Apply. Get Hired. Get Paid. Your Virtual Assistant Guide Starts Here.

Hey! If this is your first time here, welcome! This is Part 2 of our VA starter series. If you haven't read Part 1 yet, I highly recommend starting there first — you can find it here.

Clients can't see your potential — they can only judge what you put in front of them. So let's make it count. Confidence, presentation, and preparation are what get you hired.

Section 1— Virtual Assistant Resume & Application Letter

Build a modern resume in Canva

Skip the old biodata format. Go to canva.com, search "Resume," and pick a free modern template. Here's what to include:

1. Your name, contact info, and professional photo

2. Your branding — your VA focus (e.g. General VA, Social Media Manager, Bookkeeper, Executive Assistant etc.)

3. A short qualifications summary

4. Relevant skills and experience only — no blood type, religion, or height

5. Download as PDF when done.

What's your branding? Pick one focus: Virtual Assistant, Social Media Manager, Content Writer, or Bookkeeper. Not sure? Start with General VA or Office Administration. You can always add more later as you grow.

Write a strong application letter–Keep it short and simple

An application letter is a proposal — not just "I'm interested." Find their pain points and show the client how you can solve their problem.

1. 🎯 Hook — Lead with value, not pleasantries

Skip the "hope this finds you well." Start with something that makes them stop scrolling. Reference their job post directly and show you understand their need.

ex: "Your job post stood out to me — you need someone who can [specific task], and that's exactly what I do."

2. 💪 What You Bring — Skills over titles

Don't just list your job titles. Tell them what you can actually do for them. No experience? Lead with transferable skills — research, reports, communication, tools you know.

ex: "I'm detail-oriented, fast with tools like Google Workspace and Canva, and I know how to keep things organised so nothing falls through the cracks."

3. 🔗 Proof — Back it up

Give one concrete example — a school project, internship task, or personal work. Even small proof builds trust. Link to your portfolio or resume here.

ex: "As part of my college thesis, I managed a 3-month research project, coordinated a team, and submitted all deliverables on time."'

4. 🤝 Fit — Show you get their business

One sentence showing you actually read their post and understand their world. This sets you apart from copy-paste applicants.

ex: "I can see your business is growing and you need someone reliable in the background — that's the role I'm built for."

5. 🚀 Call to Action — Close with confidence

Don't beg for the job. Invite them to take the next step. Mention your rate is open for discussion if you're just starting out.

ex: "I'd love to jump on a quick call to talk about how I can support your team. My rate is flexible — let's find something that works for both of us."

Section 2 — Virtual Assistant Hiring & Working Tips

Values to live by as a VA

Getting hired is just the start. What keeps you there is your character. Always:

1. Produce value and provide solutions

2. Be proactive, resourceful, and show initiative

3. Be a great communicator

4. Ask questions — don't guess

5. Work FOR the client, not just for the paycheck

The transition period is the most critical. Adjust to your client's processes, tools, and communication style. Be flexible, be open to change, and grow with it.

Common tools clients will ask you to use

1. Communication: Teams, Slack, Zoom, Google Meet, Loom

2. Time tracking: Upwork Time Tracker, Toggl, Hubstaff, Time Doctor, Clockify

3. Task management: Asana, Trello, Jira, Clickup, Notion

4. Passwords: LastPass, 1Password

5. File Storage & Collab: Google Workspace, Dropbox, OneDrive

6. AI Tools: ChatGPT, Claude, Canva AI, Meta AI

Daily reports most clients require

Timesheet — Log your hours per task daily.

1. EOD (End of Day) Report — A short message covering:

2. Tasks completed today

3. Tasks currently in progress

4. Issues encountered + your suggested solution

Section 3 — Getting Paid

Upwork Payment

Upwork pays weekly in a 3-week cycle:

1. Work Week — You log your hours

2. Review Week — Client reviews and approves your work

3. Payment Week — Available Wednesday; transfers to your bank in 2–4 business days

Set up via: Settings → Get Paid → Add Payment Method. Choose PayPal, Wise, or Local Funds Transfer ($0.99 fee per transaction).

PayPal Payment

Still the most common payment method clients use worldwide. Sign up at paypal.com and connect a Philippine bank account. A good starter option is a UnionBank EON card (₱500 processing fee + ₱100 initial deposit).

Note: PayPal charges 10–20% in fees. Withdrawal takes 2–4 business days. Free if you withdraw more than ₱7,000; ₱50 fee if less.

Wise (formerly TransferWise) best exchange rate

Wise uses the mid-market exchange rate — meaning you get more pesos per dollar. Fees are around 0.5–1% per transfer, much lower than PayPal. Transfers complete in 1–2 business days.

Payoneer popular for freelancers

Gives you a virtual USD account number so clients can pay you like a local US bank transfer. Withdraw directly to your PH bank. Accepted by many platforms including OnlineJobs.ph clients.

GCash / Maya for local PH transfers

Some clients send payments directly to your e-wallet. Funds are available instantly — no waiting for bank processing. Convenient for quick transfers and day-to-day use.

Direct Bank Transfer

Some clients — especially long-term ones on fixed monthly rates — prefer to pay directly to your bank account. When this happens, they'll ask for your bank details:

1. Your full name (as registered with the bank)

2. Bank name and branch

3. Account number

4. ACN (Account Control Number) or SWIFT/BIC Code — this is your bank's international identifier used for cross-border transfers

Set up at least two payment methods — Upwork or PayPal for your first clients, and Wise or Payoneer as you grow. This way you're ready no matter how a client prefers to pay.