00:31.5
And we hire virtual assistants to be working with our clients who are Australian-based.
00:36.8
And these are all Australian business owners.
00:39.6
Hindi po kayo nagtatrabaho sa mga freelancing websites? Yung kagaya ng hindi?
00:47.3
No, I've never done that. Although I did once, nung nagsistart ako, pero I opted to be a virtual assistant. It was my choice.
00:54.3
Okay. Hindi po. Pero...
00:56.1
Pero okay, na-try nyo na po yung mga freelancing websites?
01:02.0
Yes, yes. Upwork is one. I think yun ang pinakakomo nun. Hindi pa nga sila Upwork nun eh.
01:09.7
Tignan mo yung kaluma.
01:11.4
Nag-try din po kasi ko nun when I was, after ko mag-graduate, nag-isip din ako ng ganun.
01:18.4
Pero na-inlove ako sa poker. So naging professional poker ako, player ako for about a couple of years.
01:26.1
Ako yun eh. Kayo po muna. So, ma'am, did you graduate?
01:30.0
Don't call me ma'am. Dolores is fine with me.
01:32.5
Miss Dolores. Kasi kailangan ko at least. Miss Dolores po.
01:35.7
Did you graduate po or undergrad po kayo?
01:38.3
I finished my degree. I graduated with a degree of management, business management.
01:43.7
Yes. So, normally kasi kapag freelancer ko or virtual assistant ko, hinahanapan pa rin namin ng diploma.
01:50.2
Ah, talaga? Why is that important?
01:52.5
First and foremost, I watched your video regarding the English conversation.
01:56.1
Communication skills. That's one, right?
01:58.1
So, yes, it's very important that you have the ability and the capacity to speak in English.
02:04.6
It may be baroque sometimes, but it would give us an idea paano namin matutulungan itong candidate if we see potential.
02:11.7
So, meaning to say, if we see naman na okay naman siya magsalita, siguro konting tweaking lang,
02:16.8
by training, we can help this candidate. Basta nakita namin ang potential.
02:20.9
And we also use that as our leverage to ensure that our clients are hired.
02:26.1
Hiring qualified candidates from us. Otherwise, why would they spend their dollars hiring?
02:33.5
Exactly. So, parang HR na rin po kayo nun?
02:36.5
Yes. It's an HR, recruitment, operations, lahat na.
02:40.8
Lahat na, all in.
02:41.6
I understand everything that you're talking about.
02:44.7
So, when you're, kasi po, gusto lang po naming malaman, sa freelancing kasi, there's a lot of niches.
02:54.1
Pero under virtual assistant, which is cool.
02:56.1
Kung hindi ka marunong mag-edit or hindi ka marunong ng ibang mag-encode,
03:00.3
usually, you fall to the virtual assistant or customer service route.
03:04.9
Tama po ba yung ganong idea?
03:07.3
No. Let me rectify that again.
03:09.7
Very nice itong discussion natin kasi mas lalawak yung idea at understanding ng viewers mo.
03:15.5
First, a freelancer, yes, you must have a niche. Tama yun.
03:19.6
As a virtual assistant, you should also choose your niche.
03:24.0
Oh, may niche pa dyan.
03:26.1
Pag nag-post kami, for example, we're looking for an accounting VA.
03:32.9
So, dapat, you see what I mean?
03:35.2
Dapat, may alam ka sa accounting.
03:37.1
Hindi ka po pwede mag-apply lang because you want to be a virtual assistant.
03:40.2
The virtual assistant is our position, a VA, virtually working and supporting clients.
03:47.0
However, meron kami mga positions talaga na or role na kailangan mong pasukan.
03:52.9
For example, yun nga, accounting.
03:55.3
So, ano ba yung mga...
03:56.1
Madalas namin hinahanap, dapat marunan ng XERO, X-E-R-O na software.
04:01.3
And then, as a virtual assistant, you can also apply as a graphic designer, a video editor.
04:08.1
So, it also varies...
04:09.3
May niches po talaga siya.
04:12.5
And doon po sa under the umbrella of virtual assistant, communication skill is a must.
04:21.4
It is because mostly of the clients that you're going to talk to are Australians.
04:25.6
I mean, based on our market that we're handling, we don't speak Tagalog because how can they understand us?
04:34.1
And if you speak this way, oh, hi, how do you do?
04:40.3
It's already going to cause a problem for us because it means to say we were not able to do our job to screen our candidates properly.
04:49.1
So, if you cannot comprehend, that's one.
04:51.5
If you cannot answer a basic English...
04:55.6
For example, the question is, tell me about yourself.
04:58.0
And then, here you are explaining yourself.
