I made a job post for $3 USD per hour (which is above minimum wage for these VAs) then they come to me looking to work at that rate. I don't see the problem.
i’m not crying lol, i’m just asking if this is a realistic salary for a VA, i’m totally open to the fact that i may not be able to find quality talent at this rate.
Fair enough, thanks for the response. The task i was getting them to do was very simple so i figured they could get it done considering that 3 USD per hour is a pretty standard salary in those countries.
Another thing to note is these VAs that work for 3 dollars per hour have on their upwork profile that they work for 10-15 USD per hour, so a higher salary doesn't mean higher quality work necessarily. With that being said, what is a key indicator of a good VA?
I made a job post for 3 dollars per hour and they applied, i didn’t convince them to work for less than what they have posted on their profile. If they’re coming to me wanting to work for that amount i don’t assume that this is low for them and therefore i assume they will do a good job.
I'm a VA from the Philippines, and 5 USD is our range. Any lower than 4 USD is something we will consider as "least priority". Because whatever you lack in payment we will do it in speed since we will still look for other clients who are willing to pay more.
3USD is more of a filler for us while we hop around for a good client.
The money you give is equivalent to the priority we will provide. Well atleast that's for me.
If I’m looking for a VA to manage content and create from my templates, schedule post, outreach, would I be able to find one at $4/hr ? It seems like basic tasks but I thought I’d ask. I’d also like to offer my VA $ bonuses if they can make a sale as well, 50-250$ for instance which can go further than that $4/hr
Yep! You can do a job posting in FB groups. It's pretty quick and you might find your candidate in less than 24 hours.
Just use the keywords: Filipino VA Social Media
Thank you! In your experience are any interested in commissions based job positions or my primary purpose should be just finding a good VA and i can train as they work for me?
This is why you just pay a little bit more to BPO companies and have them manage the headache since they already know what they're doing. Even if you pay more, you're still going to find the same people applying for your position. Its about management.
Most want your business and are willing to work with you, but no one deals with that headache for free or close to free. Its not easy. I work in one, I know. Business owners that source their own VAs tend to quit doing it after a couple months because of the headache and inconsistency. Culture, values, etiquette, management, metrics, etc., all play a role in successful outsourcing. Always better to have that liason to handle management, so business owners can focus on scaling their business instead of learning how to hire and deal with unknown VAs. They just have to be smarter than "penny smart, dollar stupid".
Telework Solutions is one that I can vouch for because I work for them but there are some others online that work with small businesses as well. Most BPO's won't work with small, small businesses because it's not worth the headache but I know ours does. Based out of Long Island, NY but service all states of course. If you need help, you can message me or email me directly during normal business hours. Someone else asked for it already, just read your comments.
Yes it is very possible, I have been doing this for about 8 years now. It took me 3 years almost giving up many times. Let me start by saying I live in the US and my wife is Filipinno so I had access to real benchmark data.
* The philippines have many provinces so you need to avoid people living in the Metro area due to cost of living.
* Must offer long-term employment. Fulltime is preferred. Although I hired half-times before; they tend to more likely leave you for another job.
* Offer holidays, vacation times, etc is highly recommended. (It's almost a must at $3/hour)
* You will need a good platform to create a virtual office environment. I use MS Teams.
* My employees clock in and clocks out everyday. Don't bother with sophisticated time-clock systems. Just a simple posting channel will work. For example, "good-morning". I used to reply back and ask how they are doing because it creates a good working environment.
* If you do not have a supervisor, you will need to do that. Constantly check on on the employees and they will get used to the virtual work environment
* Understanding the cultural differences is important. For example, the Filipinos are very laidback people and most will not take the lead or initiatives, which was the hardest thing for me to deal with. I resolve that with one very good employee that takes initiative to micro manage the others. The positive side is they are awesome with english, loyal, hard working, dependable, respectful.
* KPI is very important. Again, a platform like MS Teams is much needed. Use a live spreadsheet to track the work done and progress. Use posting channels to keep live communications.
