Image credited to Lars_Nissen from Pixabay Reaching other lands, and countries, experiencing other climates and earning more than you could in your native country are one of the best things to happen in life.  If you’re contemplating working abroad, this guide can help you decide.    Why should I decide carefully before going abroad? Learning the hows of ifs working abroad helps you mitigate the risks. Maximize your earning potential  Find the right opportunities Avoid illegal recruitment   You can get most of the benefits of working abroad if: The salary offer is more than twice the job offered locally. For most Filipinos, a minimum of 50, 000 PHP worth of salary abroad is desirable. Your role, industry, or profession has opportunities abroad that pay well. You can’t find decent-paying work locally. You love to reach famous landmarks and other countries. You love to experience other climates (four seasons versus tropical and subtropical). You’re planning to immigrate to other countries.   It might not be Ok to work abroad if:   You can find a job with similar offers, approximates or greater than the salary offered abroad. You’re going to study at local colleges or universities for career improvements. Studying abroad is expensive and may conflict with your working schedule. There’s no one to take care of your children (if you’re a parent) unless you and your spouse are living abroad and can afford to sponsor your sons and daughters. There’s a travel ban due to war, pandemic and political causes in a destination country unless you can find alternative countries.  No one will take care of your loved ones (spouse, children, parents, and relatives) and you can find a job locally. You can’t handle the emotional impact of leaving your loved ones.

Whether you're stepping into the job market as a recent graduate or transitioning careers midway, securing the ideal job requires a robust strategy coupled with effective tools. To help you succeed, here are some resources that can kick-start your journey towards finding the perfect role. Business Cards Business cards, digital or physical, can help you connect with your network or find a lead person who can recommend you for a job. Such business cards should contain your name, expertise and contacts (phone, mobile and email). You can have someone make a business card for you or better you can make your own.  With specialized business card design tools, as well as comprehensive productivity applications that offer same feature at your disposal, you can effortlessly create professional business cards tailored to your unique brand identity. Google Sheet Monitor your job applications, interviews, and progress effectively by utilizing a well-structured spreadsheet. Google Sheets serves as an invaluable tool for maintaining a real-time, cloud-based tracker, eliminating the need for constant document opening, closing, and saving. You can effortlessly log essential information such as the date, company name, and application status. It can further aid job seekers by allowing the easy sharing of your tracker with career counselors or mentors, facilitating comments and feedback for improvement Job Board Job board refers to a specialized site for displaying and storing job advertisements. Here you can view the job title, expiration date, skills and experiences required, salary, location and company name. The site also includes a search filter to narrow down your search. You can sign-up, build your profile or upload your resume. One of the simple and easy to use job boards are Oh! Jobs.ph and Oh! Jobs.jp. Mock Interview preparation programs These apps can help you practice a mock or trial interview as you would in an actual interview. Mock interviews boost your confidence and prepare for the real thing. interview warmup Mockrabbit Pramp Map Apps If you’re new or unfamiliar with the place of the company’s office and interview site, chances are you’ll need a reliable map. Some of the best map apps include: Google Map Waze Here We Go Maps.Me Social Bookmarking Sites Saving an article or webpage can help you get to research and bookmark sites relevant or helpful to your job effort. Social Bookmarking sites let you post a URL and save them on an easy to access a website.  Examples include: Facebook Flipboard Medium Pocket Pinterest Tumblr

Despite the widespread disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, it has served as a catalyst, demonstrating the viability and sustainability of remote work for both companies and employees. The demand for specific roles fluctuates based on industry-specific supply and demand dynamics. While some professions have experienced a surge in market demand, others have witnessed a decline in job openings. This piece explores the jobs that are currently in high demand and those expected to remain so in the foreseeable future. Information Security Analyst As the complexity of software and computer hardware systems increases, so too does the potential for malicious hackers to exploit these intricacies and commit fraud. Key industries such as banks, BPOs, data centres, and cloud services companies are particularly vulnerable, thus underscoring the crucial role of an information security analyst. This vital position safeguards an organization's digital assets, defending against unauthorized access and mitigating the risks of malicious hacking. Educational background: Bachelor in Computer Science, Engineering Soft Skills: Attention to detail Critical thinking Collaboration Communication Problem-solving Hard Skills: Ethical hacking Networking Operating Systems Scripting Duties: Analyze security by testing vulnerabilities and risks Establish security protocols Monitor security access Train employees on best practices Update incident response and disaster recovery plans Salary: 571,589 PHP per Year - Average Base Salary. Salary Range: 237k PHP to 1 M per year Source: Payscale Note: varies depending on experience, location and company size Remote Paralegal Assistant No matter how we strive for harmony in society, the conflict will always arise due to competition for resources and differences. Even if there’s no conflict, a legal service can help everyone know their rights and run their business with peace of mind. A paralegal assistant helps lawyers in running daily legal