Work for USA Law Firms Remotely with Job Duck
Job Duck is advertised as an online outsourcing business, job agency and staffing company. In layman’s terms, Job Duck is a fully remote recruitment company that uses outsourcing as a way to secure employment for potential employees and employers. Job Duck matches the appropriate employers to employees.
The company established itself in 2018 as a means for people outside of the USA to find employment. Job Duck acts as the middleman between companies that require outsourcing for certain departments and prospective employees who are skilled and can fulfil the role.
Job Duck provides solely work-from-home opportunities for US-based companies.
Types of Jobs They Hire
Job Duck specialises in hiring Virtual Assistants (VA). Many departments require VAs, and job descriptions vary according to the specific requirements.
A VA is a relatively new career and has gained popularity after COVID-19 forced many businesses to operate remotely. A VA will provide administrative, technical or creative support to businesses. There are all types of sectors that use VAs: legal, marketing, accounting and technological, to name a few.
Some jobs they have hired for include legal assistants, billing assistants, data analysts, executive assistants and marketing assistants. Job Duck always advertises job opportunities online, and for a more exhaustive list, you can visit their website.
Locations they hire from
Job Ducks hiring location list is as follows:
- South Africa
- Brazil
- Argentina
- Columbia
- El Salvador
- Mexico
- Honduras
*Special mention: South Africa often gets thrown into the mix, so keep your eyes peeled.
On the website, it sometimes states directly after the job title where in the world Job Duck is hiring from. For job titles that don’t have a location after, once you click on it, there will be a list. Generally, if there is no location, it is open to any of the countries as mentioned above.
Qualifications & Experience Required
These are specific to the job you apply for.
I compared these job descriptions: graphic designer, data analyst, executive assistant, legal assistant and billing assistant, and these are the similarities I picked up on:
- One year experience in the relevant field
- A bachelor’s degree in relation to the job
- English communication skills
- Good organisational and problem-solving skills
- Excellent written and verbal communication
Aside from having the necessary degree and one year of experience, having an advanced understanding of English is quite essential as you will be working with a US-based, English-speaking company.
Tools & Materials that are required
To be considered a successful candidate for these virtual positions, I would argue that these are some of the non-negotiables:
- Reliable and up-to-date laptop or desktop with a minimum of 8GB RAM
Specifications are as follows: i5 core processor and SSD storage
- A working webcam and microphone ( consider purchasing an external webcam and headset as you will need to have good quality sound and visuals when you have virtual meetings)
- A quiet, dedicated working environment ( when I was reading through the job descriptions, I noted that some required applicants to have a strict working space)
- Stable internet connection (Job Duck has a minimum upload and download speed of 5MBps and 10MBps)
To set yourself up for success, make sure you have these beforehand.
Pros of working for Job Duck
Greatplacetowork.com had this to say about working at Job Duck: “91% of employees at Job Duck say it is a great place to work compared to 57% of employees at a typical U.S.-based company.” That is a stellar review!
Payment schedule:
Not only will you get paid in US dollars, but Job Duck will pay you twice a month! They utilise a platform that will transfer money to, and then you can easily move the funds to your local bank account in your country’s currency.
100% remote/ home-based:
Job Duck operates entirely remotely. You will never have to worry about daily commuting, transportation costs and sitting in rush-hour traffic. To add to that, you get to work from the comfort of your home. Your wardrobe will probably consist of 90% sleepwear, but who’s complaining?
Full-time employment:
The great thing about Job Duck is that all the positions they offer are for full-time employment. This translates to having a steady income and ensuring that you always have a fixed working structure. No need to stress about job instability!
Leave benefits:
Just like any other company, Job Duck offers you paid time off (they believe in a work-life balance) and parental leave (and the necessary support that comes with the territory.)
Cons of Working for Job Duck
Despite the glowing review from greatplacetowork.com, there are always going to be a few negatives. After all, there is no such thing as a perfect company.
Rigorous recruitment process:
I will have the application process outlined below. However, when reading a few reviews from current and past employees, many have noted that the lengthy process can take up to two months. It’s not just the waiting but the content and materials expected of the candidate when applying at Job Duck.
Inconsistent management:
Based on employee reviews from Indeed, I have noted that management is quite temperamental. Some stated that they would be ‘berated’ as management constantly changed objectives. Please be aware that this is a con that is specific to the US company and does not directly involve Job Duck, as they simply serve as the middlemen between employees and employers.
Application Process
As stated on the website, Job Duck’s application process has nine stages.
- Apply now:
Once you visit the website, you click on the ‘apply now’ button.
- Exploration:
You will be taken to all the available job listings that you can browse through.
- Account Creation:
Once you choose the job that you have expertise in, you will click on the ‘apply now’ button, and then you need to create an account when prompted.
- Profile Submitted:
This portion is quite extensive. Upload your resume, a 300 – 500 word essay detailing your most outstanding career achievement and an English proficiency test. Once you have completed that, select ‘submit now’.
- Interview:
If you have been successful, you will move on to the interview stage with a team member from Job Duck. Be sure to prepare beforehand, show up early like you would an in-person interview, and dress appropriately.
- Duck University:
Following a successful interview, you will attend Duck University for training to become a VA. This training is paid and lasts for a week. You will have assessments to complete at the end of the week. The quality of your work submitted determines your acceptance, overall attendance and other factors.
- Sign contract:
Once you have passed, you will receive a certificate of completion. You will have a call with a Job Duck member to discuss any questions you have. Once you sign the contract, Job Duck will pass on your information to the US company for whom you would be a great fit.
- US employer interview:
Once the US company accepts your application, you have another interview. This is a direct interview with the company you will be working with. Job Duck is not involved in this stage.
- Time to celebrate:
If the US company determines that you’re what they need, they will hire you and then proceed to select a start date.
However, if you are not successful, Job Duck will still send out applications on your behalf until you get matched.
Job Duck is very promising. Be sure to adhere to the strict application process, and this could be the start of your remote working career!