In one way or another, we're all hit by the pandemic.

And that includes our JasSuccess guest tomorrow.

Meet Jane.

She's an aircraft engineer by profession.

She was working abroad when Covid 19 hit.

The company that she's working for implemented a forced leave, which made her decide to go back to the Philippines earlier than planned.

After giving birth, she started looking for a work-from-home setup.

And it hasn't been easy.

"Dahil kakapanganak ko palang, I need to give more time to take care of our baby. Medyo kulang din ako sa confidence dahil newbie at malayo ang working experience ko sa napili kong niche."

So how did she able to overcome these challenges?

How did she manage to find clients even if she's a total newbie?

And how did she manage her time as a mom and freelancer?

Pregnancy During Pandemic Leads Pinay OFW To Pursue Her Passion - JSU 07212021

Introduction

Former OFW, now a successful freelancer as Graphic Designer is Jane Tenecio, originating from Sta. Maria Laguna and currently residing at Cavite with her family. She is an Aeronautical Engineer by profession, previously working in an aviation company for 7-years in the Philippines. Comes in 2018 when an opportunity abroad in Singapore for her husband came that also made her decide to work abroad the following year. Before 2019 ended, they were blessed with their first baby. On her 5th month of pregnancy that was February 2020, when pandemic arose she was one of those unfortunate to receive a memo stating that she needs to be on forced leave and her husband also volunteered to leave indefinitely. So, they go back to the Philippines with her husband. 

August 2020 when she gave birth, they are both jobless and have been tight on budget. So, she had to look for ways to earn online and she came across Sir Jason Dulay’s “5-days Free VA course. That is when her journey to freelancing begins.

Notable Quotes

28:46 - 29:39 Dapat alam mo kung ano ang gusto mong gawin, kung ano sa tingin mo ang mag eenjoy kang gawin, tapos kung wala kang experience gumawa ka ng experience. Kasi wala akong client experience, ang ginagawa ko yung mga friend ko na gustong magpa edit ng invitation, magpa edit ng pictures ginagawa ko sya as client experience kunyari, yun yung nilalagay ko sa portfolio sa upwork.

44:32 - 45:44 Kung saan ka nahihirapan, i-post mo lang doon sa members group kasi sobrang helpful talaga nung mga tao dun kahit madaling araw nga may sumasagot. Kung may mga question ka post mo lang dun. Pero mas maganda kung ikaw mismo ang makakasagot on your own, kasi ang sarap ng feeling….. Walang hindi makukuha sa pag aaral, aside sa course natin pwede mo naman sya i-google or youtube

50:37- 52:35 Kailangang improve mo din ang sarili mo, mag learn ka pa ng ibang apps na sa tingin mo konti lang kayo para mas marami kang mapagpilian. Para mas marami kang ma-i-offer sa client na kokonti lang kayo. Join din kayo sa mga FB group ng niche mo, for referrals.

55:44 - 56:00 To VAB students who are having difficulty shifting careers to freelancing … think of your reasons why you decide to shift… it will just be a waste of time to be confused rather than taking action to your whys.

1:02:51-1:03:51 Huwag kayong titigil kasi mahirap talaga sa umpisa, nag start din ako kahit na madali lang akong na hire  pero nag umpisa ako na  umiiyak din ako kapag walang pumapansin ng mga applications ko. Nakakababa na minsan nawawalan na rin ako ng tiwala sa sarili ko tapos tumigil din ako ng ilang days. Kasi parang minsan wala namang nangyayari. Pero yun nga bumalik din ako dun sa kung saan ba bakit nga ba gusto ko. Dahil gusto kong mag work from home. Tapos gusto kong kumita na nasa bahay lang ako. Tapos inulit ko tapos yun. Huwag kayong titigil, aplay ka lang ng aplay. Tapos, kapag meron na wag ka pa rin titigil mag aaral kasi marami na tayong freelancers so, yun yung magiging edge mo kapag may mga bagong natututunan. Wg tayong tumigil. Maging consistent lang.

Journey to Freelancing

• Because of the tight budget after giving birth she decided to look for ways to earn online and she came across Sir Jason Dulay’s “5-days Free VA course”. After finishing the course she managed to make a profile with UpWork, unfortunately, no one hired her. 
• In December, she was inspired to pursue her dreams by the posts of “BONUSes” from the FLIP group page.
• The Money-Back Guarantee offer upon enrollment with VA Accelerated and Complete Course made her decide to eventually enroll in the course.
• She finished the course in a month (January) as per the Calendar of VA Bootcamp. And tried to apply without being coached until February
• In March, she joined the Guided  Hustle Challenge (GHC) being offered by VA Bootcamp coaches to graduates of this course. During GHC, she was able to find her niche, which is Graphic Designing. Basically, she knows how to do designs as she makes invitations for children.
• Even if she is not a Graphic Designer graduate and she has no certificate, she was able to find a client with this niche even before finishing the GHC.
• She also taught her husband to be freelance.
• As of now, she has 1-full time job and a part-time job in freelancing.
• Beforehand, she had no idea of freelancing “Work From Home”, only when the ads of “5-day Free VA course” popped up on her monitor while searching for online jobs.
• She has also been through with declined applications and clients that need to be ended soon as their working relationship is not healthy.
• During GHC while hunting for work, it took her around 3-days to finally meet the one/first client.

