My Virtual Assistant Reference

Another Great Article from Leslie Fieger...

2006-01-08T09:25:00.000-08:00

Abundance As Spiritual Birthright
by Leslie Fieger

I am going to remind of some simple, yet important things, that you should already know, but perhaps need a reminding of just now. I know that I need reminding from time to time and suspect that you may also need the same 'straight to the point' reminders.

I have written thousands of pages about success, wealth creation, prosperity consciousness and personal empowerment. All those many words are but an elaboration of these nine basic precepts. If you need convincing or want the substantiation or the practical application of these nine precepts, then buy and read my books. If you just need the simple reminder, then read through to the bottom of this page.

Creator, or the Ultimate Source, or the All That Is All, or the Universal Creative Impulse, or God, or whatever you may wish to name it, desires your prosperity and success. It does not desire (or demand) any impoverishment, suffering or limitation of any kind for you UNLESS that is what you desire or envision for yourself. Creator wants you to be blessed, wants you to succeed, wants you to have all the wealth and abundance you desire for yourself. Desire is de-sire... of the father. Your desires for wealth and abundance are divine. Honor them.

You are an inseparable part of Source. You are a divine creator as well as a sacred creature. Your intimate connection with the All That Is All is always there and cannot ever be severed for any reason EXCEPT that you will it to be so. (and even that is an illusion) You don't need to do anything to return to Source. You are already there and always have been and always will be at one with The All That Is All. You are a part of, not apart from, Infinite Intelligence. Your consciousness is contained within universal consciousness. Each and every thought held in your consciousness is an integral part of the universal. It adds to the whole. It is creative.

You deserve success and wealth. You do not need to measure up to any standard, not even the ones you have set for yourself in order to merit wealth, success or happiness. Abundance is your birthright as a child of God. There is no prime cause at work that denies you the fulfillment of your fondest desires for success and happiness. To the contrary, the universe is set up to support your abundance. Harmonize yourself with the way the universe works and you will have all you envision and desire. It's all about vibration and harmonics.

The Law of Attraction is always working. Whatever you have in your life right now, you have attracted into it. You do not attract what you wish for or even what you envision; you attract what you are. What you have and what you see around you is but a reflection of who you are being in this moment. Denial does not negate the Law of Attraction anymore than it negates Gravity, which is, after all, just another example of the Law of Attraction in action. Become more and you will have more.

The choice is always yours. At each and every moment, you have the power to choose to be, do and have more. Or less. Whatever you can imagine, you can have. The four principle forces that power your creativity are: thought, belief, desire and intent. You can choose what and how to think. You can choose what and how to believe. You can choose what to desire. You can choose your intentions. Such is your power. Choose carefully. Choose intentionally. Choose purposefully. Your choices of thought, belief, desire and intent determine who you are. Who you are determines what you get to have.

The true purpose of your life is simply to revere, relish and contribute. Life is meant to be a joyful event. When you honor all things, especially yourself, as being sacred; and when you wholeheartedly partake in and appreciate the pleasures of life; and when you consciously and intentionally choose to make a contribution to life... you are fulfilling the purpose of your life and you will experience joy and fulfillment. When you are searching for the purpose of your life, you are seeking the way that you can make a contribution or express your gratitude for the gift of life. Become a blessing and you will be blessed.

Love really is all you need. Compassion will open you up to being able to receive and accept all the love, joy and abundance that surrounds you constantly. Compassion for all creation, most especially for your sacred self, is the key that unlocks the door into infinity. Infinite love surrounds you. Be compassionate to life. Become passionate about life and you will experience all the abundance you are willing to allow yourself. In order to love your neighbor as yourself, you need to first love yourself. Love you. Honor you. Cherish you.

When you remember these simple things, life makes sense; when you forget them, you get confused by the apparent complexity. You wrote this script, now you are acting it out as the ultimate method actor. However, you may stumble occasionally, in the brilliance of your performance, when you forget the plot. Since you wrote this script, you can change it at any time you desire. Since you are playing the role you wrote, you can play it any way you think best. Drama, comedy, tragedy, romance, adventure, soap opera? You decide.

You are hearing this now because you asked to be reminded, from time to time, of what you know, but sometimes forget, as you immerse yourself in the experience of life on planet earth. You came here to play this game. That was your original choice. It remains your choice. I get to be the guy, this time, to remind you of the rules of your game. That is my contribution. Next time, it may be your turn to remind me. We have eternity to play. Eternity exists in this exact moment. Play full out. Now.

I love you. I honor you. I am grateful that you chose to be a part of my life. I am humbled if I can contribute in any way to the pleasure and success of your journey.

© Leslie Fieger. All rights reserved worldwide.
Leslie is the founder of Learning Frontier Technologies Inc., and

author of The DELFIN Knowledge System Trilogy: The Initiation, The Journey and The Quest, plus many more success publications,

all available from the following web site: http://www.selftech.biz/by/christinet.

Subscribe to his free and ad-free eZine at ProsperityParadigm.com.
Reprinting and republishing of this article is granted only with the above credit included. Permission to reprint or republish does not waive any copyright.

I had an overwhelming desire to write today...

