Is HireTalent.ph Legit & Worth It?

HireTalent is a fairly new job board site, which means it begs a few questions. Is it actually good to use? Is it worth the money? We’ll answer all that, and more, in this article.

John Angelo Yap

Updated December 13, 2024

A desktop showing HireTalent, generated by Midjourney

A desktop showing HireTalent, generated by Midjourney

Reading Time: 9 minutes

Looking to hire Filipino talent but can't decide if HireTalent.ph is worth the investment? Trust me, I've been there. After diving deep into every Filipino hiring platform I could find (and believe me, there are a lot), I've got some thoughts about this new player in the game.

Here's the thing about HireTalent: they’ve got some lofty promises, especially when it comes to the quality of talents they have. But as we all know, promises don’t mean squat if they don’t deliver. So, what's the real deal?

Let me break it down for you — and I promise, by the end of this article, you'll know exactly whether HireTalent deserves your time and money.

What is HireTalent?

You know how sometimes a new player enters the game and everyone's like, "Oh great, another one"? In the Filipino outsourcing space, we already have OnlineJobs.ph, VirtualStaff.ph, and about a million other platforms — did we really need another one?

Well, turns out, maybe we did.

HireTalent isn't trying to reinvent the wheel here. They’re still a job board platform for Filipino virtual talents. The only difference is that they're just looking at everything that's been frustrating about hiring Filipino virtual workers and saying, "Hey, what if we actually fixed this?"

That’s why HireTalent is taking a different approach: quality over quantity. And let me tell you — that's refreshing in a space where quantity has been king for way too long.

Why Hire From The Philippines?

If you’re new to outsourcing work to the Philippines, you might be wondering why it’s better to hire Filipino virtual workers than someone from where you are. 

A Filipino securing his first online work visualized

There's a reason why companies from Silicon Valley startups to Fortune 500 giants are turning to Filipino talent. It's not just about the cost savings (though let's be real, that's a nice bonus). It's about getting access to a workforce that brings something special to the table, like:

  • Access to native-level English speakers.
  • Employees who understand Western culture. 
  • A time zone that can work with most Western countries.
  • A strong work ethic.

How Does HireTalent Work?

Alright, now that we've covered the why, let's dive into the how. HireTalent has basically taken everything frustrating about hiring platforms and said, "What if we fixed all of this?"

Let's break it down for both sides of the equation.

For Employers

  1. Clarify what you need first. I know it sounds basic, but you'd be surprised how many people skip this step. Write down your tasks, required skills, work hours, software requirements — basically everything you expect from your future hire. Trust me, this saves a ton of headaches later.
  2. Use HireTalent's search features. This platform actually has pretty robust filtering options. You can search by skills, experience, and even filter for those fancy purple-badge vetted talents. Take your time reviewing profiles here — the platform's designed to make this part easy.
  3. Create your job post. Here's where you'll detail everything you wrote down in step one. Lay out those responsibilities, qualifications, and expectations clearly. Pro tip: be specific about your communication preferences and working hours. The more detailed you are here, the better candidates you'll attract.
  4. Review those applications as they come in. Pay attention to how they communicate and how thoroughly they address your requirements. The platform limits applications to 5 per day per talent, so you're likely getting people who actually want your job, not just mass applicants.
  5. Interview and test your shortlist. HireTalent has this neat feature where you can assign trial tasks right in the platform. Here's a pro tip that most employers miss: offer to pay for these trial tasks. Yes, it costs a bit extra, but it shows you're serious and helps attract better talent.
  6. Make your choice and start onboarding. Once you've found your perfect match, make the offer and start setting up those systems. Establish your communication channels, schedule regular check-ins, and make sure everyone's on the same page about expectations.

For Talents

To register as a talent, you need to complete a profile that consists of your personal information, experience, education, portfolio, skills, and more.

Once done, you’ll have to wait for HireTalent to inform you that your profile’s verified. A purple badge will appear next to your name when there’s no discrepancy in your account. 

From here, you have two choices: wait for an employer to contact you or apply. You can only do so for 5 jobs a day, which is kind of a drag, but it helps lessen spam applications for employers.

Can You Trust HireTalent? (How HireTalent Vets)

Let's talk trust, because this is where HireTalent really separates itself from the pack.

Their verification process is no joke. When they say they verify someone, they mean it. We're talking about a multi-step process that includes:

  • NBI clearance checks.
  • School verification.
  • Employment verification.
  • Skill assessments.
  • Personality assessments.
  • Internet speed tests.

But here's what really sets them apart: real humans are doing these checks. It's not just an algorithm scanning documents or a bot checking boxes. There are actual people verifying that you are who you say you are.

Think about what this means for a second. When you're hiring through HireTalent, you're not just hoping that person's resume is accurate — you know it is. Someone has already done the heavy lifting of verification for you.

