Philippines Virtual Assistant

Outsource a Virtual Assistant to the Philippines

For entrepreneurs new to hiring virtual assistants, there’s no better place for outsourcing than the Philippines. Aside from their proficiency in the English language, Filipino virtual assistants are hardworking, hospitable, and highly skilled in their chosen fields. In addition, the pricing for their services is significantly lower than what you would have to pay for the same in-house staff in Australia.

How to Hire Filipino Virtual Assistant?

The first step in hiring Filipino virtual assistants is determining what tasks you need them to do and whether you need them full-time or part-time.

Are you looking for someone to do general admin tasks, or do you need someone with a specific skill set, such as project management, managing social media accounts, or graphic design?

Once you’ve determined what tasks to assign to them, it’s time to find the best virtual assistant for your needs.

There are three ways to find and hire virtual assistants: post an online ad yourself, hire one through online job platforms like Upwork or Onlinejobs.ph, or connect with an outsourcing company like Remotestaff.

For the first two options, you may need to sift through hundreds of applications from freelancers to find an applicant that suits your needs, come up with a shortlist, and interview each person on it.

Finally, once you pick a candidate, you must onboard them and have them sign a contract to finalize things.

However, if you hire via outsourcing companies such as Remotestaff, you can skip most of the steps here. We’ll do most of the leg work, so that all you  have to do is pick candidates off a shortlist and then arrange for an interview.

What to Keep in Mind When Hiring a Virtual Assistant From the Philippines?

When hiring Filipino virtual assistants, make sure you interview them thoroughly and clarify their job equirements early on. You also need to determine how you’ll pay them and plan an effective onboarding process so they can quickly start working for you.

And despite their proficiency in English, you still need to ensure that you and your VA are on the same page when issuing instructions. Don’t forget to tell them what kind of communication apps you’ll use to communicate with each other.

In addition to these, you also need to be aware of the time difference between the Philippines and Australia and the subtle cultural differences between the two.

Knowing the former will help determine your VA’s working hours and ensures smooth communication and collaboration. The latter, on the other hand. allows you to form a more positive and productive relationship with your VA.

Finally, you must familiarize yourself with all the legal and tax requirements around hiring overseas VAs.

Do I Get a Dedicated Virtual Assistant?

You definitely should. Having a dedicated VA frees you from the more mundane yet vital tasks in your company, such as project management or web design, so you can focus on running your business. They help hasten your company’s growth and provide the skills you may not have easy access to in your area.

What Are the Key Skills of Your Virtual Assistants?

First, one of the most vital skills your VA should have is communication skills. Remember, they’ll be representing your company, so they must be able to speak and write in English well. They must also be easy to work with, so that there won’t be any friction between them and your in-house team.

Additionally, your VA must have good organizational, problem-solving and time management skills, along with basic research skills. These allow them to perform their tasks well, even with little supervision.

Cost of Hiring a Virtual Assistant From the Philippines

This would depend on the tasks you require from your VA and their experience level.

For example, if you’re hiring a regular virtual assistant, a junior VA’s monthly average salary is AUD 1336.50, while an experienced one would set you back by AUD 2189.31 a month.

A more specialized VA position, such as a digital marketer, requires a monthly salary ranging from AUD 1222.02 to AUD 2987.16, depending on the level of experience and expertise.

Why Hire a Virtual Assistant From the Philippines Through Remote Staff?

If it’s your first time hiring a virtual staff from the Philippines, there’s no better company to assist you than Remotestaff. We ensure that the remote contractor we provide you with is not only highly skilled, but we also provide ongoing support to ensure a smooth and lasting working relationship.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some common questions asked by entrepreneurs who are hiring Filipino VAs via Remote Staff for the first time:

How Long Does It Take to Set Up a Team?

This would depend on the skills and experience you’re looking for, and the candidates in our existing talent pool.

Usually though, it takes around six business days for you to hire a VA from Remotestaff. On average, it takes us around two to four business days shortlisting quality candidates for your specific needs.

Once you’ve selected a candidate, they can start as early as three business days later. All in all, it may take one or two months to fully assemble your remote team.

Can I Hire Virtual Assistants Part-time?

You definitely could. If you don’t really have a lot of tasks for your VA or only need them for only a few hours a day or week, hiring part-time VAs can be a wise move.

To some companies, this can be a more cost-effective way to upscale rather than hiring full-time VAs.

Can I Provide the Work Hours? Can They Work Overnight?

Yes, you can. When making your job request for Remotestaff, you can already set your required work hours for your VA. If you need them to work the graveyard shift, just indicate that in your job request.

How to Handle Non-Performing Virtual Assistants?

If your VA isn’t performing as well as you need them to, here are a few things you can do to solve this issue.

First, you should set your expectations and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) as early as possible. If they were meeting these and have recently fallen short of them, try talking with them to see if they have recently had any personal challenges affecting their productivity.

In addition to this, regularly monitor your VA’s performance and document any issues you may find in their work. It also helps to provide constructive feedback and, if necessary, additional training and support.

But if the problem persists, you may contact your LAO to terminate your contract with the remote talent and your reason/s for doing so.

Do note that we require a twenty-four hour notice if the contract is less than thirty days old. Beyond that, we require the standard two-week notice.

If the initial hire doesn’t work out, we will strive to find a suitable replacement immediately, free of charge.

How Do I Pay My Offshore Staff?

The most common methods for paying Filipino VAs are through Paypal, international wire transfers, online payment platforms, and bank transfers.

If you hire through Remotestaff, however, we’ll take care of your VA’s payroll for you, and you can settle the corresponding fees via electronic fund transfer or credit card.

Once your payment clears, we will send your VA’s compensation straight to their Philippine bank accounts on their appointed paydays.

Is My Company Data Safe With Virtual Assistants?

Definitely. We have stipulations and security measures in place for our VA’s when it comes to handling their client’s private data.

In addition, we also issue Non-disclosure Agreements (NDAs) as an additional layer of security.

And if you require further assistance, our team of IT professionals are on hand to safeguard your data.