matters. The only he or she can’t do is represent a client in court that is reserved for lawyers. Now, placed in a remote setting, a paralegal assistant can perform duties at home except those needing physical presence such as filing cases and liaising. The tasks of this role overlap with other legal-related jobs such as legal editor and legal writer. Education: Bachelor of Laws (non-bar passer), bachelor’s degrees in Political Science, English, History, Bachelor in Paralegal Studies, Special Paralegal Course Soft Skills Attention to detail Communications (oral and writing) Problem-solving Ethical judgement Hard Skills Case management Computer literacy Customer service English grammar Legal document composition Legal management software Legal research Litigation Present court orders, polished contracts, and pleadings Duties: Collect information from clients Perform notarial services Pull and review relevant case laws and precedents Assist with the preparation of legal documents such as contracts, wills, and deeds Serve and collect bills from clients Salary: 268,478 PHP per year Salary range: 26k to 518K per year Source: Payscale Note: varies depending on experience, location and company size Remote Recruiter A remote recruiter is a type of human resources personnel that assists companies in searching and finding the right people to fill vacancies.  The work setting includes a home office with a desktop or laptop computer and a stable internet connection. Successful remote recruiters excel in engaging with diverse individuals and demonstrate proficient utilization of computer technology. Education: An associate or bachelor's degree in Psychology or Human Services. Experience in customer service can also help. Soft Skills: Attention to detail Communication Customer service Time management Hard Skills Excel, Word processing apps Human resources software Interviewing techniques Social Media Platform (Facebook, Twitter) Duties: Attend hiring events or job fairs Source candidates through social media, job board platforms and personal network connections Consult with clients on the qualifications needed Adhere to recruitment policies, standards and labor laws Communicate information to candidates Screen, interview, reject and onboard candidates Track staffing information to provide accurate information to a hiring manager Salary: 300,238 PHP Salary range: 149K to 651K per year Source: Payscale Note: varies depending on experience, location and company size Subtitler/Subtitle Writer Subtitles, the written counterpart to spoken dialogue in movies, news broadcasts, and other TV programs, greatly enhance viewers' comprehension and enjoyment of these materials. They are indispensable tools for individuals with hearing impairments, providing a critical bridge to the world of audio-visual content. Furthermore, even for those without hearing disabilities, subtitles can clarify fast-paced dialogues, unfamiliar accents, slang, or potentially unintelligible speech. As a result, the role of the subtitler extends beyond mere transcription - they're tasked with ensuring the grammatical accuracy of the subtitles and, when necessary, translating foreign languages. Education: A diploma or Bachelor's in English and Grammar (for English subtitling) Diploma in a second language (Japanese, Korean, French, Spanish etc) Soft Skills: Communication Critical thinking Teamwork Time management Hard skills English grammar Demonstrated fluency in a second language Proficiency in subtitling editors Responsibilities: Watch a film or show and write subtitles with the correct time codes Edit and proofread grammar and punctuations Translate dialogue Follow subtitling standards Understand how captions will appear and impact the audience Salary: 415,353 PHP Salary range: 309K to 509K per year Source: SalaryExpert Note: varies depending on experience, location and company size Data Visualizer/Data Visualization Analyst Visualizing data means pulling information, translating such data and presenting it in an easy-to-digest map, table or graph. Information is hardly useful if the audience or the information consumers can’t understand it. This is where the data visualizer starts their job. They use software to read, interpret and turn numbers, texts and tables into bar graphs, pie charts, heat maps, bubble graphs, scatter graphs, line graphs, infographics and any graphics. This role can help business owners and stakeholders to make accurate decisions and predictions. Data visualizers work for the following: Sales and marketing Politics Healthcare Science Finance Logistics Research and development Education: One can become a data visualizer with one or more educational backgrounds and experiences. Computer Science Graphic design background SQL programming background Masters in Data Visualization Bachelor of Science in Statistics Bachelor of Arts in Sociology Soft skills Communication Problem-solving Time management Teamwork Hard skills Data visualization software SQL Statistics Spreadsheet (Google Sheets, Excel, etc.) Duties: Combine data from different sources Make complex and large data easy to use and understand by turning them into infographics, graphs, pie charts and other visualizations Use data visualization software to turn raw data into graphics Improve, integrate and transform data Salary: 628,000 per year - Average salary Source: Payscale Note: varies depending on experience and company size UI/UX Designer An effective and successful app incorporates a better user experience and interface - designed for people by the people. An app won’t get its intended goal if it's difficult to use. A UI/UX designer answers the needs of software development companies and the consumers. A User Interface (UI) Designer designs and arranges the aesthetic elements such as colors, menu bars, typography and other buttons. The User Experience (UX) designer makes the logical steps or journey (from start to finish) for a product and service. The UX designer’s role goes beyond the app and websites since they have to do research and planning. Often the UI and UX functions overlap and complement each other and so organizations choose to combine these two roles. While at times, these roles’ functions can overlap, there are primary differences between UI and UX designers. UX deals with functionality and