I was recently contacted by someone new to the industry to contribute to a book of tips they are compiling for people who are interested in becoming a Virtual Assistant. They informed me that one of the benefits is that I’ll get to put the fact that I was quoted in a book on my resume, and it will help document my expertise as a Virtual Assistant.
I then learn that they have been sending this blanket message out to all the members listed in my Virtual Assistant organization’s Virtual Assistant Directory.
On top of this, it turns out they aren’t running a Virtual Assistant practice at all, but rather a virtual staffing agency.
So to put all this in perspective:
- They are a private, for-profit business
- They are indiscriminately spamming Virtual Assistants
- They want us Virtual Assistants to write their book for them to benefit their business
- They think Virtual Assistants are employees who submit resumes to clients
- They aren’t even a Virtual Assistant business, but a virtual staffing agency.
Oy vey! Sorry, but what this industry doesn’t need is yet another for-profit book on how to become a Virtual Assistant from people who just hung out their own shingle, and especially not by folks who don’t know themselves that a Virtual Assistant isn’t an employee and they don’t send out resumes.
Indiscriminately spamming people with for-profit intentions is not a good way to introduce yourself into the Virtual Assistant community; it certainly has generated quite a bit of ill will amongst my members.
It’s also not a great way to establish business relationships. A better idea would be to do a bit more homework first to gain some understanding about who you are contacting and make sure your contact is appropriate.
Like in this case, if this person had done any research, they would know that virtual staffing is not the same thing as Virtual Assistance and that I would probably not be an appropriate person because I am a huge proponent of bringing improved clarity and understanding to the marketplace about the different types of administrative service businesses out there.
I am not interested in the least in contributing to any effort that only causes more confusion for everyone involved–Virtual Assistants, virtual staffing agencies and the marketplace.
Thanks for commenting. Yeah, the virtual assistant term is really completely idiotic to...
