OnlineJobs.ph is a Filipino job board that caters exclusively to remote online work opportunities.
It was created in 2009 by Utah-based entrepreneur John Jonas as a way to connect the affordable Filipino workforce with business owners in North America and around the world.
Over the last decade, OnlineJobs.ph has become the leading platform to find qualified virtual assistants in the Philippines. At press time, the site has over 250,000 resumes in its database–a huge talent pool!
Table of Contents
About OnlineJobs
The beauty of OnlineJobs is in their powerful filtering system.
It’s basically a resume database, and you can filter by the date the listing was created, skills required, the level of skill (very important), and desired salary.
According to John and other hiring experts, the most important filters are:
- resumes updated within the last month
- strong English writing skills
The logic behind these selections is that the ones with older resumes will either already have jobs or they aren’t great candidates.
For the English skills, writing is a great indicator of overall understanding, comprehension, and communication skills.
If your virtual assistant has that baseline knowledge, you can train them in whatever you need done. John explained, “If they understand and write English well, that usually means they think well.”
How OnlineJobs.ph Works
The site is primarily geared toward finding a full-time or part-time virtual team member–either 40 or 20 hours per week.
You’ll find an incredible variety of skills and experience on OnlineJobs.
For example, you’ll find qualified (and if we’re being honest, not-so-qualified) workers for:
- writing
- virtual assistance
- graphic design
- web development
- social media
- real estate
- SEO
- and more
The typical process is to:
- Create an account
- Post your job
- Filter the applicants
- Interview / test the most promising ones
- Make your hire
- Get to work!
OnlineJobs.ph Review
The salaries shown are monthly figures, and are usually negotiable. They’re shown in pesos, so you’ll have to do a quick conversion to get an idea of how much a particular VA will cost.
For example, 25,000 pesos is a little under $500 at today’s exchange rate. That isn’t an exceedingly low salary request for full-time work.
Video Overview with the Founder
OnlineJobs.ph Plans and Pricing
The way OnlineJobs.ph makes money is on a subscription-based pricing model.
The rates start at $69 a month to be able to contact the workers. You can do all the filtering and searching you want, but you can’t communicate with the workers until you pay.
(There’s a very limited free plan, where you can technically post jobs, but you won’t be able to see the applications or contact candidates.)
Considering the potential long-term cost savings over a virtual assistant company in the Philippines or elsewhere, it’s still a strong value proposition.
Unless you need to build a large team or are using OnlineJobs as a recruiter, it shouldn’t take you more than a month or maybe two at the most to find a suitable selection.
Heavy users may find value in the $99 a month Premium plan, which allows you to contact up to 500 workers per moth.
After you find your ideal virtual assistant, OnlineJobs is out of the picture. You’ll work with them–and pay them–directly, with no middlemen or markups on their salary.
Just like in the rest of the world, salaries vary based on skills and experience. Most workers request between $500 and $1000 a month for full-time work.
A Recent OnlineJobs Hiring Experience and Process
For instance, I posted a virtual assistant job recently and was inundated with responses overnight.
From more than 70 candidates, I picked my top 10 to send some trial tasks.
Five or six completed those and I picked my top 2 for a Skype video interview.
All done in less than a week.
OnlineJobs Recruiting Service
If sorting through those 70 applications sounds a little overwhelming, there is an alternative.
OnlineJobs offers a “done for you” recruiting service that follows this process:
- Pay the $500 recruitment fee
- Fill out the virtual staff request form
- The company sources, screens, and finds you the best-fit candidate
- Start working with your new VA
With this option, you give up a little bit of control, but you’ll undoubtedly save some time and have experienced recruiters in your corner.
ID Proof
OnlineJobs.ph profiles include a metric called ID Proof.
It’s not a measure of skill or reliability, but a 1-100 rating of to what degree the candidate is who they say they are.
Apparently it’s a common practice to create multiple profiles under fake personas to hedge your bets and theoretically give yourself a better chance of getting an application noticed.
In general, I’ve found the higher the ID Proof number, the more professional the candidate. It’s a measure of how seriously they’re staking their reputation online.
I wouldn’t immediately rule someone out who has a low score here, but choosing between two equally qualified candidates, I’d go with the one with the higher ID Proof.
Virtual Assistant Tracking Software: “TimeProof”
OnlineJobs has introduced a piece of software called TimeProof to track the working hours of your remote team members.
It’s completely free to use, and aims to provide a level of protection and verification for both workers and employers.
