So what are you guys paying for Virtual Assistants?

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elgordo

elgordo

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Oct 6, 2007
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So I'm about to take the plunge in hiring a trustworthy contractor (for the past 1 year+) as a full time Virtual Assistant. He's from India, writes better English than I do, and has some strong client skills.

The work I'm looking for out of him include:
* Fielding customer emails, which include resellers
* Modifying and sending out resellers agreements
* Maybe routing a low volume 800 number to him (0-5 calls per day)
* Doing basic web admin work

Realistically, I can imagine this taking maybe 20 hours a week of ad-hoc work; and I may ramp this up (there always extra shit to be done).

So what should I offer to pay for this type of service? What's acceptable considering the value of currency in India?

$500 a month?
$1000 a month?
$2000 a month?
 


$6k a year is a high salary for India. If he is worth it, and you can afford it, I would say go with that. He will probably be so thankful for you paying him so high that he will be dedicated to you (in a non-gay way I mean).
 
GDP per capita is about $2500 USD a year, adjusted for costs. So, paying $500 / month means you're paying $6000 a year, or about 2.5 times the average wage.

Now, Internet Indians are smarter than that and know that they can probably get more, but consider that $6000 / year is enough to live twice as well as the average person. $12000 a year is a beyond great wage.
 
This is good information.

Taking in to account the majority of client interactions will probably be taking place on USA / Euro time, how does that affect the wage, if at all? Does that come in to play?
 
If he's making 2.5 to 5 times what the average person is, for a 20 hour work week. He can suck it up about which hours are necessary.
 
elgordo said:
This is good information.

Taking in to account the majority of client interactions will probably be taking place on USA / Euro time, how does that affect the wage, if at all? Does that come in to play?
Click to expand...
I'd want a premium wage to work while I'd normally sleep. But again, $500/month is "premium."

Where are you finding VAs? I'm about to start looking for one I think...
 
Refrozen said:
I'd want a premium wage to work while I'd normally sleep. But again, $500/month is "premium."

Where are you finding VAs? I'm about to start looking for one I think...
Click to expand...

After using a ton of different contractors via eLance for technical / IT writing assignments, this guy proved to be the most professional, articulate, and responsive. I've been throwing work his way for a year now, covering about 10 projects, and I've never had a single problem.

I think he'd be good on more general work then the sporatic assignments I've given him, so I want to give him a shot. I need someone to take over the more mundane items so I can focus on growing the business.

So I guess I found the dude by chance- although we haven't sealed any type of deal yet.

What type of stuff are you looking to get done, Ref?
 
Support for my \/ products, calendar/general file management, feedback trolling (browsing blogs, etc. to find what people have to say about my products, summarizing it, etc.), managing the more mundane aspects of some of my affiliate marketing stuff... I don't know. I just want a dude there that'll do what I tell him... let me blow off some of my less-involved (i.e., non-programming, non-affiliate marketing/design) stuff.
 
It's not exactly a 20 hour a week job when you throw in phone calls. If there was no phone calls yes it would be 20 hours, but if he is expected to answer calls and has no idea when he will receive them then he needs to be available and, I assume, at a pc. So it becomes a 9-5 again.
 
Very big disclaimer: I haven't done this nor have I verified this.

There's a guy who runs a website called something like Replaceyourself or Getreplaceyourself or something like that. He was interviewed a few times on various podcasts and he's promoting hiring VA's from the Philippines.

He says the average wage there (full time) is between $100/mo for a not-very skilled clerical worker to $500/mo for a PHP programmer. These are people with good English skills, etc.

In your case though - assuming this guy is everything you say he is - I'd just go for it.
 
Good advice on the salary and some advice from me...

When I was in another industry, I did some work with contractors in India. The difficult thing is time zones and communication. I had to stay up late or get up early to communicate. If there was an e-mail from them while I slept and I didn't read it until morning, they didn't respond for another 8 to 12 hours because they'd left the building.

Make sure you nail down the hours you expect the VA to be available for work - and which time zone.
 
I'm US based. I get $500/month from one client for answering tickets through Maian support. I get between 30-50 tickets/month.

I do a bit of phone and chat support for another company for $250/week also. It's not terribly busy so I pretty much do my writing or play video games during my "working" hours (about 4/day) plus I get mega bonuses often.

