We get asked this question A LOT.
The process of getting an employer isn’t rocket science. All you need to do is
- register,
- create a jobseeker profile, and
- get verified.
Once you have a verified jobseeker profile you can either wait to be contacted by employers or start applying for jobs.
It’s that simple. A lot of jobseekers find a job usually within a month of signing up.
But there are some who do have a harder time finding work. They complain that they’ve been on our website for several months now and they still don’t have a job. Or that they’ve applied for several jobs and still have no offers.
Over the years, we’ve noticed there are similarities between jobseekers that get hired right away and those that don’t. And if you’re having a hard time finding an employer, these may be some of the reasons why:
1. Not Standing Out In A Competitive Online Jobs Marketplace
Onlinejobs.ph is an online marketplace for jobs and services. And like any marketplace, we’re influenced by supply and demand. If more employers are looking for administrative virtual assistants, then there would be more job openings for admin VAs. And if there are more admin VAs than there are jobs, employers can afford to be more selective and choose only the top candidates.
It’s not that we don’t have enough jobs for everyone. We have more than enough jobs for all applicants. It’s just that there aren’t enough job applicants with the right skills for the job.
For example: data entry. Everybody wants to do data entry/research because it’s easy. Right now, we have more data entry job applicants than there are jobs. So, the good data entry jobs (good pay, good boss) are always taken in a matter of days by the applicants with the best credentials. What’s left are the low paying data entry jobs but they’re still being taken.
Why? Because employers KNOW that there are plenty of applicants available. They drive salaries down because they KNOW there will always be someone willing to do the job at a lower price just to get a job.
So, in the end, what we have are too many workers competing for jobs that don’t pay well.
As a jobseeker, what can you do to increase your chances of getting an employer in a competitive online jobs marketplace?
- Avoid the low hanging fruit. Don’t go for easy jobs, that’s where you’ll encounter the most competition. If you have special skills that can set you apart from the rest, leverage on that and aim for something higher.
- Get more skills and experience while waiting on your job application. There are plenty of online resources (YouTube, udemy, blogs) available that can help you acquire valuable online work skills for free.
2. Not Taking The Application Process Seriously
Sadly, there are people still who have this misconception that an online job isn’t a real job. They think of online jobs as
- a temp job,
- something to do in their spare time,
- something that doesn’t require a serious commitment.
Because they don’t think online work is a real job they make these mistakes like:
- Not completing their jobseeker profile,
- Not making an effort to make it look good/professional
- Not following instructions written in job posts
- Sending out generic job applications without knowing or understanding what the job is about
- Not showing up or being late for interviews
If you’re an employer and you have the option of choosing between a serious job applicant and someone who is not making an effort to be professional, who would you choose?
We’ve done an informal survey of employers and they cite this as the #1 reason why they pass over job applicants. Most of them have stated they’re willing to hire Filipino VAs, even if they don’t have all of the skills needed, as long as they have the right attitude.
3. Thinking It’s a Matter of Luck
We can’t deny that sometimes luck has something to do with getting that perfect online job. We post new jobs every day and the best ones are often taken right away.
Other times, the great jobs are hidden within the database. And only those who are willing to dig through pages of job openings can find them.
To avoid missing out on new jobs, there are several things you can do:
- Follow Onlinejobs.ph on Facebook. We feature some of the best jobs on our database there. Plus tips to help you find a job or how to be great at your online job.
- Visit the Onlinejobs.ph database everyday.
- Sign up for the Onlinejobs.ph jobs alert.
4. Expecting The Job To Come To You
We’ve seen success stories where all that person needed to do was create a jobseeker profile and boom! He or she got a job offer a few days later.
This isn’t just luck. A lot of employers do actively search through our jobseeker database to offer positions with the right set of skills. And once they find the right person, either they invite the person to apply or offer a job outright. This usually happens when the jobseeker has exactly the right set of skills or he/she has skills that are in high demand (like programming or design).
But some people think this is the norm at Onlinejobs.ph. So, they just set up their jobseeker profile and wait forever to get picked. We have over 1 million jobseekers in our database and with hundreds of sign ups every day. Realistically, not everyone is going to get a job offer as soon as they sign up. But that doesn’t mean that job is unattainable because you didn’t get an offer right away after you’ve created your jobseeker profile.
You just need to complete your profile and make it look better.
Make sure you have a smart business profile photo, submit all verification requirements to establish your proof of identity, and complete your skills summary.