How Much is HireTalent?

Alright, let's talk numbers. I promise to keep it real with you — HireTalent isn't the cheapest option out there. Their plans break down like this:

Features

Single Job Post

Employer

Enterprise

Price Per Month

$48

$88

Custom

Talent Bookmarks

15

250

1,000

Talent Ratings

Job Posts

1

2 per month

20 per month

Talent Contact

Talents only

30 per day

100 per day

Talent History

x

Coming soon.

SmartTalent Score

x

x

Coming soon.

Analytics

x

x

Coming soon.

Priority Job Listings

x

x

Coming soon.

Is HireTalent Worth The Price?

It depends on what you value most.

If you're looking for the absolute cheapest way to hire Filipino talent (which you shouldn’t be anyway, we’ll get back to this later) then no, HireTalent probably isn't for you. There are plenty of platforms out there where you can post jobs for free or next to nothing.

But if you're tired of the endless cycle of posting jobs and hoping for the best, spending hours verifying candidates yourself, dealing with no-shows, worrying about whether your new hire is actually qualified — then yes, HireTalent is worth every penny.

Think of it this way: you're not just paying for a job board. You're paying for:

  • Pre-vetted candidates
  • Time saved on screening
  • Peace of mind

And not to mention, getting cheaper alternatives will expose you to…

The Hidden Costs of Cheap Services

This is something nobody talks about enough. Everyone's so focused on platform fees and hourly rates that they forget about the real costs of hiring cheap.

Let me paint you a picture. You go with a cheaper platform, post your job, and start interviewing. You spend hours sorting through applications, checking references, and conducting interviews. Finally, you hire someone. Three weeks later, they ghost you. Or worse, you find out they lied about their experience.

Now you're back to square one, but you've lost more than just the platform fee. You've lost:

  • Time spent screening and interviewing
  • Resources spent on onboarding
  • Momentum on your projects
  • Maybe even some client trust

This is why HireTalent's pricing structure starts making a lot more sense when you look at the bigger picture.

HireTalent Alternatives

Let's look at your other options, because it's important to know what else is out there.

OnlineJobs.ph

Ah, OnlineJobs.ph — the platform most Filipino freelancers and VAs start with. With over 3 million profiles, they're definitely the biggest player in the game. They've been around since 2009, and they've helped countless businesses hire Filipino talent.

They’re virtually almost the same as HireTalent, and when you avail their services, you also get years of experience in this field.

So, Why Not OnlineJobs.ph?

Look, OnlineJobs.ph isn't bad — they literally kept this industry going. But they're starting to show their age:

  • Their verification system is basically "upload an ID and you're good."
  • The platform feels like it hasn't been updated since 2010.
  • There are increasing reports of job listing scams and fake profiles.
  • The quality of applications has been declining.

But here's the thing: if you need access to the largest possible talent pool and you're willing to do your own thorough vetting, OnlineJobs.ph might still be your best bet.

Upwork

The global freelancing giant. Everyone knows Upwork, and yes, you can find Filipino talent there too. It lets clients post projects and freelancers to bid, with options for hourly or fixed-price contracts. Upwork also offers tools for communication, time tracking, and secure payment handling — which is a huge win for everyone who prefers a centralized platform.

So, Why Not Upwork?

Upwork is great, amazing even, for certain things. But when it comes to hiring long-term Filipino talent specifically, it falls short:

  • You're competing with global rates.
  • The platform fees eat into everyone's earnings.
  • Long-term hiring isn't their focus.
  • There's no understanding of Filipino work culture.

Plus, let's talk about those fees again: 10%? That's huge, especially for Filipino talents. And while it does go down over time, it's still a significant chunk of change.

In A Nutshell

Asking for the perfect job board platform for Filipino virtual workers is just asking to be lied to. People will always have an opinion, but there isn’t any perfect platform.

HireTalent is still growing, their talent pool isn't massive, and yes, they're more expensive than some alternatives. But they're doing something different in an industry that desperately needed a shake-up.

They're not just another platform trying to connect employers with Filipino talent. They're actually solving problems that both sides have been dealing with for years. The verification that actually means something. The focus on quality over quantity. Exciting features that will be implemented in the future. These are solutions to real problems.

Are they worth it? If you value your time and peace of mind, and you're looking for quality Filipino talent for the long term — then yes, absolutely. 

Give them a shot. Your future self might thank you for it.

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Written by John Angelo Yap

Hi, I'm Angelo. I'm currently an undergraduate student studying Software Engineering. Now, you might be wondering, what is a computer science student doing writing for Gold Penguin? I took up studying computer science because it was practical and because I was good at it. But, if I had the chance, I'd be writing for a career. Building worlds and adjectivizing nouns for no other reason other than they sound good. And that's why I'm here.

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