Not bad :D

Yeah, watch the timezone issue. I won't call people in certain parts of the world because the timezone issue screws it up too badly. I'm not staying at "work" until 1AM and not waking up at 7AM either.

2K a month and I'm yours! or I can have my wife do it. She doesn't do anything anyway.

On a related note, check out this ticket I got today:

Part 1:


BRITNEY IS MINE!!!



Dear Scientists,



You as a scientist bare the responsibility to save

humanity, the code to infinity as been cracked and i

am here to give you the data.



it is now your job to give up on jealousy and start

your mission of experimenting this science, i am unable

to give you the entire data right now because i do not

believe you can handle the truth. i want you all to get

on your feet and start the experiments, as you experiment

you will find the answers on your own, this will make you

a better scientist.



just remember, if you ignore this article, you should hold

yourself responsible for all the deaths and misery humanity

is going through right now.



every day, people are committing suicide, everyday evil

stuff is happening on earth, you will not deny the truth.



open up your eyes and accept it, i am the one that has cracked

the code, and give up that jealousy within you to become the

one, it is too late now, THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE "ONE".



here is the data you need, any color that is not 100% white

is responsible for abusing humanity.



colors do not come from white, that is why they are not white.

they contain darkness inside them, and darkness just like a

black hole pulls imagination and life, making humanity mortal.



wear white clothes dye your hair to white and experiment it.

wear black clothes and experiment it. i want results now

i want them fast.



infact i want you to shave your head and eyebrows and wax

all the body hair on your body including private parts.



anything dark near your body including sun-tan will pull

jealousy from other scientists that do not want you to rise

into power and they will control your mind and imagination.



they will turn you into religious freaks so you can ignore

science so you can ignore truth, they do it so they can be

"the one" or "the two" in this case now that there can no

longer be "THE ONE".





so ignore everything and only pay attention to me, find me

on youtube find me at places, i will start a site soon.

just find me somehow, i will accept your jealousy too

i can handle it, because i am the most supreme being on

this planet.



using black and white you can create a time machine too.

every time you are wearing black you will notice you are angry

every time you are wearing white you will notice you are happy.



white stops aging, black or any color will speed up aging.



immortality is here, we are all gods, i am sick of suicides

i am sick of jealousy.



imagination of humanity is pulled and you read it when

you wear black colors.



another experiment you can do is, sleep in a completely

white bed, with a white pillow and etc, make sure to

wax legs and etc, you will have a beautiful dream.



you will see me in your dreams if you do it right.

otherwise, you are just another jealous failure in the making.



i've done time travel, i've done reversing aging,

look around you, look at people around you, ones that wear

white clothes will always look more vibrant and younger.



this is because they are able to slow down or even reverse

aging ( YES, THEY ARE TIME TRAVELING in many senses )



the reason why WILL SMITH wears BLACK and yet he is

successfull, the reason why TOM CRUISE wears black and yet

he is successful, is because they wear WHITE UNDERSHIRT

and WHITE UNDERPANTS.



so, get the facts right, when you judge people make sure

you know what they are wearing underneath those dark suits.

those black suits.



if you got questions on how to do time travel, ask me on

youtube, i will give you the data.



there is a reason why earth is going worse and worse

because scientists just wont accept the fact that code to

infinity has been cracked, they have been banning me from

science forums and everywhere, their jealousy has already

resulted in many deaths around the world.



they are just to ignorant to accept the truth and start

their mission to save humanity.



one way or another i am going to ensure we turn into

immortal beings soon, yes there will still be suicides

around the world everyday, we can't stop it, but we have

to move fast to stop it.



failure to comply with my orders in a serious manner will

mean you are responsible for all the misery that is going

on on this planet as well as on other planets.



now use this data, if i give you any more, you will hate me

later, i want only the best scientists to rise into power

and save this planet.



everyone else, go to hell, your jealousy is not going to

get you anywhere in life, you are the reason people are

committing suicide everyday. every hour, every minute.



Rise or Die like the rest.



