Philippine Jobs | PhilFAQS

Monday Morning Philippine Rants — First of Many

July 18, 2010 By Philly 4 Comments

As I have said before, I’m trying to make Mondays a day I devote pretty much to things on my mind and ways to help people succeed in general. These thoughts usually (but not always) have a direct living, retiring or working in the Philippines connection.

One thing that troubles me a lot about the time I put in on this site is I so often answer the question of “how can I earn a living in the Philippines”, and yet I virtually never hear a word from anyone who even gave one of my ideas serious thought … let alone from anyone who tried one and succeeded. I never even here from anyone who tired and failed … failure is an important milestone on the road to success, in case you didn’t know.

“Success is 99 percent failure.”

Soichiro Honda … yes, the founder of that Honda

I do, however, get my share of “hate mail”. Negative thinkers who take the time to tell me why my ideas won’t work, although they don’t put their money where their mouth is and prove anything they say.

One fellow, not long ago, bought a “How to do it” course on making money on the Internet. he then promptly returned it (for full refund, I sell or recommend nothing that isn’t one hundred percent risk free).

His comment to me … “Well, perhaps I should have actually tried the how to course, but I read some comments about it in a forum that were negative, so I decided to return it, because I was sure it wouldn’t work for me.”

Yes, indeed. Perhaps I actually should have tried. Wish I’d said that. Why even take the time to read here if you aren’t going to exposed enough effort to find out if something will work for you? Boggles my mind. You know when people make comments on line about virtually any business or service, there are going to be a large number of tem that are negative. Happy customers rarely make comments. Just check with your local better Business Bureau for example, I’ll bet the volume of negative comments to positive comments about local businesses is ten to one unfavorable.

A good friend of mine is a “real” book author and an online marketer of some note and great success, Frank Rambauskas. Frank just wrote something in a news letter that I thought I should share:

… I get so much hate mail I can’t even keep track! The people who write it, however, apparently don’t realize how encouraging it is to me and how much it drives me on to even greater things.

In a conversation with Robert Kiyosaki, the author of "Rich Dad, Poor Dad," he explained to me that hate mail and other opposition is a sign that I’m actually accomplishing something and helping people to further themselves. A lack of hate mail and opposition would be a red flag that I’m not achieving enough through my efforts, so keep that in mind for when you encounter it in your own life…

Makes good sense to me. And it should to you too, if you are planning to move to the Philippines, planning to start a business for yourself, or any one of a number of “non-conventional” ideas you might be thinking abut trying, and are hesitating because you are afraid of ‘what people will think”.

They don’t matter. Only you do.

So I am not yet as successful as Frank … I don’t get more hate mail than I can keep track of … but I’m trying. Keep those cards and letters pouring in folks ..

And for those of you who keep insisting you want a job instead of a business of your own, I have something of interest for you today. Learn how you, too, can work at home, legitimately!

So is this legit? Yep. If you do what they teach you, you will earn money. If for some reason you don’t, you get 100% of your money back, no questions asked. Can anyone do it? Yep. You need no special technical skills and you can do it from anywhere there is an Internet connection.

Does PhilFAQS recommend it? Well, yes and no. Here’s my issue. I think there are ways to make money, much larger money, that are not trading hours for pay ..but … and it’s an important but, many of my audience does not want their own business, they want something more like a conventional, punch the clock job … and that is what this is, except you set the hours, you decide who to work for and you put in as many or as few hours as you chose to. In that respect it certainly sounds pretty interesting to me.

But please do me a favor? While it is true that if you click and then sign up for this program, I make a small commission .. I do NOT want you to click unless you are going to give the program a chance to work for you.

If you click the button and then let the training sit on your hard drive and fail to take action, it will be a worthless exercise for all of us.

So Do Not Do It (click the link that is) unless you promise that you are going to Do It, work the program … fair enough?

Popularity: 7% [?]

Filed Under: Philippine Jobs Tagged With: work online, work Philippines

What If I Told You That Thousands of New Jobs Were Coming? In the US and Overseas as Well?

July 14, 2010 By Philly Leave a Comment

All we seem to hear these days, especially in US news is talk of unemployment, more unemployment, under employment and then, yet again, more unemployment. I suspect many of the searches I get here regarding jobs in the Philippines for Americans are motivated at least as much by the bad employment outlook in the US as by the folks actually interested in moving here to the Philippines.

What is I told you, though, that one of the world’s largest employers, one of the best in terms of pay, benefits, retirement and promotion opportunity, is hiring. Big time.

I’d be telling you the truth. After years of trying to balance the budget by decimating the Federal work force, the US is now on a massive hiring spree.

At least 150,000 jobs, plus the vacancies caused by attrition in the coming year … up to as many as 1.5 million new Federal jobs are being opened up for hiring. Although there are only a few US federal jobs in the Philippines, there are federal jobs all over the globe, as well as the USA.

Who has the best chance of getting one of these jobs? Easy. The person who prepares.

About 90% of the folks I deal with looking for a job are hopeless cases, because they don’t even care enough about themselves to have a decent resume and haven’t taken the time to sit down and catalog their skills and figure out how to present themselves.

And those who might be looking for a Federal job (hint, retired US serviceman have preference for most of these jobs, which a significant portion of my audience here.) have to do the resume thing also. Telling a prospective employer you were the NCOIC of some military alphabet soup office, or the major in charge of testing prep school academy applicants on Podunk Air Force base means absolutely nothing to most employers, even in other Federal agencies.

But if you know what the Federal government is looking for (hint two, if you don’t know what your KSA’s are, better get with the program), then you have an excellent chance.

The vast majority of these jobs are going to require a US Security Clearance as well … you’ve heard me mention this before also. having a security clearance already is a tremendous asset IF you know the right way to document it.

So, today, as a public service, I’m reprinting some information about a guide I believe would be well worth a small investment on your part. (About $12 USD)

(Note; this is not an offer from me, I am not selling this guide and I make no commission or other consideration … merely presenting this as a possible help for those who would like to pull themselves up out of the jobless mire .. the publisher of this guide knows what they are talking about. In all cases though, YMMV).

———————————

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Our Federal Workforce will be increased by at least 153,000
to 1.43 million people, in fiscal 2010!

In today’s challenging job market, Federal
Employee positions are one of the few markets
that are hiring. You must make sure you know
how to properly prepare your federal resume…
even if you are already a federal employee and
are applying for a transfer or new positions.
Please read this important information.
Sincerely,
FEDweek

Your Security Clearances on Your Federal Resume are Critical

How to Prepare Your Federal Resume Properly
How to List Your Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs)
and Your Security Clearances on Your Federal Resume is Critical
The Complete Guide to Writing a Federal Resume–
Available for Immediate Shipment

Go to http://www.fedweek.com/pubs/index.php
From the Publishers of FEDweek, the federal government’s
largest information resource…

We are proud to announce the launch of The Complete Guide
to Writing a Federal Resume. This book was written
specifically for you and is designed to help you meet the
requirements for written materials in seeking a new federal
job or advancement within the federal government. There is
no longer a single, required method of applying for federal
employment. In fact, most federal agencies are moving
toward the resume (either paper or electronic) as the
preferred method of applying for jobs.

That’s why we’ve published The Complete Guide to
Writing a Federal Resume and all current federal employees,
retirees, military members and private sector professionals
who are looking for a federal job need this all-inclusive guide.
Note to Military Members:

Many of the federal job openings at this time require security
clearances. As a military member, a large percentage of you have
the security clearance and the qualifications needed to fill
these positions. This all-new guide will show you how to compose
your resume to accentuate your strengths and experiences.

Here’s a partial list of the table of contents:

Finding a Federal Job
Should I Apply Using a Resume or an Application Form?
The Federal Resume
Preparing to Draft Your Resume
What to Cover (and not cover) in a Resume
The Designing of Your Federal Resume
Your Accomplishments (including a worksheet)
What if You Use an OF-612?
Knowledges, Skills and Abilities (KSAs)
Cover Letters and Thank You Letters
Interactive Worksheets
The Do’s and Don’t's for Federal Resume Cover Letters
Contains Many Sample Federal Resumes and Cover Letters
And Much More!

This Book is a "Must Have" For:
1. All federal employees
2. Military personnel interested in civil service careers
3. Federal managers and supervisors
4. Human resources professionals and federal libraries
5. Military retirees beginning their second career with the
federal government
6. All private sector workers that wish to apply for federal
government positions.

Simply put, designing and writing your resume is not an
easy task. You must highlight your accomplishments,
qualifications, experience, etc. all while keeping it
brief and easy to follow. The Complete Guide to Writing
a Federal Resume will show you how to do this. It also
gives a complete list of "result and action" words to use
in your cover letter and resume as well as a list a
frequently misspelled or misused words or phrases.
"In today’s competitive job market, especially the federal
job market, this new interactive resume book is a must
have and is guaranteed to help you, whether you are
writing a new resume from scratch, making minor changes
depending on the position you are applying for or just
fine tuning and error checking it."
Don Mace, Publisher <
br />FEDweek http://www.fedweek.com/pubs/index.php

Popularity: 1% [?]

Filed Under: Philippine Jobs Tagged With: Jobs for Americnas Philippines

Recent Queries That People Used To Find PhilFAQS — Frequently Asked Philippine Questions

July 8, 2010 By Philly Leave a Comment

How much is gas in the Philippines? As of 7 July 2010 in northern Metro Manila .. Diesel, 34.5 Pesos per Liter and regular Unleaded for 42 Pesos per liter. Saw those prices at at least five gas stations I passed yesterday. OK, wow, Pesos per Liter,. What does that mean in “real” prices.

Well actually, those are real prices. I am always amazed by the number of people who contact me with questions … often real, meaningful questions, about living here or moving here, yet they have not even made the most trivial attempt to understand things by learning what a liter or a meter or a hectare or a kilometer are. You aren’t in Kansas any more, fellow Americans … learn the basics of the Metric system. please. (I can address this rant only to fellow Americns, because the USA id virtually the only “first world” country who refuses to use the far superior Metric system.) Hmm, and all the jobs are flowing to countries that do? You don’t suppose there can be any connection there, do you?

Anyway, back to the motor fuel question: Diesel: P34.x x 3.785 liters per gallon = P 130.58 per gallon or $2.80 USD at today’s rate of 46.5. Regular unleaded? P42 x 3,785 = P159 pesos per liter, or about $3.42USD per gallon.

Of course ‘gas” might also mean cooking gas, which nearly everyone uses for cooking here .. typically LPG or CNG. That currently runs about P700 for an 11 kilogram bottle (the same bottle you are used to on BBQ grills in the US), delivered. Works out to about $15 USD, we use about 4 bottles a year here at Blog Central Bulacan, with a larger or smaller family, YMMV.