Take our jobseeker tests; they’re free and can make your profile more attractive. Good profiles often rank higher on search results, increasing your chances of getting hired.
Or just put yourself out there and start applying for jobs. Approaching foreign employers can be an intimidating experience but that’s the nature of getting an online job. It’s best to get started now and learn the ropes as soon as possible.
About Julia Jasmine M. Sta Romana
Julia has been working for OnlineJobs.ph since 2012, first as a writer and now as its social media manager and content development specialist. She also founded the Davao Virtual Assistants Association, the biggest VA association in Davao City.
She’s a full-time wife and mom and volunteers her time as an internet rights advocate.
JULIA! You are a wonderful writer! I have desperately been looking for a PH worker who can write as well as you.
Can you recommend someone to me who understands written English Spelling & Grammar as you do. I pay well!
Or maybe my expectations are unrealistic? Do I need to hire a “decent” writer and the have an editor come behind? Will I be able to find a filipino editor?
Thanks in Advance
Hello Pastor Evans!
Thank you! I appreciate the compliment.
No, your expectations are not unrealistic. We have a lot of great writers and editors here in the Philippines so it would be hard for me to recommend just one. You can find them in our jobseeker database.
I also have some advice that might help you when hiring a Filipino writer or editor. I suggest have your writer/editor read and follow the blogs or websites that has the writing style that you want them to emulate. It’s easier to adapt to a certain style if you read it on a daily basis. Like if I have an assignment to write an article that’s for an audience based in the UK, I make sure to read British news websites and blogs for at least an hour before I even start writing.
Thank you so much for your reply.
I do use the OnlineJobs.PH Search engine. (I get it free as I am a member of RM).
I am learning much about the culture of the beautiful people of the Philippines.
I have for the last month been interviewing and testing. I have one person on who I believe will stay full time and still interviewing others. It is hard to find dedicated workers, so we have a process to test dedication. For writers, I will be including showing them the type of blog style I am looking for. THAT IS A VERY HELPFUL TIP!
I appreciate your encouragement and will continue to look for great workers.
Keep Up The Good Work.
You’re welcome. Please don’t hesitate to email us or contact us through our social media if you need any more help. Take care!
can you tell me what to do..im the beginner
You can apply for any of the jobs posted here or on our website by signing up for an Onlinejobs.ph jobseeker account. It’s completely free and takes only minutes to apply. Having a jobseeker account also gives you access to thousands of new online jobs daily.
To start the registration process, just follow this link ===> http://www.onlinejobs.ph/register
Once you’ve completed your profile, you can start searching for the job that you want here ===>http://www.onlinejobs.ph/jobseekers/jobsearch/
You can find a wide variety of full-time, part-time and project-based jobs there, from data entry, design, writing, programming, and more!
The job posts would contain all the information you need to apply for that position.
How can I apply to a certain position? I cannot see “Apply Now” button anywhere. Please help! Thank you.
Hi Roxan,
Thank you for your comment. Our support team has emailed you regarding your OJ account verification, kindly check your inbox or spam. Afterwards, you can go to this link to apply to job posts -> https://www.onlinejobs.ph/jobseekers/jobsearch?el=ojblog. Once your verification is approved, you can apply to job posts
I’m getting hard of getting a job here online…do you think I am not capable for online job? or my experience did not match for what I am applying and doing right now?
It’s hard to tell because I haven’t seen your profile and the jobs that you are applying for but that is a definite possibility.
any advice po para sa online job seeking? ^_^ thnaks po
We have several posts here on our blog that contains tips to help you find an online job. I strongly suggest you go through them and try out those tips the next time you apply for a job.
Hi Miss Julia,
Where can I see your blogs?
Thank you!
Hello Ms. Julia!
Thank you for this article. It’s a big help!
I got a job thru onlinejobs.ph last July as a bookkeeper (temporary position- bookkeeping backlogs). Since I already finished their backlogs, updating their books will only take me 2-3 hours per week, so they retained me as a part-time bookkeeper. So now I am back to job hunting. Hope I can find another one soon.
That’s great Richie! Good luck on your job hunt!
And please feel free to share this post with your friends looking for work. This might be helpful for them.
I appreciate so much your this article. I been on hunt for long time now. I always feel incompetent of applying for jobs such as you said with less competition because I don’t have much experience like what most employers are looking for. I applied several data entry jobs and sadly almost all, never heard anything from them. Yet, I still feel positive to land a good-paying job someday.