05:02.2
You know, I have...
05:08.0
So, and we do also have an English, what do you call this, test assessment to give us an idea what's your level of English.
05:22.0
I would not be...
05:24.5
Yeah, of course, of course.
05:25.6
It's companies against.
05:26.6
Mahikita namin, yes.
05:27.4
Mahikita namin ano ba yung level nitong candidate na to.
05:31.1
So, we have our standards to keep and that's the very main reason why we are doing this
05:36.0
because we want to assure that our clients will have a very good understanding in terms of communicating with our VAs.
05:43.7
Is it okay for us to talk about more of this?
05:47.6
Kasi you mentioned in one of your videos that there's an influx of fake applicants.
05:54.6
Can we talk about that?
05:55.6
Towards the end of the video.
05:56.8
I just want to...
05:58.1
Kailangan ko lang po sanang iparamdam sa audience of how, kung baga, ano po yung laman ng pagiging virtual assistant.
06:06.6
One question that I have in mind, madam, is how much po ang starting pay ng isang virtual assistant?
06:14.5
For an entry-level virtual assistant, what would be the...
06:18.2
Let's set their expectation.
06:19.6
What would be their initial expectations po?
06:23.0
I would just speak for our company, okay?
06:25.6
It may vary kasi differently from company to company because some agencies are working with U.S.
06:32.5
So if you're working with a U.S. client, definitely you're going to receive U.S. dollars.
06:37.8
In our case, we charge $6 AUD per hour on an entry-level type of work.
06:45.2
So magkaiba siya with U.S.
06:47.1
Because we're not in a night shift, we don't have night shift, so it's mostly morning.
06:53.2
So come to think of it, that's the...
06:55.4
It depends and it varies if the candidate is, of course, a specialized type of VA.
07:01.5
So ipang-usapan din yun.
07:03.2
And that's something to discuss depending on what is the requirement of the client.
07:08.3
But for the entry-level, it's $6 AUD per hour.
07:11.0
And you can check that on our website.
07:13.8
So it's around P250 per hour, thereabouts.
07:18.3
So, pero in your experience, are there entry-level VAs that get six digits?
07:25.4
Wait a minute, I'll answer you to the best of my ability.
07:32.7
Bawal tumawa, madam.
07:34.4
Yes, because the entry-level, as it says, entry-level, kahit sa company here in the Philippines,
07:41.4
if you go to Jobs Street, if you go to Jobs TV, look at the statistics of what are the entry-level of a position you are trying to apply for.
07:50.5
There is something that you can see na ito talaga yung rate mo.
07:54.1
It's the same with us.
07:55.4
It's the same with our industry because the clients will not give you much of the rate if they feel like hindi naman nila kayang afford.
08:05.5
That's why they talk to us, they ask how much they should be paying for the services we're providing.
08:11.4
And that's where we set it.
08:12.6
So if you are an entry-level and thinking of getting a highly paid hourly rate, then you're not setting your expectations clearly and you are out of this world.
08:24.1
Delusional, baga.
08:26.6
Sorry, but I have to say that.
08:28.3
We have to say that talaga kasi there's so many people wanting to go in the freelancing gig and then going under the umbrella of virtual assistant
08:37.6
and then they're expecting to get like $50 an hour.
08:42.2
All of a sudden, their life, they're expected, nagka-capsize sila dun kasi $6, $6 Australian dollars or more or less,
08:52.1
$5 lang pala yung entry.
08:55.4
So these are the facts of the matter, kumbaga.
08:59.2
Would you say that?
08:59.8
I think I understand where they're coming from, because maybe, eto lang, ha?
09:04.7
Maybe if you are an experienced professional from different companies here in the Philippines,
09:10.6
and then here you are, you're already being paid six figures, let's say.
09:15.5
Siyempre, you would expect ang position yan, probably managerial, supervisorial, diba?
09:21.0
Then you now want to transition to becoming a virtual assistant.
09:24.1
I would expect them to.
09:25.4
Think alike or think the same.
09:27.8
However, we are very honest with them.
09:30.6
This is a different world that you're trying to step in.
09:33.6
This is a different career.
09:35.3
You have to start from the beginning until such time you say,
09:39.0
ah, okay, my level of understanding now is growing.
09:41.9
Now I can say this is my rate.
09:44.2
You have to start somewhere.
09:45.9
You cannot just say, I'm already receiving six figures from this company.
09:50.0
That won't apply here because, you know, we know how we should be giving you.
09:55.3
do you know how to use this tool?
09:56.9
Do you know how to use this kind of software?
09:59.4
And then here you are saying, no, I just know how to use Excel.