Number of gasoline stations in Philippines? Wow. Don’t know where to get this info. I can tell you one thing, it is a very, very large number. Unlike the US, almost all of them are actually what we used to call “service stations”. They pump your gas, wash you windshield, air up your tires, provide restrooms, repair tires, replace wiper blades, etc.. Those of you under 40 years old or so likely have no idea what I’m talking about ;_0

Car wash services and price list Philippines? There’s a car wash on every other corner, it seems, and at all the major malls there are roving car was boys with a tank on wheels and a soapy water bucket who will wash your car while you shop. I always go to a local fellow a few blocks from me who has a three-car facility tacked on to the end of his house. Car wash, foam and hand wiping on the outside, complete inside vacuum, take out the floor mats and scrub them and last step, make the tires black .. P70 or P80 or P90 depending on the size of the car or van. This seems a pretty common price. They will wax the car, by hand, with US-brand wax after a wash for the same price … in other words inside and out complete was and hand wax, P160 or about $3.45 USD. Prices in the shopping malls and such can be ludicrous, I never use them.

SCTEX rate? The Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx) is a 94-kilometer four-lane expressway north of Manila, in the Philippines. This is actually a kind of funny query I get all the time, based(sadly) ion the fact that the people who probably charged the operators of this toll roads and others a fortune for their pretty web sites, but they neglected the most simplistic rules for getting stuff indexed with Google. I find I am as high as number 5 on the first page of Google for this query from time to time. I don’t have a table of the tolls between individual exits. From Dau, (Angeles City) where I usually enter to Tipo, the southern end that serves Subic, the toll is P112. From Dau to Tarlac, the current northern end, the toll is P69. From Tipo to Tarlac, it is P181. Happy motoring.

Jobs in Philippines for foreigners? One of my perennial favorites, I probably get found for this query five times more than any other. My answer is, as it has been for years, you don’t want a job here. But if you read my posts by category, or search my site by keyword, you’ll find a lot of articles here, including pointers to web sites in the Philippines that do list jobs for foreigners … for those who have a stubborn streak and don’t want to take expert advice.

Anyway, another fun day with Google, hope yours has been half as much fun as mine has.

Popularity: 2% [?]

Filed Under: Philippine Jobs Tagged With: Jobs Philippines, Live in the Philippines, Living in the Philippines, retire in the Philippines

Work With Your Mind, Not Your Back

June 18, 2010 By Philly 12 Comments

The title of this article comes partially from a conversation I’m currently having with a reader who asked for some Living in the Philippines answers.

Among other issues and background information this fellow opened up to me about was the fact that he had no job, because he had injured his back. He also made the almost off-handed comment that getting paid disability payments for a bad back is difficult.

Well, I’m not trying to insult him, or anyone else out there with a bad back, but dammit it is supposed to be difficult to get disability for a bad back … and why should having a bad back make it impossible to earn a gainful living?

For 10 years or more now I have fielded lots of comments and questions expressing people’s difficulties, fears and the obstacles they see in coming to the Philippines (I almost never hear from the successful ones, they just do it), mainly I hear from the ones “on the cusp” who are looking for someone else to influence them, good or bad.

Anyway. it amazed me recently just how many Americans have written me over the past 10 years or so and brought up the problem of a bad back. Thinking back, it’s really amazing to me. We, as a country, must have totally lost our backbone, so to speak. I think rather than an obesity epidemic we have a weak back epidemic … doctors out there, are you listening?

Well my main point here is, what I said earlier about disabilities, bad backs and working.

If you have a bad back, chronic pain, afflictions like that, you have my condolences. I don’t like pain, and I imagine very few people reading this do.

But over the years I have found out quite a few things about pain, and one thing I have found out is, building and rearranging your life around it seldom makes the pain any better. A great many people live with chronic pain by focusing on what they can do and ignoring what they can’t.

You should, if you’re a regular reader here, realize where this is going . Today’s post is a participatory exercise. First, go here:

http://philfaqs.com/editorials/phils-editorals/why-were-broke-and-how-to-fix-it/

I’m not going to write the same message over and over. If your problem in life is that you don’t have a job, and in particular you can’t move to the Philippines because of not having a job, then read the article I just linked to. You don’t need a job, and as a matter of fact, this new … it certainly wasn’t our American way back in my father’s time … habit of being who our jobs are or are not, rather than who we are and is depressing and wrong. You don’t need a job!

Second, go hear and have a read for meaning. Don’t start off a spring-loaded that Dave is wrong, read the reasons and reflect a bit about the desirability and supposed “stability” of a job before you form your considered opinion.

http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2006/07/10-reasons-you-should-never-get-a-job/

And if you are still single-mindedly pursuing that “jobs for Americans in the Philippines’ dram, no matter what I have written here:

http://philfaqs.com/live-there/philippine-jobs/basics-of-working-in-the-philippines-for-foreigners/

Or here:

http://philfaqs.com/live-there/philippine-jobs/about-that-job-in-the-philippines-you-want-part-1/

Or pay some attention to what my friend Bob said, perhaps more eloquently, here:

http://liveinthephilippines.com/content/2010/06/getting-real-about-jobs-in-the-philippines/

Now, suppose, in spite of what I have written, and what Steve and Bob have said, you feel that you, yourself, are still hopelessly mired in this “I can’t live without a job” quagmire

For goodness sakes then save your children, OK? let’s not raise yet another generation who thinks that the only way to make your way in life is to slave at a job that requires a strong back … it just ain’t so, and I think you’ll like the video.

And just in case learning to fly, at a price you can afford, has made you interested in coming to the Philippines (if not now, when?), and you want insider info that can save you real money how you could still afford to fly you might be interesting in this: "If you are planning a vacation, wish you could visit distant family or just want to see the world then my guide is for you. I give you all the essentials on how to get Extremely Cheap Flights , tell you the scams to avoid and reveal all of the biggest money saving and confidential insider secrets the airlines have threatened me to keep silent about…"

Popularity: 14% [?]

Filed Under: Philippine Jobs Tagged With: live philippines, Living in the Philippines, Why you don't want a job in the Philippines

Basics of Working in the Philippines for Foreigners

June 8, 2010 By Philly 16 Comments

Ok, ok, no matter how many times I tell you, and give concrete examples of how little you will make at a job in the Philippines, you still keep coming back for more.

(Please do me the favor of at least READING this article before you send me the inevitable “I want a job in the Philippines” query. My prose may be far from entertaining and YOU MAY NOT GET the ANSWER YOU WANT … but I write from reality, not a dream world. You want answers about the Philippines, then you should be dealing from reality as well. If you, as an American, want a job in the Philippines, what are your own answers to the questions the visa process poses?)

Fair enough. Essentially, I write these articles for you, the reader. In fact a while back I had a somewhat nasty comment from a gentleman who told me I was a liar, apparently because he was reading an article about traveling to and living in Davao and he was not seeing finding much information about jobs for foreigners in Davao City. Well I’m really sorry to have caused him displeasure, but I have never written an article about jobs for foreigners in Davao City and it is highly likely I never will. The reasons for this are actually pretty simple, and not misleading or malevolent as the gentleman seemed to imply.

==>> I don’t have a job in the Philippines and I don’t want a job in the Philippines.
==>> If you actually take the time to read what I write about jobs in the Philippines, you don’t want one either.
==>> I often go to places for sightseeing, visiting friends, etc., … things more difficult if I did have a job. Apparently I am not keeping my nose hard enough to the grindstone. I don’t think I need to apologize to anyone for putting in my 40 plus years of work so that I can now enjoy what God chooses to give me.

Get a grip, people, a job is sometimes a necessity … if you refuse to consider better alternatives … but it isn’t the be-all and end-all of why you are living. Nor is it the best way to make a living, in my view, of course.

Never the less, jobs, jobs, jobs are what so many of you are fixated on … so after a few articles on the disadvantages of working here and why there is no special program that pays you American wages in the Philippines because of your skin color, I will lay out a few things you have to consider in the search for that elusive job.

First of all, the most intelligent and likely fruitful way for an American to find a job here in the Philippines is to target an American firm who is operating here and find a job with that firm … in any country you can. Then work your way into their Philippine operations.

Does this sound like a slow process? You bet. However it is the way that a majority of the foreigners working here who are making Western style wages got to be here.

An example that jumps to mind immediately. Several giant US banking firms … the ones whom you pay your taxes to in order to support bonuses for incompetent management … the ones that are considered ‘too big to fail’ … have expanded their “back office operations” here. Some have added thousands of jobs in the past year.

These are not “call centers” per se, but are often termed BPO centers .. Business Process Outsourcing centers. When you stick your ATM card in a machine in the US, or visit a teller at your US bank to cash a check, there is an excellent chance the “business process” of handing you your money, updating the various accounts involved and so forth are actually handled by people and computers here in the Philippines.

The customer service phone for your bank may be answered in San Antonio or Lincoln or Providence or where ever, but the actual guts of the process are being done here.

IIRC correctly, one huge BPO center here run by Bank of America, is processing transactions for more than 3,000 US banks, aside from their own BoA business.

I also spent a pleasant weekend a few weeks back at the “Techno Hub” in Quezon City where several of my nieces work as call center agents. The occasion was a huge “family day” celebration where they hosted the families of all the employees at that site, and although I didn’t meet any, I’ve been told on good authority there are a umber of foreigners working their … the parent company is HSBC (Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank Corporation), one of ~~the major US~~ (correction, British) banks operating in the US who didn’t piss all their money away and then come begging for a handout.

I know there are more than a few foreigners working there in positions well above the entry level, because I came across a bulletin board laid out in sort of an org chart where it showed pictures of the executives and little bio-paragraphs about each person to help the “rank and file” get to know the chain of command. Out of about 50 foreigners I think I saw 5 or so who were obviously US, majority were from India, Pakistan, China and the UK … but there are Americans working in these BPO companies for sure.

It is often difficult to find US businesses with operations here in the Philippines, perhaps because many businesses consider that information sensitive, but the fact that finding them is difficult does not mean that it might not be very lucrative, job-wise.

Second: Lets assume you do the work to find a job you can qualify for and are able to sell yourself well enough to get at least an interview. Here are the basics of what has to happen next.

photo credit: markhillary

If you are living in the Philippines on some sort of permanent visa, like a 13 series visa or an SRRV, feel free to skip down to the next major section, Philippines Alien Employment Permit (AEP). You already have the right to work in the Philippines … but not yet the permission. If you are a foreigner outside the Philippines, or here in the Philippines on a non-permanent residency visa, you must first gain the right to work here by beginning the process of getting a

Philippines Working Visa (9G)

A foreign national (not on some form of permanent residency visa) wishing to work in the Philippines must obtain a work visa (9G). This "9(g)" is a Philippine working visa for foreigners entering the Philippines to engage in a lawful occupation.

