Get to know MyOutDesk’s Recruitment Process

Are you thinking of pursuing a work from home career with MyOutdesk.com? But have absolutely no idea about how our recruitment and application process goes?

We know you have a lot of questions, and we’re here to give clarity to most, if not all of your recruitment-related queries.

How it starts

The process starts once you’ve decided to apply via our website. You can choose from the available job openings, such as General Admin Virtual Professional or Appointment Setter position. Once you’ve chosen which job description suits you best, just hit the “Click to Apply” button, and you will automatically be redirected to our online application form. Just fill-out all the needed details, and make sure you’re equipped with the listed system requirements (for main/back-up pc, main/back-up internet connection), before hitting the “Submit” button.

The Screening Process

We review all applications that come through our website. The screening process has several parts but only takes about 2-3 business days. It’s comprised of an initial call invite, an initial interview from a Recruitment Specialist, brief online profile exam, a final interview from our Recruitment Manager and finally, the systems check.

Important: We always send updates regarding the status of your application, so make sure to check your email (even your spam mail) and cell phone for messages coming from MyOutDesk.

“I’m hired!” What’s next?

Once applicants pass the screening process, they are immediately endorsed to the next training class. Training covers the basics of US Real Estate, as well as other tools and information that will equip you to become the best virtual professional for your future client.

After finishing the training process, we will then match your skills and work experience, to what our pool of clients needs… and next thing you know, you’re already earning your first $$$ paycheck!

Sounds easy right? Well, IT IS!! So, what are you waiting for?? Be a MODster and be part of our family!!! Apply now!!

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My Outdesk— My New Home

I have been working online for around 5 years now, and I have done everything from your basic jobs like Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Data Mining, Virtual Professional (VP) Tasks, and Social Media Marketing to more unusual jobs and projects like game testing, online voice lessons and video voice-overs. Of all the people I have encountered and of all the kinds of people I have been able to work with, I have to say that MyOutdesk.com (MOD) is one of the best I have ever encountered.

One of the most difficult things about being a Virtual Professional is communication. Many times, many clients will expect the people they hire online to give them everything they want exactly as they want it without outlining how to get that done. A well seasoned online professional will always have an arsenal of tools and knowledge of many different things; however mind reading is not one of them. I have been fired many a time because a client was not happy with the work I have done, granted, I am only human, I can say that I will take full responsibility for some client’s dissatisfaction, but to be perfectly honest, most of the time I find that it is because a client failed to tell me certain key pieces of information. Thus bringing frustration to all parties involved. This is one thing that the My Outdesk team fights against. Even before a potential client interviews one of the VA of MOD, the management team makes sure that the VA is aware of the tasks they will be handling if the client does agree to take them on, if that happens, MOD does not just leave the VA and the client to fend for themselves, which bring me to my next key point.

MOD has an excellent support system in place. This support system is not only for the VA or the Client but for all parties involved. Aside from the rigorous 2 week training program that a newly hired VA goes through even before they are recommended to clients, MOD has coaches for VA who might have difficulty with certain tasks. The coaches are there to walk the VA through certain things they may be having difficulty with and ensures that the VA gets to the point where he or she can execute the tasks to near perfection. This support system makes a huge difference for both the VA and the client. Clients can be assured that they will not have to waste extra time and money just to make sure that their VA gets what needs to be done.

My OutDesk is definitely not just another company. It is full of heart and soul and it is palpable through the people who are part of it. They do not hire just anybody, quality is definitely important to the MOD team. The hiring process is extremely stringent and to say that MOD is thorough is an understatement. As soon as an applicant’s resume passes the initial screening, the process begins with an initial interview, the HR team of MOD gets to know the applicant a little better and they gauge if the applicant has potential. If this first interview is successful, the applicant is then asked to take an exam, this exam is made to test the VA’s skill set and is not easy by any definition. The exam includes a tap dance test where proficiency in basis like Spelling, Grammar, Typing, Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel are gauged, the applicant is also given a sample BPO to fill out, a tech test, flyer creation and finally the applicant is asked to take the DISC personality test. The DISC is a diagnostic tool that assesses a person’s personality, strengths and weaknesses. This is great because it is sent to any potential client as a basis for what the VA might be like, what kinds of environments work for each one and how they may act in certain situations. This exam takes several hours. If the applicant passes the exam, there is a second and final interview, if the VA passes screening in all these steps they are asked to join a 2 week training session, this does not guarantee a VA will be hired because in order to be endorsed to a client, the VA must pass the exam that is given after training. Even before the training process, MOD ensues that the VA is really a good fit for the company, an extensive background check is done by getting in touch with references and getting certified clearance from the government/police, MOD also makes sure that the VA has back up plans for instances where there might be power outages, ISP failure and the like, back-ups are a requirement and not simply a suggestion.

