Kristina de Vera-Sangalang – Virtual Assistant

Hi there! I am Kristina, an ordinary person with extraordinary determination. I am a Virtual Assistant based in the Philippines. I am a graduate of BSBA Management Information Systems from Holy Angel University. I have 9 years of administrative experience. Before the pandemic introduced me to remote jobs, I used to work as an Administrative Assistant for an international cruise ship. I was working closely with executives as their all-around assistant. I was responsible for the department’s paperworks, payroll, scheduling, and so many other administrative tasks. It was a fun, challenging, and rewarding job. I had the chance to travel for free to Scandinavia, the British Isles, Western EU, Southern EU, US, Canada, the Emirates, Asia, the Caribbean, and the Mediterranean. Working for the cruise ship has taken me out of my comfort zone and inspired me to explore new things, engage with different people, and embrace new adventures. It has also allowed me to develop a solid work ethic. My superiors consistently recognise my dedication, sense of responsibility, and emphasis on quality. I have been awarded 5 times as the employee of the month. I am known for being an effective member with a talent for balancing multiple tasks and still meeting deadlines.

In 2019, I decided to take a break from ship life. I wanted to be present for my family, to make up for the times I wasn’t around. While I was enjoying my time with my family, I did not stop learning. I studied baking by watching tons of videos on Youtube. I became very good at it and little did I know that what started only as a hobby will be a source of income for me. My husband lost his job during the pandemic and we were leaving off our meager savings so I decided to start my baking business. I was earning but it was still not enough. The baking industry was so saturated at that time. I was a self-taught baker competing with pro bakers. But that did not stop me, I continued selling my baked goods and then my sister who is living in Melbourne introduced me to freelancing. My first gig as a Virtual Assistant was for an eCommerce Store. I was responsible for the inbox management, social media content, online customer support, receiving and shipping of items, and other administrative tasks assigned by the client based in Australia. I easily adapted to my new work setup. I enjoyed working and earning in the comfort of my home. When the project for the eCommerce Store ended because of the heavy restrictions in Australia and here in the Philippines, I started creating individualised tasks focused on each client’s project.

Working from home has made me more determined to upskill, expand my capabilities and give high priority to always promoting honesty in the WFH setup. I believe that honesty shows that you have integrity and that you are responsible. Nobody is perfect but everybody should be honest. I aim to grow further and really break into this field. I want to gain more knowledge and experience so in the future I can move through the ranks and take on bigger responsibilities.

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