My VA story
After almost a month since I left and never looked back, I just wanted to share my story.
Im a licensed physical therapist by profession, I had been working for almost 3 years as a contract of service employee at a government hospital. When my contract wasn’t renewed, I decided to try my luck with HR. I wasn’t that tech savvy despite being just 24 years old haha, never had any passion for the industry but wanted to try since I was getting FOMO kasi most of my friends are VAs (na swinerte sa clients and tasks). But I wasn’t sure what to do with my life so I decided to give HR a try. Passed my application, took exams, even bought a new laptop for training, and yup, almost 8 keyboards just to keep up with those daily typing tasks. Admin phase was okay, who would’ve thought na mas grabe yung kaba ko nung PC kesa nung board exams 😅
Scribe phase was sakto lang din, dun ko na realized na it wasn’t for me since Im not that good and pasang awa yung charts ko. Passed my LC on my first try lang din. Graduation came and honestly, I was scared because I know I dont have the passion for it but since nandito na rin naman ako, edi go. Maybe I’ll learn how to love it later on.
After a week, still no client invite, but they said to give it one more. Two weeks came, still none. Im seeing my groupmates having clients already and kinakabahan na ako. I would sometimes wake up in the middle of the night and would frantically check my email if there’s an invite. I would set an alarm for 12 mn, 2 am, and 4 am because I was too scared to miss on a client invite.
After almost a month, I finally received it. It was for an admin role. I was confident with my phone handling skills so I thought that it was for me na talaga. During my interview with the client, she actually just walked me through my tasks and that I could start right away if Im willing, of course I said yes! But then, hindi pala ganun kadali. My role is very complicated and would require some daily trash talking from patients hahahhahahaha 😩😩
First month was okay, they’re training me about my tasks pa. Sa second month medyo transitioning na into giving me everything that I should work on but hindi pa lahat. 3rd month started to fuck me up. I was losing sleep and appetite because of the anxiety. My shirt SUPPOSEDLY starts at 11 and would end at 8 but I would be working as early as 6 pm and until 10 am just to finish all my tasks. I couldn’t even eat during my lunch break because there would be constant calls. My stomach would turn everytime it would ring. This routine went on for almost 7 months. I would be crying before, during, and after work. I remembered when I tried to slit my wrist just so I would be excused from work. I would pray that sana hindi nalang ako magising para matapos na lahat to. My mom and my boyfriend would actually take turns looking out for me and making sure that I dont hurt myself. And honestly, that was my wake up call.
At first nilaban ko because I couldn’t accept it. I couldn’t bring it to myself na aminin na this isn’t for me. That I wasted so much time and effort- not just mine but everyone who supported me since day one. My mom who had to wake up early to cook my favorite dish just so I would eat (pero sinusuka ko after because of the anxiety), my brother who would wake up in the middle of night because of my screams when the connection gets lost and would help me in the best way he could half asleep, and my dad who bought my sleeping pills when I couldn’t sleep because of the anxiety.
I just woke up on a random Monday and realized na ayoko na. I emailed my client and HR, I didnt even mind HR putting my salary on hold for a month. I just wanted to be out.
Honestly, ang dami kong what ifs, what if I landed a better client? What if I had a different task? What if I never tried being a VA? But I know that everything happens for a reason and I just have to trust the Lord.
So… where do we go from here?