last updated: august 2025
hiring a top 1% filipino virtual assistant is far from luck
it's a system (π’π―π₯ πͺ π¬πͺπ―π₯π’ ππ°π·π¦ π΅π©π°π΄π¦)
a system that filters out 99% of applicants
before they ever enter your orbit
most people:
β’ head to onlinejobs.ph
β’ ask chatgpt to make a job post
β’ interview two people about their strengths/weaknesses
β’ pick the one with better english
that's why you're stuck with a forgettable VA
the kind you secretly dread giving tasks to
because deep down, you know you'll just have to redo them yourself
after reviewing 43,000+ applications
i have refined our 4-level vetting protocol
the same one we run for all of our clients
to find the kind of hires that don't feel like VAs at all
the problem isn't that great talent doesn't exist
it's that everyone is fishing in the same polluted pond
generic job posts attract generic applicants
"virtual assistant needed"
"must have good english"
"$3/hr budget"
of course you get flooded with mediocrity
our approach is different
we design each step to repel the wrong people
and attract the 1% worth your time
the best part of our VA hiring process?
we don't have to reject most applicants
they do it for us
before we even touch an application
76% of candidates have already taken themselves out of the running
why?
because step one is built to repel the wrong people
what we require upfront:
β’ their resume
β’ internet speed test + english proficiency test
β’ two 30-second video responses
that's the entire "application"
no motivational essays or cover letters
enough friction to make unserious applicants say
"ehhh.. maybe not"
and that's the point
effort is a great character filter
if someone won't record 60 seconds of video
how are they going to keep up with your ecom business moving at 100mph?
this step filters out:
β’ the lazy
β’ ones applying to every job they see
β’ ones who can't communicate without chatgpt holding their hand
what we look for in survivors:
first, we check their english score
if it's A1 or A2, they're out
communication is a non-negotiable
then speed test
if it takes them 12 seconds to load a google sheet
every task you give them will take 3x longer
then the resume
have they done this kind of work before?
have they stayed in roles long enough to matter?
have they been out of work for over a year?
and of course, the video responses
is their english as strong as they claimed?
are they reading a script with their eyes scrolling across the screen?
are their answers showing actual personality and thought?
this is how we start building a shortlist of people worth betting on
and it's the foundation for every great hire we have made at talented
it's not the flashiest step of our overseas hiring process
but it saves hours of terrible interviews
that's why step 2 of our 4-level vetting protocol is a
β¨written responseβ¨
here's how it works:
after that initial application
we send a short written assessment
delivered as a simple google form
3-5 scenario-based questions tailored to the role
designed to take no more than 20 minutes to complete
long enough to get a real read on how they think
but not so long they tap out
if the role requires experience, we ask tactical questions:
"what would you do if ___?"
"how would you handle ___?"
if it doesn't, we test soft skills:
β’ team conflict scenarios
β’ problem solving situations
β’ taking ownership examples
there's no "right" answer
but there are a lot of wrong ones
here's what disqualifies them fast:
β’ one-sentence replies
β’ ai-generated fluff
β’ poor english despite passing initial test
β’ no follow-up questions
β’ taking 3 days to complete
the best applicants here:
β’ complete it within a few hours
β’ send an email followup
β’ sound like a genuine person - not a prompt
β’ provide clearly thought out responses
the right ones stand out fast
so do the wrong ones
that's why this step stays
i don't really interview virtual assistants
at least, not the way most people do it
because this is how the truth usually slips out
see, most ecom business owners treat the interview like a checkbox
they ask surface-level stuff
"what are your strengths?"
"where do you see yourself in 5 years?"
then act surprised when their VA ghosts them two weeks in
the 1-on-1 interview
step 3 of our 4-level vetting protocol
by this point they have already passed our video and written response
but now it's time to see who they actually are
we're not vetting for deep skills at this stage
we're vetting for character
because i can teach software
but i can't teach values
i can't teach attitude
i can't teach someone to care
here is what i am paying attention to
π© red flags
β’ 1 minute late (yes, even one)
β’ background noise (dogs, kids, music)
β’ giving half-baked, vague answers
β’ answering a different question
β’ not knowing what role they applied for
β
green flags
β’ showing up early
β’ in a quiet space
β’ pauses and thinks before answering
β’ clearly done research on our company and the role
β’ their long-term vision fits into ours
β’ i genuinely enjoy talking with them
but none of that matters if i am asking the wrong questions
like ones they found after searching up 'top 5 interview questions'
then its a waste of time
instead
i ask the ones they didn't prepare for
ones that catch them a little off guard
that reveal to me their true personality
"who's the best leader you've ever worked for - and why?"
"what's a moment in your career you're not proud of?"