Training at MOD is rigorous, it is a 2 week process that includes getting the VA familiar with the Real Estate world in the United States, laws, escrow, REO, rules even types of houses are discussed. The VA learns exactly what it is that a broker or listing agent does in order to be aware of what kind or assistance they need. There is training on REO portals, reimbursements, Zillow, Trulia and even craigslist. Extensive BPO work is also done. At the end of the 2 weeks, an exam is given, and only by passing it can one finally be endorsed with a client. Virtual Professionals from My OutDesk are trained well in order to make your life easy. https://youtu.be/U2iHYQVk2q0 If you are willing to put in the effort on your end, a virtual professional can be one of the best assets to your business. The MOD management team is extremely hands on and is vigilant about keeping the VA in check.

Over all My OutDesk goes through extreme lengths to ensure that VA and Clients alike, are satisfied and can be productive and an asset to each other. At MOD I have a sense of security because I know that if my abilities fail me, it won’t mean losing my job, I can always look to the MOD team for support and this makes a huge difference. The wonderful working environment, the kind and warm people and the realization of how hands on the founders of MOD are, all these things make me feel like I found a new home and I see myself staying on for years to come.

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Modsters Rock MOD CON 2013

Several days have passed since MOD CON 2013, and we still can’t get over all the fun and memories we’ve gained during that awesome weekend! As home-based VAs, it was such an exciting moment to finally see our fellow Virtual Professionals face to face! But much more than that, what makes this MOD CON even more meaningful is that we were all united in a common goal: to GIVE BACK to our community.

MOD CON Weekend was jam-packed with lots of activities. Who could forget the games we played to raise funds for charity and how competitive we all got, to make sure that our team’s charity would win? And the classes that were truly knowledge-enriching, where all VAs learned something that could help them out with their daily client tasks? How heart-warming was our trip to Boystown where we all gave a piece of ourselves to help out these wonderful kids? And most especially, how inspiring was Randell Tiongson’s talk on financial management, that everyone is now thinking of investing and saving up for the future? With all the wonderful events that transpired at MOD CON 2013, I’m sure each one of us has that moment that we won’t be forgetting for a very long time. I asked some of our most loved Real Estate Virtual Professionals on what they consider are the highlights of MOD CON 2013, may it be something funny, interesting or inspiring they did or saw at MOD CON…

“I enjoyed playing games for charity. Everyone participated in the event and really gave their best efforts to win. It was a perfect picture of a friendly competition. The memories are priceless. Just thinking about it makes me smile.” ~ Gay Anne Viray, ISA Trainer “It’s funny that the games were all impromptu. The set up was to have the course throughout the resort but due to rain, we were able to still play games inside. It’s interesting because people are competitive- you see it in them. I guess it’s mark of a Modster.” ~ Chin Espiritu, HR Teamlead

“Since it’s my first Modcon ever, it was nice to finally see my fellow Modsters in person. Being a part of the Charities Committee was an awesome experience. I was able to work with a dynamic group of people. I learned a lot from them.” ~ Mike Bacosa, Charities Committee “The charity event… besides being one of the contributors, going with the group who visited boys town was the highlight of my MOD Con experience.” ~ Brian Lisas, Charity Committee