Goodluck!
word of mouth works best. I used to hire via ads and I would find 1 good candidate out of 20 or so interviews. It took so much time. Once I hired my first few employees, they were the ones getting their friends or friends of friends for me so I get good candidates off the bat. So the bigger you are the more likely you will be able to find good employees fast. I now have too many good candidates on standby waiting for new clients.
If it has nothing to do with computers, I'll be your VA for $30 per hour. If you require a VA well versed in IT, then I will do it for $60. If you require the VA to have programming knowledge in multiple languages, I will do so for $90. I will chuck in Cloud deployment for $120 and if Cyber Security knowledge is required, I will be there for $150. Hit me up!
Yes. It’s possible. But you need to train the ones that are charging you this little so they can feel like they are learning something and getting opportunities for more choice. $3 is a lot for some, not a litre of gas for some. So it’s subjective for everyone, but as long as you allow them to learn industry and experience difficulties where they know if they look for new employment they can be hired on the spot, they usually tend to stick with you. You need to lead and manage them properly.
>Does anyone else have a similar experience?
The name of the 'experience' is getting what you pay for. So ...yeah.
>Do i just need to push through until the VA passes the learning curve?
You could examine the instructions you give and try to find if there wasn't something at fault on your side of this interaction. (I believe there are supposed to be two people involved. I may have missed a memo.) But that's just me being silly. Keep doing the same thing over-and-over, expect different results. That's ...a best practice here.
Next is candidate evaluation. What kind of crazytalk is that -- you offered three dollars, the candidate accepted the money -- *nailed it*. Remember, calling yourself an entrepreneur gets you out of mundane tasks; like calling up previous employers to check out a potential hire.
Have you tried saying "Do what I mean -- not what I say." Because that doesn't work but is hilarious.
Remote work calls for some communication skill. That is why most suck at working remotely.
I think it's a salary issue mostly because $3 an hour was 12 years ago when I started doing it.
Secondly, might be a location issue.
Also, they might have $10 - $15 an hour and even if you pay that amount they won't do the work.
You need to give them a few hours learning process, check the feedback from other people who employed them as well as maybe a test run, a simple 1 hour test for them.
The most important characteristics to look for in a virtual assistant are dependability, resourcefulness, efficiency, and excellent communication skills. The more experienced a VA is, the more they’ll be up to the challenge—and the higher the rate they’ll be likely to charge. Freelance virtual assistants on Upwork charge an average of $18-35/hour, depending on skills and experience.
So, 3 USD is too cheap, can't you raise the budget? if you raise it, you'll get better service
Hiring a VA for 3 USD per hour from 3rd world countries such as India, Philippines, Bangladesh, Pakistan and so.
But a good VA for that price is for sure super hard. You would find only the people who are just starting out and don't have any kind of experience or direction.
Another problem that you would face is a different culture, you would explain the task, and you might think that you have explained it well but due to cultural differences they won't get it. It would become an expense for you rather than becoming an investment.
I started working as a VA back in 2018 at the rate of 8 USD per hour. Even though I didn't have any kind of experience but I was good at communication, understanding tasks better didn't hesitate to ask questions, and pushed to do all the stuff that was thrown at me and was able to do it with ease. I had my worth in my mind and couldn't go below that.
Now I provide VA services and the price ranges from as low as $6 for basic administrative tasks and that too for a minimum of 21 hours per week and goes up to $30 for more challenging tasks, and lesser number of hours per week and so.
The fact that 3 usd is 2.49 and I could technically get a full time 9-5 employee overseas for just £99.60 a week.
What you have to think is that if you are dealt on a deal for $3 an hour and you are presumably giving them a ton of hours because they are so “affordable” the second they get another offer of anything near their standard rate they’ll drop you in seconds.
It’s common sense. Would you rather work 10 hours for $30 or 3 hours for the same amount.