10:04.1
Then that's the reason why we're charging it on this level,
10:07.8
because you have to learn a lot of things.
10:09.8
You have to learn to unlearn things.
10:11.7
Oh, and you said in one of our conversation that you give free training.
10:18.3
Can you tell me more about this?
10:20.7
If you apply on the company I'm working,
10:24.3
and then we see that we are processed through our recruitment stages,
10:30.1
and you pass the recruitment process,
10:33.5
then our recruitment team will be sending you a link to our online training course
10:37.9
so that we can help you enhance your skills.
10:41.0
For example, we see that you have been working as an accountant.
10:45.0
The only thing that you do not know is the software.
10:48.2
Yeah, then that training will give you an idea.
10:51.0
Okay, I have to learn to use this zero accounting tool.
10:54.3
I have to understand to use QuickBooks.
10:56.4
I have to understand to use whatever tools that there may be.
11:00.3
Because you already have a background in accounting.
11:03.3
The only thing you're missing out is a software that most clients are using.
11:07.3
Technical skills in the company.
11:10.3
Most of our clients are using zero.
11:12.3
Your training is paid because there is potential that is not yet available.
11:19.3
No, it's free once you pass the recruitment process from the company that I'm working.
11:24.3
So that's our help.
11:25.3
That's our support for the candidates.
11:28.3
We see that they have a background because they worked before,
11:32.3
but they don't have a VA experience.
11:35.3
You get what I'm trying to say?
11:37.3
We are trying to help them enhance the skills that they already have,
11:40.3
and then adding to the list is,
11:42.3
oh, you should understand this because when we endorse you to the client,
11:48.3
and the client says, I'm using this kind of software and you have no idea,
11:51.3
chances are you will not be chosen.
11:54.3
You need to adjust.
11:56.3
Yes, you have to learn to adapt.
11:59.3
And you really need it because it's your company.
12:03.3
So ma'am, how many applicants do you get in a day?
12:11.3
On the average, we receive non-urgent, I think 20.
12:17.3
Yes, 20 candidates.
12:19.3
Those are the normal ones.
12:21.3
I will tell you why.
12:23.3
We have a lot of applicants.
12:25.3
And when we do the opening, we have a lot because it's specific.
12:29.3
But those who are pulling, why do we do a pulling?
12:32.3
There's a reason also.
12:34.3
The reason why we're doing a pulling because we want to make sure that these candidates
12:38.3
that we are trying to pull in our candidate list is already ready.
12:42.3
It's ready to be endorsed.
12:46.3
So we have a strong view.
12:47.3
Ah, okay, this is Niko.
12:49.3
Let's say, Niko, you applied.
12:52.3
We don't have a video editor yet.
12:54.3
But I believe in our pipeline, we will have a video editor requirement.
12:58.3
So even if that requirement doesn't come in yet, I'm hiring for it so that when the time comes that I have a client requiring for a video editor,
13:06.3
Niko is already prepared.
13:08.3
So chances are, Niko, we will just say, Niko, we have a client to endorse you.
13:14.3
Look at this, JD, whatever.
13:16.3
And see if this is something you're comfortable doing and happy to do.
13:20.3
Pag sinabi mo, yes, miss ganito, I'm okay with that.
13:23.3
Then that's the only time we will process you, submit your profile, and ask for an interview with the client.
13:30.3
Kung bago wait list yan.
13:32.3
Kasi ang hirap pumanap talaga ng ima-match mo sa client in a snap.
13:37.3
So hindi kayo talaga kuha lang nang kuha just because maraming nag-a-apply?
13:42.3
Kasi we really match the skills based on what the requirements that we are looking for.
13:49.3
And I know our pipeline.
13:51.3
We know what kind of VAs we need to bring into the team.
13:55.3
So kaya nagsaspecify kami.
13:58.3
So yung mga urgent hiring po, kasi may non-urgent, may urgent.
14:02.3
How many people do apply on that position po?
14:11.3
And this is the sad part.
14:14.3
Papunta na tayo sa exciting part.
14:15.3
Kasi we don't have…
14:17.3
I cannot have Ms. Dolores for a very long time.
14:20.3
But she has a YouTube channel with everything you need to know about the VA world.
14:26.3
But this is the exciting part.
14:29.3
Ito na yung exciting part.
14:33.3
Basically, most of the candidates that we received, most of them, okay.
14:37.3
I mean, they're pasok sa banga, if I may say.
14:40.3
Pero marami talaga.
14:42.3
Alam mong kinawa yung resume for the sake na masaya.
14:45.3
For the sake na masabing alam nila yung ginagawa nila.