As the employer, you’ll get time sheets and screenshots of what your VA was working on during their shift.
OnlineJobs.ph Alternatives
Other sites have attempted to replicate the success and job-board business model of OnlineJobs, but none have gotten the same level of traction.
Still, there are a few companies that might be worth a look depending on your needs.
Virtual Coworker
Virtual Coworker is a remote staffing agency specializing in long-term full-time and part-time positions. They are headquartered in the US and Australia and hire exclusively from the Philippines. They help recruit virtual assistants, social media managers, customer service specialists, web developers, and more. Unlike other recruitment agencies, the initial signup is free. Use code VAA to get 5% off your first month!
FreeUp
FreeUp is a unique freelance marketplace that claims to only accept the “top 1%” of applicants. About 40% of its talent pool is from the Philippines.
FreeUp operates more like a match-making service, where they’ll introduce you to a candidate that matches your needs. You pay them through the platform on either an hourly or fixed-price basis.
Online VA Team
Online VA Team is a top virtual assistant company that can help leverage your organization by outsourcing your workforce and taking care of managing your teammates and HR needs. Based out of the US, their VAs work remotely from the Philippines but will work across any time zone. They only hire college-educated assistants and put all their candidates through 3 rounds of interviews – so you’re sure to find a good fit. Online VA Team specializes in building teams for small to medium size companies needing administrative and customer service positions filled at a substantial cost savings. Online VA Team Entry Level Plan – $250 per month for up to 5 hours a week Monday to Friday. Small Business Plan – $1,195 per agent per month for dedicated staffing Monday to Friday.
Virtual Staff Finder
The closest competitor to OnlineJobs’ recruitment service is Virtual Staff Finder. The service similarly priced ($495) and they’ll introduce you to 3 candidates that most closely fit your job description.
OkayRelax
If you don’t have the need for full-time support, you might consider OkayRelax. This is a task-based service that offers a dedicated VA starting at $100 a month.
I’ve been a customer for years and have my assistant integrated into several ongoing tasks and processes in my business.
OnlineJobs.ph | ClearDesk | FreeUp | Virtual Coworker | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Customer Rating | ||||
Established | 2009 | 2017 | 2015 | 2011 |
Hourly Rate | $3-8 | $16-18 | $5-20 | $6-11 |
Minimum Package | $69 to post a job | $500 for 30 hours | Free to post a job | Free Signup PT = 20 hours per Week |
Dedicated Assistant | * | |||
Best For | Full-time hires | Full-time hires | Small Businesses | Quick pre-vetted hires in e-commerce and marketing | Full-time & Part-time hires |
Team Access | ||||
Rollover Hours | ||||
Free Trial | ||||
Learn More | Learn More | Learn More | Learn More |
*Dedicated option available.
Related: Upwork vs. OnlineJobs.ph
Your Turn
Have you had any experience with finding a VA on OnlineJobs.ph? If so, please share it here and help others with their decision.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is OnlineJobs.ph?
OnlineJobs.ph is the largest remote jobs board and resume database in the Philippines. The site is geared toward Western business owners looking to hire dedicated full or part-time remote staff.
Is OnlineJobs.ph legit?
Yes, OnlineJobs.ph is a legitimate site to find remote workers in the Philippines. Check out Virtual Assistant Assistant to read reviews from real OnlineJobs customers.
How much does OnlineJobs.ph cost?
OnlineJobs.ph charges a monthly membership fee, starting at $69 a month, for employers to post jobs and communicate with candidates. After that, you’ll make your hire and pay your virtual worker directly. A typical rate for a full-time virtual assistant is $400-1000 a month, depending on their skills and experience.
I’ve enjoyed the process of locating and hiring from onlinejobs.ph and found two virtual assistants…it’s early in the process but so far the first VA that I’ve been woring with for about six weeks now is professional, dedicated, positive and committed to learning new skills. Just about to hire a second VA just to hire my SM ad campaigns. So far–it’s been a positive experience.
Perfect with the article you wrote
Users/job seekers cannot see the review posted by their employers. If you’re a VA, there’s no way to know if you have a review up on your profile (positive or negative). Onlinejobs.ph Support Team is quite arrogant. Reaching out to them seeking clarification about why you can’t see your own reviews is futile because they think they think don’t owe you any explanation. The companies/employers are generally the thrifty ones who offer VAs as little as $400 a month for full-time work, but there are a few of those who are good and fair and offer at least $1000. I would blame it on OJ’s salary guide. AS IF they’re experts in determining the worth of a VA’s skills. LinkedIn jobs are still way better.
