…they can answer to their higher power when they pass on.

This seems very close to a “people in glass houses” issue. If someone wants to tell me how my business should be run, they better have every i dotted and every t crossed in their own business…and if they do, shouldn’t they be busy working on further developing their own business rather than telling others?

Teaching by example is the only effective method I know. When I first started visiting VA Networking, I think the first website I went to was Terri’s because she spoke professionally and answered questions well. I spent six months lurking the boards without posting and just watched and searched websites to get a feel for the industry.

I chose who I wanted to emulate. I feel a lot of VAs do the same when they come to the boards.

Finally, while I do not have this issue I know a lot of Virtual Assistants do. The ever present self-esteem monster. If you put lofty standards in place, a lot of women who *think* they might be able to do this will be turned away for fear they will be attacked or “made fun of” if they are “not good enough” – while I know this would not happen here at VAN, it’s the fearful mind of a newbie that we’re concerned with, not the reality of the forums.

A community of caring and responsible VAs will be able to help newcomers – without telling them if you don’t have this, this, this, and this you shouldn’t even be here or trying to run a business.

Who knows what hidden natural talent someone might have that doesn’t show up in their resume or work history?