Adapting to a New Normal with Guided Online Learning
Adapt to survive
The pandemic has changed the way people interact, do business and survive. Businesses that were booming before suddenly found themselves unable to operate. After several months of no business, layoffs became unavoidable. Even big companies are not immune. With quarantine and travel restrictions, home based earning and online businesses offered some hope of surviving the economic crunch.
Competing in a New Market
I already have an experience working as a medical transcriptionist under a company. However, stuck at home unable to travel to my former employ, I tried finding online transcription jobs on my own. It was not as easy as I thought. Because unemployment has forced many to seek alternative sources of income, competition was fierce. It was hard to get inside the job sites because the sheer number of applicants means the freelancing platforms can afford to turn away many. It is to their advantage to pick members that have more qualifications over others. It was a chance conversation with a cousin which brought Filipino Virtual Assistance (FVA) Academy to my attention. It made me realize that to advance in an online based career, one will need to learn more about the industry.
Self-taught vs Guided learning
The internet offers access to all kinds of knowledge if one cares to look. With most learning and teaching resources now available online, one can research on any subject. However, having experienced trying to learn on my own and later enrolling in an online learning academy, I find that there are advantages to guided learning.
Guided learning are offered as online learning courses that let you target specific niches. These add to your qualifications and competencies which increase your chance of getting hired. With guided learning, you will be given a deeper understanding of a particular subject, get trained to see and analyze problems with the client in mind, and get taught on how to use tools to maximize reach and engagement.
Creating an effective portfolio
Within weeks of enrolling, I was able to apply what I learned and create a working portfolio. The improved way I was able to present myself got me into the job sites I wanted access to. Now I feel more confident applying. The assignments (see images below) were the actual submissions that we could use when applying for a job. No seatwork is done without a purpose in mind.
The one on one interaction with our coaches and their feedback on how we can improve even more was what contributed the most to our development.
Continuous learning
I am currently enrolled in the Freelancing Course at Filipino Virtual Assistance Academy but have taken advantage of the discounts offered to current students to enroll at a discounted rate in other online courses offered by the school. I plan to continue adding to my qualifications as I plan to integrate more studies even while working.
If you would like to check out the courses offered at Filipino Virtual Assistance Academy, please check out this link https://www.fvaconsultancy.com/fva-academy/
