4 Remote Jobs I Tried
In 2021, I decided to make the transition into working completely remote. I dived head first into the pool of possibilities when it came to finding a job I could do full-time online. I worked as a web designer, graphic designer, social media manager, and virtual assistant.
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Looking back, I learned so much in 2021. I had no experience in any of these fields, but I was determined to get the skills I needed to go completely remote. And I did. Each position gave me a different experience and insights into how life would be as a digital nomad.
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People took a chance on me and I showed out. YouTube University, Googling along with a lot of trial and error got me to where I am today. Being able to work with so many BLACK OWNED businesses and organizations was really just the icing on the cake. Let's get into some of the pros and cons of each position.
WEB DESIGNGER
I reached out to my entrepreneur cousin about working for his marketing and web design company at the very beginning of 2021. He took a chance on me and there it was. My first full time remote position. WORK. YOUR. NETWORK. I learned so much during this role and I use a lot of those skills today in my freelance positions and with my own website as well. Hell, my training project was to fix my own damn website.
Working as a web designer showed me that everything has a purpose and backstory on a website. After a few months, I could easily identify websites used the same web developer I was working on. I realized that it was more than just getting a domain and picking some colors. This also showed me that there was A LOT of room for improvement on my website and I had work to do. A year later I'm still using the knowledge I gained in this position to make upgrades to my site on a regular basis as I continue to grow and develop.
Aside from technical web design skills, I learned about how to virtually work with people. From project management apps like Asana to effective and concise email communication, this role was a great way to start my remote work career. On top of that, having a boss that actually cared about my development and didn't sugarcoat shit with me was top tier.
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Graphic design is something that went hand in hand with my positions as a social media manager and virtual assistant because of what my virtual assistant clients were looking for. Working for up and coming businesses and organizations often means growing with them in their journey. That can mean figuring out how to incorporate a logo into graphics for social media, design recipe books that align with the aesthetic of the brand and how to interactive with the client's community.
Understanding more about graphic design and all that goes into it was eye opening for me. I learned so much about how to make something palatable to different audiences and how tedious the process can be. On the other hand, I had to realize that just because I thought something looked good didn't mean the client would agree. There were many times when I thought something was, to be completely honest, FIRE and the client came back with a dozen changes. It be like that sometimes.
Again, I use a lot of the skills I learned in these positions and applied them to my own platform. As someone that creates digital products, I was introduced to new programs, techniques and resources that will allow me to improve my own shit. After working as a graphic designer, I was able to completely design my second digital product (Port Au Prince Travel Guide) completely on my own. One thing about me, I'm always gone to continue to learn and apply it to my own shit.
SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER
Social Media Management. This may seem hard to believe, but this one was the hardest for me because I had to separate myself and my voice from the work. I had to take a step back from how Jash would say something and take a different approach. Joyriders know I like cussing, ebonics, pop culture references, and all that good shit, but the audience of my client may hit the unfollow button after a F bomb.
In my positions as a social media manager that actually did copywriting as well, there was a learning curve for both me and the client. From figure out color pallets to voice, it took time to figure out how to deliver content that would be palatable to the target audience. Basically, I had to understand that my social media strategy is not for everyone, but once I figured that out I got in my bag. One of the big keys to growing on social media is consistency and, for me, that stems from discipline which I have a lot of.
The downside of social media management for me was everybody ain't me. If we discuss a goal or objective I'm on it and ready to get shit done, but I can only do so much on my own. Without the actual content that the client wanted to use I couldn't show up for their community. When you start to see results and then run out of pictures or videos or material to use you're stuck leaving people hanging. I still do some social media management and, once again, I use the lessons I learn "at work" and apply them to what I'm building on my own platform.
VIRTUAL ASSISTANT
I usually have a hard time picking favorites, but not in this case. I found a remote job I enjoy, clients I actually fuck with and organizations I truly support. I’m out here thriving as a virtual assistant (VA) because of many reasons. I am organized, efficient, detail oriented and have no problem being annoying (sometimes the big wigs need to be reminded of things 2, 3, and 17 times). Being able to multitask and stay on top of a bunch of different things at once comes with the job, but I like the challenge.
This is also the role I've grown and continue to grow the most in. Having the skills to be a virtual assistant is one thing, but each client operates differently and, potentially, in a different industry. I've worked with clients in education, health & wellness, non-profits, and more. Aside from learning the client, I also have to learn the industry and the things that come with it. It has allowed me to go way beyond my comfort zone and I literally learn something new everyday while working as a VA.
I appreciate every lesson I learn in this role and look forward to continuing to work with my various clients ESPECIALLY the black businesses and organizations. It's also going to be us for me.
Say it with me church: In 2021 I learned and in 2022 I'll earn. Which one of these remote positions would you want to try?
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