14:49.3
I think na disclose na natin ito sa isang video.
14:54.3
Nakakasakit lang ng kalooban na parang ginagawa nyo kaming TANGA sa ginagawa naming work na hindi namin makikita o hindi namin makikita yung kalukuhan.
15:06.3
But we're not stupid enough not to know what's going on behind your resume.
15:11.3
Once we get the chance to talk to you, that's it.
15:16.3
Because the initial interview is very crucial.
15:19.3
It's a very crucial part of the recruitment process.
15:22.3
And that's where we vet what you're saying based doon sa pinakikita mo sa amin.
15:26.3
So, you said po, you received a hundred emails for urgent hiring.
15:30.3
So, in those hundreds, how many do you see on the average yung mga bogus na resume po?
15:39.3
Siguro mga 10% lang naman.
15:41.3
10%? That's a lot. Still 10, di ba?
15:45.3
Kaya lang it's alarming.
15:46.3
It's still alarming kasi I do not know what they have at the back of their minds, why they're doing that.
15:52.3
And that's why I really am doing this talking to you because to set the record straight, we are a serious career.
16:03.3
It is a serious career.
16:11.3
The mere fact na may proseso kami sinusunod is really telling a candidate, medyo mabusisi kami.
16:19.3
Mind you, Nico, we have a profile, a candidate profile that it would take you at least an hour to complete.
16:27.3
That's how tedious it is.
16:29.3
Tapos, may pepeke pa rin. Diyos ko naman.
16:32.3
And that's why, nafe-filter kasi namin dahil nga sa ganong proseso.
16:37.3
But just imagine kung wala.
16:39.3
Hindi niyo po sa akin pwedeng sabihin yung small details ng mga fake resume?
16:46.3
I can, I can. For example, software. Pag sususulat nila lahat yung unknowledgeable silang software.
16:55.3
Yung mga sinasabi ko, like Xero, kung ano man. And then once you do a test with them, makikita mo, so you do not know how to use this.
17:04.3
Kasi basic lang tong test task natin. If you really know how to use this.
17:08.3
Naiintindihan mo yung basic nitong software na to.
17:11.3
And how are they in the interviews? If you interview one of them?
17:17.3
You would see, for example.
17:18.3
What's the worst? Ano, sino yung pinaka-worst na natatandaan niyo?
17:22.3
Yung hindi talaga makapag-English at all. Yung gusto niya sabihin sa'yo, pwede po bang Tagalog na lang?
17:29.3
Oh my God, may ganun? And you're an Australian-based company which requires English. Oh my God.
17:35.3
Yes. Although I cannot say naman kung saan sila galing.
17:38.3
Pero my point is, it's a problem that they think it's just as easy as that because no preparations are being done.
17:46.3
And that's why I'm very much pushing and encouraging a lot of our candidates or the viewers, wherever it is, mapap-Facebook man yan or what,
17:56.3
to really prepare no matter what kind of career you're trying to apply to because yun yung taas ng chance mo na mag-fail.
18:07.3
Ang tingin niyo po, yung mga nag-a-apply ng Bogus, i-outsource lang nila yung trabaho nila sa ibang tao?
18:14.3
Chances are, yes. Chances are.
18:16.3
Kasi hindi rin nila alam kasi yung ginagawa nila.
18:20.3
Ganun lang yun ha. Kala nila makakalusot nila.
18:23.3
Pero nagkaroon mo po ba ng pagkakataon na nagkamali kayo and you hired one of these Bogus people? You have?
18:33.3
Yes. It was just recently.
18:34.3
Ano kong nangyari?
18:35.3
It was just very recent.
18:36.3
Ano kong nangyari?
18:37.3
Ito nga siya ngayon sa ano namin, company namin. Kasi nag-lie siya eh. Nag-lie siya eh.
18:43.3
Sige po, pwede niyo po bang ikwento?
18:46.3
Yeah. I was the one who experienced it. So I asked her. Siyempre yung recruiters kasi…
18:52.3
Yeah. Wala nalang names, no?
18:55.3
Of course, of course.
18:56.3
Siyempre hindi nila natin gusto. Yung recruiters namin hindi sila as technical as me kasi ako, I have been a VA. Although they know. Kaya tatlong stages eh.
19:06.3
Pagdating sa akin, sumala siya. So ako na yung part na kikilatisin ko na yung kanyang skills doon based doon sa kanya sinabi yung mga software.
19:14.3
So very basic yung sinasabi kong gawin.
19:17.3
Hindi niya magawa?