“This year’s MOD CON was a milestone for me. I was the one who suggested the venue and coordinated with them, too. I made sure that everything was in place during MODcon, I was also the one in charge with coordinating with merchandise T-shirts, pens, mugs, ecobags, etc. I got to work with other tenured VAs who I just looked at in MODcon 2012. I got to meet and talk personally with the owners and know that they would now know if my name gets to be mentioned. I was entrusted with a big amount of money, and I am now one of the VAs whom most VAs know. I got to be acknowledged and was given an award on my first year, an award that I shared with 2 other VA’s who are my seniors. In this year’s MODcon, I was able to give back. I also learned and grew as a MODster. I was given the chance to be one of the VAs who shined this year.” – Roche Delos Santos, Charities Committee

“The most unforgettable is the feeling of being welcomed to your new family. Randell Tiongson’s talk is unforgettable because it made me realize my current financial status and it awakened me to start working on it. It opened doors for new possibilities and new ways on how I can bring my financial status back up.” – Papples Cenina, VA
“I got to see and meet the personas behind the virtual avatars. It was heart-warming to know that the VAs came not only to learn and have fun but to gather and share their blessings to the less fortunate. We talked less of work and more of family, of what they are thankful and of what they are looking forward to. They are happier, confident, and more excited now that they have a better background on savings and money management.” – Iris Michelle Andrino, Client Relations Team

“Everything about MODCON is unforgettable, I really had fun! It was a blast! And I was very lucky to be with them (Jason and Daniel Ramsey) heading back to Manila. I got to chat with them personally and I enjoyed it very much. Now I’m proud to be part of the MOD family — happy and contented especially with my dear clients.” – Khang Bautista, VA “Something interesting I found out from VAs is that, it was quite common for VAs to be treated at home like “almost sick” people — being brought food in bed during off hours, and are seldom seen by their families, because they are almost always stuck in their workplaces. What’s unforgettable is to see the VAs’ willingness to help and share and fight for what they support.” – Lily Fortich-Flor, Management Team

“Since this was my first ever MOD CON, everything was memorable…from travelling to the location, to meeting everyone there. Spending some time with folks I talk to everyday was a really good experience. Looking at the faces of the MOD folks who really wanted to give back to their respective charities during the indoor games made me feel blessed to be part of a group that enjoys helping less fortunate people. For the first time, I saw owners of the company I work for express their love for their employees and, in turn, we showed them that we really cared for the success of their business. Overall, the experience was an enlightening, spirit-lifting, pride-filling moment I will cherish until the next MOD CON comes around.” – Blue Flor, GVA Trainer
Definitely, MODCON 2013 has stayed true to its theme, which is “Giving Back,” and each and every single VA contributed to the success of this event! Check out this video to see the highlights of MOD CON 2013.

 

Want to be a MODSTER, too?? Go to My OutDesk Careers and check the wonderful career opportunities that await you!

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VA Story: Julie Galido

Full Time Work, Full Time Mom: Virtual Professional Mom Earns More than Just Real Dollars

Being a wife and a mom of two is definitely not an easy job. What more if you have a full time job? Full time mommy and Virtual Professional (VP) Julie Galido, proved this wrong.

Julie has been a VA since 2008, and believe it or not she is now one of the major assets of the company where she works. The most intriguing part of it is that she doesn’t even have to leave her house. Yes, what you read is right. Julie has been a homebased Virtual Professional for almost four (4) years now.

To be able to work at home while looking after my family is probably one of the best things that God has given me”, Julie said. Julie started as a personal VA for Daniel Ramsey – one of the owners of MyOutdesk.Com.

From setting up all his appointments, email management, database utilities, reimbursement, valuation and more – Julie did it all.

Now, Julie is the Operations Manager of the said company. She happily told us all the perks of being homebased work at home mom and professional. Although, all the things she mentioned will not be included here, below are some of the top three advantages of being a homebased virtual professional according to Julie.

