# 1221 Talent > 1221 Talent is a U.S. company that connects businesses with screened, English-speaking virtual assistants (VAs) in the Philippines. Clients pay 1221 Talent $8 to $15 per hour, depending on the role. A $50 deposit starts interviews and is credited on the first invoice when the client hires (it is not refunded if they don't hire). Founded by Daniel Kirkham. Serves businesses across the United States, including Lake Oswego and the Portland, Oregon metro area. ## Key facts - Price: $8–$15 per hour, paid to 1221 Talent. One invoice from a U.S. company; 1221 Talent pays the VA. - Deposit: $50 to start interviewing. Credited on the first invoice when you hire. Not refunded if you decide not to hire. - Screening: English, work experience, and how that experience fits the specific role. - The client interviews the shortlist over video and chooses who to hire. - Hours: VAs work the client's U.S. business hours (night shift in the Philippines). Full-time or part-time. - After hiring: help training the VA (best practices, tools, recorded processes), help the VA work well with the client, and help finding another VA if the first isn't a fit. - Service area: United States. Local focus: Lake Oswego, Portland, West Linn, Tigard, Tualatin, Beaverton, Hillsboro, Wilsonville, Milwaukie, Oregon City, Happy Valley, Vancouver, WA. - Contact: daniel@1221talent.com, (971) 200-5032. Free consultation: https://1221talent.com/contact-us/ ## Roles - Administrative support: Inbox, calendar, data entry and the follow-ups that keep slipping. Typical tasks: Email management, Scheduling, Data entry, Research, CRM updates, File organization. - Customer service: Friendly, clear English on email, chat and phone during your business hours. Typical tasks: Email and chat support, Phone support, Order follow-up, Help desk tickets. - Marketing & social media: Consistent posting, scheduling and simple reporting across your channels. Typical tasks: Content calendars, Posting and scheduling, Community replies, Email newsletters. - Design & multimedia: Graphics, presentations and short video edits that match your brand. Typical tasks: Social graphics, Slide decks, Marketing materials, Video editing. - Bookkeeping & finance: Bill entry, reconciliations and invoicing kept accurate and up to date. Typical tasks: Bill entry, Bank reconciliation, Invoicing, Expense tracking. - Custom requests: Something more specific? Describe the role and we'll tell you if we can fill it. Typical tasks: Lead generation, E-commerce support, Project coordination. ## How it works 1. Send your job description: Book a free consultation or send us the tasks, hours and tools the role needs. We'll help you write the job description if you don't have one. 2. We match and screen: We check each candidate's English, their work experience, and how that experience fits the role you're hiring for. 3. You interview: A $50 deposit starts interviews. Meet your shortlist over video and ask them anything. 4. Hire and onboard: Pick your VA and agree on their start date and hours. Your $50 comes off your first invoice, and we help you train your VA from day one. ## Pages - [Home](https://1221talent.com/) - [Services: the roles we fill](https://1221talent.com/services/) - [How it works: the hiring process](https://1221talent.com/how-it-works/) - [Pricing: $8–$15 per hour and the $50 deposit](https://1221talent.com/pricing/) - [Virtual assistants for Portland and Lake Oswego businesses](https://1221talent.com/virtual-assistants-portland/) - [About founder Daniel Kirkham](https://1221talent.com/about-us/) - [Frequently asked questions](https://1221talent.com/faqs/) - [Book a free consultation](https://1221talent.com/contact-us/) ## Articles - [How Do I Train My VAs?](https://1221talent.com/va-guides/how-do-i-train-my-vas/): Record your everyday tasks as short screen videos, organize them by process, and let your VA train themselves. The same videos work for every hire after. - [How Do I Know My VA Is Working Their Hours?](https://1221talent.com/va-guides/how-do-i-know-my-va-is-working-their-hours/): Time trackers help, but the better answer is to manage your VA by output. Set the standard you expect, hire for it, and judge the work, not the clock. - [Why Hire a VA in the Philippines?](https://1221talent.com/va-guides/why-hire-a-va-in-the-philippines/): American English, a strong work ethic, loyalty and accountability: the short version of why so many U.S. businesses hire virtual assistants in the Philippines. ## FAQ ### How much does it cost to hire a virtual assistant from the Philippines? Most roles cost $8 to $15 per hour, depending on the skills and experience you need. You pay 1221 Talent for the hours your VA works, and we pay your VA. You'll know your rate before you hire. ### What is the $50 deposit for? The $50 deposit starts the interview stage. When you hire a VA, it's credited on your first invoice. If you decide not to hire, the deposit isn't refunded. ### How do you screen virtual assistants? We check each candidate's English, their work experience, and how that experience applies to the role you're hiring for. Then you interview the shortlist yourself and choose who to hire. ### What if my VA isn't a good fit? Tell us. We'll help you search for another VA. We also help you train your VA and help them work better with you, with best practices and the right tools. ### Why hire a virtual assistant from the Philippines? Filipino VAs speak and write clear American English, have a strong work ethic, and are familiar with U.S. business culture. Many have college degrees and experience in admin, customer service, marketing and bookkeeping. ### What kind of tasks can a VA handle? Data entry, scheduling, email management, customer support, social media, graphic design, bookkeeping and research are the most common. If you can describe the task and train someone remotely, a VA can usually do it. ### What hours will my VA work? Your VA can work your U.S. business hours, which is the night shift in the Philippines. Manila is 15 hours ahead of Pacific time in summer and 16 hours ahead in winter. You agree on the schedule before they start. ### Do you work with businesses outside Portland? Yes. We work with businesses across the United States, including Lake Oswego and the Portland metro area. Consultations happen by phone or video. ### How do I communicate with my VA? Slack, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Google Meet or email all work. Many VAs already use project tools like Trello, Asana and ClickUp. ### How do I know my VA is working the hours they say? Time-tracking tools and shared spreadsheets help, but the best approach is to manage by output: set clear expectations for what gets done each day and week. We can help you set that up. ### What about internet or power outages? Outages can happen occasionally, but most VAs have backup internet and power or use co-working spaces. ### Is there a language or cultural barrier? Very little. English is an official language in the Philippines, and American culture is familiar there.