"tell me about a time you disagreed with your boss"
"if you owned this business, what would you change?"
a resume won't tell me that
a video response might not either
but a 30-minute conversation like this saves us months of regret
this is just one step in our process
but it's where things get real
most VAs that make it to the final interview should not get the job
but most ecom founders hire them anyway
which brings us to step 4 of our 4-level vetting protocol
the client interview
by now we've filtered out 99% of overseas applicants
they have passed every test of ours
but that does not mean they are the right choice
here is what we are looking for:
β do they align with the founder's values?
β does their energy match the culture?
β can we picture them succeeding here a year from now?
the client takes the lead here
and goes deeper into the day-to-day
specific to how their business runs
this is where sunk cost starts whispering in your ear
"we've already come this far"
"i'm sure they are good enough"
but good enough at this stage is a slow burn mistake
this is your moment to pause
to zoom out
does this person raise my standards?
or am i just scared to start over?
it's about getting a hell yes from both sides
if it's not
you are better off restarting
we have built this protocol for one outcome
long-term, high-trust overseas hires
here's what our 4-level protocol looks like in practice
typical role breakdown:
β’ 1,021 started the application
β’ 184 completed applications (82% drop-off)
β’ 47 passed written assessment (74% drop-off)
β’ 12 made it through character interview (74% drop-off)
β’ 3 final candidates presented to client (75% drop-off)
total funnel: 99.7% elimination rate
sounds brutal?
it's supposed to be
that 0.3% who survive?
those are the hires that change businesses
you can't filter greatness from garbage
you need quality inputs
our multi-channel approach:
onlinejobs.ph campaigns
β’ largest talent database
β’ advanced filtering options
β’ expect 60-70% of applications
facebook group outreach
β’ "filipino virtual workers"
β’ "virtual assistant jobs philippines"
β’ higher engagement rates
linkedin targeted campaigns
β’ smaller volume, higher quality
β’ good for specialized roles
β’ professional network effects
newsletter subscriber base
β’ our 3,298 subscriber talent pipeline
β’ pre-warmed audience
β’ becoming our primary source
we launch all channels simultaneously
cast a wide net
let the protocol do the filtering
most job posts ask generic questions
"tell us about yourself"
"why do you want this role?"
we ask questions that matter
video response 1:
"describe a time you had to learn something completely new for work
what was your approach and what was the outcome?"
reveals: learning ability, problem-solving, growth mindset
video response 2:
"walk me through how you would prioritize tasks
if you had 5 urgent requests from different people"
reveals: judgment, communication skills, pressure handling
simple questions
deep insights
we customize scenarios for each role
but here are some examples
for customer service roles:
"a customer is angry about a delayed shipment that was actually delivered to their neighbor. they're demanding a full refund and threatening to leave bad reviews. how do you handle this?"
for administrative roles:
"you notice your manager has been scheduling meetings during their blocked 'focus time' and seems stressed. they haven't said anything, but you can see the pattern. what do you do?"
for ecommerce roles:
"inventory shows 50 units available, but you just got an order for 45 units and noticed 3 units were damaged in the last shipment. a potential bulk buyer is asking about ordering 40 units. walk me through your thinking."
we're not looking for perfect answers
we're looking for thought process
problem-solving approach
communication style
these might seem small
but they're 99% predictive of problems later
punctuality issues
late to interview = late to everything
no exceptions
environmental chaos
dogs barking, kids crying, music playing
shows poor preparation and boundaries
generic enthusiasm
"i'm very excited about this opportunity"
without any specific reasons why
salary focus too early
asking about pay, benefits, time off
before understanding the role
blame-heavy stories
every example involves incompetent managers
or "toxic" work environments
scripted responses
clearly rehearsed answers
no authentic personality
if you see these flags
end the interview early
save everyone time
contextual questions
"i saw on your website that you work with amazon sellers
what's the biggest challenge they face with inventory management?"
specific preparation
researched your company
understands your industry
asks informed questions
growth orientation
"what skills would help me be most valuable to your team?"
"how do top performers in this role typically advance?"
systems thinking
"at my last job, i noticed we were doing X manually
so i created a process that saved 3 hours per week"
ownership mentality
"i stayed late to finish that project because i knew the client was counting on it"
personal responsibility for outcomes
these candidates think like partners
not employees
here's a secret weapon we use during final interviews
we give the same scenario to multiple candidates
compare their approaches
see who thinks most strategically
example scenario:
"you're managing our amazon account and notice our main product's ranking dropped from page 1 to page 3 overnight. sales are down 40%. walk me through your next 24 hours."
weak response:
"i would check what happened and fix it"
strong response:
"first, i'd check if it's a technical issue - suspended listing, suppressed keywords, inventory problems. then i'd look at competitors to see if they launched new campaigns. i'd document everything before making changes so we can track what works. meanwhile, i'd increase ppc spend on our backup keywords to minimize revenue loss while we investigate."
same scenario
completely different thinking levels
skills can be taught
culture fit can't
our culture assessment questions:
"describe your ideal work environment"
reveals: autonomy preference, support needs, communication style
"how do you prefer to receive feedback?"
reveals: coachability, ego, growth mindset
"tell me about a time you had to work with someone you didn't like"
reveals: emotional intelligence, professionalism, conflict resolution
"what frustrates you most in a work setting?"
reveals: deal-breakers, patience level, expectations
culture misalignment kills more hires than skill gaps
most people just verify employment dates
we dig deeper
questions we ask previous employers:
"what was their biggest strength?"