  • You get to work at the comfort of your own home – less expense because you don’t need to spend money for fares just to get your office. All you need is a reliable computer and internet connection and you’re good to work. That also means more quality time for your family.
  • Working for MyOutdesk.Com is different. You earn while you learn. The management made sure that all of us get the proper trainings we need before we get endorsed to the client. “It’s not just an ordinary employer-employee relationship, they (the management) treat all of us a family. They are always there to back us up. We also have gatherings every once in a while to catch up with each other. It’s more of earning experiences and relationships”, Julie added.
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Coping with Restless Days – The Work at Home Professional Style

Sleep deprivation is one of the biggest challenges faced by almost all work at home professionals. Serving clients from the other side of the world literally means working on their time zone. In the local setting, staying energetic until early morning may be easy, but getting enough sleep during the day to recharge might be a problem.

So, we’ve come to this point of overcoming what we can say is the greatest disadvantage of working at home – staying constantly awake at night during workdays.

That means a minimum of eight (8) hours a day, five days a week. To be able to do that, quality rest is a must. Below are some tips to help get the needed sleep during the day:

  • Take vitamins – Scientifically speaking, working at night weakens the immune system. To cope with this, taking health supplements can be very beneficial.
  • Off with the kids – For work at home moms, having their kids go in and out of their rooms is usual. It’s ok for them to do this but not every day. If you don’t feel like locking your room to make your kids unwelcome, talk to the nanny or your husband to take care of the kids and not let them in while you’re sleeping. Of course, explain to your kids that you need to rest or better yet make them sleep with you.
  • Benefits of AC – Yes, it may be expensive but having an air conditioner installed in your room is a worthwhile investment, especially during summer. Since it’s already hard to get some sleep in broad daylight a little addition to comfort will not hurt at all.
  • Power Nap – Some may not believe this, but taking powerful naps or short sleeps within the shift (of course this should be during your break or lunch time) is very effective to energize especially if you were not able to get more than five (5) hours of sleep during the day. Well, you just need to make sure that you set up an alarm and don’t oversleep!
  • Adjust – From the previous article, working at home is about adjustments. It may not be easy, but the benefits of being at home with your kids and family will always be worth it if you learn how to deal with its limitations. (That’s aside from less traffic and other expenses).
  • Love your job – Do I need to say more? “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life”. When you love what you do, your body will follow and cooperate with you. You don’t even need to make an effort. Just let it flow.

Enough sleep. We all need it. It’s just a matter of how we can get it. Individual body composition may vary from one to another, that’s why there are different ways to achieve it. It may be effective for one but not for the other. The thing is, you’ll know it’s working if you had a good day sleep.

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To Work or Not to Work at Home

Working at home is not as easy as it looks. It may have numerous advantages but it doesn’t mean that the work at home concept itself is perfect. It has flaws and limitations as well.

Working at home is mainly about adjustment. It is one of the main factors to be considered if you’re planning to work at home – from a busy office environment to a comfortable hearty home. Since most of these jobs are catering services for international clients, one must be able to adjust their shift according to his client’s time zone as well.

To work at home is about self discipline. Who will not be tempted to lie down in the middle of the night while everybody else is soundly asleep? It’s always about productivity – it may actually mean working your ass off till you meet your daily or weekly quota whether you’re getting your assignments from a staffing site or directly working for a client.

But what makes working at home fun is having the luxury of literally staying inside your house with a computer and internet connection at hand. It’s having more than enough capability to spend quality time with yourself and your family without the need to sacrifice your career growth. Being a work at home professional can also be more fruitful, experience wise. Having ample time to research, learn and practice newly found skills can make extended work hours worthwhile.

Adapting yourself to a work at home environment is hard, especially if you just started. You might find yourself sleepless during the day when you need sleep the most and restless at night when you are about to work. Things will always be hard before it can be easy; sometimes it’s just about how you deal with them. All good things are worth the wait.

Working at home can be for everyone but it doesn’t necessarily mean that everyone can do it. There will always be pros and cons. What one needs to do is to enjoy working at home benefits, deal with its limitations to get the utmost satisfaction.

All in all, working at home is a challenge and opportunity at the same time. It’s about passion. It’s about doing what you want to do and learning new things on the way. It’s building trust and back with the people you don’t physically work with and proving them that it’s always the work ethics that matters the most.

