SCI Virtual Executive Assistant©

My New Website

2010-11-20T18:55:00.000-08:00

I want to share my new website I created that links all of my businesses. It is called Sonia's Creative Ink, LLC. and the website is http://www.soniascreativeink.com/.

About Sonia’s Creative Ink, LLC

Sonia’s Creative Ink, LLC was founded in July, 2005 as a desktop publishing company. SCI was an inspiration due to an unfortunate situation of losing a loved one. Sonia Abbott-Bey, CEO of Sonia’s Creative Ink lost her father to pancreatic cancer in 2004. At the time of his passing she wanted to be hands on in the creation of his obituary. From that obituary, Sonia began getting referrals from friends who had seen the obituary and from that point was requested to help create other documents and graphics.

Sonia has over 12 years of administrative/executive assistant experience in construction, education, and transportation. Since launching SCI Virtual Executive Assistant, she has gained clientele in property management as well as working with a legal document preparation firm.

Sonia’s mission for Sonia’s Creative Ink brand is to convey my client’s vision may it be through a powerpoint presentation or desktop publishing. I truly enjoy being a Virtual Assistant. I have a passion for creating and delivering professional quality work and I enjoy working with people who share the same passion.

Other Business Ventures

I have another business called "Heartfelt Xpressions". I created handmade cards and invitations and other items when requested. I have a blog and Facebook Fan Page, which you can get the links from the website or simply click this link: http://www.heartfeltxpressions.blogspot.com/. I have an Etsy website to sell my handmade products at http://www.heartfeltxpressions.etsy.com/. I'm working on new cards at this moment to post, but other samples of cards I have made and still have stock are posted on my Heartfelt Xpressions Facebook Fan Page. Please check it out and spread the word.

Maure Holdings, LLC

Lastly, I would like to share another business venture I am involved with and it's Maure Holdings, LLC. It is a professional legal document preparation firm.

Maure Holdings, LLC services specializes in:
~Foreclosure Prevention/Protection
~Asset Protection Pure Simple Trust, Corporate Entities, etc.
~Tax Liens and Judgments
~Debt Elimination -
Student Loans,
Auto Loans,
Credit Cards
Third Party Debt Collections, etc.
~Notary Services
~We create Land Contracts, Lease Agreements w/Option to Buy, Quit Claim Deeds, etc.

Please visit our Facebook Fan Page at:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Detroit-MI/Maure-Holdings-LLC/161293603888001

Visit our new website:

http://www.maureholdingsllc.com/

Toll Free Phone No.: 1-866-932-5550
Email: www.mhllc@maureholdingsllc.com

Worst Cities to Find A Job

2010-11-20T18:24:00.000-08:00

I just saw an article on Forbes.com regarding the worst cities to find a job, and I am located in one of them. I must agree whole-heartedly that it has been very competitive to even contract my services. One might think that it's because they had a bad interview or not enough qualifications, but as I have been doing my research into the job market and the qualifications that are listed, you now must wear multiple hats, but for less pay.

I thought I would share an excerpt from the article:

"Can't get hired? You may just be in the wrong place.

Bad interviews or a lack of experience may not be the reason you can't land a job. Your location may be to blame. If you're seeking employment, consider moving to Washington, San Jose, or New York. Those are the three best places in the nation for finding a job, according to Juju.com."

The worst cities to find employment are:

1. Las Vegas, Nevada

2. Miami, Florida

3. Riverside, California

4. Detroit, Michigan

5. Los Angeles, California

These are based on those who have reported being unemployed and those numbers are most definitely higher than reported.

I must say I am used to wearing a lot of hats as being an employee and I have many qualifications that are listed, but it has come to who you know mostly than what you know to even get a response. It's very daunting and frustrating...yes I know and on top of that Congress has not approved an extension or Tier 5 for those who will be losing their unemployment benefits the day after Thanksgiving. I must say that is disheartening for them to play with people's lives especially after the November elections.

For those who are seeking for employment or starting your own business, please keep your head held high and know you're not the only person going through these tough times. As a small business owner it's very challenging for myself, but to remember to put positive vibes in the universe to bring a positive reinforcement for whatever endeavor you are seeking.

http://finance.yahoo.com/career-work/article/111373/americas-worst-cities-for-finding-a-job

2010-06-28T09:00:00.000-07:00

The Savvy Networker
Liz Ryan, Yahoo! HotJobs

Nearly every day, a job-seeker tells me, "I won't address my career gap (or sudden departure from a job, or relocation from Alaska to Tennessee) in my resume. I'll wait for the interview to tell that story."

What people don't understand is this: if you don't explain your career moves in the resume itself, there won't be any interview.

The typical job opening fetches over 100 replies from job applicants. Why would a hiring manager interview a person whose resume raises troubling questions?

Here are five hot question-raising issues that you've got to put to rest right in your resume--or get ready to sit by the phone waiting for the interview invitation that never comes.