Question and Answer

How to be part of the guided hustle challenge?

Guided Hustle Challenge (GHC) is being offered to VA Bootcamp Students who enrolled in Accelerated or Complete Package and finished the course with a Certificate. To help graduates immediately land a job on a monthly basis.

Do we really need to enroll or pay for a course para magka client?

“I started with 5-day Free VA Course, ilalagay mo lang yung email mo tapos marereceive mo yung videos everyday, marami kang matutunan.” Dun pa lang pwede ka ng mag aplay aplay…. Pero kung hirap ka sa pag aaplay, maganda pa rin na mag enroll ka dun sa course kasi mas marami kang matutunan and detailed lalo pag nag join ka sa GHC”

Lahat ba ng Accelerated/Complete students nakakasali sa GHC?

“Hindi lahat, kasi may pinopost kami na requirements. So, option mo talaga kung gusto mong magpa guide sa mga coaches. Kasi may mga students na nakakahanap na ng work after the course. Kaya hindi lahat”

Gaano ka katagal nakakuha ng client after mo sa VA Bootcamp?   

“January ako nakatapos ng course tapos nakakuha ako ng client March during GHC, tapos sunod sunod na”

Okay lang ba mag apply kahit walang experience? 

“Wala po, tapos yung napili ko talagang niche is yung Design, ang pinu pursue ko talaga nun yung pang office mga excel, presentation yung mga ganun kasi yun ang experience ko pero hindi ako na ha-hire dun. Passion ko talaga yung design kasi yun ang ginagawa ko araw araw, hobby ko sya. Wala akong diploma sa graphic design, wala akong professional experience sa graphic design, ginagawa ko lang sya dahil gusto ko lang gawin, dun ako nakakuha ng client

Paano po ba mag apply? 

“Yung recommendation ko sayo Jessa, try mo 5-day Free Course ni Sir Jason. www.freevacourse.com

Panu mo si-net yung pricing range mo sa services mo as newbie? -Ariah Kali

“Pwede kang mag start sa $5 per hour as a newbie. Since sa design more on project based si client nagbibigay sya ng offer kung magkano, tinatanggap ko lang muna sya. Hanggang sa na build ko yung profile ko na nagkaroon na ako ng experience. Binase ko na yung hourly rate ko dun sa design kung gaano ko sya katagal gagawin. 

What application do you use as GD? -Riza Consolacion Junio

Canva, Yung Adobe pinag aaralan ko sa ngayon

Pwede po ba ito sa mga low specs na laptop lang? -Riza Fontanoza

Pwede naman kaso magkakaproblema ka sa screen kasi hindi mo makikita yung output kung maganda ba yung kulay o hindi. Sa ngayon, mag iinvest ako sa mas mataas na specs.

Pwede naman mag umpisa sa low specs tapos i-upgrade na lang. Or pwede muna manghiram as long as nakakawork ka. 

You’ll need a laptop with at least 4GB of RAM and a dual-core processor, as well as a stable internet connection if you are serious about working at home. https://vabootcamp.ph/guide-budget-laptops-p12000-work/

When we enroll in VA Bootcamp, can we be helped to identify our niche? 

Mas maganda kung naka niche down ka as VA pero dun sa kaya mong gawin. Kung kaya mong gawin mag research, VA-Research ka. Makatulong lang yung sa GHC.

Yes. Pero, along the way, malalaman mo yan sa self mo kung ano ba talaga ang gusto mong specialization. Baka makatulong din https://vabootcamp.ph/blog/which-freelancing-field-shoul-i-pursue/

Saang platform ka nakakuha ng clients?

Sa UpWork

Marami bang competition sa graphic design?

Pag nag aaplay ako nakikita ko kung ilan yung applicant. Depende sa job posting.

Ano po ang kaibahan sa General VA and Freelance choose your niche?

Mas marami competition sa General VA compared sa may niche

Kung may niche ka parang may masteral degree or specialization

Gaano ba katagal makakuha ang mga newbies ng client?

Depende sayo, yun nga try ka ng try. Ano pa ba ang kulang sa ginagawa ko, ayun nagpa coach ako. Mag aplay aplay ka, yung iba naman nakakakuha sila agad. 

Dapat matutunan mo kung ano ang mali sa ginagawa mo. Bakit hindi ka na ha-hire agad. Malalaman mo na agad yung formula kung ano ba ang dapat na gawin, mas madali para dun sa battles.

Sa graphic design ba, need na inspired ka, to come up with a great design for clients?

Oo. Maghanap ka ng inspiration sa internet. Tingin lang ako ng tingin, kung ano bang magaganda