As a general rule, the company doing the hiring must show that the services of the alien are indispensable to the management, operation, administration, or control of a local or locally based firm.

The company who proves this employee is essential must be the one to petition the Philippine Bureau of Immi
gration (BI) to issue this visa to their proposed employee. In many ways this process is roughly analogous to the US H1 family of working visas, which allow foreigners to come to the US and work because they posses special skills, such as language abilities, which are difficult or impossible to find on the US labor market.

Unlike many other countries who will only allow petitions for employees outside the country, for long-term assignments, this visa may be applied for from within the Philippines. But it always involves the prospective employer asking permission from the government for the prospective employee. Over the years I get the idea that many folks think there is just sort of a general ‘license to work’ permit that you can apply for and then roam the Philippines seeking employment. Not so.

Again, think about the situation from the US perspective. How many voters would support just issuing a license to work to any foreigner who applied for one. Would be very popular, in my opinion, right?

(like everything else of this nature, I highly recommend you seek professional advice on this before you do anything. Information you acquire from lay person’s web sites (like mine, in particular is just personal opinion. When you need competent legal assistance, you should seek it. Here is one excellent law firm that specializes in foreign worker visas, there are many other competent ones I am sure).

OK, now for those of you not here on permanent residency visas, we have covered the basics of getting a visa that lets you enter the Philippines for gainful employment. Now, let’s make you and your permanent resident brethren legal to work here.

Philippine Alien Employment Permit (AEP)

An Alien Employment Permit (AEP) is a document issued by the Department of Labor and Employment that allows a foreign national to work in the Philippines. This is normally applied for in tandem with a 9(g) pre-arranged employment visa and applies to foreign nationals seeking employment in the Philippines. In lay terms, the visa provides the right to work here, the AEP provides the specific permission to hold a job.

An employee must be petitioned by his/her company and it must generally be shown, to the satisfaction of the government that:

No person found in the Philippines is willing or competent to perform the service for which the foreign national is hired.

I set this sentence off in bold specifically because it so often seems to be ignored by foreigners seeking jobs in the Philippines. I first published this article nearly a year ago and in that time I don’t believe I have come across a single person interested in “getting a job” here who has read the article … specifically that paragraph above, which come directly from Philippine law. Many times people will write me and ask for help in finding a “job, any job”. Well, under the law, there is no way that is going to succeed. There are literally millions, and I do mean millions of Filipinos here in the Philippines … often with impressive educational qualifications who are looking for a “job, any job."

If you expect to find a legal job here, you absolutely need to tighten up your search criteria, and make your qualifications more specific. Example. Suppose you have years of experience as a truck driver. There is no possible way I could think of to get around that willing and competent clause. There are probably millions of professional class license holders here, driving trucks and busses for very low wages, and frankly the actual driving experience you acquired in the US is likely more of a liability than an asset here.

But if you’ve held a commercial driver’s license for a long time, for example, and have instructed other drivers, it might be very easy to qualify you as, say, an instructional supervisor/course developer at a commercial driving school. The Philippines is a huge market for education, both academic and practical courses, and many schools are required to have senior staff with a certain number of years of education, particular trade qualifications and so on. Sell your uniqueness, not your desperation. "Begging" people don’t have much appeal with business managers.

AEPs are valid for a period of one (1) year, unless the employment contract, consultancy services, or other modes of engagement or term of office for elective officers, provides for a longer period. So, if you can score, say a 5 year contract, your AEP should be good for 5 years.

Now what if you start working for one company and then later, something better comes along? This is something that happens often, because it is only human nature and good business practice as well to keep the better jobs for people already “on the ground” here. They are a much better bet to succeed in a more demanding job as well.

Permits of resident foreign nationals are valid for multiple employers provided they report changes in their employment status and the identity of their employers to the DOLE Regional Office which issued the permit. So yes, you can change jobs, but note that you better keep the DOLE up-to-date on where you are working, or you are liable to be looking out the plane window watching the Philippines fade off into the distance.

OK, there’s a couple thousand words on the basics of how you can work on clearing the legal hurdles regarding working in the Philippines. if you want to work for, on average, one fourteenth of the wage you would command in the US, common over, the weather’s fine, the cost of living is low and the people are friendly.

Popularity: 29% [?]

Filed Under: Philippine Jobs Tagged With: life in the Philippines, Living in the Philippiines, working in the Philippijnes

More on Jobs for Americans Teaching English in the Philippines

May 11, 2010 By Philly 2 Comments

I’ve mention the excellent source for Philippines jobs, http://www.jobstreet.com.ph/. Although this site is far from specific for foreigners, there are thousands and thousands of jibs listed. In the past year or so I have been pleased to see this site evolve as well, it’s been cleaned up, searches are faster, options to narrow searches are more robust and it general it’s a very good example of Philippine business moving smartly into the “on-line” generation.

But if you’re one of my average “frequent searches” trying to find that elusive, but oh so desirable foreigner job in the Philippines, I don’t recommend you waste time on JobStreet or any other “job Listing” site. Why?

Simple. What they have to offer, mainly, is JOBS. And I’ve tried to tell people for years now, you most likely don’t want a JOB here in the Philippines.

Let’s take a look at a typical listing that most Americans can easily qualify for … except for things like a work visa which, you can see, the prospective employer requires, but isn’t about to help you get … and they ain’t cheap or easy to get.

Online English Teacher
PHP 12500 – 13000
(National Capital Reg – Pasig City)

Responsibilities:

Teach English to Koreans online using the company’s curriculum

Help in other tasks such as giving tests to applicants, scoring student’s tests, making changes in the company’s curriculum, etc.

Requirements:

Degree holder of any 4 to 5 year course, but degrees in Education/Mass Communications/Communication Arts and other related courses preferred English teaching experience especially with Korean students preferred.

Must be very patient and can handle pressure extremely well With pleasing personality Ability to multi task With neutral or American accent preferred.

Must be willing to work from 2 to 11 pm Mondays to Fridays, and 4 hours on Saturdays.

Must be willing to undergo paid 2-4 weeks training Living near Ortigas Center, Pasig preferred Females 20-35 years old preferred With good typing skills and internet savvy preferred.

Can start immediately Only Full Time positions are available Salary for Full time tutors : Basic Salary P12, 000 + (class incentives and bonuses)

Applicants should be Filipino citizens or hold relevant residence status.

Does this look like the job for you to focus on so you can support yourself in a comfortable life style here in the Philippines? Hoy, my Filipino friends, keep reading, this is for you to read as well).

You may think so, but me, I think it’s a pretty poor choice for anyone who can read, write and speak the English language … which pretty much means almost anyone reading here and looking for a job in the Philippines.

You see, jobs for English speakers aren’t hard to find here at all. A relative just recently set out for a call center job and landed a “good” one in less that two days. She’s happy, so I’m happy that she’s happy, but personally I think she sold herself way too short … her job pays very much like this one illustrated above … and I think, if you seriously consider jobs like this then you sell yourself too short too.

You see I hate to sound like some reactionary rabble rouser, but in many ways … the so-called “security” of a job is nothing more than a voluntary entry into legalized enslavement.

Go to any good business school and work on your MBA, and one of the things you will find about “jobs”, how to create them, manage them, hire and fire for them, etc. is that in order to justify creating a new job … rather than paying overtime to existing workers, for example, is that the new job needs to bring in a minimum of three times the “burdened” cost of the new position.

“Burdened” cost simply means the cost of the actual salary, the cost of whatever benefits you are providing, the cost of owning or renting space for the new employee to work, taxes, medical insurance, in short the actual “grand total” cost of establishing a new person’s position.

Now there’s another pretty easy to use rule of thumb that the “burdened cost” of most entry-level jobs runs right around twice the published salary. A lot of people may not believe this, but they are folks who never opened a business with employees and started paying all the bills that have to be paid even before you hire someone.

So what does all this estimating and averaging mean to you, the dear reader who thinks the solution to their problems is to find a JOB (means Just Over Broke, by the way).? That’s easy. What is the illustrated job paying? PhP 13,000 (max) per month. That’s a whopping (almost) $300 USD per month at today’s exchange rate.

By rule of thumb as we already mentioned, the burdened cost for that jib will be close to $600 USD per month, and by the profitability rule of thumb, the person who did the analysis and decided to advertise the position is pretty darn sure that the successful candidate is thus going to generate about $1,800 USD (or the Peso equivalent) for the school.

Now $600 USD per month is a wage you can live on (barely) … don’t forget that figure is all before mandatory income taxes, social security deductions and such … see my recent update to living in the Philippines on $700 USD per month for a local Filipino readers viewpoint on living on that amount.

But $1,800 USD per month is an OK income so far as I am concerned. My wife and I live decently in the Manila suburbs on that amount, send our nice to college and enjoy some other perquisites as well … and we save money every month to boot.

So if you are a person eagerly looking for a job like this, let me ask you a serious question, which I don’t want to know the answer to, but you, yourself, really needs to consider carefully. What personality flaw or other fault are you burdened with that makes you want to “sell yourself” … because that is what a JOB is … to sell yourself to a bidder who is only willing to pay 1/3 of your proven worth?

I’m no Doctor Phil, to be sure, but it certainly sounds to me as if a person who sets their goals 66.666% below what they already know what they are worth in today’s economy need to seriously re-evaluate their own thinking … ya think?

You might already know what’s coming … because you’ve heard it here before. Why don’t you set up an online English School, for yourself, no matter where you live now? here’s a recent pricing example from an online English school web site I recently watched get sold in an online auction:

Payment

1 hour trial class Our Price: $10.00

1 hour trial class with free book.

10 English lessons Our Price: $90.00

10 hours class via Skype with free ebook. Any level/age. Any English course.

23 English Lessons Our Price: $187.00

20 hours plus 3 bonus hours total of 23 hours, private class

<
strong>30 hours English Class Our Price: $249.75

30 hours. Private lesson via Skype. Any level or age. Any English course.

This little "online school site" sold for less than $400 USD as a “going concern” with a number of eager English teachers ready to be on staff, custom written eBook class texts and … get this … an email list of over 65,000 prospective students who had mailed in over the past few years to inquire about the school.

Now even if you did this yourself, with no staff, if we were to look at our notional $1.800 USD “target”, so we could assure ourselves we were getting paid what we are obviously worth … we would need only 20 people per month, based on an average of the sales prices, to get our $1800 USD target.

