This week I had my newest team member resign. After four weeks of her apprenticeship, she decided a move interstate into higher education would suit her better. She came on board after I explored how the Queensland government incentive of $15,000 on offer would help me grow my team. I must say I was quite disappointed when she resigned.
In four weeks, I was reminded of the feeling of leading a young life into the workforce and quite enjoyed it. The obvious benefit was seeing how quickly young people adopt technology and can turn things around electronically three times faster than me, who still writes in a journal and has to have things typed.
I loved the benefit of my clients embracing her learning journey. I put in place an incentive in place for her to save for a first overseas trip.
Having had 73 combos of teams in my 20s as a Flight Centre manager and team leader, I forgot how much discipline was required to ensure her hours were valuable. I leveraged my results, so it made me more productive. The greatest value was a last-minute opportunity to travel interstate with my husband to attend a business expo, and her eagerness to help with my kids so I could go.
Of course, there was sick days where I’d receive a text message prior to major client events, client complaints of low standards of typing and errors that only a trained professional would have spotted that I did not proof well enough before sending out. There was that disappointment when a second client function opportunity was not taken advantage of, and of course resigning was a blow to my week and took the wind out of my sails.
Having a team of professional, supportive virtual assistants flock to the rescue was a blessing. I first heard of Vas through a conference I was asked to speak at with 100 independent virtual assistants serving the local community.
Liz Parker from 1-2-1 Temps was working as a model to empower her daughter to be a stay at home mum. She believed there was enough interest to develop an association. I was so impressed with a couple I met at that conference I still use their services 10 years on.
Virtual assistants work in their own business and charge either an hourly rate or set project fee. They understand the pressures of small business; they also need to build a loyal customer base who pay and value their service. Virtual assistants often go above and beyond to deliver; they can be your manager, admin, marketing expert, financial controller and friend. I love my VAs who are passionate about supporting family needs and understand that flexible work hours can allow me to be at my kids’ most important events, and they can be at theirs.
I completed my exit interview with my employee who resigned, and I gained much intel that taught me that it was less about me than I thought. Her life has had an opportunity open up to repair a relationship and it is impossible to be located where I need her to be. So do I brave up and give Apprenticeship QLD another go at finding someone just as good?
I think there is definitely space for both a VA and an apprentice at Leisure Seekers, and next time I will surely be open to receive someone who sticks at it.