purpose, and looks into such things as ease of use, perception of value, efficiency in performing tasks, and so forth UI design constitutes an artistic component and deals with the specific aspects of how a product is interacted with Education/Training: Anyone can enter this job without having a formal and compatible degree in UI and UX since they can learn via experience as a web developer, or graphic designer. But a degree in fine arts, computer science, computer engineering and multimedia arts can also help lay the foundations. Soft skills: Attention to detail Communications Presentation Teamwork Time management Hard skills Information architecture Graphic design tools (Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop) Visual design Front-end programming (HTML and CSS3) Wireframing Tools: Adobe XD, Figma, Justinmind, Moqups Agile (project management practices) User research and usability testing Duties: Make and design user interface Design UI elements such as informational, navigational and input control components Use client feedback, usability results, and usability metrics to enhance UI and UX Make mockups, flows, prototypes and wireframes Make tables, sketches and images Collaborate with engineering, product and management teams Collect and know the user’s needs Salary: 435,058 PHP per year - Average Base Salary Salary Range: 210K to 1 million per year Source: Payscale Note: Salary depends on experience, location and company size Writer Any visual presentation (print, TV, webpage) is nothing if it doesn't contain informative texts. An advertisement can only deliver its intended message to an audience if it contains easy-to-understand words, phrases and sentences. The need for online content increased the niches for writers. This role is diverse since there are many types of writers such as: Copywriter Legal writer Medical writer Real estate writer Technical writer Scriptwriter Research writer Writers work for different organizations such as web development and software companies; law firms, and government agencies. Education: College degree in English, Political Science, Multimedia Arts, Sociology, Mass Communication and Journalism Soft skills: Attention to detail Communication Teamwork Hard skills English grammar Editing Proofreading Knowledge of subject matter Specialization of topics Word processing software (MS Word, Google Docs) Collaboration or project management tools Salary: 233,306 - Average base salary Salary Range: 16K to 414K per year Source: Payscale Note: Salary depends on experience, company size, writer type, skill set, location, etc. Disclaimer: The salaries stated above are estimates and may vary over time due to job market conditions, and technological and economic trends.

Understanding the size of a company can be a valuable factor in determining where and when to direct your job applications. It can significantly contribute to aligning your career objectives and long-term goals. Career objectives may involve securing the right salary to cater to your living expenses and identifying opportunities for career advancement. On the other hand, your long-term goals might encompass considerations such as whether you envision a sustained tenure in the company. Therefore, discovering cues to ascertain a company's size becomes an essential step in your career planning process. Office building and location You’ll know this either through an online check, visitation and physical interview. You’ll know this when you pass by or enter their lobby or reception area. You can categorize the size according to these observations: Big companies Office space Owns several buildings in the home country Rents or owns several floor spaces or a building in other countries Websites Owns a quality website Owns several affiliate websites Medium companies Office space Rents or own a floor space or a small building in the home country and one in another country. Websites Owns simple to sophisticated websites Small companies Office space Rents a small office space in a low-cost commercial building in the home country Websites​ May not own a website or just rely on social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) Benefits You can know these things through internet research or from your networks – friends, former working colleagues, family. Big Companies Salary: Competitive salary package Healthcare: Provides health insurance benefits that might cover immediate relatives Food: Provides catering services that could be breakfast, lunch or dinner Learning: Provides educational grants or in-house training Transportation: Provides shuttle services Tool allowance: Provides money to buy or supply equipment essential to complete tasks Medium companies Salary: Above the minimum wage Healthcare: Provides health insurance Food: Usually not provided Learning: None Transportation: May provide but on limited fleet size Tool allowance: Available to seniors and/or management level Small Companies Salary: Below to slightly above the minimum wage Healthcare: None Food: None Learning: None Transportation: None Tool allowance: None Number of Employees The more the employees, the more the company is capable to run several branches or factories. These organizations might have different departments performing different roles such as HR, production, procurement, and administrative. According to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Large enterprises comprise 250 people or more. Medium-sized enterprises have 50 to 249 employees. Small enterprises have 10 to 49 employees. You can know this figure through internet research or by talking to employees. Volume of sales A high volume of sales can mean that company is dealing with a large sales volume that may comprise millions to billions of dollars. A medium company can earn from thousands to hundreds of millions of dollars. And a small company - thousands to a few million. These data can be available in a strategic report or a director's report. Some government agencies that regulate businesses publish data on companies. The bottom line Having clues about the company size, you can have a sense of direction on what to expect when you apply to a certain company. And realize your target job, salary and working environment. You can also gauge the quality of your career in that company.

