Journey as a Surge Graduate
The Laptop Lifestyle Chapter 💻👩
After 33 years as a full-time employee, doing the same routine every day made me realize I wanted a change from the long commute and traffic. So when I filed my resignation, I bought a laptop to discover if there is true freedom in remote work.
But first, I needed to learn the basics of working from home.
Surge Graduate Journey 🌊
I found Surge while scrolling on YouTube and Facebook because I wanted to learn about Virtual Assistant work, another one of my target niches.
In August 2023, I started attending free online webinars from Surge Marketplace to gain an overview of how to start a freelancing career.
I joined and learned new digital skills on their platform, and I acquired many E-certificates from the free online webinars. I felt excited and ready to grow as a VA.
Leveling Up: Paid Mini-Courses
Then I decided to invest in two high-quality but affordable mini VOD (Video-on-Demand) courses under the Surge Promo:
Coach Kathy Lim-Cabradilla is the trainer in these recorded videos. She gave real projects and tasks that tested my newly acquired knowledge.
The courses are self-paced, but require online learners to submit the necessary portfolios to earn the Certificate of Completion.
The key lesson I learned was to overcome doubts and build a daily study habit. I finished the two mini-courses and received my E-Certificates.
Taking Action: "Free Course of Choice"
In a raffle of Top Fans during a free webinar, I was the last lucky winner chosen by Coach Grace Locsin for the "free course of choice."
I chose the Freelancing Virtual Assistance Course, which is a newbie-friendly course. The big difference with Surge is that I have applied the lessons after watching the videos.
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| Freelancing VA Course |
Miss Grace Locsin, the CEO and Surge owner, is the main trainer in these videos, while Coach Melle is the trainer in the live sessions.
Miss Grace has the enthusiasm and energy that will make you believe, "I can achieve my goal of becoming a Virtual Assistant."
I enjoyed learning with Surge Marketplace. I am an avid online learner, but I needed to start earning.
Meanwhile, I applied to platforms like Upwork, Online Jobs, and LinkedIn, but was still rejected. 😢
The Milestone: Apprenticeship Program 💻
My sister enrolled me in the two-week Apprenticeship Program for Batch 3 to work on real tasks as an Executive Assistant and meet clients and mentors under Surge Marketplace.
The 1st week was challenging; I had many pending tasks. Lead Generation was difficult; I could only use free tools. Social Media Content was another one; I needed to be more creative in Canva graphic designs. I completed the tasks within the week because of perseverance and willingness to learn more.
The 2nd week was focused on the following tasks: finishing the final portfolio, recording a video introduction, and passing the EOW (End of Week) report.
I completed the Apprenticeship Program and earned my E-Certificate in April 2024.
Final Thoughts
Finishing online courses and earning certificates isn't a real guarantee of being accepted for a remote job, and Surge Marketplace only serves as a mentor.
We have the skills, yet the remote door remains locked. If you are in the same situation, know that you are not alone. Rejection is not a sign to quit; it is a sign to adjust.
As freelancers, we must prepare and update our portfolios on freelancing websites, optimize profiles on Upwork, OLJ, and LinkedIn, and be active on Social Media to promote ourselves so clients can hire us.
Quote: 👵
"A person's advanced age doesn't lessen their ability to work and make a valuable contribution to an organization."
Note: I updated this 1-page Blog for the Freelancer Lei website.
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| 1-page blog post Surge Graduate |
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