Here are 2 more job posting sites where you can hire professional Filipino virtual workers:
upwork.com
ODesk’s claim to fame is their “Team Odesk” software, where you can take screenshots of your provider’s desktop every ten minutes. You can also keep track of the volume of keystrokes made on their keyboards.
If this is the first time you’re trying out outsourcing and want a monitoring system to keep an eye on their progress, then this is the site for you.
However, I must say that whenever I hear things like ‘How can I keep tabs on my VA?’ or ‘How do I know they are working properly?’, it screams micro-management to me. And that, in itself completely contradicts the whole game of outsourcing – remember, we’re doing this to be able to get more done in less time, not hang off the shoulder of our virtual executive assistants e like a virtual vulture!
Another draw is their automated billing system. Projects billed per hour are automatically paid for by Odesk, then charges your credit card. This automated way of paying for work is a good catch as far as I’m concerned.
Projects with a fixed price are done via escrow.
Odesk screens their providers through a certification process, and vets work histories within the Odesk system. Much like the others, you can check client feedback and browse through their portfolios.
The team at Odesk will also step in and handle disputes if need be, too. Although I always suggest you try and sort out any issues between yourself and your virtual worker, before taking these kinds of measures. It basically means you’re a more flexible, nicer person – and that means the virtual employee will want to work to finish the job properly, and potentially work with you again in the future.
freelancer
This is very much the ‘Wal-Mart’ of bidding sites, the place to go if you want a bargain or shopping in bulk. Formerly GetAFreelancer, Freelancer offers the most competitive prices for smaller jobs such as article spinning, data entry, or masking photos.
Like the others, posting a project is free. Freelancer membership is also free, giving them the largest database. However, they do not offer nearly as many features, and usability is not as seamless as the other sites listed in this chapter. It’s also not the best place to get big, expensive projects takencare of.
Their reputation for being cheap doesn’t draw in the same kind of talent as the others, but still a bargain if you only want short-term, simpler projects handled.
So what’s the catch?
After all, nothing is ever that easy. If it truly was that easy, then everyone would be snatching up a virtual secretary or virtual executive assistant from these sites in droves, and I might have just one thriving business, instead of two!
Anyone who has ever been burned at a bidding site can tell you that it’s not that easy to find people you can trust, especially if you’re looking for a long term solution. And if you don’t know what you’re doing, it can even be quite hard.
As I said, bidding sites aren’t all that difficult, but it does take some work. You’ll have to put your best foot forward, something that a lot of companies using bidding sites don’t care to make. Looking for the perfect remote staff isn’t all that different from finding your perfect match. The process itself is easy, but you do have to make an effort.
This means:
Putting together the perfect project description.
Giving an honest and brief overview of your company.
Being pro-active in your search.
Decent compensation.
Having the time and energy required to follow up.
Why go through all this trouble? That’s just it. Some do, and some don’t – it’s your call.
Overall, bidding sites like the ones featured in this chapter may be bursting with virtual workers, but your project isn’t the only one on display. There are hundreds of others vying for their attention, so ask yourself why should the Filipino virtual assistants drop their other options and work for you?