Too many people are competing for data entry jobs Jade. If you have other skills, try to apply for other jobs. More often than not these jobs would pay more than data entry jobs.
Hello Ms. Julia,
What an amazing and informative article you’ve written. It provided a lot of missing pieces for my puzzle. I’ve learned a lot from your writings since I’ve been struggling for almost a month looking for jobs. I have an account on Upwork and unfortunately my account stayed passive for a long time now. The protocol and the mindset of clients on that site is way out of my league since they mostly hire people who already have good feedbacks on their profile. Since I haven’t gotten any jobs there hence, the zero feedbacks. But I said to myself that my luck doesn’t end there.
So I decided to do some research again on some potential sites that could at least bring my hopes up and here I am in onlinejobs.ph! So far I’ve applied to several job postings but I’m a very specific person so I choose the jobs that I can do well and on my first day on the site a potential client contacted me or has replied and it boosted my confidence to the highest level! We’re still negotiating terms since he is looking for employee’s in advance for a full time job in the next few months. And since I won’t start working yet, I decided to look for part-time jobs or freelancing jobs that could temporarily assist me with my cost of living. Anyways I stumbled upon this article that you’ve posted and I’m really glad that I took the time to read it. It opened my mind and gave me a lot of ideas and strategies on how to approach the clients for future reference.
Once again, Thanks!
Sincerely,
Joseph
That’s great Joseph! Happy to help =)
Thank you for your insights. I’ve always had a profile here but it wasn’t properly filled with the right information. Admittedly I joined out of curiosity and never did bother filling it with the right information until I saw the real need for me to have a job. I was originally a worker at a manufacturing plant. I barely have the skills needed to be a VA but I do have a love for writing so I’ve included Internet-related skills that I know into my profile. I’ve also included the part about me being a beginner and the fact that I have no professional experience in being a VA or a writer. I took the IQ test and got 101 and then I took the English grammar test and got high advanced. I suppose those scores were the ones that got me a lot of messages from employers looking for a writer until I finally found someone who gave me the chance. After almost two months of working for him, he told me to take a few days off as he has no current assignment for me. I had the chance to update my profile and include some of the names of the websites I’ve managed to fill with articles written by myself. I just checked my email and I saw an invitation to apply for a certain writing job from a potential employer.
I was worried at first that I won’t have the same chance because I had no prior experience to being a VA but because I did the necessary task of highlighting my skills and my strengths, I was noticed and was given a chance. My first job as a VA had me producing articles that I can use as my present samples and the websites I’ve made as my portfolios. The best part is the self-realization of my own capabilities. My employer had me producing five 500-word articles every five days then two days of rest, which I was able to push to five articles daily with no rest day because I chose it. I only hope to become better at what I do and maybe add more to my skill set.
good day ma’am how can i do a good messages when applying to the job i choose.?
Hello Ma’am Julia,
I would just like to ask if there’s a limit on submitting job applications? And if I can submit as many as I want to find a job?
Yes, there is a limit. We set that limit to make sure that employers aren’t spammed with application. What I recommend instead is that your focus on applying for jobs that you really like and suits your skills. Read the job post carefully and follow instructions. You will have more success that way than mass sending job applications.
just wanted to know, how would i edit my salary? its my first time if ever to work online, i think my rate is too low as compared with the others.. not that it concerns me too much, but just thinking it may affect my chances also of getting hire, employers might think i am not capable because of the rate. 🙂
Just login to your jobseeker profile. Scroll down until you see a blue “Edit Resume” button. Click on it and it will take you to a page that would allow you to edit your profile, including your rate.
Hi Julia,
I would like to know what are the steps on how to apply jobs here in onlinejobs.ph
Hi, I’ve read your post, and I’ve been thinking about applying for a job at onlinejobs.ph. I do already have a profile, and I need your help on how to get a job, I’m a beginner and I don’t know what job I should get. hoping for a good response thanks..
Focus on jobs that matches your skills. You can use the search function to narrow down the available jobs based on what you can do.
hi on-liner’s i want to know how to apply in on-line job ? please i need your suggestion and to know the legit company
thanks best regards!
Applying here in Onlinejobs.ph is the same as applying a job in real life. Make sure your profile/application is attractive enough to convince employers to contact and hire you.
You can apply for any of the jobs posted here or on our website by signing up for an Onlinejobs.ph jobseeker account. It’s completely free and takes only minutes to apply. Having a jobseeker account also gives you access to thousands of new online jobs daily.
