Jobs in the Philippines

Finding Jobs in the Philippines

Before you get started, as with all other positions in your home country, you should make a list of things you want and need from a job in your country of choice. Here are some things to consider (and research, where necessary):

Salary: Above all else, looking for a new job requires looking at the salary that comes with it. You may not be looking for a raise and you may even be willing to take a pay cut, but you have to make sure you can comfortably live on what you'll make.

Cost of Living: The cost of living in the Philippines will most likely not be exactly the same as what you're used to. To effectively compare your current salary with your potential salary in the Philippines, you'll need to know the cost of living there. Here are a few sites to inspect to get that information so you can plan ahead:

• Living Philippines blog
• Tagimoucia.org

Location: All areas are not created equal. If you can find natives from the Philippines online, contact them to see where the good spots to live, work, and play are. Visit World Travels for more information. Know where to be on guard against kidnappers, terrorism, and petty crimes against foreigners.

You can look for jobs to apply for in the Philippines by going to these sites:

• BestJobs.ph: This is a user-friendly job search site that allows you to browse through listings, search specific employers, post your resume, and get job update information via email. You can also search based on job category and location.
• JobsStreet.com: Like some of the big job search engines, this one allows you to post a resume for employers to find you while you work to find them. You can search by specialization or location and also receive email notifications with jobs you may be interested in.
• PhilippineJobs.ph: You can search for a job based on the location you choose.
• YeHey: This site is another good Philippines-based resource that allows you to browse by position and post your resume. Click the tabs at the top to investigate things about the Philippines aside from jobs; check out the news, finance, sports, entertainment, and more.

What You Need to Know

If you've never spent much time in the Philippines, you'll need to know a few things:

• English is widely spoken, especially in business.
• Tipping is expected for most services. Ten percent is the usual amount.
• Email and phone communication are not the methods of choice when it comes to conducting business. The more you can communicate face-to-face, the better you will do. Keep this in mind if your idea is to launch a business there. To keep with the norm, you'll be expected to wear "dressy" attire, so skip the polo and khakis idea. Also expect to work an 8-to-5 workday.
• To get permission to work in the Philippines, you'll need a working visa. That will require a deposit from you. The other alternative is to marry a citizen of the country.
• According to Working in the Philippines, it's a good thing that the cost of living is so low—you will be lucky to make $1,000-$2,000 a month. You could make more if you find company sponsored employment, which would give you more comfort and flexibility.

A Warning

Always, always, always do your homework. Research as much as you possibly can to make sure a company is legitimate before giving out any personal information or packing your things to fly over for an interview. Be very cautious about the time and effort you spend looking for a job in the Philippines. That word of caution goes for all jobs in all countries, not just jobs in the Philippines.