Welcome, dear readers. If you’re reading this article, then chances are you’re interested in becoming a freelance administrative assistant but aren’t quite sure how to get started.
Well, good news: whether you’ve recently graduated from college and are looking for your first job or have been working in an office for years but are ready for something new, we believe freelancing can be the perfect solution for you.
In this article, we’ll discuss how to begin a successful freelance career and what pitfalls to avoid along the way and once you’ve finished reading it, you’ll be well on your way toward pursuing a flexible job that allows you to work whenever and wherever you choose!
| Takeaways |
|---|
| 1. Proper online etiquette and communication are crucial for freelancers. |
| 2. Avoiding common mistakes can help freelancers establish a successful career as administrative assistants. |
| 3. Understanding customer service secrets can enhance freelancers’ ability to provide exceptional support. |
| 4. Developing strong skills in administrative support is essential for freelancers’ long-term success. |
| 5. Building a support system and learning from experienced professionals can greatly benefit freelance administrative assistants. |
Try To Do Everything By Yourself
As a freelance Administrative Assistant, you may be tempted to try and do everything by yourself. You feel like it’s your responsibility to take on every task and project that’s thrown your way. But trying to do everything yourself is a mistake.
I will be the first one to admit that this was my problem for years when I started out as an Administrative Assistant. I would never say “no” when asked for help with something, even if I was completely overwhelmed with work already.
Or I would think that if someone else did the work, they wouldn’t do it as well or as fast as I could.
But over time, I realized that this mentality was hurting my business and preventing me from growing it further than what I currently had going on at the time (which wasn’t much).
Building strong customer service skills is essential for freelancers. Discover the 12 Customer Service Secrets that all freelancers need to know to provide exceptional support and satisfy their clients’ needs. Check out our guide on customer service secrets to enhance your freelancing career.
Not Having A Goal And Not Having A Plan For Your Personal Brand
When people start their business, they spend a lot of time thinking about the goals that they want to accomplish and the plans they have for achieving them. But often, there’s one critical thing that gets overlooked: the personal brand.
As a freelance administrative assistant, you have to understand your own brand and what it stands for in order to convey its authenticity to others.
The first goal of every small business owner is to make money; after all, that’s what entrepreneurs do! You’ll also need a plan for how you’re going to get there. If you can’t tell me in one sentence or less – or even better yet on an index card – then you don’t know what success looks like for your business.
This lack of clarity will lead down an endless road of confusion and frustration because nothing ever seems good enough when you haven’t defined success yet! We recommend keeping it simple: “My personal brand is ___________.” Fill in this blank with something unique about yourself (or your company).
But that’s not all! For example, if I’m starting out as a freelance administrative assistant but I don’t have any experience working in this field beforehand then my marketing materials won’t help me achieve my goal (making money) because nobody knows who I am yet so why would they hire someone without any prior training?
Not Doing Enough Research About The Industry And The Job Market
What is the job market like? If you go into business, who are your potential clients? Can you work for more than one client? What skills do you need to offer to be able to sell yourself in the job market? Do you need additional qualifications in order to provide what your potential clients want or need?
Who else is doing what you are doing and how does that impact your business idea and plans? What services or products do they provide? Who else can they work for, other than your potential clients, that may influence which of them decide to give their work (and money) to another business person?
Where are sub-contractors or staff with the necessary skill sets located or trained and how will this impact your business costs and plans? Are there regulatory requirements that require any sub-contractors or staff to be sourced locally (i.e. within a defined geographic area)?
Not Getting Enough Sleep, Or Taking Care Of Your Mental And Physical Health
- Sleep is essential for your body and mind. You need to be rested and focused to work productively just like you’d need a fully charged battery for your smartphone.
- Sleep helps you stay healthy. Getting enough sleep lowers the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and stroke. Not getting enough sleep can make it harder to think clearly and make good decisions which means you’re less productive at work and maybe even more accident-prone.