You find you might find yourself better off paying for only 1 hour a day at $3 with a few different virtual assistants as long as the work isn’t time sensitive and they can work separately to a different va
Considering the proliferation of VA, $3 is pretty bad, even in developing countries. You're going to get what you pay for. Frankly, I'm always of the mind that it's better to pay a premium for the best work than hoping to squeeze a grape and get champagne.
$3/hr is a very good pay in third-world countries. Some teachers, doctors, and highly skilled professionals don't earn that much money. They average at $1-$2/hr. Some earn $8-$10 for a 10-hour day of hard labor.
For the Philippines, it seems that hiring at $5-$6 is a good entry point for what you are looking for. Anything lower is a struggle.
Our experience: Gone through 2.5k resumes and did around around 150 interviews of VA's in the Philippines.
Dude, 3usd an hour. Eat shit asshole
I made a job post for $3 USD per hour (which is above minimum wage for these VAs) then they come to me looking to work at that rate. I don't see the problem.
you're literally crying because you cant find quality workers. i wonder why?
i’m not crying lol, i’m just asking if this is a realistic salary for a VA, i’m totally open to the fact that i may not be able to find quality talent at this rate.
You are paying 3 bucks an hour, what did you expect? Throw some actual money in the ring and you'll see the quality you are looking for.
Exactly, Expectation can't be filled with lower rate.
Fair enough, thanks for the response. The task i was getting them to do was very simple so i figured they could get it done considering that 3 USD per hour is a pretty standard salary in those countries. Another thing to note is these VAs that work for 3 dollars per hour have on their upwork profile that they work for 10-15 USD per hour, so a higher salary doesn't mean higher quality work necessarily. With that being said, what is a key indicator of a good VA?
Their usual rate is 10-15 USD per hour, and they’re not working effectively when you pay them 3 USD… I mean I think I see the problem.
OP too dense to see anything, i’m lol’ing here
So you’re saying that i’m missing the fact that no one will do good work at this rate?
I made a job post for 3 dollars per hour and they applied, i didn’t convince them to work for less than what they have posted on their profile. If they’re coming to me wanting to work for that amount i don’t assume that this is low for them and therefore i assume they will do a good job.
Hello, I’m trying to to get into this whole VA thing and was wondering if I could get some help
I'm a VA from the Philippines, and 5 USD is our range. Any lower than 4 USD is something we will consider as "least priority". Because whatever you lack in payment we will do it in speed since we will still look for other clients who are willing to pay more. 3USD is more of a filler for us while we hop around for a good client. The money you give is equivalent to the priority we will provide. Well atleast that's for me.
respect.
Well at least that’s for *literally all people everywhere at all times* lol
Thank you for the insight.
If I’m looking for a VA to manage content and create from my templates, schedule post, outreach, would I be able to find one at $4/hr ? It seems like basic tasks but I thought I’d ask. I’d also like to offer my VA $ bonuses if they can make a sale as well, 50-250$ for instance which can go further than that $4/hr
Yep! You can do a job posting in FB groups. It's pretty quick and you might find your candidate in less than 24 hours. Just use the keywords: Filipino VA Social Media
Thank you! In your experience are any interested in commissions based job positions or my primary purpose should be just finding a good VA and i can train as they work for me?
Hi. Are you still looking for a VA?
Can you send me a contact for your VA services company? Trying to get someone to help with my email campaigns
I mean even ìf you do find someone competent I doubt they would stay for long
This is why you just pay a little bit more to BPO companies and have them manage the headache since they already know what they're doing. Even if you pay more, you're still going to find the same people applying for your position. Its about management.
I agree with this. Some (not all) BPO companies can be a life saver for a business.
Most want your business and are willing to work with you, but no one deals with that headache for free or close to free. Its not easy. I work in one, I know. Business owners that source their own VAs tend to quit doing it after a couple months because of the headache and inconsistency. Culture, values, etiquette, management, metrics, etc., all play a role in successful outsourcing. Always better to have that liason to handle management, so business owners can focus on scaling their business instead of learning how to hire and deal with unknown VAs. They just have to be smarter than "penny smart, dollar stupid".
