In short: With an agency, your VA works for the agency and you pay their rate plus the agency’s markup every month. With direct hire, your VA works directly with you, you agree on the rate together, and the VA keeps what they earn.
Two ways to hire a virtual assistant in the Philippines
Most owners hiring a virtual assistant in the Philippines go one of two ways. They use a staffing agency, or they hire directly.
Both work, and they work very differently. The difference shows up months later, usually when something goes wrong.
How a VA agency works
An agency finds the VA, employs or contracts them, and bills you each month. Your bill covers the VA’s pay plus the agency’s markup. Published markups range from about 10% to 100% on top of what the VA earns.
The upside is convenience. The agency handles payroll, and if a VA leaves, they send a replacement.
The tradeoff is distance. Your VA works for the agency, not for you. You often don’t know what they’re paid, and they may be working for other clients at the same time.
How direct hire works
With direct hire, you and your VA work together one-on-one. You agree on the rate, hours and expectations. You pay your VA directly, and they keep what they earn.
The upside is loyalty and clarity. Your VA’s success is tied to your business, not to an agency’s client list. When something isn’t working, you can talk about it with the person doing the work.
The tradeoff is the search. Finding, screening and checking references takes real time if you do it yourself.
Which one fits your business?
An agency can fit if you want someone fast, don’t mind the ongoing markup and are fine with a VA you don’t manage closely.
Direct hire fits if you want a long-term team member, care about how your VA is treated and paid, and want to know exactly who’s doing the work.
The middle option: a matchmaker
There’s a third way. A matchmaker runs the search for you and then steps aside.
That’s how Linq Collective works. You pay one fee for the search. We find, screen and check references, then you meet a shortlist of three virtual assistants matched to your workstyle. You hire directly, and from day one your VA works with you.
You get the convenience of an agency for the search and the loyalty of direct hire after.
Find a VA who fits how you work.
Linq Collective runs the whole search for you, from the job description to a shortlist of three, matched to your workstyle with Extended DISC. Your VA works directly with you from day one.
See how VA Matchmaking works, or book a discovery call with Riah.