2006-01-03T21:58:00.000-08:00

Here is a quote from my story:

As I walk along with the crowd I gaze in front of me to see millions of faceless wanderers moving towards a destination that seems out of focus. I turn back and see still millions more trying to see what is up ahead as well. Beside me is a rich, dark, green forest and I wonder what it would be like to walk over there. I’m continually bumped and shoved by the people around me in the line and I think, “There has to be a better way.”
I look up ahead for about the millionth time and still see nothing that matters to me. The sweat is pouring down my face and I just want some relief. As I look again at the forest near me I think, “I bet it’s cooler over there.” But, I’m afraid to leave the crowd of millions and walk over in the shade of the forest. What if I get lost? What if I can’t get to the destination?

You can read the rest of my journey by clicking here. Enjoy!

Testing my wbloggar

2005-10-18T10:06:00.000-07:00

This is a test of my new wbloggar software.

It's a WYSIWYG format for weblog postings.

This is me using blockquote.

Sometimes you want to use ~~strikethrough~~ too.

It's quite interesting.. I think I like it.

if you want to use this tool go download it here.

It Certainly Has Been a While

2005-10-02T07:38:00.000-07:00

since my last post!

In the meantime you could visit...
www.thethurstons.net

Temporary Agencies

2005-08-01T22:46:00.000-07:00

I think the only reason I would use a temp agency is to evaluate the work of a possible candidate for a permanent position. Temporary help can be very expensive and you just never know who they are going to send through your door.

I had the pleasure of interviewing temps for my Executive Secretary position once. (I was going on vacation for a month.) One temp couldn't complete a sentence without saying, "Like, ya know..." and the other poor woman was so frustrated she said in the middle of the interview, "Did the agency tell you my qualifications at all? I should be interviewing for your supervisor's job - not yours."

The great thing about a Virtual Assistant is that you know what you are getting up front. The work can be very specific or very broad in scope. You only pay for the hours that the VA works on your project. As independent contractors - virtual admins save you money, time and frustration.

The Many Reasons to Hire a Virtual Assistant

2005-07-27T10:09:00.000-07:00

Like I have said many times in my website http://www.thethurstons.net/ - A Virtual Assistant is an independent, self-employed business professional that assists other business professionals. Virtual Assistants use their administrative expertise to get the job done quickly and effectively over the Internet using the phone, fax, and e-mail. Small business owners and entrepreneurs benefit from Virtual Assistants because there are no overhead costs like office space, computer equipment, office supplies, taxes, health insurance, or other employee related costs. That is because Virtual Assistants are self-employed independent contractors.

Providing a virtual administrative service is one of the more popular work at home businesses. Many women are choosing to work from home so that they can have a better quality of life. No more commuting, no more daycare expenses, and no more corporate backstabbing. The Internet and advancing technologies such as e-mail, fax, ftp (file transfer protocol), and cell phones have given everyone from the CEO down to the administrative assistant the power to communicate from anywhere at anytime.

There are many reasons why you should hire a Virtual Assistant. The first reason is that due to the fact that many Virtual Assistants have many years experience working for companies as a secretary or a clerical assistant or an administrative assistant. Even executive secretaries are making the move to work at home careers such as virtual assistance service providers. You can benefit from their many years of experience. You do not have to train a Virtual Assistant. Their business is to help your business.

Another reason is the camaraderie that virtual assistants have. Many of these professionals have spent years dealing with corporate red tape and politics within their organizations trying to just do their jobs. Now, there is no reason to hide information because the name of the game is being a cost-effective, knowledgeable administrative assistant. Virtual Assistants join associations and discussion groups to share information, best practices, and experiences.

Here are some more of the many reasons to hire a Virtual Assistant: Virtual Assistants are extremely organized and professional. Virtual Assistants are self-employed and can work for you as little or as much as you need. Virtual Assistants are talented and educated individuals that wear many hats. Virtual Assistants can help lighten your workload so you can focus on your success. Virtual Assistants buy, maintain and upgrade their own office equipment. Virtual Assistants own their own software and are already skilled at using it. Virtual Assistants manage multiple tasks by organizing their time effectively. Virtual Assistants take pleasure in providing administrative support. Virtual Assistants enjoy helping you accomplish a task efficiently. Virtual Assistants take pride in providing professional cost-effective assistance.

A Virtual Assistant Service provides cost-efficient administrative support to business professionals virtually via the Internet, fax and phone. Virtual Assistants work independently producing quality work, provide administrative solutions for small business owners, volunteer services to non-profit associations, and maintain integrity and professionalism at all times.

Off-site Backups

2005-07-25T18:00:00.000-07:00

Do you have a disaster recovery plan? What are you doing about backing up your data? I have known some managers to carry backup tapes around in their purse. There is a better way!

How about setting up an arrangment with your Virtual Assistant? For a small monthly fee you could mail your backups to your VA and she could store them for you. In case of emergency all you need to do is have your VA send you a copy of the backup.

Doesn't that sound easy? Just another way to get the best use out of your Virtual Assistant.

