Many people find freelancing and working from home as attractive employment options. Every freelancer will have a particular reason for wanting to work from home, but they’ll need to know how they can thrive in the industry to make freelancing worthwhile.
Skills are one thing, but knowing how to take advantage of them to ensure one’s success in the industry is another. Freelancers can equip themselves to stay knowledgeable by reading books, especially when they’re experiencing some downtime. Below are some of the most recommended books that every virtual assistant must read to ensure that they can perform well in the industry.
1. The Freelancer’s Bible: Everything You Need to Know to Have the Career of Your Dreams―On Your Terms by Sara Horowitz
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many businesses to close down or shift to a work from home setup, and some of those left jobless might have looked to freelancing to earn money. Regardless of how one started to freelance, they must know how they can be successful in the industry.
Every freelancer will suffer from different challenges and setbacks in their careers, and The Freelancer’s Bible helps with the general problems of freelancing. Sara Horowitz’s book gave people advice in case they encounter some issues while working. The book can help aspiring virtual assistants in setting up a home office, creating a contract, negotiating with clients, and others.
2. The 4-Hour Work Week by Tim Ferriss
Freelancing lets people work while staying in control of their time, and those who’ll participate in the industry must know how they can stay in control. Tim Ferriss explains in the book The 4-Hour Work Week how people can earn five-figures through online work without being swamped with work.
Managing one’s time is essential to fully enjoy being a virtual assistant since getting overwhelmed with work makes it seem like working as a full-time employee, thanks to the workload.
3. Rework: Change the Way You Work Forever by David Heinemeier Hansson and Jason Fried
Success is hard to find when becoming a virtual assistant if people don’t know how they can achieve it. People tend to overthink when it comes to undertaking something big, like ditching day jobs in favor of freelancing.
David Heinemeier Hansson and Jason Fried stated that freelancers should focus on accomplishing tasks instead of concerning themselves with the competition. Freelancers should only think of how they can become more productive and how they can do it through their work.
4. Everybody Writes: Your Go-To Guide to Creating Ridiculously Good Content by Ann Hadley
Virtual assistants specializing in content creation will need to know how to write, and they need to know how to write excellently. Everyone can write, but not everyone has the mastery to make content that sells.
Reading is one way to improve one’s writing skills since it lets a virtual assistant glean some knowledge on how to write. Successful writers are those who were able to perfect their craft and write great content. Knowing how to stand out from other writers and excel in content marketing is essential to become a successful writer.
5. Build Your Dream Network: Forging Powerful Relationships in a Hyper-Connected World by J. Kelly Hoey
Becoming a freelance virtual assistant is only the first step to becoming successful since they still need to build relationships with their clients. The world is substantially connected nowadays, and only those who can stand out and make a network will reap the benefits of freelancing.
J. Kelly Hoey shares practical ways to grow a virtual assistant’s network and stay in business in case anything unprecedented occurs.
6. Influencer: Building Your Personal Brand in the Age of Social Media by Brittany Hennessy
One way to establish influential relationships and gain clients is by effectively using social media. The world is indeed connected, and it’s all thanks to social media. Virtual assistants must know how they can use their accounts to build a powerful personal brand intentionally.
Freelancers and other self-employed people must know how they can use their social media accounts to make money. Brittany Hennessy broke down how people can pitch to their favorite companies and grow their audience.
7. Warm Email Prospecting: How to Use Short and Simple Emails to Land Better Freelance Writing Clients by Ed Gandia
Becoming a self-employed virtual assistant is difficult since they’ll have to get the clients themselves. To ensure that they can land the right clients at the right price, they must learn how to write emails excellently to get clients.
Freelancers communicate with their clients, primarily through emails. People pitch their ideas and make connections through emails, and they should know how they can write short and simple messages, especially since long ones aren’t appealing to the eyes.
Ed Gandia can teach you how to send emails like a professional in his book.
8. Ego Is the Enemy by Ryan Holiday
Self-employed remote workers might make the mistake of developing an enormous ego due to their initial successes, only to get wrecked afterward. Ego can boost one’s self-esteem, but it also tends to blind people from their faults and keep them from improving.
Freelancers must keep their ego in check since it’s their number one enemy. One’s ego will only get in the way of a person’s success. Ryan Holiday’s book Ego Is the Enemy can help virtual assistants in this regard and ensure that they’ll remain humble throughout their careers.
9. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change by Stephen R. Covey
Many people might not have enough confidence in their skills and abilities and keep themselves from doing their best in their work. It’s also possible that people might not strive to become a virtual assistant because of lack of confidence.
People should read Stephen R. Covey’s book and try to develop the seven habits to become a highly capable individual and change themselves for the better. It’s essential to adopt practices to be able to deepen their understanding, build better relationships with others, become better leaders.
10. The Money Book for Freelancers, Part-Timers, and the Self-Employed: The Only Personal Finance System for People with Not-So-Regular Jobs by Joseph D’Agnese and Denise Kiernan
Everyone wants to become successful, but it’s all useless if freelancers can’t manage their finances properly. The individual virtual assistant might have a wide connection of clients to rely on for work, or they might have earned a significant amount of money, but they must make sure that they don’t waste their earnings in wasteful purchases.
Everyone has bills to pay, and freelancers are never secure in their careers, especially if something happens to keep themselves from getting clients. Managing one’s finances ensures that a virtual assistant can survive even if there’s an economic downfall.
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