1. Employment gaps
You have a right to get off the conveyor belt once or twice in your career. The reason for your employment gap could be child rearing, your own or a family member's health, or even a sabbatical if you were lucky enough to finagle one. You need to explain your employment gap in a way that will make sense to an employer. A good way to do that is in your resume's summary, where you can say something like "Returning to the paid workforce after four years raising my twins, I'm excited to help my next employer boost its website traffic and online sales." You have nothing to apologize for--but you've got to spell out why you stopped working, and why you're coming back.

2. Sudden drops in altitude
If your resume shows that you were a VP of sales one day and working a retail job the next, you've got some 'splainin to do. Maybe you needed to be close to home for a while for family reasons. Maybe you went to work for your cousin in his retail store, to support him and help his business grow. There's no shame in moving abruptly from a senior-level position to a more junior assignment, but resume readers will be dying to know: What happened?

3. Geographical moves
People don't like to disclose personal information in a resume, and I don't blame them. But a resume bullet like "Left Acme Dynamite to join my fiance in Boulder, Colorado" could make the difference between getting an interview and missing out. Unexplained cross-country moves have a tendency to alarm employers, who wonder, "Was this person asked to leave the state, or what?" Spell it out.

4. Jumping in and out
It used to be that if you'd spent much time consulting, the corporate world didn't have any interest in welcoming you back. Those days are gone, but you've still got to explain why you consulted for two years, then took a corporate job, then consulted again, and then went back to the salaried world. The best way to bring a reader into your decision process is to describe the specific challenge you were asked to surmount in each case. No one can blame you for following the most exciting challenges you came across, whether those were W-2 or 1099 assignments.

5. Getting laid off
Workforce reductions are so common that we think, "This screener or hiring manager will know I was laid off as soon as they see the short-term job on my resume." Don't bet on it. We've got to make it plain in our resume that we were laid off (and not fired for cause) if we don't want our prospective employer to see us as a flaky job-hopper. It's easy to tell your story. Use the last bullet under that job to say something like "Left Acme Dynamite when new legislation prohibiting the use of dynamite against roadrunners forced the company to downsize."

Remember, one purpose of communication is to reduce uncertainty--in your case, to answer the questions that will naturally arise in a hiring manager's mind as he or she reviews your resume. Spelling out the deets now will improve your chances of getting to talk about more interesting things during a face-to-face job interview.

Liz Ryan is a 25-year HR veteran, a former Fortune 500 VP, and an internationally recognized expert on careers and the new-millennium workplace. Connect with her at www.asklizryan.com.

(The opinions expressed in this column are solely the author's.)

Copyright © 2010 Yahoo! Inc. All rights reserved.

http://hotjobs.yahoo.com/career-experts-five_resume_items_that_can_t_wait_for_the_interview-117

Jobs Hazards

2010-05-20T07:31:00.000-07:00

As a full-time employee, I haven't endured some of these worksite hazards such as the carpal tunnel and back problems. Thank goodness I didn't have surgery for my carpal tunnel, I choice to rehab, which I still do the stretching and hand exercises. As for the back, I'm working out.

The Importance of Branding Yourself

2009-11-25T16:47:00.000-08:00

I understand the importance of branding yourself, and the business you are partaking. Your business is simply a reflection of you and your standards. No matter what business I create or become a member of, I create it with a purpose of people understanding the product or services I am selling, and that I am proud of my business. Also, I know how important my marketing is to bringing traffic and clientele to my site, word of mouth, or seeing my product via a postcard, brochure, flyer or a nice giveaway such as a calendar or bookmark.

So when putting together a business marketing plan...make sure you everything is proofread and edited. Your logos should always be on all of your advertisements, business cards, flyers, brochures and websites. Don't put more than one business on a business card. Multiple businesses on one card is very confusing, cluttering and tacky. Also, don't forget that your business is your baby. You have birth it, and now your trying to make it grow. It is a reflection of you so make sure your cross your t's and dot your i's because people are watching.

Administrative/Support Resume Tips

2009-11-15T16:59:00.000-08:00

As an administrative/support professional, we play a very important part in maintaining a smooth office environment. We are the organizers, secretaries, receptionists, event planners, office managers just to name a few of our titles. So why we do not feel our roles are important?

When a very good administrative professional leave their position in the company, the employer is left trying to figure out how to run the office, which very few have an inclination of what is involved in keeping a well maintained office. So your resume should reflect the importance of your role in your past position as an administrative/support professional.

Attached is an article from Monster.com that provides great tips on how you can articulate your resume with the experiences as an administrative/support professional:
Admin/Support Resume Tips

Staying Motivated

2009-10-20T10:15:00.000-07:00

I was just taking a moment to browse around my office trying to figure out ways to organize it better. At the moment I share space with my husband, and I'm trying to help him to become a better organizer so we both can enjoy the space as we work to make our living. Sometimes clutter can make you feel unmotivated, at least it makes me feel that way. We accumulate so much stuff so quickly, and even with all the computer technology of being able to backup our files we still have the need to print everything for filing. Why?