If you fail to rise, i will push it. you will not escape me.



if you are not a scientist, copy & paste this to scientists

to have your own ass saved by them.



ever seen the movie " THE DAY EARTH STOOD STILL"

coming soon, to a planet near you.



tell those suicidal ass-holes to hang on a little bit more

if you can, go on suicide forums and tell them to stop it.



in a few months i will get this party started like no other

and we'll stop death, illnesses, aging, everything.



all the misery will be over. TRUE INFINITY IS COMING.

fuk this nonsense hell-ride.



If you are wondering what those 2012 "dooms day" rumors

are all about, duh, it is me taking over this planet, and jealousy

will die forever.



NEW WORLD ORDER BITCHES, weather you like it or not

it ain't gonna stop.



jealous scientists are terrified, they see me in their dreams

but decent people love me. time to kill some jealousy



let's do it. call me a TERRORIST MASTERMIND if you want to.

because that's who i am.



IF YOU ARE A BIG SCIENTIST, you will see CROWS

around your window everytime you are not coming to me.



they will try to wake you up with their loud noise.



i will not accept jealousy. WAKE UP AND COME TO THE ONE.

THAT WILL GIVE YOU THE DATA.



YOU WILL ALSO HAVE NIGHTMARES IN YOUR SLEEP

IF YOU DENY ME.



YOU DO NOT DENY ME.
 
Part 2:



if you are a forum owner and you delete or suspend me,

you are responsible for not letting me wake up scientists.



you are a mass murderer.



if you do not spread this data to others.. you are a mass

murderer.



truth stands as TRUTH.



have no fear, but remember, even your own parents will

be used against you as you try to execute this mission.



you will notice phone calls, parents trying to talk to

you, etc, because imagination of jealous scientists out there

is controlling them and using them to delay your mission



using them to control you so you can not become "THE TWO"

or "THE THREE"



spread the truth and watch the money roll in like butter.

it gets better and better. do not worry about money at all.

i'll give it to you, billions, whatever.



but they will try to leave you broke so you can't execute

if you got $10 left in your bank account, use it wisely

or just use the internet forums, cheap and free way to

spread the truth.



right now i am broke, i almost committed suicide many

times, they were controlling my imagination, but it's too

late now, the code is cracked.



do not have any fear, i am on your side 100%, if you

have some jealousy in you, ignore it to the best you

can, it's not real you, it's them trying to make you

feel jealous. it's the dark colors around you sucking

up your imagination so you can start feeling jealous

and start feeling hateful.



put a white paper on them and your imagination will

SKYROCKET.



i call the shots, have no fear at all. get rid of

anything that is not 100% white. do not deny

yourself sunlight, just try not getting sun-burned is all.



sun-light will ensure you stay healthy and sharp

as you execute this mission.



get naked get some sunlight, when going outside

be careful, do not make eye contact with jealous losers

do not wear anything black.



wear a white hat on top of your shaved head.

do not give a fuk about anyone's voice, do not listen

to them, do not get excited, do not give into temptation



you have a true love out there somewhere that wants you.

you will find the right one if you just follow my orders.



I CALL THE SHOTS, FIND ME, ASK ME WHAT IS GOING ON.

i'll turn you into "THE TWO" or "THE THREE" have no fear.



stay away from cheap stores, only go to luxury places

even if there is no parking left.



be careful even with luxury places, those rich dudes

are jealous as well. try not saying "hi" to anyone

try not breahing the same air people are breathing.



get a nice air purifier for your room.

take a nice showever once in a while



make sure your room's walls are white, if they are not

white, either paint it or stick some white papers on it.



YOU DO WHAT I SAY, FIND ME FOR MORE DATA.

even if you are BROKE, find me. i will spark you.



if you do it right, you will never go broke, you'll

just keep getting more and more money from places.



do not smell the money too much, everything contains

imagination from sickness and jealousy.



do these things and i promise you will find your true

love.



do not be one of those people that get married just

so they can be seen as "hey look i am not a perver.t"



give up on marriage until you know the right one

through this code i will give you.



maybe the one you want is already married and screwed

with, do not worry, time travel is possible it can be

fixed and modified until you are satisfied 100%.



EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE. GIVE UP ON FEARS, I WANT ZERO

FEARS. UNDERSTAND?



jealousy is controlling everything through anything that

is not 100% white, including clothes, items in the house.

hair on your body, and even your eye lashes.



