His First Freelancing Gig Was A Scam! Here's What He Did to Get Through It and Succeed - Interview with Jeffrey Sercedillo

Have you experienced getting scammed online as a newbie?

We know how scary it might be, especially that you're a newbie in the freelancing career.

But that doesn't mean you have to give up your goals of working from home and earning as much as you can.

Hear Jeffrey's story, as he shares how he got scammed when he was just starting to do freelance work. Learn how he was able to surpass his struggles as a newbie and how he discovered his niche in freelancing.

Would you like to learn how Jeffrey surpassed scams and rejections?

In this interview, Jeffrey will talk more about his freelancing journey, including:

✅How to Avoid Online Job Scams and Rejections

✅How His Online Job Made Him Discover His Niche

✅The Importance of Following Your Dreams

And a whole lot more…

Free VA Course for Newbies
FreeLancing In the Philippines (FLIP) FB Page
Subscribe to Jason Dulay's YouTube Channel

Watch this interview with Jeffrey Sercidillo on how he overcome it and what you should do as a freelancer to avoid online job scams.

Notable Quotes:

• Never provide any sensitive financial and personal information. Huwag na huwag, it’s a big no no! Facebook or kahit anong social media account man yan, or kahit simpleng email address man ninyo na kung gagamitin nila para sa business at hindi para sa communication, it’s a no, don’t give it.
• Don’t agree with the earnings directly deposited to your bank account from any or new unknown employer. Kaya tayo may Paypal, Payoneer, or Gcash ganyan para hindi directly sa bank. At tsaka katulad din ito sa Upwork na payment protection nila, kapag nagbigay ka ng bank deposit mo ganyan baka gamitin din nila yun for any scam.
• Never agree to a job that involves wire transfer. May mga ganitong trabaho din na online na nag-o-offer ng online job para mag wire transfer ka ng mga funds into one account into another account. Guys! There’s such a thing that is called money laundering. Sa trabaho ko ngayon yan yung isa sa mga kinikilatis namin. Don’t engage in that kind of job.
• Be aware of job post that asks for money upfront in return of training or internships. So huwag kayong magbabayad.
• Be mindful on the job posts that state the “no expertise or no experience” required for this position. Mostly kasi ng mga newbies dito kasi dito nakatingin. Nag-enroll po tayo sa VA Bootcamp na graduate tayo doon doesn’t mean na wala tayong experience. We already have the knowledge. Basahin mabuti ang description kung hindi nyo alam pwede tayong sa community. Kung papaano gawin ang skills na iyon? Huwag lang tayo basta basta apply ng apply na yung parang kung ano ang madali yun lang “NO.” Maghanap kayo ng something na special na expertise nyo or your own niche para walang masyadong kompetisyon.
• Research the company where you are applying for. Magbackground check din kayo sa company na applyan nyo na website nila yan, Meron silang Facebook page ganyan reviewhin nyo yung mga reviews and testimonials na meron yung company. Ano ba yung hinahanap nila? Sino ba yung mga empleyado nila para ma avoid nyo yung scam?
• Be careful on unsolicited job offers. Kung mahilig kayo mag-apply sa JobStreet ganyan yung binibigay nyo lang yung email address nyo. Bigla one day na nakareceive kayo ng unknown or unsolicited email galing sa isang unknown company. Be careful sa pagclick ng link tapos sabihin doon sa website na yon na enter your log in kasi malamang scam din yun na parang gumagamit sila ng device para ma unmasked yung password ninyo tsaka yung log in tapos mag sisign up sign up ka doon. It’s a big no.
• Ask for assistance. The reason kung bakit mayroon tayong community FLIP, VAB, and any other community is for us to have this chance na makapagtanong.

Jeffrey’s Journey to Freelancing: 

• He started his freelancing journey in 2017.
• He searched for part-time jobs at that time.
• He heard the word "Virtual Assistant" for the first time by attending The Feast by Bo Sanchez. He then followed one of Bo Sanchez's colleagues, Jomar Hilario, a Virtual Assistant guru.
• He found Jomar Hilario's VA Courses a bit pricey, so he searched for other courses, and that's where he found out about the Work From Home Roadmap, now VA Bootcamp.
• After doing some due diligence, he enrolled in the Accelerated course.
• He didn't finish taking the course because it isn't his priority yet.
• He got fired at his job because of his inefficiency at work due to personal issues.
• He realized that he doesn't want to work in corporate anymore because he got exhausted from work and don't get time for his family, undisputed traffic problems in the city, and no work-life balance.
• He remembered that he was a student of VA Bootcamp, so he studied the courses again and finished the Accelerated course in January 2019.
• He got scammed on his first freelancing gig.
• He joined the February Hustle Challenge and got his first official client on the 4th day of the Hustle Challenge.

