10 Secrets to Hiring Filipino Virtual Assistants
Hiring Filipino virtual assistants provides invaluable support to businesses around the world. With excellent English abilities, strong work ethics, and affordable rates, these Filipino virtual assistants have become the top choice for outsourced tasks.
However, many business owners fail to realize crucial "secrets" to finding and collaborating with premier talent for hiring Filipino virtual assistants in the Philippines. We uncover 10 insider tips you need to implement to hire the best Filipino Virtual Assistants tailored to your specific business needs.
Secret #1: Leverage Specialized Skill Sets
When hiring Filipino virtual assistants, you should look beyond general admin duties. Many candidates possess specialized skills that must be discovered in the hiring process.
For example, experienced virtual assistants in the Philippines may have niche expertise in graphic design, SEO, web development, programming, bookkeeping, real estate transactions, etc. Seasoned Filipino VAs can deliver support at an expert level across nearly any industry.
Be sure to ask candidates specifically about any specialized skills, training, or certifications they have obtained beyond standard administrative capabilities. You will likely uncover hidden talents that can add value to your business.
Secret #2: Utilize Specialized Hiring Platforms
Rather than merely posting to generic online job boards when hiring Filipino virtual assistants, use specialized sites designed specifically for Filipino talent.
The leading site is OnlineJobs.ph, which houses over 300,000 registered candidates. This platform provides unmatched access to qualified applicants.
You can narrow your search further by leveraging industry-specific sites like WriterAccess.ph to find talented writers or editors, Codementor.io for programmers, HubstaffTalent.com for assistants, and OnlineFilipina.com to find female virtual assistants.
These niche platforms allow you to filter for Filipino candidates with expertise relevant to your business needs immediately.
Secret #3: Bridge Time Zone Gaps
With the Philippines being anywhere from 12-15 hours ahead of US time zones, coordinating work schedules can pose initial challenges when bringing on Filipino virtual assistants.
However, clear communication, digital collaboration tools, and creative planning can overcome time zone differences.
Be specific about defining required work hours and availability upfront in the hiring process. Collaborate with your Filipino virtual assistant to pinpoint the optimal times for interfacing each day or week.
Web applications like Slack, Trello, and Zoom enable seamless teamwork despite geographic distance and time zone offsets. Leverage these technologies for efficient partnership.
Secret #4: Account for Cultural Differences
Despite the prevalent use of English and past influences of Western colonization, the Philippines retains some distinct aspects of local culture. This is important to note when establishing working relationships with Filipino talent.
For instance, Filipinos tend to give more indirect, ambiguous responses to politely avoid offense. However, Western business partners sometimes misinterpret this communication approach as insincerity.
Understanding subtle cultural nuances and having candid conversations about communication preferences early on is critical when bringing Filipino virtual assistants onto your team.
Establishing clear transparency and expectations upfront lays a foundation of trust and clarity for the long haul.
Secret #5: Capitalize on Comprehensive Cost Savings
It's well documented that outsourcing administrative or expert work to Filipino virtual assistants provides a tremendous return on investment, with average wages often exceeding 50-60% less than comparable US rates.
However, beyond the direct salary savings, the amount companies conserve on overhead expenses is even more significant. Since most Filipino VAs operate as home-based talent, employers do not have to invest in physical office space, equipment, software, office supplies, utilities, building maintenance, and other costs.
Once totaled, these overhead savings often accumulate to thousands of additional dollars conserved per year. Taking on a Filipino Virtual Assistant talent eliminates bricks-and-mortar expenses.
Secret #6: Contrast Hiring Approaches
When hiring a Filipino virtual assistant, you have two primary options – hiring assistants directly or utilizing a specialized VA staffing agency.
Virtual Assistant Staffing Agencies conduct pre-screening up to onboarding as value-added services. Direct hiring is significantly more affordable but does require you to take more initiative personally to vet candidates.
Before beginning your search, evaluate whether the convenience and support of an agency are worth the higher price tag for your budget vs. whether you can take on your own recruiting. There is excellent Filipino VA talent available through both approaches.
Secret #7: Contrast Hiring Approaches
Most clients utilize Filipino virtual assistants on a part-time basis initially, delegating task overflow where their in-house staff lacks bandwidth to fulfill. However, full-time partnerships are certainly possible if ample work volume exists.
The key is clearly defining exact full or part-time work hours and deliverables upfront when bringing on Filipino VA talent. Articulate the expected workload capacity so you can take on the precise level of support that your budget can accommodate currently. Filipino virtual assistants are highly adaptable at shaping their availability to meet the needs of any role.
Secret #8: Map Out Work Frequency
While some companies engage Filipino virtual assistants solely for project-based work on a sporadic basis, most Filipino VAs tend to thrive with a high degree of work consistency week-over-week. Steady, reliable workloads enable income stability and professional cadence.
When evaluating potential candidates, try to assess their individual preferences regarding desire for steady ongoing work vs. more intermittent spikes in project activity. Also clearly convey any expected seasonality or workload fluctuations you foresee so closely aligned expectations can be set from the start.
Secret #9: Champion Continual Growth
One remarkable and admirable trait of Filipino professional culture is the collective eagerness for constant skills development and career growth. Since education is so profoundly prized within the country, lifelong learning and continual improvement are highly encouraged.
As you manage your Filipino VA talent partnerships, look for ways to endorse this growth mindset through sponsoring courses, workshops, virtual conferences, or online programs that facilitate their continual progress. Investing in your assistant's education catalyzes tremendous loyalty while expanding their capabilities further. This creates a "win-win" scenario.
As new technologies, apps, or methodologies emerge within your industry, be willing to support your FILIPINO VAs learning these skills, even if it requires patience and short-term inefficiencies. This upfront time investment will pay dividends through substantially elevated output over your partnership's coming months and years.
Secret #10: Appreciate Gracious Partners
Anyone who has interacted extensively with Filipino customer service representatives via call centers knows that highly genial, polite exchanges are the norm. This same graciousness and conflict-avoidant nature also cross over into Filipino professional settings.
You can expect most Filipino virtual assistants to be wonderfully kind, patient teammates regardless of whether they collaborate on complex projects or through everyday administrative tasks.
From frequently using respectful salutations, yes/no sir/ma'am conventions, apologizing abundantly, and avoiding any interpersonal conflict, you will enjoy exceptionally affable interactions each day throughout your partnership.
This facilitates enjoyable, frictionless collaboration that can endure smoothly for years.
In summary, hiring expert offshore talent from the Philippines has proven wildly effective for obtaining both skilled and affordable assistance. Global outsourcing to virtual assistants within this country continues growing exponentially each year, and for good reason.
However, by moving beyond the basics and applying the actionable insider tips, you will be equipped to land top-tier Filipino VA talent that aligns directly with your specific business needs and circumvent common pitfalls.
Remember to leverage specialized skills, utilize niche hiring platforms, bridge time zone gaps seamlessly, account for cultural differences, maximize comprehensive cost savings, contrast hiring options appropriately, define work expectations clearly, map out work frequency, champion ongoing education, and leverage wonderfully gracious personalities.
By implementing these secrets in your search process, onboarding, and management, you will benefit tremendously from world-class Filipino virtual assistant services for years to come. Your business will unlock productivity and profits at new heights.
If you need assistance finding and carefully vetting Filipino virtual assistants to discover your ideal match, our dedicated recruitment team can help! We source elite VA talent in the Philippines and handle your customized hiring process. Contact us to learn more about boosting your business growth with the perfect Filipino VA partnership!