Conducting thorough research on a company prior to a job interview can prove highly beneficial. It does not only equip you with an in-depth understanding of the organization but also offers you a competitive edge over other candidates who may not have invested in understanding the nuances of the role or the company's culture. Usually, interviewers will ask you about what you know about their company. So, a knowledge of the company will give you an advantage when answering questions. Products and services This is the most obvious thing you should know - what their business is all about. To gather this information, consider exploring the company's official website, blog posts, and online whitepapers. Identifying the industry in which the company operates, be it pharmaceuticals, information technology, food & beverage, telecommunications, or any other sector, can provide valuable context for their products and services, thereby deepening your knowledge and preparedness. Company culture, mission, vision and values Company culture refers to the behaviors and beliefs of the employees and the management. The mission defines the purpose of the organization. Values – the core ethics and principles. Vision pertains to long term objectives. You can know these through their advertisement, website or social media. Knowing these three things can help you decide and plan how your own values will align with the company. Key players These are the most important people or things involved in the founding of the company. They could be the founder, co-founders, planners, and initial investors. For things, they could be the ideas, products or any tangibles and intangibles that are precursors of the business. Knowing them can help you understand the history, vision and mission of the company. Dress code Not all organizations have the same dress policies for their applicants. Some are lax while others are strict. Usually, if you don’t know the dress code, it’s safe to wear business casual rather than appearing for an interview wearing pajamas, shorts and a sleeveless t-shirt (you get what I mean). Likewise, it’s not a wise choice to show up for interviews in streetwear. Some IT companies aren’t strict on dress codes as long as you wear decent and clean attire. Boardroom Attire Men: Coat, tie, three-piece suits, crisp white dress Women: Blouses, collared dress shirts, skirts. Avoid very short or revealing dresses. Heels and black tights Industry: Most large companies involved in hospitality (hotels), airlines, banking, marketing and human resources. This is usually worn by executives who held higher positions. Traditional Business Attire Men: Patterned undershirts and ties plus coat. Subtly patterned dark suits. Dark brown and navy-blue oxfords Women: Professional blouses and shirts or suits. Closed and tight toe heels Industry: Banking and finance, media (newscasting), hospitality, marketing, airline, food and beverage (wait staff) Executive Casual Men: Sportscoats & jackets, patterned coats and ties, slacks. Monk-strapped shoes Women: Well-kempt hair, Bright colored fabric, blouse, slacks, pantyhose. Closed-toes shoes or high heels Industry: Most companies Smart Casual Men: Neat hairstyle, long-sleeve and formal polo. Slacks. Black shoe Women: Nice skirts or slacks, collared dress or dressy top matched to a pair of dark jeans Industry: Most companies Business Casual Men: Collared polo shirt, black, blue or brown trousers. Built and optional tie. Leather shoes Women: Cotton or twill pants or skirts. Solid color polo or knit skirts. Open toe shoes Industry: Most companies in the IT industry and business deal with logistics. Source: Business Insider Additional tips: Avoid revealing or scantily-clad dresses such as very short skirts or shorts. Always wear well-kempt hair that is combed and neatly. Trim nails and make sure they have no dirt. Avoid wearing excessive make-up or perfume. Experiences and skills Job ads detail the requirements for the job such as education, experience level and skills. Knowing them can help you assess whether you have the qualifications and formulate your answers for the interview. This preliminary groundwork not only showcases your interest and dedication to prospective employers but also allows you to make informed decisions about your potential fit within the company.