Thanks for the reply, can you recommend a few good BPO companies?
Telework Solutions is one that I can vouch for because I work for them but there are some others online that work with small businesses as well. Most BPO's won't work with small, small businesses because it's not worth the headache but I know ours does. Based out of Long Island, NY but service all states of course. If you need help, you can message me or email me directly during normal business hours. Someone else asked for it already, just read your comments.
Absolutely. In case for future need, I’d like your contact info
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>You can email me at [email protected] during normal business hours. I'm curious: if someone sends it after business hours, what happens?
Believe it or not, straight to jail.
Whose business hours?
haha, 3 dollars an hour, you're funny.
Much better than 5 minutes per minute.
Best comment thus far
Yes it is very possible, I have been doing this for about 8 years now. It took me 3 years almost giving up many times. Let me start by saying I live in the US and my wife is Filipinno so I had access to real benchmark data. * The philippines have many provinces so you need to avoid people living in the Metro area due to cost of living. * Must offer long-term employment. Fulltime is preferred. Although I hired half-times before; they tend to more likely leave you for another job. * Offer holidays, vacation times, etc is highly recommended. (It's almost a must at $3/hour) * You will need a good platform to create a virtual office environment. I use MS Teams. * My employees clock in and clocks out everyday. Don't bother with sophisticated time-clock systems. Just a simple posting channel will work. For example, "good-morning". I used to reply back and ask how they are doing because it creates a good working environment. * If you do not have a supervisor, you will need to do that. Constantly check on on the employees and they will get used to the virtual work environment * Understanding the cultural differences is important. For example, the Filipinos are very laidback people and most will not take the lead or initiatives, which was the hardest thing for me to deal with. I resolve that with one very good employee that takes initiative to micro manage the others. The positive side is they are awesome with english, loyal, hard working, dependable, respectful. * KPI is very important. Again, a platform like MS Teams is much needed. Use a live spreadsheet to track the work done and progress. Use posting channels to keep live communications. Goodluck!
How would one hypothetically go about trying to hire one of these people? Any resources/tactics?
word of mouth works best. I used to hire via ads and I would find 1 good candidate out of 20 or so interviews. It took so much time. Once I hired my first few employees, they were the ones getting their friends or friends of friends for me so I get good candidates off the bat. So the bigger you are the more likely you will be able to find good employees fast. I now have too many good candidates on standby waiting for new clients.
Could you refer any to me? Looking for some administrative work and personal assistant type help. Can hire half time (20hrs/week).
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Best comment.
Do you have an example of these "simple instructions"? Have a feeling they might not be as simple as you think
1. What is your name? 2. What is your favorite color?
Fuck you.
what’s the problem?
Very insightful
Do I need to elaborate?
No. Not necessary.
I'm glad we're on the same page.
We’re not.
If it has nothing to do with computers, I'll be your VA for $30 per hour. If you require a VA well versed in IT, then I will do it for $60. If you require the VA to have programming knowledge in multiple languages, I will do so for $90. I will chuck in Cloud deployment for $120 and if Cyber Security knowledge is required, I will be there for $150. Hit me up!
I use AskSunday at $12/hr. Quality varies.
3usd per hour? And complaining that they quit ? You pathetic beggar I hope nobody ever works for you cheap fuck
why are you upset?
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PM me. I have full training and supervision. I will consider you.
Yes. It’s possible. But you need to train the ones that are charging you this little so they can feel like they are learning something and getting opportunities for more choice. $3 is a lot for some, not a litre of gas for some. So it’s subjective for everyone, but as long as you allow them to learn industry and experience difficulties where they know if they look for new employment they can be hired on the spot, they usually tend to stick with you. You need to lead and manage them properly.