- Sleep helps you get over colds faster: It gives your immune system time to fight off infections while you snooze instead of surfing Facebook. The next time that coworker sneezes on your keyboard, don’t blame them if you’re tired!
- Your brain needs sleep to recover from mental fatigue: A good night’s rest will change how much energy you have in the morning (and, again, how well you think). If your brain is not well-rested, it won’t help if someone keeps telling you that “sleep is for the weak.”
Besides making sure that you have enough mental energy in the morning to start a new day at work or school, sleep also regulates emotions so that sudden acts of anger or sadness don’t ruin important relationships with family or friends.
Maintaining proper online etiquette is crucial for a successful freelance career. Avoid these 13 Online Etiquette Mistakes that can harm your reputation and hinder your progress. Learn more about online etiquette by visiting our article on online etiquette mistakes.
Not Having A Balance Between Working And Spending Time With Family Or Friends
You’ve been thinking about it for a while now and you’re finally ready to take the plunge. You want to start freelancing as an administrative assistant, but you don’t know where to start. We are here to help!
We know it can be difficult to make the decision, but we believe in you! If you need some tips on how to get started with your freelance career, read on.
The first thing you will notice when working from home is that people around you do not understand what being an administrative assistant means or entails. It can be hard for them if they have never done anything like this before.
They may not realize that there is a lot more involved than just answering phones and typing up documents. It takes time and effort on your part as well as those around you who don’t understand what kind of work goes into being an administrative assistant at home or in an office setting.
There are many different types of people who work from home such as real estate agents, doctors’ offices, and hospitals; however, there are also plenty of companies that offer these positions remotely too!
The most difficult part about working as an administrative assistant remotely would be finding someone close enough geographically so that it doesn’t become too much of an inconvenience for both parties involved when trying this out for yourself without having any prior experience first before committing long term financially speaking long term commitment wise).
Not Making Enough Money In The Beginning
You Give It You’re All At The Start, But You Don’t Make Enough Money
To get steady work, you want to be working with clients on a regular basis. But that doesn’t mean you should sign up with as many as possible. If you combine too many clients and then add in the time needed to find new ones, there’s a good chance you’re not going to have enough time for everything. That’s why it’s important to focus on finding quality clients who are willing to pay well for your services and build those relationships before adding new ones.
You Underestimate How Much Time Each Project Will Take And Underbid Yourself
You don’t want to overcharge your clients by any means, but if they’re paying too little and the work takes longer than expected, it may not be worth taking a job like that one in the first place you’re losing money by taking it!
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Doing Too Much Work Without Delegating Or Sub-Contracting Some Projects To Other Assistants
The tasks you should delegate are those that someone else can do more efficiently or effectively than you can. Don’t waste your time on a task when someone else who’s better suited to it is available.
Delegate tasks when you’re at capacity and need to focus on the most important items on your plate.
Choose high-value tasks to delegate to other assistants who are more competent at them than you, so that you can focus on the tasks that are really a great match for your skillset.
When managing people and projects, always have a plan in place, and never skip steps in order to save time or money it will only cause problems down the road.
If one person is working remotely from another country, use time zones as an opportunity rather than a hindrance by setting up clear communication protocols around when they’ll be available and how long their workdays will be; this will ensure productivity even though they’re operating outside of normal business hours for your own office space. If possible, meet face-to-face with all members of your team once per month (or quarter).
Starting out as an administrative assistant? Don’t make these common mistakes! Be sure not to confuse responsibility with authority; just because someone asks YOU what they should do doesn’t mean YOU get the final say over how things happen within YOUR company or department–that job belongs squarely in the hands of those above YOU at all times (even if it’s uncomfortable!).
Working Long, Irregular Hours At An Unsustainable Rate
Once you get used to the freedom of staying up late at night and working whenever you feel like it, it’s easy to lose track of time. You may also find yourself thinking, “I’ve got the whole day off tomorrow, so I can sleep in.”
