Our company recently changed our HMO from Maxicare to Intellicare.

The thing is, I never really got to use my Maxicare before the switch . so I honestly have no idea if this is an upgrade or downgrade for us.

I'm more concerned about the actual experience when you need it. Kamusta yung LOA approvals, checkups/labs, accredited hospitals and doctors, ER, and hospitalization with Intellicare?

For anyone who has experienced both Maxicare and Intellicare, which one was better for you? May noticeable difference ba?

Would really appreciate hearing your experiences, especially yung mga nakagamit na talaga ng both.

after a month of applying, sending messages, getting ignored, getting rejected, and wondering if i was even good enough to get hired as a newbie VA… it finally happened: i landed my first direct client. 😭

no agency, no formal training, and no one walking me through the process. Just trial and error, Google, YouTube, and a lot of figuring things out as I went. 😂

When I saw the offer letter after all those applications, it felt SO unreal. I literally thought, “Wait… someone actually chose me?” 😭

I know one client might not sound like a huge achievement to everyone, but it means so much to me. This is something I really wanted, and I’m genuinely proud of myself for continuing even when I felt discouraged and unsure.

first client secured. 🥹🤍

To every beginner VA still applying, learning, and waiting for that first yes: please don’t give up. Your first opportunity may take time, but every application is helping you get closer. Keep showing up—you might be closer than you think.

I'm a video editor and SMM. I have a client na from website, content, video scripts, blogs, graphic posts basta gawa nya, lahat galing AI may course pa na worth $x,xxx made with AI na kaya isearch pero binebenta nya nang ganun kamahal at the same time magtataka sya walang nabili. Yung thumbnail ng videos na ineedit ko gusto nya gawin sa AI pati vids gusto nya i-AI. Binigyan ko sya sample ng AI videos na gusto niya, mas mahal pa yung nagastos nya sa credits kaysa sa hours worked ko hahaha. Yung ideas namin, inisnob niya at i-a-ask niya sa AI, then ayun gusto niya i-execute which is ang pangit at hindi nagwowork for the brand.

Sumasakit na ang ulo namin ng assistant niya kasi lahat AI, pati replies niya sa council, investors, clients, pati replies niya sa mga anak niya, ina-AI niya, parang nawalan na totally ng connection sa tao. At the same time ginagawa nyang therapist yung AI.

May time pa yung reply nya sa email ng investor may nakalagay pa sa dulo ng "do you want to make this more professional?"

As time goes by, nakikita ko nauutal na sya and di na sya makaform ng thought na every single thing iaask nya sa AI kahit search ng direction at ano meaning nung word. Yung sinabi nya sakin an hour ago na tasks, maya maya makakalimutan nya na pinagawa nya pala yun then sasabihin nya di nya raw pala kailangan gagawin na lang daw nya sa AI, ipapatigil nya bigla ginagawa ko jusmiyo.

Hindi ko na alam gagawin ko sa taong to.

Hi guys! Paadvice nman, this is the first time na naka encounter ako ng UK client and di ako familiar sa pay policies nila.
This client reached out to me dahil nirefer ako ng inapplyan ko sa upwork. May domain nman yung email nya, address and company link were included sa mga emails nya.
Legit nman.
Tlga bang once a month lang sila magpasweldo?
Open ba sila for biweekly or weekly payment?
Any advice will be appreciated.
Pls pls badly need your insights po.
Thank you!

Any former graphic designers who switched careers? In what industry are you in now? How was your transition?

I am a graphic designer and slowly realizing that its not for me anymore. I might have been lucky to be in this profession for more than a decade but I am losing the spark, maybe because of Ai. I never consider myself a good designer to be honest. And my portfolio does not translate the stuff I really want to create. I have a very basic skillset so I tried to learn ui and motion design but my AdHd gets in my way. I have been unemployed for more than a year now and it’s quite depressing.

Anyone can do what I can do with canva and even more with AI(eventually it will be good). I did not adapt on time and suffering the consequences now.

I would like here some of stories of former designers who succeeded in a different path. Looking for some inspiration or just a bit of hope. Thank you!

Noong college ako, turnitin ang meron. so pang detect ng plagiarism. Ngayon ang tatalino na din ng AI detectors, kanya-kanyang anggulo na lang para mautakan mo sila. May lumapit sa akin na client, nagpapa rewrite ng paper nya kasi daw nadetect na AI. So binasa ko, true enough tunog AI (I've been using AI as a tool for almost 2 years now so nakita ko na evolution ng pagsusulat ng AI lol). Sabi ko paano nalaman ng prof nya, gumamit daw ng Checked4AI. Apparently google doc version replay siya. It shows you the bulk pastes sa document mo, shows you a video on how the document was typed, saang part nag paste, may "natural" score pa. Whaaaat. So I tried it, and it's kinda smart. I think gumagamit din ito ng AI tech. nakita nya sa document na recent kong ginawa for a client na nagrequest ng AI work kung san bulk paste, gaano ako kabilis magttype etc. Though 70% ng work na yun ako nagsulat, ang baba pa rin gn natural typing score ko.