The fellow who has acquired this site is now using a Japanese address and a Japanese phone number for his contact data .. easy and cheap to do with Skype .. Skype cab provide a cheap local phone number in over 21 countries, so he is obviously targeting the Japanese market … although he can accept students world-wide. I used to work for a language school in Japan part-time when I was living there. I have first-hand experience for the enthusiasm of Japanese for conversational English classes and coaching, and for the prices they are willing to pay.

This sample site is offering instruction for $9,00 USD per hour. In the Tokyo area, students commonly pay their English schools $40 to $50 USD equivalent per hour. Do you think he is price competitive? Too damn cheap in my book!

Think this JOB charade through closely, friends … in my opinion it is NOT how you want to live in the Philippines, even if you are Filipino.

OK, I looked this over since I posted it, and I also have some questions from many people who aren’t really clear on a couple concepts. One question I have had several times is, "If this is so easy, why aren’t you doing it, Dave"? Well that’s a very good question. part one of the answer is, I didn’t say it was easy. I said that anyone with normal spoken English skills and a computer and the free program Skype can do it, but it’s work.

It;s a legitimate business opportunity that you can pursue from anywhere you live, and it requires virtually no investment .. but … like any conventional or self-employed venture, it requires effort. I’m 65 years young and I enjoy being retired. that’s one reason I don’t teach English online as a business (Although I was really, really tempted to bu7y that example site I showed you earlier )

The second reason is, like any successful business, it requires a certain amount of setting up, planning and developing specific techniques for the market … and I spend way too much time on other profitable on-line ventures as it is … I don’t care to start something else again from scratch. I’d rather build the properties I currently have to be bigger and better.

But I di the next best thing. I found those of you who are interested in a sensible, doable way to make real money online for performing a necessary and useful service, a complete package on how to set up a working business, step by step, written by an American living in Japan who earns money teaching English online.

An online English teaching journey and how you too can teach English online and get money:

My name is John Buchanan, and I’m an online English teacher. I love to travel and help people.

In 2005 I moved to Osaka, Japan with thoughts of meeting new people, witnessing the culture and exploring the other mysteries that awaited. I never thought I would become self-employed after being hired by a Japanese conversation school by the name of Nova.
With them I taught English to Japanese students from all over Japan by using a computer and the Internet. For myself, I paid attention, learned a lot, and eventually adapted a working strategy that paid nicely. …

I did all of my teaching with a webcam, microphone and their special software. The setup was pretty neat because it allowed me to show pictures, play audio recordings, write with a typing tool, as well as the ability to draw with colors.

Pretty cool! I got paid to sit and talk and teach English and draw funny pictures for students.

After I got to Japan, I was blown away by how much money students were paying on average for a 40 minute one-on-one private lesson over the Internet.

Guess how much?

About $70.00 for one 40 minute English lesson was the average! My eyebrows flew off my face when I heard that number. …

If you want a no BS look at the details facts and figures of how one man does this, for real, and you want a professionally written step by step course, complete with custom video instructions on things like how to set up Skype to do this teaching professionally, then I suggest you read John’s Teaching English Online sales page.

I find his facts, figures and conclusions are very believable, based on personal experience, and best of all, the offer is completely risk free .. if it ain’t what you want, you get back very penny. A no nonsense course in how to make teaching English online, from anywhere, work for you.

Will you make a move, or will you wait and see if the government makes things better just for you?

Popularity: 4% [?]

Filed Under: Philippine Jobs Tagged With: Jobs for Americans in the Philippines, live in the philippies, Living in the Philippines

There's More to Dual Citizenship Than Meets the Eye

May 8, 2010 By Philly 4 Comments

Recently my friend Bob, a US citizen, released an thought provoking article detailing some of those thoughts, even internal struggles, regarding the idea of becoming a Filipino citizen … while, of course, retaining his US citizenship. I won’t go into it much here, you should read the article yourself, and if interested, several related articles he’s written in the past on the same subject … I think he links to all the relevant ones in I’m Struggling.

Bottom line is, contrary to many American’s belief’s, a US citizen can hold as many “nationalities” .. the legal term for ‘citizenship” as he or she wishes to. You do not “lose” your US citizenship, so far as the US is concerned, by swearing allegiance to another country, unless, in the Sate Department’s own language, “It is your clear intent to give up your US nationality”.

But there are a couple important things to think through along these lines that transcend basic legalities. I know this is an unpopular view to many in today’s world, but the basic fact you might legally be able to do something doesn’t always make it the right thing to do. A popular cable channel here in the Philippines that I often watch has, for it’s slogan. the phrase “Get Away With It”. They use this in the sense of appealing to the “Playboy reader’ side of their male audience, promoting themselves as the station where there are more sexy girls, more “bold” shows, more “T and A” than any other channel so men can watch and take a secret pleasure in “being naughty”.

Actually, they are about as sexy as a wet dishrag. I watch them mainly for the “Yin and Yang” cable shows about US politics, Jon Stewart’s The Daily Show, Stephen Colbert’s “Colbert Report” and re-runs of the “World Poker Tour”. Hugh Hefner has nothing to fear. But the “Get Away With It” theme grates on me every single time I hear it.

I don’t share Bob’s struggles in any real sense, because no matter how long I live here in the Philippines and how much I might grow to love this country, the stumbling block for me … as it has also become to Bob .. is the prerequisite to Philippine Naturalization that I take an oath to renounce my allegiance to the USA. It may be legal, but I am not, not now, not ever going to do it. It’s fine if others chose to do so, but again, not for me. Just saying those words means violating the oaths I took as member of the military and as a civilian US government official. The fact there is a “loophole” that let’s me “get away with it” doesn’t change my conviction. The basis of integrity is doing the right thing even when you are not compelled to.

Crisis of conscience aside, there’s another very practical and very often overlooked aspect to this “renouncing citizenship” and “dual nationality” talk that seems popular lately. Security.

Today, when only about 2% of the US population serves in the military, the idea of security clearances don’t enter into many people’s minds. But let me assure you, from the perspective of 40 years in that “business”, it had better enter into your mind unless you are fully retired, on a pension, and are somehow sure you will never need work again.

photo credit: Beverly & Pack Ten years or so ago, before 9/11, the select group of people in the USA who needed a government security clearance was relatively small and well defined. If you were a soldier, you were probably going to have a Secret or even Top Secret clearance as a matter of course. If you were an engineer working for government contractor building nuclear weapons, then it was a no-brainer you were going to need a Q or an L clearance. If you worked in the White House you knew intimately what the Yankee White program entailed. But for the vast majority of Americans, that was mysterious government-only stuff that the average fellow or gal need never consider as they went about their life … travelling when and where they wished, forming relationships with whomever they wanted to and even taking up “back up” nationalities on the recommendation of survivalists or even fast-talking “experts” in foreign trade and off-shore investing.

Today, almost 10 years post 98/11, it’s a different world. Even janitors for companies that sell to the government may need security clearance. Local police and sheriff’s deputies are being brought into the program at a rapid rate. Hundreds of thousands of airline contract employees like the former civilian security folks are now in the TSA and required to carry a security clearance just to receive a paycheck. The list goes on.

Many of you reading this may already have a security clearance also. All of you, as we say in New Jersey “Wid or widout”, need to carefully think through not only the huge decisions kike dual nationality, but even the much smaller decisions like who your foreigner friends may be, what actions you take that shows “preference” for a country aside from the USA, where and how often you travel and so forth.

You see, I’d guess 99.9% of the folks reading this are decent, law-abiding citizens … and none of the issues I mentioned are even remotely illegal, but the government security clearance program doesn’t operate the same way the courts do. Every detail of your life for as far back as elementary school is checked into and documented. Every foreign trip, every marriage 9and all close relatives so acquired), every money transaction, including money sent abroad, and FOIR SURE, any actions that involve nationality in a foreign land are gone over with a fine tooth comb.

Unlike the criminal system, where the safeguard is, where government has to prove there was a crime and you are innocent until proven guilty, the adjudicating official who can grant or revoke a security clearance at the stroke of a pen, works in to opposite way. If there is any reasonable evidence of, say, showing preference for a foreign country, the adjudicating officer is bound by law to act in the best interest of the government and deny a clearance. The entire system is designed to always err on the side of caution and protection of the government … you are literally assumed guilty until you can prove yourself innocent.

If that happens, you are in for an expensive hearing, with an expert and thus expensive legal professional called a security clearance lawyer on your side. And even the best security clearance attorneys have only about a 60% “win” rate. I’ve personally read hundreds of hearing transcripts in these sort of cases and the ones that really do badly on appeal are the ones who tried to hide their foreign connections and the folks who legally, as is their right, carry multiple nationalities. There are people who hold US government security clearances and also another country’s nationality, but they are extremely few and far between.

So bear this in mind, for sure, before you make any firm decisions on weighty matters like adding a nationality … you may be very well shaping your entire future career choices in one raising of the right hand. At the very least, consult with a security clearance lawyer if there is even a remote chance you’ll ever need a clearance in the future. Some acts can’t be undone.

And if you are a carrying a security clearance now as part of your current job, military or civilian,and you travel often to the Philippines, have bank accounts, family connections here and so forth, run, don’t walk to your own security clearance folks and get their official opinion … or consult with a security clearance attorney … before something comes up on an investigation. You’ll be glad you did.

Gog Bless America.

When I get inquiries on Security Clearances and Security Clearance lawyer issues I usually refer folks to our sister site, Retiredpay.com where we often cover these issues in grater detail.

Popularity: 11% [?]

Filed Under: Philippine Jobs Tagged With: Live in the Philippines, Security Philippines

What? Me, Work for the State Department?

May 8, 2010 By Philly Leave a Comment

That seems to be the reaction I get when I post these notices (which the US Embassy sends out on their own to publicize their growing need for professional employees).

I sometimes get disappointed or exasperated when Filipino friends say to me .. “Oh, I couldn’t do anything like that” when I point out job or business opportunities.

But I also find my fellow Americans are really no different in the bad habit of walking around with a bad self-image at times.

Why, indeed, shouldn’t you be working for the US Department of State? You come up with a good answer, you let me know, OK?

Of course some folks reading here won’t be qualified … but many more will be.

The particular tests I announce here, three times a year when it is typically held in Manila and elsewhere ’round the world, is for Foreign Service Officers (FSO);s. What do you need to be an FSO?

Who can become a Foreign Service Officer?

While diplomatic careers are rewarding, they can require extremely difficult work, hardship and even working under dangerous conditions. To be eligible, the U.S. Department of State requires that all applicants be:

U.S. citizens on the date they submit their registration package

At least 20 years old and no older than 59 years of age on the day you submit your registration*

At least 21 years old and not yet 60 on the day you are appointed as a Foreign Service Officer

Available for worldwide assignments, including Washington, D.C.**

Even though you are not required to know a foreign language to become a FSO, proficiency in one or more languages will enhance your competitiveness for selection.