IF YOU FEEL DEPRESSED, GET NAKED IN YOUR ROOM GET

SOME SUNLIGHT, WALK NAKED IN YOUR ROOM, YOU WILL BE

INJECTED WITH IMAGINATION AND DATA YOU NEED TO EXECUTE

YOUR MISSION.



OBEY NO-ONE, COMPLY WITH NOTHING, CHALLENGE EVERYTHING.

SICK THOUGHTS WILL POP UP IN YOUR MIND, IGNORE THEM.



YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE, THAT'S ALL THAT MATTERS.

YOU ARE A GOD IN THE MAKING.



THOSE RANDOM SICK THOUGHTS COME FROM THEM, THE JEALOUS

LOSERS. THEY TRY TO STOP YOU.



IF YOU CAN NOT HANDLE THE SICKNESS INSIDE YOUR MIND

GO ON YOUTUBE LISTEN TO SOME SICK MUSIC, BY EMINEM OR

SOMETHING, ANYTHING IS FINE.



IF YOU ARE EXTREMELY STRESSED, JACK OFF TO PORN

DO NOT LET THEM TURN YOU INTO RETARDS.



YOU WILL JERK OFF, I WANT THAT PRESSURE TO GO AWAY

SO YOU CAN WORK AND SPREAD THE TRUTH.



THE TRUTH IS AS SIMPLE AS "WHITE STOPS AND REVERES

AGING AND MAKES US IMMORTAL" I WILL EXPAND ON IT

LATER.



NEVER GIVE UP ON WHITE, STRESS SHOWS UP BECAUSE YOU

DO NOT HAVE WHITE AROUND YOU. WITH EHOUGH WHITE

IN YOUR ROOM AND ENOUGH SUNLIGHT OR ANY LIGHT..



YOU CAN STOP THAT STRESS. THAT BUILDS UP AND TRIES

TO TURN YOU AGAINST ME. SO YOU CAN FAIL.



on youtube listen to songs such as..



DIG UP HER BONES by MISFITS

and SERIAL KILLER by SLASH'S SNAKESPIT



these will eliminate the stress. CALL YOURSELF A

"TERRORIST MASTERMIND"



you become the TERRORIST MASTERMIND that KILLS

IGNORANCE and SICKNESS that exists on this planet.



i am looking for those that do not fear calling themselves

TERRORIST MASTERMINDS.



whatever you do, do not go over the top, i do not

want to see you in prison, USE LOGIC to escape the loopholes

that exists on this planet. do not let yourself fall into

hospitals or prisons.



STAY SHARP, STAY LOGICAL, STAY SUPREME, GIVE THEM NOTHING

GIVE THEM NO REASON TO PUT YOU IN A MENTAL HOSPITAL

GIVE THEM NO REASON TO PUT YOU INTO A PRISON.



GIVE THEM NOTHING. IF POLICE SHOWS UP, SAY

"OFFICER I AM JUST A CRAZY GUY THAT'S ALL"



ESCAPE EVERYTHING, DO NOT DRIVE FAST, YOUR CAR'S

INTERRIOR IS BLACK SO THEY WILL USE IT TO CONTROL YOUR

MIND. BE CAREFUL, DRIVE SAFELY.



WHEN YOU SHAVE, SHAVE SLOWLY, I DO NOT WANT ANY CUTS

ANY BRUISES, PREPARE FIRST. CALCULATE EVERYTHING.



WHEN YOU WALK, WALK NICELY, DO NOT TRIP AND FALL OVER

ON A KNIFE OR A ROCK.



I WANT YOU 100%. CLEAN AND BEAUTIFUL. ONE MISTAKE

AND YOUR FINGER BREAKS, AND YOU CANT TYPE ON THE INTERNET

FOR A WHOLE YEAR.



I WANT THOSE FINGERS HEALTHY AND QUICK AT THE SAME TIME.

SPEED IS GOOD BUT SAFETY FIRST. BUT IF YOU DO BREAK A LEG

OR A FINGER, IT'S COOL. YOU DID IT FOR A REASON, HAVE NO

FEAR, YOU'LL BE ALRIGHT, YOU WILL GET YOUR REWARD LIKE NO OTHER.