"what would you change about their performance?"
"how did they handle pressure or tight deadlines?"
"would you hire them again?"
"what type of manager brings out their best work?"
the pause before "would you hire them again"
tells you everything
mistake #1: too many steps
death by a thousand cuts
good candidates drop out
only desperate ones remain
mistake #2: generic assessments
one-size-fits-all questions
no role-specific insights
weak signal-to-noise ratio
mistake #3: skill-only focus
ignoring character and fit
hiring impressive resumes
that can't execute
mistake #4: rushed timelines
"we need someone tomorrow"
corners get cut
quality suffers
mistake #5: single interviewer
one person's bias
no perspective diversity
higher mistake rate
speed matters
but not at the expense of quality
our proven timeline:
day 0: strategy call
understand requirements
define success criteria
take deposit
day 1: launch campaigns
post across all channels
activate sourcing network
applications start flowing
week 1: level 1-2 filtering
process applications daily
written assessments sent
shortlist emerges
week 2: level 3-4 interviews
character interviews
client meetings
final 3 candidates
day 12-14: delivery
client makes decision
offer extended
onboarding begins
fast enough to meet business needs
thorough enough to ensure quality
even great systems fail sometimes
here's what we've learned
warning signs during vetting:
β’ nobody makes it past level 2
β’ all candidates feel "off"
β’ requirements keep changing
β’ unrealistic expectations
when to pause and reassess:
β’ job description too vague
β’ budget doesn't match market
β’ internal team not aligned
β’ wrong timing for growth
how to adjust mid-process:
β’ refine role requirements
β’ adjust salary expectations
β’ expand sourcing channels
β’ extend timeline if needed
better to pause and restart
than force a bad hire
the protocol doesn't end at hiring
first 90 days prove everything
30-day check:
β’ meeting initial expectations?
β’ cultural fit as expected?
β’ learning curve on track?
60-day check:
β’ independent execution emerging?
β’ quality consistent?
β’ initiative showing up?
90-day check:
β’ exceeding original scope?
β’ ready for expanded responsibilities?
β’ long-term potential clear?
this feedback loop improves future vetting
as you grow
the system needs to evolve
single hire optimization:
β’ manual review of all applications
β’ founder involved in final interviews
β’ high-touch candidate experience
multiple hire scaling:
β’ automation for initial screening
β’ team members conduct level 2-3
β’ founder only for final approvals
enterprise implementation:
β’ dedicated recruiting team
β’ role-specific interview tracks
β’ data-driven optimization
seems like a lot of work?
it is
but consider the alternative
cost of bad hire:
β’ 2-3 months wasted time
β’ training investment lost
β’ opportunity cost of delay
β’ team morale impact
β’ client relationships damaged
value of great hire:
β’ immediate productivity gain
β’ long-term capability building
β’ cultural enhancement
β’ referral network expansion
β’ business growth acceleration
one great hire through rigorous vetting
beats five mediocre hires through hope
you don't need to copy ours exactly
but you need a system
level 1: application filtering
β’ define non-negotiables
β’ create meaningful friction
β’ test basic qualifications
level 2: skill assessment
β’ role-specific scenarios
β’ thinking process evaluation
β’ communication quality check
level 3: character evaluation
β’ behavioral interviews
β’ culture fit assessment
β’ reference verification
level 4: final validation
β’ client chemistry test
β’ mutual excitement check
β’ terms negotiation
adapt the framework
but keep the rigor
most people treat hiring like a lottery
post a job
hope for the best
wonder why it didn't work
we treat it like a system
design for quality
filter ruthlessly
measure outcomes
the 4-level vetting protocol isn't just about finding good candidates
it's about finding the right candidate
for your specific business
at your specific stage
with your specific culture
after processing 43,000+ applications
and placing talent inside 7-figure businesses
i can tell you this:
the right hire doesn't just fill a role
they transform your business
but only if you're willing to do the work
to find them
ready to implement our proven 4-level vetting protocol? we handle the entire process from sourcing to placement. 43,000+ applications processed. 99.7% elimination rate. only the best 0.3% make it through.
book a strategy call: [link]
-zack
p.s. the candidate that takes the most work to find is usually the one you'll never want to replace.