If you are a capable, healthy and dedicated candidate who is prepared to step up to the challenges facing our country and the work, we want to talk to you.

Doesn’t sound like insurmountable requirements, does it? More at the official State Department recruitment site … and for those of you who are military veterans, pay particular attention to:

* Different limitations apply to Preference-Eligible Veterans. To ascertain if you are a Preference-Eligible Veteran, please follow the links on http://www.fedshirevets.gov to the “Veterans’ Preference Questionnaire.” If you are a Preference-Eligible Veteran, please contact fsoaquestions@state.gov to let us know you are in fact preference eligible.

on the same page.

Find out more About the FSO Program

Of course, some may not be interested in being a Foreign Service Officer. This is a highly professional career track that actual leads as high as a Deputy Secretary of State level. Even many ambassadors are not political appointees, but instead career FSO’s.

That’s OK, the State Department has many other folks working for them. Example, Foreign Service Specialists:

Who are the Specialists? What do they do?

The Department of State offers career opportunities to professionals in specialized functions needed to meet Foreign Service responsibilities around the world. As a Foreign Service Specialist, you will provide important technical, support or administrative services at one of 250 posts overseas, in Washington, D.C., or elsewhere in the United States.

As a Foreign Service Specialist, you’ll receive excellent paid housing or a housing allowance, health and medical coverage, federal retirement benefits, paid education for dependent children between K-12, generous paid leave, and an unprecedented chance to see the world and experience different cultures.

The opportunities that exist for Foreign Service Specialists are as diverse as the countries in which they serve. Foreign Service Specialist jobs are grouped into seven major categories: Administration, Construction Engineering, Information Technology, International Information and English Language Programs, Medical and Health, Office Management, and Security.

Covers a lot of ground, doesn’t it? How many reading here who “wish” they could find a job overseas, especially with good pay and benefits, have even applied? Here’s the place to start looking for a Foreigner Service Specialist position.

Still nothing for you Well, the US Department of State also employs so-called “straight” Civil Service employees who are not part of the Foreign Service program. They work side-by-side with Foreign Service employees and fulfil a variety of roles”

From improving trade opportunities for U.S. businesses to helping American couples adopt children from overseas, to monitoring human rights issues, to providing management supervision, you can make a difference by working in one of the following areas:

A career in the Civil Service is a unique opportunity to represent America to the world. There are hundreds of job opportunities available that allow you to make a difference in our global society. For specific job listings and to apply, please click here.

Did you see where it says “Click Here”? Well that’s the place you can start your search for any US government civil service job, at home or abroad.

Did you think that was all? Well, not quite. The State Department also hires a significant number of LE’s (Local Employees, what we used to call in the DoD “Local Hires”) They serve in more than 265 posts world-wide and that most certainly includes Manila, it’s likely you’ve dealt with some of these great folks if you’ve visited the US Embassy, Manila.

Locally Employed (LE) Staff are foreign nationals and other locally resident citizens (including US Citizens) who are legally eligible to work in that country. Foreign Service Nationals and locally resident US Citizens are the continuity staff of our Missions abroad. Our Locally Employed Staff abroad provide the institutional knowledge and professional contacts that are so important to the embassy. LE Staff perform vital mission program and support functions. All USG agencies under Chief of Mission authority depend heavily on their continuity staff, frequently delegating to them significant management roles and program functions.

How do you get into jobs like this? Here’s what the State Department has to say about it:

Employment Opportunities

Each Mission is responsible for its own recruitment, so individuals need to contact the Mission’s HR office or visit the Mission’s website for employment information.

Please click here (http://usembassy.state.gov/) to see a list of websites of U.S. Embassies, Consulates, and Diplomatic Missions.

Actually, I’ve seen Local Employee jobs at the US Embassy Manila listed in local papers from time to time, but, in 2010, of course, your first point of contact should be the Embassy’s excellent Employment opportunities page. Not that they also recruit for some other government agencies here in the Philippines and they help people get into some excellent internship programs for those of you with Filipino/American children getting out of school soon and wondering about opportunities?

So, do you still think you should skip on announcements? Remember, you want a job, chances are you have to do something to get it … if you’re one of those readers who comes here from his workplace, surfing instead of working because you “Can’t stand your job” and want to be able to “Move to the Philippines”, good things happen to folks who take action rather than those who simply “wish”.

Popularity: 1% [?]

Filed Under: Philippine Jobs Tagged With: Filipino Philippine jobs, Live in the Philippines, Living in the Philippines, US Cir=tizen Philippine Jobs

Why Not a “Real” Job in the Philippines?

May 6, 2010 By Philly 2 Comments

Everyone always writes me asking about jobs for foreigners in the Philippines. Here’s one that US citizens (or soon to be citizens) ought to be examining closely:

U.S. FOREIGN SERVICE OFFICER TEST

The 2010 Foreign Service Officer Test will be held on Saturday, June 5, 2010, at the U.S. Embassy in Manila

Deadline to register is May 24^th

Eligibility:

==>>· U.S. citizen on the date of registration

==>>· Between 20-59 years old on the date of registration (over 21 and under 60 on the day of appointment as a Foreign Service Officer)

==>>· Available to serve worldwide

To register for the Foreign Service Officer Test or for more information on career opportunities with the U.S.Department of State, please log on to:

www.careers.state.gov

Popularity: 7% [?]

Filed Under: Philippine Jobs Tagged With: Jobs for Americans in the Philippines

You Don't Have To Work Where You Live!

March 21, 2010 By Philly 9 Comments

Well, here goes yet another post about foreigner jobs in the Philippines. It is by far my most popular subject when it comes to people finding this site. They come like little miniature armies, hundreds per day, finding the site with search terms like “Jobs for Foreigners in the Philippines, or “Foreigner Jobs, Philippines”, “Jobs overseas for foreigners” and so on.

Although these people find me via Google so often, the thing that so many of them fail to notice is, I write almost exclusively advising foreigners, especially my American brethren, to get the foolish idea of an “American job in the Philippines” out of their head.

Instead of reading and paying attention to my advice, they completely ignore it and instead send me plaintive emails asking me to help them find a job in the Philippines. Some are even so concerned with their privacy and so secretive (they are probably writing from their current employer’s computer system, while they are supposed t be working) (this happened again just yesterday, Daniel, that’s why you received no response, you want my help but you didn’t even share a working email address … wasting a lot of my time and yours).that they don’t even give me working email addresses to respond to … tells me a lot about finding a job id one were offered, but that’s a different subject entirely … read some of my posts about why you don’t have or can’t get a job for help in that area.

Be that as it may, I don’t have a job here in the Philippines myself, and I have absolutely no interest in having one. I think “last century’s” ideal of “having a job” is a dream of the past and isn’t coming back the way it once was, ever.

However, all that ranting aside, I know plenty of Americans and other non-Filipinos working here the Philippines, often for salaries, or at least incomes, equal or better to what they had back in the USA.

How can this be? Well although even they may say they have “jobs”, they do not have “jobs” in the way so many of you aimlessly “looking for a job” think.

They are men who have realized the truth of the 21st century, which even 10 years along, so many of you haven’t yet cottened to … you don’t need a conventional “job” to live and earn here in the Philippines. Where you chose to live does not have to have anything to do with where your money comes from.

Here’s a little snippet from a recent article a friend wrote about how he got a “job”, a good paying “job” too, here in the Philippines, in only an hour or so.

… I was unemployed a grand total of one hour. After a very brief moment of consternation about the future, I got on the phone and made some calls (This is the Philippines, after all, and getting a “job” here paying anything near what I was used to earning is extremely rare to non-existent). Fortunately, for what I do, a border or location is irrelevant: I can live anywhere and still work. (my emphasis) … Go read John’s article on Finding a Job in the Philippines in an Hour, and then come back and we’ll talk more.

John’s former company, and the one he recently joined, are global and ‘distributed”. Some people like to call companies that are organized this way “virtual” companies, but I don’t like that definition. Virtual denotes something that isn’t real, but is substituted for reality, like a pilot practicing on a flight simulator.

These companies are as real as they come, but instead of trying to herd all the employees into a few small buildings in some city or another, they distribute themselves around the world to places where the market for their product and where the talent they need resides.

In John’s case, both his old and new employers dealt mainly with the commercial shipping industry … is there a more distributed market than that?

Actually, yes there is. Let me tell you about another friend of mine, this one living in the USA and employed by a large American company.

I’ll call this friend Joe to make sure I don’t unintentionally reveal any trade secrets or sensitive information. Joe is a fairly senior executive with a very large international networking company. Their hardware and software products are found in data centers large and small, literally all around the world .. almost assuredly the very fact you are reading these words is in part due to one or more of this company’s products.

Because of his stature in the company, Joe indeed does have a ‘conventional’ office in one of the company’s US headquarters. But because of his job, Joe travels nearly continually. All ’round the world,and if they get to expand to other planets I don’t doubt they’ll find a way for Joe to travel there too … they already have equipment on the Moon, although no branch office there (yet).

While I am sure Joe’s travel is wearing and often presents difficulties for Joe, it doesn’t impinge much on his job. why? Because he is hardly ever ‘out of the office’ .

Whenever Joe lands in another city or country, Joe goes to the nearest company facility, large or small, plugs his laptop into the closest LAN port and logs on the network. Bang. All his emails, voice messages, schedule of meetings and commitments, internal contact lists, confidential sales data, etc. are right there n his screen, as if he never left his home office.

He can also pick up a phone in any company office (VOIP phones of course, so the company incurs no additional charges, no matter where Joe is)), punch in a security code and his employee number and instantly, the phone he is touching becomes his own direct extension back home where he was talking this morning before he left for the airport.

So, even though he does have what appears to be a ‘conventional’ job, Joe is very much a “distributed” executive. If the company wanted him to come to, say Manila, for a month, no problem … he’s there and “in touch” with everyone who matters … business or personal.

The exciting thing to me … but possibly not so many of my readers … is that you don’t have to be a senior executive with a large firm to be like Joe. You can have a small business back in the USA for example, pack you bag, and be working from the same ‘desktop’ and with the same phone number, the next day plus one (can’t get rid of that International Dateline thingy, yet, anyway) in the Philippines.

OK, so far we talked about a small company who happened to have a world-wide focus mainly because their clients are widely distributed. Then we talked about a US corporate giant who is global simply because they are so big they have to spread ’round the world. And we talked about a small businessman who, situation allowing, could work his own business out of the Philippines for weeks or months at a time.

