You've probably heard about a site called Pinterest. It is a new and exciting concept in social networking that is growing faster than any other.


What is Pinterest?
Think of it as a sort of virtual bulletin board where you organize and share your favorite pictures, websites, quotes, photographs, products or just about anything else by "pinning" them to your account.

The vast majority of Pinterest users are WOMEN and daily use on Pinterest has increased nearly 150% since the start of the year. With most industry leaders predicting Pinterest to continue to grow with business professionals, now is the time to jump on the bandwagon. The service is already popular with teachers, interior designers, real estate agents, photographers, wedding planners and fashion designers, but is growing in many other fields including business services and major brands. For these reasons there are a ton of opportunities to use Pinterest to further your virtual assistant career.

While it is not a service for self promotion or "get rich quick" type of offers, there are ways you can utilize the platform to help grow your virtual assistant service in order to land new jobs from home.


How Pinterest Works

Pinterest is very easy to use. You can use OPEN ID to register using Facebook or Twitter and then begin "pinning" items on your virtual pinboards.

Try doing a search for "resume" or "virtual assistant" and you will get thousands of users who are already using Pinterest for this purpose. This will give you an idea of how others are already marketing themselves, and help you to determine what you can do differently (and better!)

The good news is, you do not need to be a web programmer to create your virtual assistant identity on Pinterest.


To Get Started
Currently, Pinterest requires only a Twitter or Facebook profile to get started. Once you register you can use either your Facebook or Twitter account (or both) to share across all platforms. Remember, to get noticed as a home based virtual assistant, the more sharing the better!

CREATE YOUR PINBOARD Next you will want to create your Pinboard. Create one for your virtual assistant job search and/or your virtual assistant service. Be creative and give it a memorable name (such as "Virtually Virtual Mary Smith - Business Overflow Specialist" - or something else that will catch a hiring employers attention.

PIN YOUR VOT RESUME Now its time to start "Pinning" ! The first thing to do is add your Virtual Assistant Resume by pinning a link to your VOT online portfolio. If you have any published articles, press releases or any other online accomplishments, be sure to include those too. Think of your pinboard as your virtual assistant shrine to all of your online documents and interests in the professional world.

PIN YOUR VOT WEBSITE You should have already created your Virtual Office Temps virtual assistant website so be sure to highlight it by giving in a prominent PIN in your account. (Remember, you can Build your own website in minutes! and for free or next to nothing! Virtual assistants MUST have a website to get hired, so if you haven't set up your website please be sure to do so here!


Build and host your website for only $4.99 per month. Start your 30 Day Trial Now



Then, round out your pinboard by including other pins of related interests. For instance, if you are a medical transcriptionist then include articles and news about the field, medical transcription products and services, and books and other media related to the career.

All that is left to do now is SHARE! Publish links to your pinboards on your VOT website and virtual assistant resume portfolio, business cards and your email/message board signature. You might also want to share your Pinterest profile with your Twitter, Linkedin and Facebook contacts.

And, of course, share it with us We would love to know how you are using Pinterest to get yourself noticed as a Virtual Assistant!




RESOURCES

LOGIN to your VOT Virtual Assistant account to create or edit your VOT resume
WRITE a job winning resume

SETUP your VOT website

REVIEW JOBS new VOT virtual assistant jobs

READ Pinterest For Dummies

LEARN Marketing Yourself on Pinterest

HIRING