OFW Speak

The very reason why we, online workers from the Philippines work is to get paid, correct? That's a given obvious. As much as we want to earn makes our very own ego gripping us down holding us back from getting paid well.

The common mind set of Filipinos is: "I should quote a lower service fee to beat competition and enticing for the employer".

Mind you this, if you think you are that smart having that mindset or tactic in quoting and negotiating your service fee, well you are not.

Employers or outsourcers does not have a single-phased criteria in selecting their candidates for the job, and being 'dirt cheap' will help you close to nothing.

I quote my service fee based on the general average Filipino pay. Basically an entry level white collar job would normally range between 12,000Php to 15,000Php. Quote something in between.

If you think you need experience and training, you should be considerate enough to quote your fee somewhere below the spectrum.

And if you think you are that well-trained and expert enough, then quote higher than that.

Do not forget to reason things out why you have such quotation for your service fee.

I am not so thrilled with the categorical service fee rate scheme going on. I mean, for examples, entry level writers are paid 'dirt cheap' price-of-peanuts rate while programmers or coders are rated with over-the-top.

I mean seriously? What if I am a programmer and I am the worst programmer to record, should I deserve to get paid with such pay according to what's currently trending?

Say I am a writer, inexperienced online, yet have written lenthy white papers and have proven myself with perfect grammar and writing cognition, should I also deserve to get a rate of way below average pay? No way!

I think we should aside what's trending and start evaluating what the worker's worth according to his or her ability and skills.