But if you’re going to work as a freelancer over the long term, this isn’t something you can do day after day. Eventually, your body will rebel against these patterns and there’ll be nothing left for your clients.
To avoid burnout, it’s essential to set regular working hours and stick with them. This way your body starts to anticipate when you’re going to rest and when you’re going to work you won’t be constantly changing things up just because something comes up last minute.
Plus if a client sees that they can only contact you during certain times of day on certain days of the week, they’ll respect that and come within those parameters (which sets boundaries much better than trying not to reply late at night).
When it comes down to it, no one wants a freelancer who’s exhausted or risking their health for their job. If your body is telling you that consistently working into the wee hours isn’t healthy for you, then listen!
There are plenty of ways around this: use an app like RescueTime or Toggl if self-control is an issue; don’t allow incoming calls from clients outside business hours; or stop by a coffee shop during off-hours so that even if the temptation is there, there’s no way for them physically reach out (and they know this).
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Working Full-Time While Trying To Earn Your Own Income Part-Time As An Assistant
You’re working full-time while trying to earn your own income part-time as an assistant (or vice versa).
Your home is a complete mess, so you do all your work in coffee shops, hotel lobbies, and public parks.
Starting a business while working full-time is not recommended. There are only twenty-four hours in each day–eight of which you should devote to sleep–and it’s easy to underestimate how much time it will take to manage the transition from being an employee to being a freelancer.
This is especially true when you’re also trying to maintain a social life, do chores around the house and stay fit. To give yourself the best chance of success, try eliminating other commitments for at least six months if possible and dedicate that time exclusively to building your business up from nothing.
When you’re ready, move into your own private office space (see below) so that the two elements of your life can remain distinct and allow you to enjoy the benefits of having clear boundaries between them.
Working Unproductively; Only Accomplishing Tasks You Don’t Want To Do Or That Don’t Matter
It’s easy to get caught up in juggling everything we have going on, so much that we forget to focus our efforts on the most important tasks for the day. Here are a few things you can do to avoid this.
Create A List Of Priorities
There are several ways you can go about creating your list: by brainstorming them with yourself, asking others for their input, or making one on your own and then challenging yourself to add items from it to your daily routine until you’re sure all of your work is done.
Once you’ve created an initial list, prioritize it based on importance and time needed (for example, a 30-minute email exchange versus an hour-long interview over the phone).
Schedule Your Day Ahead Of Time With A Planner Or Calendar Application
This may seem like common sense, but there are many people who don’t schedule their days at all or find that they don’t always stick to the scheduled times because their lives keep getting in the way!
A simple calendar application will give you the flexibility of scheduling whenever and however you want and if it takes away some of those “what ifs” that tend to creep into our schedules when we least expect them! And while this is happening, another thing I always try my best not to do is distract myself or multitask while I’m working.
Again, if I’m writing something important without distractions around me, then I’ll usually end up finishing what I must finish before moving on to other things right after that task finishes (though sometimes I’ll take a break).
If there’s something else I need to do but haven’t gotten around to yet today but needs doing tomorrow ASAP (like organize my files), then it’s okay for me not to be able to dedicate 100% of my attention toward whatever task it is at this moment in time; instead of doing something else completely different just because there’s nothing else that needs doing at this particular moment (e.g., calling someone), now would
Trying To Build Your Personal Brand Singlehandedly
For starters, you should always remember that your focus is on meeting your clients’ needs. If you’re laser-focused on building a personal brand that makes you feel fulfilled, you may end up alienating your client base. While it’s not bad to promote yourself and want to do what makes you happy, if you don’t listen to what people want out of your work, they won’t come back for more.
But no matter how well informed or experienced you think you are, there’s always room for improvement! A key part of freelancing is learning from other people who have been successful with it especially in the same industry or field as the one in which you’re working.
You can read about those who share their experiences or hire someone to coach and mentor you through the process; whatever works best for your lifestyle!