I think it's due to habits we can't break or it's just hard to break. I can remember a time when I working at a construction company, during the end of a project we had to pack up our files for storage. I had to make a set of files for the owner and a set for my employer. I think at the time we I finished packing, I had packed over 100 legal boxes. Talk about a sista that was tired.

I'm saying all of this to make a point about working smart than hard, and keeping your space organized to help you stay motivated.

Are You Worried With Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

2009-10-15T15:14:00.000-07:00

Are you beginning to feel a little tingle and numbness in your hands? Well, you are amongst millions who are experiencing the dreadful "carpal tunnel sydrome". This is becoming one of the biggest epidemics in the country especially due to the computer and gaming technology. Once thought as a problem for the middle to older generation is now becoming a younger generation problem. I have seen a news report about a young lady who was 9 years old diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome because she did a lot of typing on her computer.

What is carpal tunnel syndrome?

According the WebMD, "Carpal Tunnel is pain, tingling and other problems in your hand because of pressure on the median nerve in your wrist. The median nerve and several tendons run from your forearm to your hand through a small space in your wrist called the carpal tunnel. The median nerve controls movement and feeling in your thumb and first three fingers (not your little finger)."

What Causes Carpal Tunnel Syndrome? Photo courtesy of WebMD

From my experience of having carpal tunnel syndrome, mines started from the continual movement of typing. Mines started on my right hand, and then I shifted all the typing on my left, and now both hands were inflammed. So you can have carpal tunnel on both hands. When I was diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome, I researched the web on several sites like webmd.com and mayoclinic.com and found out a lot of information about carpal tunnel.

For instance, I have learned that carpal tunnel can also be caused from pregnancy, illnesses from diabetes, hypothyroidism, and rheumatoid arthritis, obesity, making the same hand movements continually, and bending of the wrist in the same motion, and smoking (because smoking can reduce the blood flow to the median nerve).

How Can Carpal Tunnel Be Treated?

I asked my doctor for advice on different treatments. At the time I was given only 2 options; one was to have surgery or physical therapy. I chose the physical therapy. I asked other people who I knew had carpal tunnel about the choice they made, which was surgery, and I knew I didn't want a quick fix because being a typist, I knew I would continue typing because that's my income. I looked into physical therapy as a long-term solution for me because it's something I can do at home or in the office. Above is a chart I got from my physical therapist on exercises I can do to help maintain the pain and it does work for me. I also use the hand braces to sleep because I have found myself bending my wrist while sleeping. So I can say that I don't experience continual pain as I did when I was first diagnosed 2 years ago.

So for those who are suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome, this is a good option even if you choose to have the surgery, you still can do the exercises to maintain your median nerves in your hand from flaming. If you would like a copy of this chart, please send me an email and I'll email it to you.

Opened For Business

2009-10-14T11:05:00.000-07:00

Welcome to SCI Virtual Executive Assistant© Blogspot

Your Virtual Office Administrative Assistant Specializing in Construction Administration

My name is Sonia Abbott-Bey, owner of SCI Virtual Executive Assistant©. If you haven't heard, there is a new way of managing the busy office and busy employers. I would like to introduce you to the new world of office management, Virtual Assistants. What are Virtual Assistants, and how can my services save you money, and increase productivity in your company?

What is a Virtual Assistant?

Virtual Assistants (VA's) are business owners who contract their administrative services to small and large businesses, and non-profit organizations. VA's primarily work from home (part-time or full-time) by utilizing the latest computer software and technology such as Microsoft Office software, desktop publishing software, email, color laser/ink jet printers, digital camera's, web design and maintenance, telephone/cell phones, and fax machines. By utilizing a VA, your company/business will save money because:

We have no overhead costs to relay to you, since we work from home.

We save you time spent on finding qualified personnel continuously for small/large projects. Once you build a relationship with your VA, you can always depend on your VA for re-occuring projects. So no need for temporary services and the unknown.

Flexibility. We work around our client's schedule. We work from home, but we can work on-site for special projects.

SCI offers a variety of services from data processing, professional presentations, desktop publishing, spreadsheets, to professional writing, accounting, and software training. I work with a qualified team of professionals who currently work in the field of their speciality.

Here are SCI's Comprehensive Virtual Administrative Services:

Adobe PDF Conversion/File Transfer
Binding Services
Brochures
Bulk Mailing
Data Entry/Word Processing
Email
Event Planner/Coordinator
Faxing Services
File Setup/Labels
Flight/Hotel Arrangements
Internet Research
Invitations
Mail Merge
Newsletters
Notary Services
Obituaries
Photo Slideshows
Professional PowerPoint Presentations
Proposals (Copying and Binding)
Purchasing Services (Office Supplies)
Scheduling
USPS/UPS/Local Delivery
Writing/Editing

If you would to know more about my services/prices, my professional profile, and references, please send me an email or call (313) 610-8152.

Thank you.

Mailing Address:

P.O. Box 02213, Detroit, Michigan 48202

Phone: (313) 610-8152 ~ Fax: (313) 864-7109

Website: scivirtualexec.com

Email: soniabey@scivirtualexec.com

Press Release: Click here to view