Onlinejobs.ph has been a great way for us to get to know how to hire since they have many qualified applicants and the entire process is so well managed. John Jonas is engaging yet seems very approachable. I’ve seen many of the videos and he has a great attitude and ideology as to how to treat people. It is more natural extension of my personality but a more measured approach for my staff as we learned about each other. It has been and is game changing. You get what you give. We hired draftsman because we kept our expectations reasonable if not on the low side as John instructed…. what we ended up with are intelligent, hardworking Civil Engineers who get better with each job and have a work ethic second to none.
I found an awesome team member who is still with me after almost 9 months. She has been an incredible blessing to me. Looking to grow again. Thanks!
We are a US domestic ground freight broker and use Filipino VAs for back office accounting, daily tracking updates and a team that sources trucks for us. A total of 4 Filipino workers now!
When we first started with onlinejobs.ph we were looking for one person. Everyone we talked to wanted to do Amazon or Shopify type work.
We’ve spent lots of time training and teaching our business but it’s been worth every second. Now they know how we want it done and come with no preconceived notions.
Anyway, thank you John, we couldn’t have done it without your site!
My people are so talented that I feel perfectly comfortable billing their time out. Hiring these developers has been the single largest driving factor allowing me to significantly grow my business and revenue over the last 18 months.
I have been using OnlineJobs.ph for a few years. The platform is easy to use and affordable, but best of all garners the best employees I can find. They offer tips for first-timers using the platform to get the best hire you can, but they don’t limit your ability to work outside of their system because they don’t charge the employees, only the companies hiring.
Other job boards don’t want you to talk to the people on the other side unless it is through their messaging system. I have found that testing applicants are the best tactic for my needs. I find that 70% of the applicants won’t complete a test task (they were the wrong fit anyways), and of the 30% that do, only about 25% meet the skills I need. I can then use their tools (background checks, reference checks) to identify the strongest candidate and make the offer. I understand the high cost of turnover, so I use this approach for every role.
I love the variety of employees that OnlineJobs.ph has to offer. The talent pool is vast, and there is always someone available to do the job you need to be done. I have rarely had a bad experience with any of the employees I have hired through OnlineJobs.ph. I have been able to keep my people for a long time, and they are good to me (and I am, in turn, good to them). I have also found that because of how well known and highly established it is, the candidates are of much higher caliber than you would find in groups on social media.
The customer service is also top-notch. If you ever have any problems, the staff is always quick to respond and help you resolve the issue. I highly recommend OnlineJobs.ph to any business owner who needs help with their hiring process.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tu3eNRNRq2Q
As an Appliance Business Owner, I decided to hire an OFS 6 months ago to handle marketing and social media. She had limited experience, but has a lot of hustle and is very smart. Has exceeded all of my expectations and we are promoting her next month to help with operations.
I highly recommend this company!
https://blog.onlinejobs.ph/case-study-design-marketing-ofs-case-study-vincent-aguirre
Best decision I have made for my business!!
John Jonas I hired her …… ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
She starts next week
We wanted to break free from the prison of the agency that enslaved our va ….finding good talent is hard . We are small agency with a big heart And we wanted both our customers in our staff to feel that as part of our culture . This journey was easier than we thought we just followed what was taught for the site and bingo we hired our first VA in less than 2 weeks thank you for being so transparent realistic and affordable . No red tape no guessing games this was the best choice we made
I have used this company for about a year-and-a-half now and I’m very pleased. I also took the challenge. And it gives a lot of insight. I have three people working for me since May of last year 2021
Onlinejobs.ph is a trusted site for outsourcing many technical tasks or jobs.
Highly recommended!
I found my AMAZING VA through onlinejobs.ph. Thank you so much!!!
My VA helps me run a business while homeschooling and loving my family well.
In 2020 just as COVID was beginning to become a thing I needed to add another Admin to my team so I posted a job opening, which received 200 applicants in one week. A year after that, I did the exact same job posting and even raised my offer until it was twice what I paid the admin I hired a year prior but none from the handful of applicants were remotely close to being hirable.
I then came across Onlinejobs.ph. The site was great because it offered all kinds of educational information on how to understand cultural differences and how to get the right person. This makes me happy because I find it rewarding to be able to provide a good wage to someone that helps them support their family.