And whether this means taking courses about management or attending workshops about time management, it’s important that as an administrative assistant (freelance or otherwise), stay positive and keep an open mind when it comes to learning from others.
And if things don’t go according to plan? Don’t give up! Learn from mistakes and move on.
Picking Up Extra Work Instead Of Focusing On The Projects That Excite You
When I started out in my career as a freelance admin, I felt like I had to take any job that came my way. This resulted in me trying to accomplish projects that were far beyond my expertise, and it was exhausting.
I finally got smart and only took the jobs that excited me, and you should too. If you’re not passionate about what you’re working on, either move on or find a way to learn why others are excited about it so it can become exciting for you as well.
Enhancing your freelancing administration support career is crucial for long-term success. Explore our article featuring 15 Tips to improve your skills and excel in administrative support. Check out our guide on improving your freelancing administration support career to gain valuable insights and advance in your profession.
Conclusion
Thank you for reading this article. I hope it was informative and helpful for you in some way. I learned about the risks of opening my business right on the heels of learning to code, and I think that it’s important to keep in mind when pursuing a career as a freelance administrative assistant.
There are lots of different ways to learn to code, but they can be expensive and time-consuming, something that a newbie freelancer might not have much of. Luckily, if you do decide to open your own business before getting more familiar with coding, there are plenty of ways to do so without selling your soul to the devil.
It may take more time or require more networking than learning to code before freelancing does, but it’s certainly possible! Other than these practical tips for starting out as an independent contractor, there are also ethical considerations that should be taken into account when choosing whether or not learning coding first is worth your time and effort.
Now that you’ve read this article, do you have any thoughts? Do you have any questions? If so, leave them in the comments below! And if you enjoyed this article enough to want more like it, check out our other articles on Medium!
Further Reading
Here are some additional resources to further explore the topic:
Mistakes Entrepreneurs Make When They Hire a Virtual Assistant: Learn about common mistakes entrepreneurs make when hiring a virtual assistant and how to avoid them.
7 Freelancer Mistakes to Avoid: Discover seven common mistakes that freelancers often make and valuable tips on how to steer clear of them.
Living as a Freelancer: 5 Common Mistakes to Avoid (and Get Paid): Gain insights into the common mistakes freelancers make and strategies to avoid them while ensuring timely payments for your work.
Frequently Asked Questions
When you’re wondering how to streamline the way you do things, these seven questions will help guide your decisions.
How Can I Get Better At What I Do?
The best way to get better at what you do is to surround yourself with people who know more than you do. There are tons of online resources, but nothing beats the personal touch.
What Is The Best Way To Market My Services?
Marketing is all about getting your message out there in a way that makes it stand out from the crowd. The best way to do this is by creating an identity for yourself and staying consistent with your brand across all channels.
What Are The Best Tools For Organizing My Work?
Organizing your work depends on what type of work you do, but there are some tools that apply across the board: project management software like Trello or Asana (if you’re managing multiple projects), calendar apps like Google Calendar or iCalendar (if you need alerts), and task management apps like Todoist or Wunderlist (if you need reminders).
What Are Some Ways To Get More Clients?
The best way to get more clients is to be everywhere the clients are. That means you should be on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram (if possible). You can also use social media to find potential clients by using hashtags and keywords related to your services.
What Are Some Ways To Get Better At Time Management?
It’s important for freelancers to learn how to manage their time because sometimes it can be difficult to be responsible for your own schedule. You may have trouble sticking with a schedule if you don’t have one already established or don’t know how much work needs to be done each day/week.
One way to make sure you’re on top of things is by creating milestones for each project so that when it comes down the line, nothing gets missed out on or forgotten about ever again!
I am a content writer, and I love what I do! Writing makes me feel like the words are flowing through my fingers, and then onto the keyboard, like magic. My experience as a writer has taught me that writing makes me feel good, as well as helps others to feel better too!