To work or not to work at home is always a good question to ask if you’re one of those who wanted a change in your family and career path. But then again, the most satisfactory answer will greatly depends on the person who’s going to answer it.

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MyOutdesk Conference 2012 – For VAs, By VAs

Moving in One Direction

May 26-28, 2012. The tribe has been summoned.

Moving in one direction – this is MOD CON 2012 theme for the year. This conference is also the biggest company event so far. Hundreds of MyOutdesk virtual professionals flew and rocked Boracay Island for three days.

The Tribe

Virtual assistants were divided into five (5) teams, each representing one color. Marshals were also assigned to each of the team as well. They competed for both outdoor and indoor challenges. The summer was made even hotter when VAs ran their way to the beach and stripped to complete the last challenge of filling up a basin with water. All members gave their best shot – physically and mentally. Some of the teams were just too smart for their own good, owner Jason Ramsey added. (Look at my smile there)

The Talk

Aside from having fun, learning has been one of the most awaited parts of the conference. Speakers Stacy Sutter together with the owners Jason and Daniel Ray Ramsey Jr. definitely put up a good talk inspiring each and every virtual professional in the room.

One of the talk’s highlights was discussing what it takes to improve a service from good to great – a down to earth pragmatic committed to excellence process not just for the leaders but for the people working for them as well. All virtual professionals were encouraged to have an open communication with the management team and the owners to be able to address all the necessary concerns regarding their job and anything else that can help them love their job more.

The owners also promised more improvements from this point on. Now, the company is more than ready to move a big leap forward and create more indispensable virtual professionals. Our goal aside from that is making every virtual professional say, “I’m a virtual professional for MyOutdesk.com and I love my job”.

The Party

We work hard, but we party harder! This goes for everyone in MOD CON 2012 Victory Party. The team with the most number of points was announced together with an open bar courtesy of the owners. But for all attendees, everyone was a winner for making the event a success. Virtual assistants and their families enjoyed and celebrated the night with a bang! This conference truly marked a legend in MyOutdesk’s history. The next big event? –MODs Got Talent soon!

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The Reality of Working from Home

Being a virtual professional has become one of the most popular and sought after work-at-home jobs today. Imagine, having great pay and earning $$$ without having to leave your home? All you need is a good computer, fast and reliable internet connection and some skills that the company is looking for… and you’re good to go!

However, just like any other job, being a virtual professional is not for exactly for everybody… working from home may have some cons and disadvantages. Here, listed below are some reasons why you need to think twice before deciding to be one:

  • Scams – It is an undeniable fact that the Internet is home to different online scams, and virtual professional job offerings are definitely not an exemption. Don’t fall a victim to these scams. Before applying in these companies, research about the company, join virtual professional forums, ask people who are or have been part of the company.MyOutdesk is a virtual professional company that is registered both here in the Philippines and the United States. We are a US based company, but we have a management team comprised entirely of Filipinos. Our virtual professionals are bound by an Independent Contractor Agreement which guarantees your job security and also, validates that our company is legit and not a scam.
  • No Incentives – Though virtual professional companies offer very competitive pay with absolutely no deductions… they do not offer incentives and benefits such as healthcare (HMO), paid leaves, loans, etc. With MyOutdesk however, you get all these plus more! Our virtual professionals who have stayed 6 months with our company are offered HMO with 1 free dependent, 7 paid leaves for each year, loan benefits, invites to company paid events, and other client given incentives.
  • Graveyard shift – Since MyOutdesk virtual professionals cater to real estate agents in the US, it is most likely that our work schedule revolves during night time, while everyone else at home is asleep. Make sure you are ready for this type of setup – take vitamins and health supplements, and make sure to get enough rest during the day.
  • Distractions – Since you will be working at home, you will be surrounded with a lot of distractions — kids running around, your housemates conversing/laughing in the background, your TV, game console, etc. All these distractions may affect your work adversely, but all of these can be solved just by having the right mindset.. it would also help to create and set aside your own workspace at home, away from all these distractions.