When I posted a job with the guidance of onlinejobs.ph, I had gained a huge pool of applicants that were very qualified and had excellent experience and background. I found Elsa, who is one of the best Admins and has become an important part of the team. I’ve been so happy that I decided to create another position in my company specifically designed for another VA. I hired Melgar a couple of weeks ago and am excited to see him grow with my company!
I’ve been following John’s content for about 2+ years so I was familiar with the space a long time before hiring.
What took me so long?
Before taking the leap I only paid attention to negative reviews, after hiring my second OFS I realized those people are reacting to holes in THEIR business.
Your OFS is not a miracle worker. OnlineJobs.ph is not a miracle matchmaker.
It’s a platform, that puts you in contact with real people with coachable skills who are eager to do a great job.
With the right training, patience, and a little trial & error your OFS can handle A LOT.
Your job as an employer is to empower your OFS to complete the work to your standards and create processes that ensure things get done. If you aren’t willing to do that, you probably shouldn’t be hiring in the first place.
Some games you don’t get to play unless you’re all in. This is one of them. Take the leap!
I’ve been using onlinejobs.ph for a couple of years now, to say the least, it’s transformed my business!
Not only have I hired quality people off the platform in technical finance roles, we now have 6 full time employees.
I invested in the hiring processes offered by onlinejob.ph and couldn’t be happier!
Thank you John and the amazing team in PH!
I personally highly recommend this platform. Great experience.
I first used OnlineJobs.ph in 2011-2012 to hire multiple Filipino VA’s. I have nothing but good things to say about the site. In addition to a huge talent pool, excellent filtering capabilities, and reasonable pricing, John Jonas (the creator of OnlineJobs.ph) has plenty of resources linked to throughout the site to help you know what to look for, what to avoid, how to interview people, what questions to ask, how to avoid scams, etc. He even has a new Youtube channel for OnlineJobs.ph with more free advice. So you really have nothing to lose…I am just now about to hire another VA I recruited and found through OnlineJobs, and I couldn’t be happier with the experience so far. As far as I’m concerned, it’s THE place to go for Filipino VA’s.
We use Onlinejobs to fill several remote worker (not general VA) positions. The amount of candidates is second to none. But now, rather than posting jobs, we use the advanced filter to find 10 to 20 good prospects and email them directly. We find it takes more time up front, but MUCH less time managing replies.
Plus you can cancel when you’re done. We do our payments through transferwise.
We’re very happy we used Onlinejobs.
Hi Adam, What kinds of duties do you need these VAs for? I’m looking for a few types, but for an example, I’m a developer and am looking for an assistant web developer overseas, but that’s a very specific career …. so I was wondering what type of skilled workers have you use? Thanks in Advance 🙂
STAY AWAY! I had major damage through VA’s from the site and administrators do not even care!
many are pressing you to prepay them and then your work will never get done.
others stole a client list and started to spam these contacts in order to start their own business!
I just want to thank onlinejobs.ph for making it possible for mothers like us to gain back a career (office work to homebased job) we’ve previously gave up to perform our mom’s duties to our kids.
You’ve created equal opportunity for deserving applicants to be hired with the website/online platform you’ve created and maintain.
More power and God bless!
As a jobseeker, I find Onlinejobs.ph particularly helpful and easy to navigate. For an underrated site, it actually has significant traffic in terms of job postings. I check the site daily for new opportunities, and it has never failed me since I’ve started using it last year.
I have actually had the chance to work for several employers now, mostly on writing projects, and have since honed and bettered my skills. One way I protect myself is by accepting reasonably priced projects, and requesting my clients to implementa payment system (i.e. payment scheduled per section or chapter of a book after successfully passing the review and plagiarism check). Although I love the site, I continue to feel bad for my fellow Filipinos, in dire need, who are forced to accept unreasonable rates just to make a living.
Sad to say, the site sells Filipino workers’ cheap labor, which, somewhat, encourages some job posters to offer incredulous project/hourly rates. I hope Onlinejobs.ph starts implementing a price floor. I understand that the site advertises cheap labor, but that doesn’t equate to exploiting rates vis-à-vis work hours and load.
I had such a great experience with onlineJobs.ph
I hired my assistant 12 months ago and she has blasted my business in to the next level. Since we have hired 6 other people through the system.
Thank you!!
This site is great for clients but not for freelancers. I quit looking for projects/jobs here because of the pay clients are offering. Maybe the amount is applicable few years ago but not today.