To start the registration process, just follow this link ===> http://www.onlinejobs.ph/register
Once you’ve completed your profile, you can start searching for the job that you want here ===>http://www.onlinejobs.ph/jobseekers/jobsearch/
You can find a wide variety of full-time, part-time and project-based jobs there, from data entry, design, writing, programming, and more!
The job posts would contain all the information you need to apply for that position.
Hi, could Onlinejobs increase the limit of applications per day? I understand that the 10 application limit is in effect for the protection of employers, but there are posted jobs right now that match my skills that I’d like to apply, and I’ve already reached the limit. How about that?
You can only send a maximum of 10 applications per day. But your account does refresh every 24 hours so you should be able to send your applications the next day.
Hi, Julia.
Just wanted to start by saying your blogs are not just informative but professionally done. There’s great content and your structuring is impeccable. Great job and thank you!
In saying that though, could you please provide your insights to the below observations, suggestions and questions:
– is this site rejecting applicants? shouldn’t it? I mean I’m seeing a lot of comments about how they’ve signed up but still can’t find a job but uses language like this “I’m getting hard of getting a job here online”. How can they get one if they can’t even communicate in English when that’s the first thing needed! I feel like they might cause a lot of investors/employers/expats to shy away from hiring legitimate and experienced employees due to the sheer volume of applicants they are getting. I’m no hater but there’s just too much inexperienced and unqualified individuals here and I feel there should be some sort of weeding out process
– how come a significant number of employers are offering $1 – $2/hour wages for admin/data entry/etc? Isn’t that a bit insulting? Where did they get that figure? Don’t you think we are selling ourselves short because we don’t properly set expectations as to what we are truly worth? As the person who’s in charge of writing guides for both the employee and the employer, isn’t your responsibility (or at least raise it to the decision makers) to give an updated pricing guide for these expats looking for quality work for not even a tenth of what they would normally pay on shore? This current pricing, was this how it was before? I’ve met several VA that have been in the trade for several years and they shared how it started somewhere around $3.50/hr. I’m sure I don’t have the exact numbers but I’m sure you get my point.
I hope you understand where I’m coming from with these points. I believe and admire what this site is doing. I just want some clarifications.
Thank you kindly and God Bless po
Vin
Hello! I was hired by my employer but I still haven’t receive any message from them!! I’m getting nervous and I don’t know what to do. Is there something I can do? I constantly checking my email but I don’t receive any email. Any you suggest what can I do?
Thank you!!!
Hi Precious,
When were you hired? And were you hired through our platform? Do you have the employer’s contact details?
Hello. This is my first time to apply. Uhmm this question might look like I am dumb or whatever, but what should I put in the “reply to email” tab on the apply button? HAHAHAH please help me.
Hi Julia, How do I remove the Current Employment Status on my profile? I no longer have contact from my previous employer who hired me on the platform. Now that I am actively seeking employment, this is probably the reason why I’m not getting any responses because employers may still think I am employed. Hoping you can help me. Thank you.
Hi Sheena,
Thank you for your comment. Our support team just emailed you, kindly check on your inbox
Hi! I also have the same problem with her. Please help me out. How do I remove the Current Employment Status on my profile? I no longer have contact from my previous employer who hired me on the platform. Now that I am actively seeking employment, this is probably the reason why I’m not getting any responses because employers may still think I am employed. Hoping you can help me. Thank you.
Hi Rachelle,
Thank you for your email. Kindly check your inbox for the instructions on how to remove your employment status
Good afternoon! I have been applying through onlinejobs for more than a month now , I’m not sure how you process applicants, but I haven’t had any luck at all. I have submitted more than several applications but have not received any response at all.
Is there any way to find out if my profile had been marked as spam by the site which could have been the cause of so many missed out opportunities?
Hi Maria,
Thank you for your comment. I can’t find your account through the email address “positivityandpoetry@gmail.com”.
Kindly email our support team and provide them the email address that you used to register
I am having the same issues too! It’s strange that there were no responses from my applications. I even applied for a $2 per hour post just to see if I would get a reply, but even that application was not replied to!
What’s going on?
Hi Ma Evita,
Thank you for your comment. Our support team has emailed you, kindly check your inbox
Hi there. I also have a problem with removing my employment status. Since I am no longer connected with the employer, I want the employment status to be deleted so I can apply to other job offers. Please help.
Kindly eek assistance to support@onlinejobs.ph to walk you through the process. Thanks.