AI outsmarting AI. AI is really a tool. Battle of the innovators na lang kung papano nila tatalunin tool ng isa't isa gamit AI.

I just finished the Doneverse training program and honestly, I feel like I wasted almost two months.

I was part of Cohort 27, and we were just informed that the training period ended because they couldn't match us with a Founder due to availability. Apparently, not a single person from our cohort got matched, while I've seen later cohorts getting Founder opportunities.

The frustrating part is that the training was unpaid, but we were expected to use our own personal computers, electricity, internet, and even personal Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Canva subscriptions for some of the projects. We also had to install different tools on our personal PCs, which made my computer lag like crazy during those two months.

Then after graduation, we were still asked to take additional courses for a badge. Like... what's the point if we're not even getting matched with a Founder? 😭

The LDA checking was also frustrating. There were times when I followed the instructions but still got marked down. And when you ask some trainers for clarification, instead of actually clarifying the question, they sometimes ask you the same question back. Like, girl, I'm asking because I DON'T KNOW. 😂

What's even more ironic is that during the program, we were encouraged/pressured to leave reviews on one of their platforms. So now that the program is over, I want to share my actual experience instead of pretending everything was great.

I'm genuinely curious if anyone else from Cohort 27 experienced the same thing, especially regarding the Founder matching. Did anyone from our cohort actually get matched?

For those considering joining Doneverse, I'd seriously suggest asking how many Founders are actually available before committing two months of unpaid training and your own resources.

SAKIT SA MATA nung fee ni Payoneer, tapos ang laki pa ng kaltas nila sa conversion. HAHA may secret method ba kayo para mas mapalaki yung maconvert into PHP?

Tried suggesting Wise and even crypto transactions sa client ko, kaso ayaw e HAHAHA

I’ve been using Wise for years pero ask ko lang if may nakatry na nito? Is it better than wise? Para makabuild din sana ng relationship with a bank kaya nung nabasa ko i got curious

thanks

Gusto ko sana magtry sa upwork, pero hindi ko alam paano makahanap ng clients that is good and reliable. And i know that need ng points para maka apply. Just gonna ask if its worth it to buy the subscription. Thanks sa mga magcocomment.

hi guys! would you know kung gaano katagal ung wire transfer from US to PH? usually kasi pag sahod namin automatic na siya pumapasok. ngayon ata sabi ng boss ko ay 3-4 days ung processing time. HAHA crie crie but ayun, nangyari naba to ever sainyo? first time ko lang kasee ever since last year mabilis ung bayad from US to PH. tyty!!!

Preferably around 20k plus salary to earn experience but if it does get increase like for around twenty five thousand plus or higher, then I will decide to stay

Kanina pa kami hindi maka upload, hindi ko sure kung sa amin lang. Nakaka pag scroll naman kami at nakikita yung analytics. Yung pag upload lang talaga ang hindi gumagana.

Hi everyone,
I’m currently unemployed and trying to upskill so I can become more employable and transition away from phone-based customer service.

I have around 3 years of experience in frontline customer service, primarily handling high-volume phone calls. While I don’t want to continue doing phone-based work, I do have a strong performance record — I’ve been a top performer and consistently met or exceeded KPIs for most months.

I’m also an undergraduate, so I realize that may limit some opportunities. I’m not necessarily looking for freelancing specifically; my main goal right now is simply to become hireable for roles outside of phone-based customer service.

I’ve started creating my LinkedIn and accounts on platforms such as OnlineJobs.ph, RemoteWork, and BruntWork. I’m currently exploring Operations Associate / Operations Assistant roles and similar positions.
One area I’m currently focusing on is Excel. I’m learning things like:

-VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP
-Pivot Tables
-SUMIFS/COUNTIFS
-Conditional Formatting
-Basic charts and dashboards
-Creating reports from raw data

The reason I’m focusing on Excel is that I feel being able to turn raw data into useful reports could give me a path into operations or administrative roles.

1. Will learning Excel significantly improve my chances of getting hired for non-phone roles?

2. What could I put in a portfolio to demonstrate these skills?

For example, would creating sample reports, KPI dashboards, or Excel projects using fictional data actually help when applying for jobs?

3. What roles would be realistic transition targets for someone with 3 years of phone-based customer service experience + basic/intermediate Excel skills?

I’m currently considering roles such as:
-Operations Associate
-Operations Assistant
-Reporting/Reporting Analyst (entry-level)
-Administrative Assistant
-Data/Operations Coordinator
-CRM-related roles
-Project Coordinator

But I’m not sure which ones are actually realistic given my background and lack of a completed degree.
My priority is getting out of phone-based work as soon as reasonably possible, while building skills that can eventually lead to better opportunities.
I’d also appreciate any advice on:

-Skills I should prioritize
-Certifications that are actually worth doing
-Roles I should avoid or target
-How to position my customer service experience on my CV/LinkedIn
-Anything you wish you knew when making a similar career transition

Thanks in advance. I’m looking for an honest reality check, even if the answer is that I’m approaching this the wrong way.