I have established my profile for years as an expert Real Estate VA. When I browse for jobs in this site, 90% of the offers I am seeing are way bellow my current rate. (I am bidding a realistic rate. I have 2 clients who took my bid) Very few $4/hr. Mostly are way below. Can you believe I am still seeing $1.5/hr offer that requires a long list of skill set including web designing? They are looking for experts for $3/hr!. If you only knew how much they are paying for VAs who are based in US…
To my fellow freelancers, pls….
The reason why they are still offering such rate are freelancers who still accept it.
I agree with you Valraven. Hahaha! Some clients/employer are looking for experts but offers a rate of 1.5-2 USD per hour which I find ridiculous! Though the site was great helped to me for establishing my skills and profile. I am now getting direct clients for Web Design/Development and SEO.
Mark, let’s talk. I’m looking for a skilled VA to help me do exactly those things.
Hi
I am looking for a real estate VA if you have any capacity for more work.
Simon
cazer.mae.zerrudo@gmail.com
Good day!
Are you still hiring sir for a real estate VA? If yes, I would to apply. Please contact me through my email address, hermz.enoveno0930@gmail.com.
Thank you!
Hi Simon
I run an Administration Company if you need any further assistance we would be happy to help.
Here is our website for future reference:
http://acadminservices.com/
alifortalejo@gmail.com
Right now there’s no information about clients who post hiring ads. There’s the fear that you might be wasting your time sending out applications to wrong clients. Also, it might be a good idea to create a way for freelancers to see which jobs they have applied to just like on Upwork. Lastly, can’t you create an escrow system to protect freelancers?
When evaluating reviews, first consider which users align with your perspective and role. If your intention is to hire a virtual assistant or a part-time contractor for mediocre work but are willing to sacrifice quality in exchange for competitive pricing then this site will do.
As we have to outsource a lot of work and on a consistent basis, we do not find onlinejobs.ph to be a good fit for us. I am pulled between Matthew’s opinion above where he mentions “People on the site talk a really good game and then try to get paid for work they never did- that is of course if they maintain any communication at all” and the other positive reviews on here.
The site has not had any major significant upgrades to it and many barebones features are missing here compared to the upwork or other freelancer sites out there. One quick intro video to help out (I have no affiliation with this) is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohb6dBDtMuk
He provides a quick and good practical overview to evaluating freelancers. In order for this to work, you need a strong review platform to support this. This is a critical component that is missing in onlinejobs.ph. Yes, I can leave a review but I’m sure you would want to know more details about the person who left the review and their track record and experience with the site. Are the reviews legitimate? I can go onto any profile on the site and leave that person a review whether I have hired that person or not. That review I leave is reflected in the site instantly. Is this a smart option to rely on? So, how do I review someone’s work history or learn from other’s clients’ experiences? At the same time, can the contractors review the employers based on their experience and reputation? No. Don’t be afraid to ask the contractors to install a “time tracking” software that allows for screenshots. Important to at least track their time and know they are productive and actually working the time they claim and not managing work from several other clients at the same time while claiming they are working full-time for you. 😉
This is why it is such a gamble using this site. You might get lucky with someone who is honest and fair if luck is on your side. I prefer to hedge my bets by relying on at least a few more variables before deciding on hiring someone. For us we view onlinejobs.ph as the unregulated black market for Filipino contractors. I am writing this as a legitimate user of this service (past) and having used countless other online platforms for hiring freelancers.
I agree with you Jeremy. I’ve just asked for a refund because in spite of all the hype John Jonas puts out about how ‘loyal, honest and reliable’ they are, I’ve not had any applicants that fit the reasonable skill set I’ve described. Many of the workers that have applied have used form letters and not followed the direction in my job post to send a one minute introductory video. I tried contacting workers through their data base but many of their background checks don’t check out. Some have more than four people attached to their profile so you have no idea who you’re actually contacting. It’s difficult to keep track of the thread after making contact as there’s no tool for seeing previous conversations as you have in Fiverr and Upwork. I’ve had good success with Fiverr so have decided to stick with that.
I just hired my first VA via Onlinejobs.ph, and she’s awesome. Theresa was the ONLY VA who responded to the question I included in the ad. We worked through an employment agreement and setup a Google Doc to track hours worked.
Figuring out how to send payment (Philippines) was a bit of a challenge as payments.ph seems to be having some challenges (currently not functional) – so I abandoned that and pay her via Paypal. Initially the fee structure wasn’t exactly clear but we tracked it and have it figured out now so I’m able to cover the transaction fees as well so she earns her “full” salary.