Q&A Highlights

Ano ba ang story bago naging freelancing si Jeffrey?

Nagstart yung journey ko noong back in 2017. Nasa old company pa ko noon nag sesearch ako noong parang part-time jobs, syempre gusto mo ng extra income. Tapos nag-attend ako ngayon noong Feast ni Bo Sanchez. Tapos doon ko unang narinig ang Virtual Assistant. From Jomar Hilario one of his colleagues ni Bo Sanchez. At siya yung parang VA guru na sinubaybayan ko.

Noong tiningan ko ang courses ni Jomar medyo may kamahalaan. So, nag search ako ng iba, ayun laging lumalabas itong mukha ni Sir Jason. Nagpop-up kasi dati at that time dati ang pangalan ay Work From Home Roadmap.

Nakita ko yung mga makapagdamdaming mga story ni Sir Jason, tagos sa puso. Nakita ko yung mga courses kung papaano--kung paano magsimula may mga free courses. Nagstart na ako mag-enroll sa Va Bootcamp.

Nagtry ka ba muna ng free course bago ka nag-enroll? 

Actually hindi na, masyado akong naconvince kay Sir Jason.

Ayaw mo na ng libre, so hindi mo ba naisip na mukhang scammer ito? Kasi ako naisip ko yun.

Hindi, I mean pumasok sa isip ko yun pero kasi nagbackground check ako sa mga reviews. I stalked him. So talagang nakita ko yung mga comments at testimonials. Doon ko nasabi na legit, so push.

So Accelerated ang inenroll mo?

Accelerated ang inenroll ko that time. Doon nagstart yung pagiging VA Bootcamp student ko back then in 2017 pero empleyado pa ako noon. Tapos hindi rin sya naging instant kasi sakit iyon ng mga unang VA Bootcamp students noong lifetime access kasi. Pwede naman sya na naka tengga lang, hindi ko kaagad natapos ang courses until December 2018 bago ako nakagraduate. Kasi hindi rin ganoon ka ano ang need parang part-time lang talaga yung priority ko noon.

Noong 2018, medyo nagkaroon ng problema regarding my personal life. I was supposed to be a dad in 2018. Unfortunately, hindi sya natuloy. September 2018 nagkaroon sya ng miscarriage. Devastated yung mundo namin noong dalawa.

Sa work ko naman, panay hindi nakakapasok, tulala, medyo nadepress yung mga ganoong tipo. So itong si company, treat nya yun as a something na 'Ay hindi na nagiging productive itong si employee'. Back in November 2018, ayun tinanggal nila ako sa trabaho.

Eto na yung mga next part na ano na ang path ko? Ano na ang next goal ko? Dumating ako sa point na sinabi ko sa sarili ko na “Ayaw ko na pumasok sa trabaho, ayaw ko na maging empleyado”.

Nakalimutan mo pala na member ka ng VA Bootcamp?
Doon ko naalala na pumapasok na naman ulit at pumunta sa group natin sa VA Bootcamp Student group. Nagbabalik loob, silent reader ganyan tapos hanggang sa tinapos ko. Nagrefresher ako sa mga courses from start to finish back in December. Natapos ako noong January tapos ito na pumasok ako sa February Hustlers. Doon na ako pumasok sa February Hustle Challenge.

Then after noon, pinush mo na si Hustle Challenge?

Oo, ang pinaka nakakatuwa nito doon ako unang nagkaroon ng nag ka-experience sa FLIP Makati meet-up yung pinaka 1^st this year, doon ko na nga nakilala si Sir Mark tapos yung grupo na inorganize nya tapos sabi ko “Pwede ako makakuha ng parang buddy system.” Doon ko nakilala si Nerissa yung accountability partner ganon na everytime ako na may concern regarding sa freelancing meron akong someone na magsasabi sayo ng dapat at hindi doon sa gagawin mo. Doon ko na pinush yung Hustle Challenge.