Hi Guys,

This is my first time being a freelancer, I am currently working as a Freelance SAP support consultant.

Since I am a support, I mostly wait for issues/ tickets or queries from users to come up. There are idle times where there are no issues.

My question is do you guys bill these idle hours? Since I am expected to be online at a fixed 8 hours supporting the users.

Thank you!

I sent my maribank acct number and my client sent money, it said on their end that its being processed, i want to ask about ano po mga experience niyo with this?

P.S I tried suggesting Wise pero sabi mas gusto bank to bank..

Now my questions are:

How long did it take bago niyo na receive?

Is it more convenient if ganto nalang every month?

Any other banks you can recommend na mas maganda service?

Wala ako nareceive na notifcation with Maribank so I'm overthinking malala ;(

Hi guys! I had a meeting with my Australian client earlier and gusto niya umalis kami sa agency that we are currently under due to some issues he didn't specifically mention. He is planning na lumipat kami sa ibang agency and also asked me to think about it and do my own research kung anong okay. At the back of my head, I'm wondering hindi ba possible na direct na lang kami, yung hindi na through agency. Like, hindi ba pwede sa kanila na magsend ng payments through Wise? Is it illegal in Australia? I didn't mind asking this to him kasi baka rude or what. Haha lol help me.

I’m currently working remotely for a company where I have a good relationship with my team and a great work environment. I was actually just promoted, which makes this decision harder. I’m considering another fully remote opportunity that offers 20–25% more pay, a daytime schedule, and no weekend work.

Current company Pros: • Good team and work environment • Flexible with leave/time off • I already know the workflow • Recently promoted

Cons: • Night shift • Saturday work • Recently introduced a time tracker • Lower pay

New opportunity Pros: • 20–25% higher salary • Day shift, no weekends • No time tracker • More opportunities to grow in graphic design and marketing • Better aligned with the career direction I want • A daytime schedule would fit better with my long-term plans. I’m hoping to settle down with my partner in a few years and would ideally like us to have compatible schedules and more time with family.

Cons: • Unknown work environment and management • Adjustment to a new company • I’d be leaving shortly after getting promoted

Would you take the new opportunity, assuming I get the offer, or stay because of the good environment and recent promotion? For anyone who has left shortly after getting promoted, did you regret it?

Lowball sya actually but I don’t mind kasi sobrang need ko ng job I’m a single mom😭 she doesnt want a contract. I made a draft for her to review pero ayaw nya pirmahan for documentation of our agreement.

I have seen that this HMO is way better than Maxicare. Please drop here how to maximize my Intellicare HMO. Paano ko masusulit like free PT sa ganto, ganyan. Please share you experience! Thank you.

Hello po! May mga VAs ba dito na under ng agency then inoferran ng client na direct na sa kanila magwork? Pano naging usapan nyo ni client? Much better ba if mag request ng contract from client?

Currently I’m under agency and minamanifest ko na sana maabsorb ako directly ni client para makarequest increase🥺 going 3 years na with her. May mga kapwa kong VAs na nagppost 6 yrs na with same agency pero wala pa rin daw sila increase.

I’ve been with my client since 2020. This year, nag ask ako ng raise + $0.5/hr lang yung willing siyang idagdag. Ive been trying to negotiate pero parang di na siya mag bbudge that’s just 3% increase from my current rate. Nakaka butt hurt since ang tagal ko na nga sa kanila at ako lang employee nila. Business is doing great. Na prove ko din sa kanila yung trajectory. Hay.

Hello po, legitimate po ba yung EMAPTA at VALUE Virtual Assistant na company/agency?
If oo, ano po exps. working there?
Mejo naiinip na kase ako sa 'pooling' ng Emapta.
Tapos itong sa Value Virtual Assistant ng BRight Co., Ltd. naman, di ko sure if okay don, wala na akong nakuhang update from them after completing the requirements.

Any other agency na pwede applyan, mabilis ang process, at mataas ang rate for client landing? Maraming Salamat po!

I got hired for outsourced work and the rate starts at ₱20,000. I was talking to my mom about it and she laughed at me and told me I got paid better with my $3/hour toxic work, and that I should find a different client because the VA who outsourced it to me might be paid a higher amount and I’m given just a bit of it.

The thing is, I accepted it already and my mindset is that this is just outsourced so I wasn’t expecting 40-50k monthly, and I’m already thankful enough that someone has hired me after a year of seeking for a client that doesn’t pay me ₱5,000/month.

I’m still in the works of talking to the VA who outsourced because we weren’t able to talk about my hours, final rate, workload, etc. since she was busy last night and also because it was already 3 AM and I haven’t slept for almost 24 hours. I plan on keeping this work since it’ll help as this pays more than my current wfh (₱6,000/month 😅 part time) — ₱20,000 can help start off my career.

Just wanted to ask everyone else’s thoughts about this because my mom has been such a Negative Nancy about my life decisions and it’s impacting me.