I’m not too fond of using tools which track their time and take screenshots, so long as there is work being accomplished. Instead we do a daily email recap of what got done.
She manages all of my products on (creating new listings) on eBay & Etsy and working on my social media channels as well. My only problem is that I can’t provide new work fast enough for her. 🙂
Great insigths Randy – thanks. You made me laugh with your last sentence: “My only problem is that I can’t provide new work fast enough for her.” I have been doing volunteer work in the Philippines for 6 month some time ago – absolutely wonderful, honest, hardworking people. I am now Looking for a full-time VA to assist me with weekly digital marketing tasks.
I’m so glad to have found OnlineJobs though your site, Nick! It’s fantastic!
I love that it gives the client and the contractor the opportunity to connect directly and set the terms of their relationship together.
Yes, it does take some legwork and yes there is a good chance that you’ll pay to train people that don’t work out – it happened to me too – but it also gives you the best opportunity to put together just the right team of loyal and devoted team members. I know that I would not have been able to find this going through an agency.
If you’ve ever used Monster or craigslist or any other job board then you know what to expect.
I highly recommend OnlineJobs for entrepreneurs with a long-term vision who are willing to put in the time and energy to find and train VAs for full-time work. I do not recommend it for those looking to hire for one-off contract assignments.
It is a good platform, yes. But someone like me who’s on the opposite side (freelancer looking for a job) there will always be a rude and cheapskate client/employer who dupes people after getting what they want.
It’s a platform being abused by cheapskates to get things done for free or for a measly penny.
Had to get away from that site and just look for clients (sometimes I’m found by them) via LinkedIn.
Good luck to those who are using this. Be cautious and never allow yourself to be berated and cheated on by cheapos.
Hi Analette – I feel for you: bad experiences can happen. I am an employer and I have worked with a very large amount of great freelancers over the last 7 years (mainly through ODesk, now UpWork.com). What is valid from a company perspective is also valid for the freelancer – or a VA – perspective: always ask for references! If you have any doubt, ask your potential employer to put you in contact with one,two, three of his VAs so that they can talk about their experience with this particular employer. If he/she has nothing to hide, h/e/she will gladly oblige. We for instance have VA’S/freelancer raving about us on UpWork – our pay is good, we treat freelancers with respect, and we get great quality work back – in top of enjoying working with each other. Good luck!
Hi, Stephan. Thank you for your comments. We are a hardworking breed. 🙂 Anyway, should you have requirements and need a VA, I am available. I have been trying to find work online. I want to keep it until I get to retire. My BPO experience is roughly 6 years. I was a Supervisor in Convergys as well. I am multi-skilled and a professional. Hope to hear from any of the employers here. Thanks!
Great resource. I have also hired VAs from other sites with good experiences, but this is an excellent place to look. I’ve hired a graphics person, web developer/designer, SEO/social media person, two general VAs, and a project manager here- with one month of looking. All are doing wonderful with training support. What took the most time was sifting through the emails I got. Some clearly didn’t follow instructions at all with the emails I received as applications, but others were outstanding. All of the workers I’ve hired have been good. Only one was let go to not really being a fit for my communication style. The rest, however, are totally on top of things and honest/reliable as well. You need to go watch the Jonas webinar about hiring Filipinos to avoid some common mistakes if you’re new to this, because it can be totally overwhelming to get over 100 apps for a VA position. Make sure you ask questions and list very clear instructions for what people are to include in their application (i.e. tell me about X, please include samples of Y). Anyone who doesn’t include it immediately helps you narrow the field. Very happy with this site so far.
We hired our first personal VA via OnlineJobs.ph just 2 months ago and he is doing really exceptional work. We had to train him little bit for our niche (took like 3 weeks – we provided him test tasks, gave him materials to study, all paid) and after that he really know now what he has to do to make our business work.
We cannot be more happier about him as it really costs a fraction of sallary we would have to pay UK based guy doing his stuff.. (seo/sem etc)
great service, really
I’ve actually had the opposite experience. Everyone I hired was really disappointing. We offer 2 weeks to a month of paid training.
Both of us provided a lot of positive and constructive comments to help over come learning curves and language boundaries, but in the end we were scammed and had the rest simply disappear. People on the site talk a really good game and then try to get paid for work they never did- that is of course if they maintain any communication at all. Perhaps it’s good for very basic VA’s. On the bright side they do honor they’re refund policy.
I’d recommend Odesk and Elance, we’ve found some outstanding employees from those two sites.