Again the message is, to be successful in the 21st century, you need to lose the idea that where you live determines (or limits), where you can earn. (for my Filipino readers, please read that last sentence again, ok, lang?)

Now, before I wrap this up, let me make a point which I guarantee touches you. Even if you haven’t been interested in John’s emission control company or Joe’s networking company or my mythical US small business, read on because I guarantee you this example touches you, directly.

How can I be so sure, you ask? Easy, because you are reading these words … brought to you from my mind to your eyes via a piece of software and a blogging ‘platform’ called WordPress. Enjoy my words or hate them, you would never have seen them if it were not for this brilliant use of technology that opened publishing to anyone … for free, I might add.

Once upon a time there was a young man name of Matthew Mullenweg from Houston Texas, who devised and idea for a software package and rather than sell it, give it away. Impossible? Well, apparently not. Not only did his project succeed, he built a profit-making company out of the free software and today, employs more than 50 people. And where are those people?

5 reasons why your company should be distributed

I’ve noticed a new trend in Silicon Valley. More and more startups are beginning life as distributed companies, and investors and partners are starting to accept it as normal. Our company Automattic is distributed, and I’m ready to sing the praises of running a business in this way. BTW, I think distributed (“evenly spread throughout an area”) is a better description than the more commonly used virtual (“nearly real or simulated to be real”) for a company that has people working from all over the place instead of a centralized office. In Automattic’s case, we currently have over 50 employees spread across 12 US states and 10 countries.

Here are my top 5 reasons why you should consider the distributed model for your company:

Your employees will love it: I can’t overstate how much quality of life people get out of working for a distributed company. … In addition, your employees get to live where they want, not where the job market dictates. …

You can hire great people wherever you find them: Once your company is untethered from one physical location, your pool of available job applicants becomes the entire world. You can hire anyone who fits the culture and mission of your company wherever they live. …

You will use better communication tools: Communications is a challenge for every company and one that’s amplified for distributed ones because the communication channels are more narrow – a chat conversation is simply not as rich as a real life one. But there are advantages as well. A chat conversation can be archived, searchable, and visible to the entire team, whereas in person conversations in meetings and hallways are often lost to the ether. Being distributed is a good excuse to abolish inefficient meetings, conference calls, and email silos …

You can still be social: Probably the biggest disadvantage to being distributed is the lack of social interaction. Online tools help make up for some of this, but most people like to spend some time together to make their work experience more enjoyable. …

Your offices will be more fun: A distributed company doesn’t have one, large centralized office but there are other office options available. …

I recommend you read all of Toni’s post on his original ‘why you can work anywhere’ blog.

Update: Great follow on post by Bob Patterson about the cost and time saving benefits of a distributed company model.

So, to put a point on this opus, here’s a summary of what I have been saying mainly about Americans and working here in the Philippines.

I showed you how real-life Americans are working here in what you might call “conventional” jobs, but their employers are not based here in the Philippines. Not everyone can set their work up this way, but I can assure you, many more of you can than just the ones who have concentrated on the “cans” of the situation rather than the majority who focus only on the “can’ts”.

I’ve shown you how other Americans can live here and work elsewhere as well, using the free technology that so many readers are just using to play “Farmville”.

I’ve shown you how real-world corporations can be built up, from ground zero, with their workforce distributed world-wide, and why it they found this to be a better solution that the “conventional” brick and mortar corporation-building model.

So I now pose a question for you … my “price” if you will, asked of you to compensate me for the hours I put in to finding you ways to live in the Philippines and earn a living from outside the Philippines.

The price? Write and tell me why you can’t come up with a similar method for yourself .. rather than plaintive “help me find a job” messages. You pose a legitimate problem, I promise to help you find an answer.

PS: If the idea of a distributed team excites you, please take a look Automattic’s our jobs page. (Special note especially to my Filipino readers … want to know why the map doesn’t show any Automattic employees in the Philippines as of yet? Foreigner or Filipino? How many of you have applied?)

Popularity: 11% [?]

Filed Under: Philippine Jobs Tagged With: Jobs for Americans in the Philippines, jobs in the philippines, live inthe Philippines, Living in the Philippines

About That Philippine Job You Want — Part 2

March 3, 2010 By Philly Leave a Comment

Why do people spend 4-5 years at University, but they can’t get a job?

That’s what my friend Brendon say often on his website and in his great article on this subject (how to find a job) which I recommended to you a couple days ago. You did read it, didn’t you? If you didn’t, why are you supposedly looking for a job in the Philippines? Are you willing to learn how to succeed, or are you just waiting for something to fall out of the sky for you?

A few days ago I published part one of this series: About That Job in the Philippines You Want — Part 1

Here’s how to increase your chances 1000% for getting the job you want. Follow the principles of marketing. Marketing you say? I don’t want a job in marketing, I’m a computer programmer or a diesel engine technician or a hotel manager, I;m no marketer.

Well, that would be your first mistake. To get yourself a job … especially a job worth having, one that pays the bills, you need to market yourself … no one else will. There are too many people searching for too few jobs in today’s world, so the difference in who finds a job for themselves and who doesn’t revolves, not around a person’s basic skills, or university degree, or licenses held .. it boils down to how hard that person markets him or herself. Period.

photo credit: 1Happysnapper (photography)

So. What is marketing all about? Actually, for the principles of what we want to do here, it’s not all that difficult. Here are the steps that will work if you choose to follow them.

Step One: Identify your target market: This should be much easier for you if you read part one of this article. You are a specialist by now in some sort of business-reelated subject. If you aren’t, go back and review and self-evaluate yourself until you are. I would find out all the marketing firms in my area. I would start researching them. I would find out everything I could about them. Everything.

How can you find firms in the Philippines who might want to make more money for themselves using your skills? Easy, you are staring at one of your primary tools. Every day the newspapers here are full of stories about new companies, expansions to existing companies, even retrenchments and re-alignments of existing business. All major papers are on-line. Here’s one or two good places to start:

http://www.onlinenewspapers.com/philippi.htm

http://www.world-newspapers.com/philippines.html

http://www.philstar.com/

There are many more.

Too hard, you say? “I have no time” (the number one excuse for anything not getting done). Well time, my friend is what you have in abundance … it’s the only thing you own, that can’t be taken away from you, and it’s the only thing you own that you have an exactly equal share in with every one of us on the planet with you.

Now choosing how you spend that time … ha, as the Bard once said, “There’s the rub.” Find the time it takes to do your research if you aren’t thinking this job business through as throughly as you might.

Here’s a good up to date review on work overseas versus job finding in the Philippines … are you ready tp elbow up to the front of the line?

Step 2: Identify what my target market wants: I’ll use my own experience here. What do I want for my business? What I want in my business comes down to this: I want to make more money!

Everyone wants to make more money. If you meet a businessperson who doesn’t want more money, I would shun them … they aren’t destined to stay in business very long.

Let me give you a recent example … one from a recent commenter who may be on a good track to find a job here in the Philippines. The gentleman first wrote and basically said, “are there any jobs”? Well, I think you pretty much know the answer to that.

But then, in further communication, the reader just happened to mention, almost in passing, that he was experienced in training people in special construction skills.

Now you are talking. What can make a businessman more money? Paying yet another guy to do manual labor … especially one who doesn’t even know the language … or setting up a resource to train his own folks to make them more competitive (and thus profitable)? Oh, and by the way, the Philippines is just crazy about trade schools and technical colleges and various sorts of ‘hand on’ training programs … a company can even make money training other people aside from their own employees (for a fee, of course.

Show me how you can make me money, that’s the key.

Step 3: Present yourself positively to your target market:

Read this quote from Brendon here … it says better than I can about the general run-of-the-mill resume I am forced to endure almost every time I talk to someone about a job.

The last time I advertised a position that was vacant, I received 140 replies. Not one of those 140 replies identified what I wanted. So none of them offered me a solution.

The case of the GIGANTIC folder

I’m sitting with with a gigantic folder beside me of our previous job applicants.

I’ll pick three- (3) at random:

“My career objective is to continually build upon my I.T skills……..I wish to work in my fields of interest in Multimedia.”

“…I have a degree in marketing and am keen to gain employment in a fast paced and innovative environment that is both challenging and rewarding.”

“….I would be very pleased to obtain a position in an organisation that will enable me to learn new skills.”

I couldn’t care less…

I couldn’t care less about the applicant’s objectives (unless they are to make me money!)

I couldn’t care less about the applicant’s qualifications (unless they can show me how those qualifications will make me money)

I couldn’t care less that the applicant wants to learn new skills (unless those skills will make me money)

Keep that crap for the University career counselor.

Not quite as ineffective, but poor anyway, is listing skills and qualifications.

Marketing degree

Ability to use Macromedia

Ability to write and present reports

Highly developed verbal and written skills

Not interesting. And it’s not relevant.

….To get the job, you say this: Employ me because I will make you money.

Imagine you are an employer. You’re struggling along trying to make a buck. You get the usual job applications. All about me, me, me.

And then someone rocks on in, grabs hold of you and says, “Employ me because I will make you money!”

If you want to list your qualifications, that’s fine. But tell the employer why your qualifications are relevant ….

You gotta be smart about it.

With our last advertisement in the newspaper the copy included this:

“For more information about our exciting and fast-growing company, visit our web site at www.tailored.com.au.”

Applicants were invited to submit their applications to the Executive Director.

Out of the 140 applicants, two- (2) addressed the application to “Brendon Sinclair, Executive Director.” (my emphasis) The rest were to “Whom it may concern” and “Sir/Madam.”

Naturally those two- (2) applicants who addressed the letter personally got an interview. And it was because they showed initiative. Initiative enough to figure out who the Executive Director was. It was right there on the web site. It’s pretty basic stuff. …

Too hard, you say, to find out the person to whom you should direct your query. nonsense, say I. If you can’t find their name on-line or in the newspaper, pick up the phone and call the company and ask specifically. No need to tell the receptionist or other ‘gate keeper; that you are trying to land a job …tell the truth, you need to send Mr. or Mrs. manager an offical, personal letter. You do, don’t you? …

Just like marketing a product in an often over-crowded market, you have to stand out.

Be unique. Be different. Be noticed.

The regular contact has made you stand out. No question about that.

And if you think that the above approach is too strong, think of this:

You would tailor your approach to the business. You should know what would work with your prospective employer because of all the research you did earlier (the research can be done in about an hour).

This is real life. If you want that job, you have to go and get that job. Beat the competition. This could be the start of a big, big life.

So let’s go over it again.

Find who you want to work with. There are plenty of companies out there – find the exact one you want to work with. It’s your life you are dealing with here. Don’t waste a minute!

Tell the employer that you will make him money.