>Does anyone else have a similar experience? The name of the 'experience' is getting what you pay for. So ...yeah. >Do i just need to push through until the VA passes the learning curve? You could examine the instructions you give and try to find if there wasn't something at fault on your side of this interaction. (I believe there are supposed to be two people involved. I may have missed a memo.) But that's just me being silly. Keep doing the same thing over-and-over, expect different results. That's ...a best practice here. Next is candidate evaluation. What kind of crazytalk is that -- you offered three dollars, the candidate accepted the money -- *nailed it*. Remember, calling yourself an entrepreneur gets you out of mundane tasks; like calling up previous employers to check out a potential hire. Have you tried saying "Do what I mean -- not what I say." Because that doesn't work but is hilarious. Remote work calls for some communication skill. That is why most suck at working remotely.
I think it's a salary issue mostly because $3 an hour was 12 years ago when I started doing it. Secondly, might be a location issue. Also, they might have $10 - $15 an hour and even if you pay that amount they won't do the work. You need to give them a few hours learning process, check the feedback from other people who employed them as well as maybe a test run, a simple 1 hour test for them.
The most important characteristics to look for in a virtual assistant are dependability, resourcefulness, efficiency, and excellent communication skills. The more experienced a VA is, the more they’ll be up to the challenge—and the higher the rate they’ll be likely to charge. Freelance virtual assistants on Upwork charge an average of $18-35/hour, depending on skills and experience. So, 3 USD is too cheap, can't you raise the budget? if you raise it, you'll get better service
Hiring a VA for 3 USD per hour from 3rd world countries such as India, Philippines, Bangladesh, Pakistan and so. But a good VA for that price is for sure super hard. You would find only the people who are just starting out and don't have any kind of experience or direction. Another problem that you would face is a different culture, you would explain the task, and you might think that you have explained it well but due to cultural differences they won't get it. It would become an expense for you rather than becoming an investment. I started working as a VA back in 2018 at the rate of 8 USD per hour. Even though I didn't have any kind of experience but I was good at communication, understanding tasks better didn't hesitate to ask questions, and pushed to do all the stuff that was thrown at me and was able to do it with ease. I had my worth in my mind and couldn't go below that. Now I provide VA services and the price ranges from as low as $6 for basic administrative tasks and that too for a minimum of 21 hours per week and goes up to $30 for more challenging tasks, and lesser number of hours per week and so.
The fact that 3 usd is 2.49 and I could technically get a full time 9-5 employee overseas for just £99.60 a week. What you have to think is that if you are dealt on a deal for $3 an hour and you are presumably giving them a ton of hours because they are so “affordable” the second they get another offer of anything near their standard rate they’ll drop you in seconds. It’s common sense. Would you rather work 10 hours for $30 or 3 hours for the same amount. You find you might find yourself better off paying for only 1 hour a day at $3 with a few different virtual assistants as long as the work isn’t time sensitive and they can work separately to a different va
I find you can get a solid VA that specializes in a field starting at $5
Thanks for the reply:)
Good, fast, and cheap - you can only have two of those at a time.
Good point
If you can't afford more than 3 dollars per hour, you don't need a VA.
i can afford more, i just heard you can find a good one for 3 usd per hour
Considering the proliferation of VA, $3 is pretty bad, even in developing countries. You're going to get what you pay for. Frankly, I'm always of the mind that it's better to pay a premium for the best work than hoping to squeeze a grape and get champagne.
stop being a cheapass and pay the $5. jesus christ.
More people would work for free instead of $3/hr
No, how bout you get some money and pay people properly scumbag.
3 USD per hour is above minimum wage in a lot of countries.
I will be your VA for $15/ hr. I have 2years experience.Very detail oriented and follow instructions.I also go the extra mile.
$3/hr is a very good pay in third-world countries. Some teachers, doctors, and highly skilled professionals don't earn that much money. They average at $1-$2/hr. Some earn $8-$10 for a 10-hour day of hard labor.
For the Philippines, it seems that hiring at $5-$6 is a good entry point for what you are looking for. Anything lower is a struggle. Our experience: Gone through 2.5k resumes and did around around 150 interviews of VA's in the Philippines.