I cannot say enough good things about OnlineJobs.ph.
I was immediately intrigued when I first went to their website and their promotional video seemed to be talking exactly, specifically to me, addressing my exact problems. I then watched what I would call the training video. Again, it addressed my exact problems, but even more, it gave me specific, concrete solutions and told me exactly what to do.
The sign up process was very, very easy and the service is very reasonably priced. If you’re looking for a “catch”, you can relax—there isn’t one. Not only do they provide exactly what they say they do, for exactly the price they say they charge, but they even provide more. When I had several questions about issues such as how much to pay for sick days, what was customary pay for holidays, etc., they answered all of my questions promptly, accurately, and with the intention of giving me real, valuable, actionable intelligence. They even provided warnings and “work-arounds” for cultural issues that were likely to come up.
I could not be happier with their service and I’ve enthusiastically recommended them to my friends. It’s rare enough to get what you pay for, let alone more, but that’s exactly what OnlineJobs.ph did—it provided me more than I paid for.
Thank you, OnlineJobs.ph!
Online Jobs is a great service to find VA’s. After I posted my job, I had several applications of which most responded back. I love the rating system you have for the applicants and well as the look of the profile. Filipinos are great to work with, especially those that speak great English. I have a fantastic VA now and I am very pleased!
OnlineJobs.ph is worth the investment. The updated site is easy to navigate and the features were so helpful in narrowing down my list of VA applicants.
And I really appreciated the security measures the site takes to validate the jobseekers’ identities. There are thousands of resumes, and I didn’t even have to give low-validated identity candidates a second glance. No worries about scams here!
They have their candidates score themselves on a one-to-five-star basis in all relevant job categories, so I knew exactly what to expect from each applicant. And a lot of the candidates have taken language and skills tests and posted their scores in their profiles, so I could be choosy with the VAs I considered.
The VAs I’ve worked with from OnlineJobs.ph are awesome full-time employees. I recommend it to anyone who needs to hire a VA.
The concept of hiring VA’s full time was something that was new to me, but John’s program convinced me. And once I was comfortable with the idea, I went to Onlinejobs.ph. I was glad that I did both.
I thought it was a bit expensive first, considering I had to do all the work, but after talking to several candidates, I realized there was no better person to do it but me. I had to make the choice based on what I was really looking for. My first choice was a failure, and didn’t show up for work, but the second one I hired has been perfect! She was able to adjust very well with my business and my needs. Now, I feel like she knows more about my business than I do!
Communication was also glitch at first, but it was my fault. I asked for advise, and it was suggested that we discuss a schedule when I was able to meet with her at the start of her shift which was the night time on my end. Once that was settled, my VA and I had a regular daily skype calls, which worked really great for me.
Onlinejobs.ph is so under rated.
Found an incredible VA through them. My VA has been so dedicated and has great english. I never could have afforded a full time VA though any other service.
OnlineJobs.Ph is Helping Me Grow My Business
I looked at OnlineJobs.ph while searching for a VA. I actually needed some more skills besides the standard VA, including posting to social media, some knowledge of Photoshop or any photo editing software, and good grammar to go with writing skills. I knew this was a tough combo, but somehow I found a person through OnlineJobs.ph I was surprised that it was easier to find a VA with more fluent English than I expected.
I think this is important: If you want writers, you have to be specific with what writing you need. Not everyone can write a press release. There are a lot of bloggers and writers from the Philippines, but writing a blog is totally different from a press release.
Additionally, if you want a social media person, a VA from OnlineJobs.ph will do nicely. They know the major social media like Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
Initially, I got lost in the website interface, but it was a minor inconvenience.
The companion site, ReplaceMyself has great tips on how to work with VAs from the Philippines. It was very educational, detailed and helps bridge the cultural gap. Like any employer-employee relationship, you should find a baseline and work from there. In this instance, it is a cultural as well as a language barrier. Lots of things get lost in the translation. ReplaceMyself helped me set a more realistic expectation, and allowed me to understand the employer-employee relationship from the employee side. It could be tough to expect a job to be done right, and then end up short because the VA did not ask the right questions.
In any remote job or outsourcing job, trust is an issue and it has to be addressed early in the relationship. Once you get over that little hump, it’s like running on autopilot.
Overall, OnlineJobs.Ph worked fine for me. I’m looking at hiring a couple more VA/writers to expand my operations. From what I’ve seen they’re very hard working, dedicated and determined to learn.