Tell the employer how you will make him money.

Build a relationship with potential employers.

Keep in contact!

Do these things and you will succeed. Watch “Friend’s” re-runs and surf the web aimlessly until long after bed time and you won’t. It is just that simple.

Popularity: 1% [?]

Filed Under: Philippine Jobs Tagged With: Foreigner jobs Philippines, Get a job Philippines, Live in the Philippines, Living in the Philippines

About That Job in the Philippines You Want — Part 1

February 28, 2010 By Philly 6 Comments

As we have said here many times before … jobs in the Philippines is a very important subject that this site gets found for by search engines …people, rally, people who (at least say they are) desperate for a job in the Philippines so they can live out their dreams.

I get inquires from these people sometimes every day, and virtually every inquiry is sad and depressing to me. “Dear sir, please help me find a job.” is not only a sad way to try to get yourself employed, it’s actually pretty stupid.

Thinking that jobs are something like plums laid out on a plate on someone’s table and all you have to do is ask that one be passed to you tells me basically one thing about you … as we used to say in my circle back in the ‘day’ .. you ain’t got no speed.

Even worse are these sort of examples, which my friend Daniel just reminded me of:

You probably have already seen a bio like this one on Twitter, LinkedIn or on some other social networking site:

John Doe is a web designer, programmer, SEO consultant, web entrepreneur, author, speaker, business coach, journalist and tech enthusiast.

Not sure about you, but when I come across bios like the one above I immediately conclude two things: 1) the person is not really sure about what she wants to do professionally and 2) she is not going to achieve outstanding results on any of the mentioned fields. Read more about why you should not be a “jack of all trades” here.

Telling me you just want a job and you don’t care what that job is, because you can do them all, reminds me of this definition:

Jack of All Trades: One competent in many endeavors, especially one who excels in none of them. (my emphasis) en.wiktionary.org/wiki/jack_of_all_trades

In case some of you have been living on another planet, the world is going through a severe recession/depression/jobless cycle right now. What company in its right mind would hire a person who did not consider him or her self as one who excels in their field?

Don’t feel you excel? Then take the time to get the experience, training and/or self-confidence to be able to excel at something, because the world of opportunities for mediocre performers si shrinking every day.

photo credit: r000pert (I want that job, for those of you Google -illiterate)

Now if any of you are reading this still, and if you want to actually get yourself a job in the Philippines … or anywhere else … then here’s how you can get yourself one. But before you bother to get started, this is work.

Are you really looking for a job, or are you just going through the motions to pass the time at your present job … or to keep your parents off your back because they can’t figure out why you are working on your third degree and you still haven’t found a job yet?

If you are ready to find a job and are willing to do what it takes, here’s how you do it:

Just go read my friend Brendon’s article on finding a job. Brendon lives and works on Australia’s Gold Coast … but it matters not where Brendon happens to live … what he says to do will get you a job anywhere.

In case you won’t take the time to read his article (it amazes me every day how many people ask me for help, but are unwilling to do any research or study on their own …), here’s the major “take away” from Brendon’s how to get a job article.

… So let’s go over it again.

Find who you want to work with. There are plenty of companies out there – find the exact one you want to work with. It’s your life you are dealing with here. Don’t waste a minute!

Tell the employer that you will make him money.

Tell the employer how you will make him money.

Build a relationship with potential employers.

Keep in contact!

Do those things and you will get a job. Simple.

Next installment I will cover some thoughts on how to apply these tips specifically to the foreigner in the Philippines environment. Stay tuned … and if you like these sort of articles, please subscribe (links art the top of the page) and/or eave me a comment about what you like or don’t like … I hate writing in a vacuum.

Popularity: 8% [?]

Filed Under: Philippine Jobs Tagged With: Foreigner jobs Philippines, Get a job Philippines, Live in the Philippines, Living in the Philippines

You've Scored a Job —- Or Have You?

February 18, 2010 By Philly Leave a Comment

One of the most popular topics ever here on PhilFAQS is the subject of jobs … especially jobs for foreigners in the Philippines. For example, see my “Ox is Gored” job outsourcing editorial, just updated.

It’s a kind of strange topic for me, because I never thought of the Philippines as a place to work by any stretch of my imagination … but for some reason an awful lot of the world seems to have a significant interest in working here in the Philippines … so even though I personally don’t advise it, I write about it often, because that is why my readers come here.

One of the themes I continually work into my writing, regardless of whether the ‘target country’ is the Philippines, the USA or any other point on the globe is … in the year 2010 you should seriously question the thought of tying your life to a conventional job.

In the US a lot of people have lost, or are in serious danger of losing, their conventional J*O*B’s (Just Over Broke). Even when the conventional job doesn’t seem to be in danger, we now face the frequent threat of jobs going away into ‘thin air’, or more exactly the Internet.

Reader Laurence sent me a recent link to an excellent feature from Australia on the job loss overseas issue. Although the piece is written as a sort of ‘wake up’ call … why doesn’t the government do something about this, why aren’t companies who outsource overseas punished for seeking better profits, there’s a lot to learn in the feature for people who might occasionally wonder if that “crazy guy” Philly could actually have a point in his crazy ‘make your own job’, ‘control your own future’ evangelism.

Watch the broadband version of the impact of overseas outsourced jobs video, or the low-speed dial-up loss of jobs overseas version here. Complete article and transcript of the loss of jobs overseas.

A couple points of interest you ought to be taking away from this video:

KERRY O’BRIEN: These days it’s not just the big banks taking advantage of cheap overseas labour by moving their call centres to developing economies like India.

Now small businesses are getting in on the act.

Thanks to the Internet, they’re off shoring a whole range of work like marketing, web design and even office administration to cheaper overseas locations like the Philippines

Budding entrepreneurs say the new technology allows them to build their businesses by sourcing white-collar workers overseas at a significantly lower cost than here in Australia.

Of course, feel free to substitute the USA or the UK or any other developed country for Australia in any part of this report.

THEA DIKEOS: Over the past five years banks and other big corporations have sparked union anger by moving their call centre work offshore.

It’s far from only call centers work that is being moved. During the height of the US banking crisis in 2009, Citi Bank built a several-thousand seat back-end processing facility here in Manila. They have an undisclosed number of non-Citi Bank customers in the US whom they provide the actual bank number crunching for. When you make a deposit at XYZ National Bank in Kansas, you account may very well be updating in the Philippines. The media is bringing the situation to our attention, but it often runs much deeper than just call centers.

THEA DIKEOS: An increasing number of websites are now devoted to finding work for professionals in developing countries. They offer any job that can be done remotely from web design to office administration.

In addition to banking sector jobs, the market for virtually ALL types of jobs is increasing exponentially.

THEA DIKEOS: Myles Urquhart runs an IT consulting business in Sydney’s north. He used Chris Jankulovski’s recruitment service to find someone in the Philippines to make his business calls.

MYLES URQUHART: The actual cost is about a quarter of what it will be to hire local staff. I can have a full time person working for me making calls, and I’m relaxed in the knowledge that they are handling that side of the business for me, so I can concentrate on strategic tasks in relation to the business.

photo credit: markhillary

If you read between the lines here, there is room for many, many more ladies like this one shown in the Philippines to do the same thing this consultant is paying for … make the cod calls, set the appointments, handle the details of the office that free the skilled worker up to do the truly profitable tasks.

SHARAN BURROW: If there’s such a difference between wages paid here and wages paid in another country for white collar work for skilled professional work, then there must be a level of exploitation, there must be a lack of labour rights and standards in the countries in which they are seeking that talent.

This is the last part I want to comment on. It’s a big issue to a lot of Americans I know. If you pay, say, a Filipino one forth what an American would earn for essentially the same job, are you exploiting him or her?

Well one certainly could make that argument. Of course, one could also make the argument that paying the Filipino 4 or more times what he or she would otherwise earn … or keep a Filipino family together by avoiding yet another OFW situation, you might be doing him or her a big favor.

I’m not going to debate the point, I leave it as an exercise for the reader, but I do hope you’ll take the time to watch the video and think over some of the questions it brings up. before you stake your future on that mythical “JOB”, better be sure it is what you really want … my income varies, but I have one advantage a whole whoop and a group of people all over the world don’t share … I can not be fired, laid off, or have my job sold overseas. It actually gives me a pretty warm feeling.

Popularity: 1% [?]

Filed Under: Philippine Jobs Tagged With: Philippine Jobs

Do You Still Think Things Will Be The Same?

January 23, 2010 By Philly 15 Comments

Lest you think I have turned anti-American or something equally as vile, let me try to give you a few facts to illustrate why I don’t think the US is ever coming back as the richest and most powerful nation on earth … global recession 0r no global recession. Since World War II we Americans have ambled along, secure in the knowledge that when the last dollar goes down on the table, we are going to be supreme. Is that still so? Well, maybe not so much.

Some terms and figures to reflect on:

Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The total market value of all final goods and services produced in a country in a given year, equal to total consumer, investment and government spending, plus the value of exports, minus the value of imports.

GDP per Capita: An approximation of the value of goods produced per person in the country, equal to the country’s GDP divided by the total number of people in the country.

US Population: 308,551,305

China Population: 1,319,175,337 (that’s more than 4.27 times the size of the US population)

Approximate 2009 US GDP Growth: 2%

Approximate 2009 Chinese GDP Growth: 10%

China is already the world’s third largest economy (after the US and Japan) and based on final 2009 Japanese figures, not yet released) may well already be the second largest, eclipsing Japan.

I’m sure that somewhere back in your education you learned about the “Rule of 72″. Simply stated, you divide the percentage into 72 and that will give you the number of years to double the initial amount.

Let’s see now, 72/2 equals only about 36 years! for the US GDP to double.

China’s is likely to double in 72/10, or 7.2 years. One fifth the time, or five times as fast as the US.

photo credit: Bernt Rostad

So tell, me, as you sit in your Chinese manufactured chair and read this on your Chinese-built LCD screen, when do you still see the US catching up?

This is not a temporary situation caused by mismanagement of the ______ political party (fill in your own scapegoat), they all got us into this.

This is a simple fact of life, mainly all about people. Numbers of people. If 1.3 billion Chinese increase their production only 5%, then evry productive person in the US has to increase their output by at leays 20%. Is one of your (realistic) New Year’s resolutions to increase your output by 20% next year?

And it’s not only China … an interesting fact from the video you are now going to watch … one that blew me away … India has more school kids in the top 25% IQ range (honors program kids) than the US has KIDS! Any wonder why you see Indian and/or Chinese family names every time you read about some huge medical brektrhrouh or new manufacturing improvement.

About 4% of US college students are in engineering courses. In China and India, roughly 40% are similarly engaged.

