When you need this role
You need a VA when recurring administrative and operational work is consuming founder or team time. You need an executive assistant when the role also requires prioritization, discretion, proactive follow-up, calendar or inbox ownership, and communication with clients or senior stakeholders.
What this role does day to day
General VA work can include research, scheduling, inbox support, data entry, content publishing, social posting, reporting, documentation, and routine operations. Executive-assistant work usually requires a higher level of judgment and ownership.
Core responsibilities and skills to screen for
- Written and spoken English
- Organization and follow-through
- Attention to detail
- Ability to learn software and SOPs
- Judgment about what needs escalation
- Client-facing communication where relevant
Where to find candidates
For Philippines-based VA and EA searches, OnlineJobs.ph is one of my first choices and a platform I have used for years with excellent results. Upwork and direct referrals can also work well depending on the role.
Rate guidance
Current August 2026 OnlineJobs.ph examples show how wide the title can be: one full-time general VA role advertised PHP 25,000/month, another experienced operations VA advertised PHP 30,000 to 50,000/month, and a client-facing insurance VA advertised $4.50/hour. Use the Rate Guide for context, not a single universal VA rate.
How to vet candidates
Give a short written exercise that requires the candidate to summarize messy information and recommend a next action. Test real written communication, not just grammar questions. For client-facing work, run a scenario involving an upset client, a missed deadline, or an unclear request.
Strong signals and red flags
Strong signals
Concise written English, reliable follow-up, thoughtful questions, examples of improving a process, comfort with common software, and the ability to explain why they made a decision.
Red flags
Generic claims of being hardworking, copied AI answers without judgment, agreeing to every task regardless of experience, and an inability to explain prior work.
Common hiring mistakes
- Writing one giant job description that combines VA, salesperson, designer, bookkeeper, and marketing specialist into one low-rate role.
- Hiring only on price and ignoring communication or judgment.
- Assuming “executive assistant” is just a more impressive title for basic admin work.
Job-post template
Job Title: Virtual Assistant / Executive Assistant - Remote
About the role
We are looking for a reliable, proactive remote assistant who can take ownership of recurring operational work and communicate clearly without constant follow-up.
Responsibilities
- Manage agreed administrative and operational tasks
- Maintain organized records, files, and task lists
- Handle scheduling, research, follow-up, and documentation
- Communicate clearly with the founder, team members, and clients when required
- Identify missing information and flag problems before they become urgent
Must-haves
- Strong written English and clear spoken communication
- Proven reliability in remote work
- Strong organization and attention to detail
- Comfort learning new software and documented processes
- Ability to work independently and ask good questions
Nice to have
- Experience supporting a founder or agency
- Client-facing experience
- Experience with the specific tools used in your business
To apply
1. Tell us about a process you improved in a previous role.
2. Give one example of a time you caught a problem before your manager noticed it.
3. Include a short written response to a role-specific scenario.
4. Provide your desired hourly or monthly rate and availability.
Or skip the search entirely
If you would rather not write the listing, sort applicants, run assessments, and conduct first interviews yourself, see the introductory Sourcing & Vetting Fees on the Done-For-You page.