Tessa Mae Mata – General Virtual Assistant

Hello! I’m Tessa Mae Mata, you can call me Tess for short. I love to write, especially blogging. I first started during the prime of Friendster, and years after, I joined a local blogging organisation. I’m not the best writer, but I’m slightly more expressive through writing than in verbal communication. I find most films captivating, from the classics to the new releases especially when it’s a psychological drama or psychothriller movie, that’s because I’m fascinated with how the mind works and how people interpret and progress through their experiences. This is why I write movie reviews as a hobby.

I completed my bachelor’s degree in Psychology at the University of Mindanao. After graduating, I spent the past 11 years in the Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) industry, from cash to business management up to the business proprietorship of a barber shop.

I practiced traditional business management and played different roles. My daily routine was first-hand supervision of the business and social media management on the side. Because it’s a small business, I found ways to cut further expenses by working also as the purchaser, custodian, cashier, manager, and customer service. Aside from those roles, I handle daily to monthly records, mostly in manual recording. And because the employees are commission-based, I do the payroll at the end of the day.

What stood out for me the most in business was the employees. I always put the barbers first before anything else. I gave them a comfortable workplace, independence, and time, and they effortlessly took control of their responsibilities and shined in their craft. Their loyalty to the business and their excellent service to the customers were the greatest contributions they’ve given to the business.

During the pandemic, I had a side hustle as a Discord moderator. My initial role was to be an overseer of members and new applicants for a crypto game scholarship and ensured that channels were well-organised with rules. Then my role expanded to organising interactive activities and evaluating members’ and aspiring scholars’ performance. In a few weeks, I handled the evaluation of document requirements by applicants and their interviews. Because of these experiences, I was able to use google workspace and Canva in organising my tasks.

With my skills and previous experiences, it is not far from becoming a Virtual Assistant. In business management, most of my tasks are done by virtual assistants online as there are specific apps for it. And being a moderator has expanded my knowledge of those apps.

What appeals to me most as a Virtual Assistant is being able to stay close to my parents who are already in their advanced years. Being hard-working, flexible, trustworthy, and people-oriented, will be beneficial for both me and my client. With this career, I will be able to further develop my skills, be in an environment with endless growth and knowledge, and exercise my ability in people support.

For a copy of Tessa’s resume please click here.