Saving Money in your HR Department

2005-07-23T09:07:00.000-07:00

An article in Human Resource Planning discusses how HR departments are looking for new ways to cut costs without losing the quality of service. One of the issues addressed was the tremendous amount of administrative tasks that HR performs in their day-to-day routine. Cutting back on personnel in order to meet the budget has usually been the solution. We all know that this only leads to overworked employees, which in turn leads to poor quality service. The recommendation given was to streamline processes and outsource the administrative tasks.

Outsourcing to a virtual assistant is a great idea! The VA can help in the hiring process by placing ads in the newspaper and on the Internet. The résumés are then faxed to the VA so that she can pre-screen them for you. You could even take it a step further and allow your VA to make the initial telephone interviews and verify references. Then all you have to do is meet with the final 4 or 5 candidates and choose the best fit for your organization.

This is only one aspect of HR that a VA could help you with. Save time and money by outsourcing as much of your administrative tasks as you can so that your HR department can benefit your company the way it originally intended instead of being just an office for data-entry clerks.

Reference:
How to Reduce the Cost of HR and Continue to Provide Value, Richard P Rison, Jennifer Tower. HR. Human Resource Planning. New York: 2005.Vol.28, Iss. 1; pg. 14, 4 pg.

Ethical Standards

2005-07-20T08:24:00.000-07:00

Here is another question you should ask your Virtual Assistant: “Do you have a code of ethics?” Federal law requires organizations to act in a Legal, Moral and Ethical manner and to uphold and promote ethical, professional standards of behavior. Even though your VA is an independent contractor and is probably the only person in her office she should still have some form of policy about her ethical standards.

Many VAs take the exam offered by the International Virtual Assistants Association (IVAA). This exam asks questions about maintaining confidentiality and handling conflicts of interest. If you answer enough of the questions correctly you get a “Ethics Check” graphic to post on your website. There are other credentials that VAs use but it is still a good idea to ask the VA directly about their specific ethical standards.

I have a section in every contract that I write that states, “The services provided by Contractor shall be performed in a professional manner, and shall be of a high grade, nature, and quality.” It’s not enough to just say it. Putting this in writing reminds both parties to be aware of what they are doing and ask the question, “Is this the right thing to do?”

Do your employees waste time at work?

2005-07-16T07:41:00.000-07:00

Dan Malachowski wrote an article about a survey conducted of AOL and Salary.com employees to determine how much time they actually waste at work. Would you believe they admitted wasting an average of 2 hours per day?!?! Malachowski estimates that these 2 hours add up to about $759 billion dollars spent by companies in the United States each year.

This is yet another fine example of why hiring a Virtual Assistant is cost-effective and worthwhile. Why pay your full-time employee to spend 2 hours a day surfing the Internet or chatting by the water cooler? By hiring a VA you only pay for the hours it takes for your VA to complete a task or project.

Companies also save money by hiring a VA because they don’t have to pay for office space and equipment, employee taxes, or health benefits. Now let’s take a moment to add all this up…

If the average hourly rate paid to an employee is $12.00 per hour and we estimate that most companies include benefits, training, bonuses, 401k adding up to probably another $12.00 an hour that means the average employee costs about $24.00 per hour to employ. Now that means the company is paying this “average” employee for 8 hours a day totaling $192.00 for one days work; however, if the “average” employee only works 6 hours a day that means that the company is really paying $32.00 an hour for actual work performed!!!

That’s incredible! There is no doubt about it, outsourcing the work to someone like a Virtual Assistant is the only way to go.

References
Malachowski, Dan. (2005). Wasted Time At Work Costing Companies Billions. Career Section of Salary.com. Retrieved from: click here on July 16, 2005 from the World Wide Web.

The VA Interview

2005-07-14T12:04:00.000-07:00

Meeting face to face for an interview gives people the opportunity to assess the "first impression" which so many people use as the basis for their hiring decisions. Unfortunately, that is not feasible when hiring a VA. This means that the person conducting the search for a VA should be aware of other subtle hints of character and discipline that the VA may display.

The first area that the hiring manager can get a "feel" for the VA is their website. Look to see that it is organized in a logical manner. Does it look like the VA just threw it together or does it look like the VA took time and planned the layout properly? In other words, does the VA care enough to make a good impression through her website? Also, check for spelling and grammar errors. If your VA is not willing to take the time to spell check her own website just imagine the kind of errors your documents might have!

The next area that many people overlook is verifying references. Do not take for granted that the VA must be good because she has a long list of testimonials. Pick up the phone and make some calls and ask her clients to rate their experience from 1 to 10. Also, some VAs put their résumé on their website. A good hiring manager will make time to call previous employers just like with any other candidate. This very simple task of verifying references can not only ensure that your VA is who she says she is but, it will put your mind at ease because you will know that she is qualified.

And finally, conduct a telephone interview. This will help weed out the undesirables because the VA will not have the luxury of using the backspace key. You will be able to judge her spontaneity. By speaking on the telephone she will be able to impress you with her pleasant, professional, intelligent speaking voice or – well, I’m sure you see where I’m going with this.

The bottom line is do not take anything for granted. Ask questions, verify references, and conduct research when choosing the VA that is right for your business.