“I wanted to continue working while also being fully present for my newborn.”

What work were you doing previously?    

I worked in the BPO industry for 12 years.

I started as a Customer Service Representative and gradually worked my way up to Supervisor, and eventually became a Coaching Consultant.

Throughout those years, I handled customer support through calls, emails, and chat, while also helping teams improve performance and customer experience.

What are you doing now?    

I'm working as a Content Marketing Manager II at EasyPost.

I focus on creating SEO-optimized content and managing end-to-end content production cycles to improve search visibility and B2B engagement.

I collaborate closely with sales and marketing teams to ensure all content aligns with company goals, maintains a consistent brand voice, and provides a user-friendly experience.

Why did you change?

After my first child was born, I took a year away from work. 

During that time, I realized I wanted to return to work, but in a role that would allow me to be present for my son while still contributing financially to our family.

I'd always wanted to find a remote job, and that was the moment I decided to make the change.

How did you choose your new career?

I saw an advert for Amazon virtual assistants, which got me interested. 

I enrolled in a masterclass and later applied for an Amazon VA role through an agency, where I landed my first client.

Becoming a Content Marketing Manager happened quite unexpectedly. I was originally hired as an Executive Assistant to the company's co-founder, but he needed someone to oversee the content marketing side of the business and entrusted me with that responsibility.

What do you miss and what don't you miss?

I miss the office environment, dressing up for work, and team-building activities.

What I don’t miss is the heavy traffic and long travel times.

How did you go about making the shift?

I did a lot of research mostly via YouTube, watching videos about VAs and different industries. 

I was referred by a fellow VA friend to my most recent role. I asked if she knew of any clients who were looking for an assistant. Coincidentally, her client knew someone, she referred me and the rest is history.

How did you develop (or transfer) the skills you needed for your new role?

Looking back, I realized I already had many of the transferable skills I needed from my BPO career. I just didn't recognize how valuable they were in the remote work world.

For example, I had plenty of experience with email and calendar management. Much of what virtual assistants do for their clients, I was already doing in my previous role.

I also brought strong client management skills. In my BPO career, I worked directly with clients and stakeholders, discussing performance, resolving issues, and creating action plans together.

What didn't go well? What wrong turns did you take?

The biggest challenge was finding a niche that truly matched my strengths and interests.

Most of my experience was in customer service, so looking back, I wish I'd leaned into that sooner instead of trying to move into completely different niches.

That said, exploring new areas wasn't a waste. It gave me valuable experience in e-commerce and content writing, and I'm glad I had the opportunity to broaden my skills.

How did you handle your finances to make your shift possible?    

My husband was working at the time I made the change so he was able to support us financially.

Through consistent work and growth over the past four years as a VA, we were able to achieve one of our biggest goals – buying our dream home.

What was the most difficult thing about changing?

What help did you get?

I attended an Amazon masterclass which taught me how to manage Amazon accounts from A to Z. 

I also made use of free learning resources such as Google and YouTube.

What have you learnt in the process?    

I learned that upskilling is extremely important.

Staying current and continuing to grow makes a real difference, no matter what stage of your career you’re in.

What do you wish you'd done differently?

I wish I'd leaned more into my natural strengths earlier. 

Especially my ability to provide excellent customer service, rather than trying to move too far away from what I already did well.

What would you advise others to do in the same situation? 

Evaluate yourself honestly.

Identify your strengths, continue improving them, and focus on a niche where you can truly excel instead of trying to do everything.

What resources would you recommend to others?

I highly recommend free online courses and certifications.

You don’t need to spend a lot of money to build valuable and marketable skills.

What lessons could you take from Paula's story to use in your own career change? Let us know in the comments below.