Being a virtual professional, just like any other profession can be advantageous and vice versa. You may be deprived of normal sleep hours, but then again learning to adjust is not just an option but a solution as well. You can turn these weaknesses to strengths and make these reasons why become a virtual professional.

MyOutdesk is hiring virtual professionals from all over the Philippines. View our current job openings here and join our growing MyOutdesk family!

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Success and Virtual Professionals

Virtual Professionals have been around since the 1990’s, right around the time the internet age began to rise. Without a doubt the scope and range of the virtual professional world has evolved leaps and bounds. On one hand, we have those that offer their services finding satisfaction in building careers in the comfort of their own homes, on the other we have those that wish to increase productivity by delegating tasks to highly qualified individuals without having to break the bank. With today’s economical difficulties, the whole set up between a virtual professional and their clients is a win-win situation that benefits both parties immensely.

However in any good story, there are the mishaps that resonate in chat rooms and board rooms alike, tales of errors and mishaps that may leave those who are considering exploring the world of employing their very own virtual professional or VA hesitant. Whether you are trying a Virtual Professional for the first time, or still looking for that VA who will be a perfect fit for you and your business, a key element may be pin pointing why you decided you need to go down this path in the first place.

There are many great blog posts and articles about living an easier life because of virtual professionals to take over your day to day dreary tasks, one I love and is sure to be a favorite of yours and maybe a lot of other people. Timothy Ferriss, the author of the 4 hour work week, details some of the advantages of having a VA in his blog : www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/. You may also want to try out minimum commitment type deals like Task Rabbit to start testing the waters. Task Rabbit is great because 1, it’s local and 2, after your assigned task is completed, the relationship is over. Once you are ready to take the next step, finding a good VA may seem like a daunting task. With all the different companies and options available, how do you know what will work for you? Finding a VA or VA provider that specializes in your industry is a great way to kick start the hunting process. Myoutdesk.com for example specializes in providing Virtual assistants for Real Estate professionals. We employ a unique process that gives each Virtual Professional (click here to find out how it works) and client a solid support system; here is a video that describes exactly what we do. We work with you to ensure that your Virtual Professional assimilates into your work environment as smoothly as possible.

It’s kind of like repotting a plant; we provide them with all the basic knowledge or their roots so to speak, to be able to be a valuable member of your team by giving them training using different sources, here is a video about the MyOutdesk Online University, just one of the sources we use to prepare your VA. We then look to you to provide your expertise, (Here’s a great article on How to Teach your VA how to do Things) giving them the necessary elements to thrive in your environment and turn into a solid and valuable member of your team.

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An Industry on the Rise: The Virtual Professional

First introduced into the mass media in the late 1990’s the Virtual Professional or VA has widely become popularized in this new dawn age of technology. In a nutshell, a virtual professional is someone that works from home and completes any given task via the computer and or internet.

The typical virtual professional can have a variety of backgrounds. Skills that are sought for by employers are; administrative and executive assistant, web page design, data entry, office manager, real estate services and transaction coordinators just to name a few.

Virtual assistants can be either self employed and work on their own, or they can work for a virtual professional placement agency. This is an agency in which they work for and the agency will then do the placing for them. One such agency for example, is Myoutdesk.com.

This California based company has taken virtual professional services to another level. Compared to other placement agencies, Myoutdesk.com takes out the frustration, concern and time needed for the employer when choosing the right VA. As always having a large pool of highly qualified virtual professionals ready to be placed, Myoutdesk.com does the hiring, training and monitoring of virtual professionals once they are placed to a business. This smooth process flow lets the employer focus on becoming more efficient, increase their workload and improve their bottom line.

The VA industry is becoming more and more popular these days and is sure to continue that way. There are a variety of reasons why the VA can outshine a regular employee but these are those most commonly stated from employers.

  • level of skill and or education
  • Cheaper than hiring a regular employee
  • No need to provide office space
  • Communication and accountability are instant

In addition, this is a two way street. Not only is the employer content but the virtual professional also comes out ahead as well. These are some reasons most commonly stated by virtual professionals of why this is a great new industry to work in.

  • Work from home
  • Higher pay
  • Challenging
  • Able to spend time with family
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