What are US students learning instead? Oh important, productive things like how to create goofy “mortgage derivatives” and other charades of Wall Street that produce nothing except pain for the people who got sucked into them and lost their pensions.

speaking of pensions, for those, like me,who were lucky enough to get on the gravy train of modest government pensions. How much did you pension or your Social security go up this year. Yep, nothing.

The US is no longer the leader of the world the way it was when we grew up. Those of us, young or old, who are smart enough to realize that this situation is not “temporary”, but is now the way of the world,will be in the best position to keep oor heads above water.

Those who want to stay in the denial mode? I wish you well.

Watch the video, it’s fascinating … especially if you are in the “industry” of selling “education”, and ponder awhile on how you are really going to provide an actual product in the future.

14,680,871,091,900

Popularity: 17% [?]

Filed Under: Philippine Jobs Tagged With: Jobs for Americans in the Philippines, Live in the Philippines, living in the Philippine

Foreigner Jobs Philippines Again

January 20, 2010 By Philly 12 Comments

One of the search terms I always rank high for here at PhilFAQS, where you learn the facts about living in the Philippines is, “Jobs for Foreigners in the Philippines”.

I some ways that’s a little strange because I usually write about jobs like that in somewhat negative terms … but since very few others write about the subject in any terms, I guess Google isn’t too far off the mark when they rank me where they do.

Well here’s a switch … I’m going to write about jobs for foreigners in the Philippines in a positive sense (perhaps).

Here’s a press release I just came across:

Career in Vintage wine, jobs for foreigners in Philippines at Yats Wine Cellars

Foreigners with background and experience in wine trade or service, planning to make good user of their time while enjoying a long-stay in the Philippines can now find jobs with Yats Wine Cellars in Philippines. Yats specializes in aged vintage wine

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PR Log (Press Release) – Oct 09, 2009 – Yats Wine Cellars has job openings for foreigners in Philippines interested to work in the hospitality industry. Immediate openings are available in the wine division called Yats Wine Cellars (www.YatsWineCellars.com)

These jobs are in local not expat terms.

If you are foreigner living or planning to live in the Philippines, looking for a job that is no on expat terms and willing to work hard to prove yourself, you can approach Hong-Kong-based company Yats Leisure which is engaged in the development and operation of leisure and hospitality properties. At present, Yats is focused intensely in developing their properties in the Clark Subic region. … rest of article on expat jobs is here.

Note, please don’t write and ask me how to follow-up on this offer, all the contact info is in the article … and if you don’t care enough to email or preferably call Manila ((011-632-633-1566) on your own behalf, I sure can’t help you find a job, you aren’t looking hard enough. Sorry to be so ‘blunt’, but the truth is still the truth.

One reason I felt it was a good day to write about the wine business and jobs for foreigners in the hospitality industry in the Philippines was a conversation I had with a young chap the other day.

He’s currently enrolled in a hotel and restaurant management course in a local school, and this coming week will be off on a trip to Cebu where he will have a semester of “OJT”

… a more hoity-toity phrase for that is a “practicum” (if you give it a Latin name you can charge more, doctors found that out years ago.) (Colleges really make out on these deals, make the students work for zero wages and then charge them for the privilege … think Lincoln freed the slaves? Not in academia (sounds like macadamia))

I was enjoying talking to him about his hopes and dreams … but he doesn’t really have any, to speak of. When he graduates from his school, his goal is to get a job on a cruise ship and “escape” from the country of his birth.

“Why”, I asked, rather bluntly, as of course I often do. The answer, after a lot of mumbles was something to the effect that there is so little opportunity in the Philippines. Filipinos have to leave if they want to earn a decent living … and by default, a foreigner would have to be insane to come here and try to make a living in the hospitality industry.

For those who aren’t familiar with the word “fortuitous” (“fortuitous encounters–strange accidents of fortune”), I happened to be driving just a mile or two from a certain hotel and restaurant in Barrio Barretto, Olongapo City on the National Road, on my way north to the family farm holdings in San Marcelino.

I waited a few minutes until the building came in view and then pointed it out to my young friend. One thing that immediately would catch anyone’s eye was signage on the front that proclaimed the establishment had won awards, including one from the well-know Lonely Planet guidebook.

Now this young man has likely been past this same restaurant a thousand or more times, it’s on his direct route to and from school, but of course, he had never noticed it. I called his attention to the name of the place too, as we passed, it’s called “Dryden’s”.

I asked, “Do you know what’s unique about that place, aside from the awards it has won?”

Not surprisingly, he allowed that he had no idea.

I explained that the name came from the former owner, a fellow name of Tom Dryden, a man as American as apple pie, US born and bred, who had established the place about 30 years ago and operated it, successfully for more than 27 years. After that run of success, Tom sold out, at a profit of course, and retired. He was well along in years and probably felt he had earned a respite from the daily grind.

Now that story alone would be a successful tale in anyone’s books … foreigner comes to the Philippines and competes, head on, with Filipinos, deals with all the licensing, politics, supply issues, eruption of Mt Pinatubo, the closing of the American bases, etc. And still winds his business up with a bit of a flourish … not only did he sell as a going concern, it was well enough established that the new owners are still making a go of it.

But Wait, There's More

But as this gentleman in the picture (Ed Valenti, the original Ginsu knife salesman) is famous for saying, there’s more:

Tom got tired of retirement and recently came back to the Philippines and opned (you guessed it) a new restaurant, not many kilometers down the road, in the Subic Bay Freeport (a place you are already acquainted with if you have read many of my articles).

It’s also called “Dryden’s” and I have eaten there several times and had the pleasure of some nice conversations with Tom himself. Excellent food, quite reasonable prices and does he have Filipino customers? Of course, Filipinos know good value as much as anyone does. And his food passes the Unofficial Cook’s taste and vlue test too, which many Filipino etablishments haven’t a prayer of doing.

I’ll be visiting Tom again RSN (Real Soon Now) and spouse says I should be writing about him for the blog … what do you think?

I do know that your ‘take away’ for today is, if you are thinking about making a living in the Philippines, and your tastes run toward the business side of things, then don’t listen to those who tell you what you can’t do … dream up what you want to do, plan it out carefully, and just do it. As I mentioned earlier in a comment to a reader today, one of the things that wears me down the most about living here is not any of the usual negatives foreigners talk about, it is the negative image everyone has about the place, including, sadly, a great many Filipinos.

This message goes out to all my readers, “foreign and domestic”. You can find jobs here, you can find business opportunities here, they say you can’t, but they don’t know what they are talking about.

Popularity: 18% [?]

Filed Under: Philippine Jobs Tagged With: Foreigner jobs Philippines, Jobs for Americans in the Philippines, start a business in the Philippines

Philippine Business Resources for the Common Man

January 19, 2010 By Philly 11 Comments

Kind of a funny headline? Well I chose it to make your think a little ‘out of the box’.

Hundreds of people per day come to this site from Google and the other, lesser search engines. One of the most frequent phrases they search for is ‘Jobs for foreigners in the Philippines’, ‘jobs for Americans in the Philippines‘, or words to that effect.

You can see in the two sample articles linked above, what they typically get from the search engines. Mainly, editorial content of mine, making no bones about the fact that I am not very much in favor of jobs, particularly jobs for foreigners in the Philippines.

I looked over these facts this morning and I said to myself, “well, just how helpful is that?”. And I answered myself too, “Ummm, not very.” (Yes, I do talk to myself a lot, you haven’t figured that out yet? )

I was reading my friend Bob’s column the other day and it made me think a bit more about my own belief that almost anyone who wants to be entrepreneurial actually can be entrepreneurial. I’ll leave that thought for another day. If you, in your own mind, have condemned yourself to be a ‘follower only’, then so be it. I don’t agree.

If you answer ads about working in the Philippines you will see many that seem to offer jobs, but in reality are just come-ons for things like “Herbal Life”. Remember that? (Lose weight now, ask me how). It’s a creaze like Amway that swept through the US 20 years ago.

(Remember, I mentioned many times that the Philippines is very like (copycatting) US crazes, but often many years behind)

Anyway, one aspect of looking here that many seem to totally ignore is call centers, They are huge in the Philippines. See:

The call center industry is an up-and-coming industry in the Philippines. Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) is regarded as one of the fastest growing industries in the world.

The Philippines is also considered as location of choice due to its less expensive operational and labor costs.^[1] In 2007, The Philippines remain as a top BPO destination for the estimated $150-billion business process outsourcing industry. ^[2].

A typical call center production floor in the Philippines

The reason I mention call centers is two-fold.

First for those we just touched upon, convinced they can’t do anything except work for someone else.

Well, some of the call center agents are foreigners (although many of you reading this won’t qualify because of age requirements

(remember, age and gender discrimination in the Philippines is an absolute right of business here)

Additionally, the common starting salaries in Metro Manila (likely the highest wages anywhere in the Philippines) are about P15K per month to P18K per month …~$300 to ~$450 USD per month, depending on the exchange rate. Not many foreigners are able to live in say, Makati, on something that low.

But, those who start as agents or operators might finds a quick path to promotion. Team leaders, first and second-level supervisors and trainers of all levels are often foreigners … and although competition is very strong, if you actually are good at what you do … and if you work hard …

(call center work is very time intensive and your every minute on the phone and every keystroke on your computer is monitored, )

PhilFAQS

Monday Morning Philippine Rants — First of Many

“Success is 99 percent failure.”

Soichiro Honda … yes, the founder of that Honda

What If I Told You That Thousands of New Jobs Were Coming? In the US and Overseas as Well?

Recent Queries That People Used To Find PhilFAQS — Frequently Asked Philippine Questions

Work With Your Mind, Not Your Back

Basics of Working in the Philippines for Foreigners

More on Jobs for Americans Teaching English in the Philippines

There's More to Dual Citizenship Than Meets the Eye

What? Me, Work for the State Department?

Who can become a Foreign Service Officer?

Who are the Specialists? What do they do?

Employment Opportunities

Why Not a “Real” Job in the Philippines?

U.S. FOREIGN SERVICE OFFICER TEST

You Don't Have To Work Where You Live!

5 reasons why your company should be distributed

About That Philippine Job You Want — Part 2

Why do people spend 4-5 years at University, but they can’t get a job?

The case of the GIGANTIC folder

I couldn’t care less…

You gotta be smart about it.

So let’s go over it again.

About That Job in the Philippines You Want — Part 1

You've Scored a Job —- Or Have You?

Do You Still Think Things Will Be The Same?

Foreigner Jobs Philippines Again

Career in Vintage wine, jobs for foreigners in Philippines at Yats Wine Cellars

Philippine Business Resources for the Common Man

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