Great site if you’re looking for a full time virtual assistant. Awesome support if you have questions. There are tons of talented people available to hire on this site. They also have a Facebook group if you need more help and support.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/philippinesoutsourcing/
Onlinejobs.ph is a great site to use if you prefer to hire your virtual assistants directly, without the intervention of a third party.
If you’re capable of being online during work hours in the Philippines, you can often get instant responses from potential hires. With a large candidate pool, there’s no way you can’t find the skill set you need.
The monthly fee is charged in lieu of charing you an up-charge on the worker’s wage. In the short term, it’s more expensive, but long term, it’s to your advantage, especially if you are hiring multiple employees.
It’s definitely worth it. I’m a member of several Facebook groups for entrepreneurs and no one has ever been dissatisfied with the quality of candidates found at onlinejobs.ph.
I had a great experience hiring my first full-time VA through onlinejobs.ph.
As with most freelance sites, I had to wade through dozens of under-qualified applicants, but it was worth it. After interviews, I hired a great VA who was ready, eager, and friendly. We’ve been working closely together on a daily basis for about two months, and I couldn’t be happier.
The site itself is good, but not great. Some of the site content was not written by a native English speaker (obviously an outsourced task!). However, the candidate pool is very good, and using the site is pretty straightforward.
There are also some very useful videos on their companion site – replacemyself.com. Some are basic do’s and don’ts of working with outsourced employees. (Check out Nick’s great udemy course for a comprehensive crash course in outsourcing.) But other videos do a nice job of explaining some of the specific cultural differences you’re likely to encounter when with working with Filipino workers.
This is not the best place for one-off tasks or short projects, but if you’re looking for permanent employees, it’s a great option.
Finally, while there are both pros and cons to working directly with an individual, I enjoy knowing that she receives every peso I pay her, and that there is no intermediary in our work relationship.
And in all OnlineJobs.ph is a really useful platform. The site is a jobs board where you can post your listing and also search by skills and proactively reach out to candidates.
The biggest downside to OnlineJobs is the $50 monthly subscription fee.
But when your biggest competitor, BestJobs.ph puts an illogical ban on international postings, you can get away with it.
For me the interface took some getting used to, but the site really does have a huge pool of workers to draw from.
I was looking for a couple senior level web developers and also a VA. Since the technical skills are in such high demand, it was a bigger challenge than I’d anticipated. One of the developers we hired was someone I had initially singled out because of his impressive profile and contacted proactively.
Like Elance and oDesk, you’ll get a lot of unqualified applicants with every posting. It’s frustrating that people with 1 year of experience will waste their time and yours applying for a position asking for 4 yrs experience but I guess it comes with the territory.
For the VA posting, I didn’t do any proactive outreach, but listed some requirements in my job descriptions, among them, being detail oriented. Then, later in the posting I asked applicants to be sure to start their cover letter with “Hey Nick, you’d be dumb not to hire me because…”
And as you might guess, about half of these “detail oriented” applicants missed it entirely. Makes it easy to thin down the crowd.
You can also get a general idea of a person’s experience based on their requested salary. I understand there will always be exceptions to the rule, but if someone is applying to your senior level developer position, which should realistically pay between $800 and $1000 for really top-notch talent, and their requested salary is $400, that’s a red flag.
Another thing I learned – If someone replies to your job listing but does not include a link to their profile, it’s probably because they have a bad review or incriminating comment. Sometimes you can find their profile by searching on your own using the Specific Jobseeker Search.
The feedback system isn’t as robust as you’ll find on Elance or oDesk, and to my knowledge there’s no way for the worker to respond with their side of the story. Most profiles I saw had no client feedback.
Rating themselves 5 stars requires an additional explanation. I mentioned to one candidate that his skills looked pretty weak, and he explained he didn’t want to be bothered with writing the justification for the 5-star rating. OK, just a heads up—if you’re too lazy to spend 2 minutes explaining why you’re “the best in the world”, why would anyone take the risk of hiring you full time?
So overall, I think OnlineJobs is a great resource, one I’ve definitely gotten my money’s worth out of, but I’m curious what’s to keep people paying the subscription fee after they’ve filled the position? Once we wrap up this round of hiring I’ll probably cancel it until the need comes up again.
Nick,
The answer to you question at the end- “What’s to keep people paying the subscription fee after they’ve filled the position?” is… Nothing! OnlineJobs is set up so you only pay while you’re in the active hiring process. It’s not something you have to keep paying forever, or even for as long as you have the employee working for you. You only pay while you’re actively hiring.