19:19.3
Hindi niya magawa. So sabi ko, anong alam mo dito sa sinasabi mo dito? Kasi itong pinagagawa ko sa'yo, tinanong ko sa'yo kung kaya mong gawin. Sabi niya, oh po, akala ko po ganun.
19:31.3
How old is the person? Do you know? Do you remember?
19:34.3
Mas sa thirties na. I mean, kung titignan mo siya, impressive talaga yung resume. Hindi mo ko ko-questionin. Kaya nga nagdadaan sa ganyang process para makita mo. So na-spot on pa rin namin. Napakaganda talaga ng resume niya.
19:50.3
Sinasabi sa resume.
19:52.3
Lahat kami na-impress.
19:54.3
Kaso pagdating sa…
19:57.3
Oh my God. Yung pinaka-worst po na nakita niyong resume.
20:02.3
Yung alam niyong…
20:03.3
Yung siguro pinaka-young guest tapos yung pinaka-barubal na resume. Have you seen one of these?
20:10.3
Marami kasi. Hindi talaga inaayos yung resume. Why? Kasi nag-a-apply lang sila using a generic resume. Yung isa yun.
20:18.3
Saan po? Anong website? Wix ganyan?
20:21.3
No. Yung iba talaga resume. It's a resume talaga.
20:24.3
Ah, ginawa talaga. Sa Word yan.
20:26.3
Yung iba, madalas Wix kasi free ang Wix.
20:30.3
Kitang-kita mong templated siya from whoever they trained that with.
20:34.3
Meron akong kilala kasi eh. Ganyan eh.
20:37.3
Resume building sa mga nag-a-apply sa inyo. Usually po ano yung mga age po?
20:44.3
Mostly yung mga siguro kakagraduate lang or kaya walang experience sa VA. Trying to get in into this career. Which is, naiintindihan namin how difficult it is or how challenging it is. Kasi pinagdaanan din ako.
20:59.3
Ano po yung advice nyo sa mga taong nagfe-fake it till you make it? Yung mga na may make it ng resume.
21:06.3
Ako, please listen carefully kasi it is your career that you're putting at stake. If you feel like, oh, kaya ko naman tong malusutan. Maybe makalusot kayo once. Maybe makalusot kayo twice.
21:22.3
But it will leave a mark on your credibility, on your experience.
21:28.3
Remember, we also issue a certificate of employment. So meaning to say, if you're leaving us with a very bad record, what do you expect for us to give you in return if you're going to ask for, you know, can you please give me a certificate of employment?
21:45.3
And yet, like what I always say, preparation is key. Whatever, whatever career, make sure that you are reading the job description.
21:55.3
Do you answer the pain points?
21:58.3
Of that kind of work that you're trying to apply to. If you want to transition from one career to the other, that's fine. Prepare, prepare, prepare.
22:07.3
How do you prepare? Pag-aralan niyo yung karir na or yung pinupuntahan yung karera.
22:13.3
Halimbawa, galing ka sa engineering, gusto mo mag-VA. Pwedeng-pwede, Nico, walang problema. Alamin mo lang, paano ba ako makakapag-prepare to become a VA?
22:23.3
Yes. Because that's the, ano eh, that's the basic.
22:27.3
Sabit na sabit na application niyo na thinking kami mag-a-adjust sa bakit na pwedeng ilagay. It doesn't work that way anymore.
22:34.3
Hindi pwede yung i-shotgunin mo yung interviews para lang makuha ka.
22:41.3
It's not working anymore.
22:42.3
Basta ang ano ko lang, advice ko lang, paghandaan po. Huwag maging suntok sa buwan ang application dahil chances are you're just putting yourself into failure. If you don't want to fail, help yourself succeed properly.
22:56.3
Don't think of it na parang bukas kikita na kagad akong six figures. Entry level pa lang po tayo.
23:03.3
Doon ka mag, ano, tumingin ka pa baba para umakyat ka. Andi yung paakyat, agad ang tingin mo.
23:08.3
Hindi six digits, six Australian dollars. Para lang malinaw po.
23:14.3
Kasi we don't want to give the impression sa taong bayan na this is such an easy job at bukas makalawang may kamaro ka na. It's still hard work. Okay.
23:24.3
Bago po nga nabili yung sasakyan namin, ilang taon na ako nabibili.
23:28.3
And hindi yun kamaro.
23:29.3
Hindi yun kamaro ha.
23:30.3
Hindi yun kamaro.
23:33.3
Ladies and gentlemen, Miss Dolores, maraming salamat po ulit.
23:37.3
Thank you so much.
23:38.3
God bless po ma'am.
23:39.3
Thank you for having me. Thank you.
23:41.3
Thank you so much. Bye-bye.
