Do I Pay A VA Hourly or Salary? There’s A Big Difference – Practical Advice

Paying a virtual assistant is pretty easy. Structuring their pay is the issue. What’s the better option? Should you pay your VA by the hour or a monthly salary.

There are pros and cons to both. Personally, I pay a monthly salary.

The advantage of paying your VAs hourly is you only pay for the work that they do. But the problem with that is they’re only going to do what they’re told. And that’s it. Like if you hire a graphic designer to create social media images for you, once he’s done with his work you’re the one who has to work on getting the posts written for it, scheduling the posts, interacting with fans, etc. That didn’t really give me more time. I still have to do most of the work.

With a monthly salary, I know there’s a big chance they’re not doing 40 hours of work. So it forces me to plan and strategize to make the most of what I’m paying them. 

Like when I hired a VA to write articles for me, I also taught him how to submit them to article directories, upload them on WordPress, optimize his work for SEO, etc. I was able to outsource an entire process, not just one task. I never had to think about it again because I know my VA had that covered.

Another disadvantage to paying hourly is, in the Philippines, it’s always associated with temporary work. Hourly work implies that you can lose that job anytime and there’s no guarantee your client will come back to you for more work. Even before your VA is done with their task, they’re already looking for the next gig. So you can’t expect any loyalty from them because there’s no stability. 

When you hire someone on a salary basis, it forces you to care. It forces you to think like a CEO and delegate work so you can get your 40 hours worth. Yes, it takes a lot of planning and work. You have to train them. You have to think about all the things you can delegate. But once you outsource these tasks, they’re off your plate forever.

The first time I implemented this, my income doubled in the first year. AND I didn’t have to work 40 hours a week. I was able to step away from my business to take care of my family AND I made more money. Who doesn’t want that?

If you want to know the details of that story, check out my book, the Outsourcing Lever. It’s free. You can get a physical copy, just pay for shipping. And in it, I’ll also teach you how you can leverage outsourcing to help your business grow.

And if you want to see more videos, check out our YouTube channel or our Facebook page for more outsourcing tips. You can also check out how to get started on hiring Rockstar Virtual Assistants.


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About John Jonas

John Jonas is a long-time outsourcing expert and the creator of OnlineJobs.ph.

Since 2005, John has taught hundreds of thousands of entrepreneurs how to profitably delegate to VAs in the Philippines (and get their lives back in the process).

With help from his own VAs based in the Philippines, John has created an outsourcing empire that allows him to work 17 hours/week and to spend most of his time with his wife and 5 kids.

Find John at JohnJonas.com and Facebook.

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Comments

  1. Analiza Andal says

    I am a VA myself and I agree with both payment methods. I am now doing an apprenticeship at FVA academy. Currently doing the content creation and graphic design but I’m enjoying it a lot. I felt pressured sometimes. Well, that’s what we call the growth process, right? I am really blessed that I experience this line of work. In case you’re in need of VA, please let me know.

  2. Tim Petersen says

    You have something big going on here which will catch the next wave or reset. The biggest problem I have with is your ease-of-use, I don’t mind banging a few hundred dollars a day at this and you would have had thousands out of me now. Now it’s been difference in a $49 contract to a $69 contract perfect prices I love it in anybody’s price range. The only problem I how is your he’s with you so you can’t get the big money for the small money.

    • says

      Hi Ryan,

      Thank you for your comment. Our support team has emailed you regarding your ID Proof score (this affects how you can apply to job posts using our platform), kindly check your inbox

    • says

      Hi Kheny,

      Thank you for your comment. Kindly check your inbox, our support team has emailed you regarding your ID Proof score (this is related to your OnlineJobs profile and your ability to apply to job posts)

  3. Ma. Teresa Lascoña says

    Both hourly and monthly is okay for me.

    I’m applying for an Amazon Virtual Assistant / Product Researcher. Wishing & Hoping to land a good Client.
    Thank you & God Bless.

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