A lot of folks I’ve met on-line over the past 7 or 8 years want to live in the Philippines.  Many are also below normal retirement age and don’t have a pension or other regular non-work income source to support their move.  So those with technical talent often ask about getting a tech job in the Philippines.

My view?  based on personal knowledge and contacts with a number of hi-tech folks as well as bankers and lawyers is … fughedaboutit (or that would be Tony Soprano’s advice and my echo).  Your competition is thousands and thousands of fresh, motivated and ‘hungry’ technical graduates each year and a large crop of under-employed experienced folks.  Also, many things both culturally and technically are done differently.  They may be smarter or less smart in your view, but the object is, no one is looking for your view … your chief value would be fitting in and being part of a team.

If my pessimism (honest evaluation) of the work climate hasn’t driven you away. here’s an outfit that is actively working with a lot of tech companies here in the Phils and is actively recruiting cannon fodder (I mean job applicants).  Best of luck.

Editor’s Note:  I originally published this more than three full years ago.  Time flies.  Yet it is one of the least visited, least read posts on my whole blog.  Confusing, since the headline is short, sweet, and exactly on point.  So I decided to revise it, up date it, and move it to the top of the list for 2010 … the day you can stop wishing and dreaming to the Philippines if you truly want to get off your duff and do something about it

When people ask about jobs in the Philippines … for Filipino or Foreigners, it is often apparent they don’t know the first place to start  So here are some places to begin.  If you want “a job”, then the first thing you need to do is check out two important factors:

— Where are the employers and what are they “buying:   Far too many foreigners have handicapped themselves by subscribing to that “third-world”, “backward” country claptrap.  Fact is, IT and communications jobs are booming in the Philippines.  It is far more than “call center” jobs which have migrated to the Philippines.  Here’s a site that lists thousands of trade associations, consulting services and high-tech employers in the Philippines.  It’s run by the government, fairly easy to use and has stood the test of time .. on-line and ‘alive’ for many years now.  It includes details like contact person, address, fax number, etc. If you can’t figure out what to do with information like that, better reconsider how you are going about looking for a job.

The National Computer Center (NCC)

— What are your Qualifications: You wouldn’t believe how many people write to me asking about jobs for Americans in the Philippines and report to me directly that they essentially have no skills.  The messages always go something like, “Oh I have no particular skills, I just need a job so I can live there with my sweetheart”, or words to that effect.  Usually I try to be nice about it, even though these messages depress me and annoy me.  I hereby resolve to stop mincing words.

If you feel you have no “particular” skills, then rush to the store and buy yourself a fricking clue, people.  And on the way back, equip yourself to be useful to an employer, please.

Listings of Philippines IT employers

Employers don’t “give jobs’ for the sake of “having employees”.  They hire people with skills to get things done for them so as to make their business profit.  Weak, unfocused statements like, “I have experience in running networks” are not specific skills.

Do you have any idea how many people in the world can honestly claim they have “some experience running a network?”  Thousands upon thousands.  There are thousands of cab drivers across the Philippines with degrees in IT or other network/programming skills.  What sets you apart?

What is your USP (Unique Sales Proposition)?  “Sales, Dave, I’m not looking for a sales job.”  Oh yes you are.  Make no mistake about it, “looking for a job” is really an exercise in “selling yourself”, and if you haven’t decided to love sales rather than hate it, your chances go down very dramatically.

Individual IT certification source

One USP that I feel many people ignore is, certifications,  This is especially important if your actual on the job experience is limited or “off topic” from the job you really want to land.  Here’s an outfit (based in the USA but with a very active Philippine presence) who can do just that.  Certify people to industry standards in over 600 areas.  I have no business relationship with them, and you must always exercise the principles of caveat emptor, but they certainly look worth investigating to me.  They have been heavy in the ICT business here in the Philippines for years before I came here, and who knows … certification might just be the key to unlock a door.

Look forward to many more articles like this in 2010 (in fact, sign up here so you don’t miss a single issue). but don’t expect pabulum and sugar-coating.  If you want a job here in the Philippines, I’ll try to help, but you will get off your ass and work for it on your own … losers and do-nothings are not welcome here.

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