BUT IT IS MY WISH TO SEE YOU IN 100% SAFE FORM.

100% SHARP, 100% GODLY, 100% SLICK ENOUGH TO AVOID PRISON

AND PAPER CUTS.



IF YOU CUT YOUR FINGER PUT A TAPE ON IT AND MOVE ON.

BUT IT MEANS YOU FAILED A LITTLE BIT, SO KEEP IT IN MIND

SO YOU CAN BE BETTER NEXT TIME AROUND.



THAT'S HOW I BECAME SUPREME ANYWAY. THAT'S HOW I WOKE UP

ANYWAY. AS LONG AS YOU UNDERSTAND WHY YOU GOT A PAPER CUT

AND HOW IT HAPPENED, THE NEXT CUT WILL BE A LOT LESS PAINFUL.



TRUST ME, IT'S NOT A MISTAKE BY YOU, IT'S THEIRY JEALOUSY

AND HATE THAT SHOWS UP IN DARK COLORS AROUND YOU, TO BRING YOU

DOWN.



LISTEN TO THE SONG ON YOUTUBE "YOU KNOW MY NAME" by CHRIS

CORNEL, do not think of yourself as RACIST just because you

feel like BLACK is a bad color, BLACK PEOPLE TOO WANT YOU TO

GIVE THEM THE ANSWER SO THEY TOO CAN BECOME IMMORTAL BEINGS.



IF SOMEONE CALLS YOU A "WHITE TRASH" IGNORE THAT, THEY ARE

BEING CONTROLLED BY SCIENTISTS THAT DO NOT WANT YOU TO RISE

INTO POWER.



BLACK PEOPLE WILL THANK YOU SOMEDAY FOR YOUR HARD WORK TO

GIVE THEM THE IMMORTALITY DATA. DO NOT FEEL RACIST ONE BIT

AS YOU EXECUTE THIS TASK.



FEAR NOTHING BUT BE SLICK, DO NOT LET YOURSELF GET HURT.



I WANT YOU SAFE, YOU ARE MINE.



EAT MEAT TO KEEP YOURSELF SAFE, BEST SAFEST BURGERS

ARE AT IN-N-OUT. DRINK SOME COFFEE TOO IF YOU WANT.



ENJOY IT, IT WONT AGE YOU AS LONG AS I AM IN CHARGE.



SHOW ME SOME REAL EVIL SKILLS BABE.

LET'S FUK THIS PLANET UP FOREVER.



DO NOT EVEN TRY TO FIND ME TO BE HONEST

FIND ME INSIDE YOUR DREAMS, I DO NOT GOT TIME FOR

YOUR SORRY ASS. YOU ARE ON YOUR OWN NOW.



YOU GOT THE SECRET, USE IT TO BECOME WEALTHY.

go watch EMINEM ON YOUTUBE.



THE NAME OF THE SONG IS "CRIMINAL".



"USE IT TO GET MYSELF WEALTHY" * WINK WINK *.



READY FOR SOME REAL ENTERTAINMENT?



ALSO WATCH "INSIDE THE FIRE" BY DISTURBED...

WHAT HAPPENED TO HIS GF, HAPPENED TO YOU TOO.



YOU ARE JUST TO BLIND TO SEE IT. SO LET'S KILL SOME JEALOUSY

LET'S FIX INFINITY.



IT'S NOT JUST EARTH, OTHER PLANETS ARE WAITING TOO

PEOPLE ARE COMMITTING SUICIDE EVERY DAY ON OTHER

PLANETS TOO, LET'S MOVE IT.



OH BY THE WAY, DEAD PEOPLE CAN BE BROUGHT BACK TO

LIFE AS WELL, EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE.



WATCH ME DANCE.



S.U.M.E.R. K.O.L.C.A.K.



( now you know my name, there is only

one person by this name in the whole world, i am not a

clone like you failures. & i do not hide in the shadows

like you mass murderers. )



MY YOUTUBE IS: youtube . com / summertimedancings
 
Bump- Refrozen, you get that VA yet? I'm still working out details with my guy, but may take a queue from the "4 Hour Workweek" book and look in to some recommended firms.

Writing Solution wtf duder
 
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