Service jobs refer to occupations that perform services in exchange for a fixed rate. Services could be needed to finish another task or solve a problem. In the Philippines, these jobs are either performed by self-employed individuals or people who are employed in companies or contractors. If you’re planning to start a career in one of these jobs, read this list. GENERAL CONSTRUCTION WORKER Carpenters, mason and painters either work as independent contractors or employees of a construction or home service repair company. Job responsibilities: Apply paint suitable for concrete, wood and metal Paint home interior and exterior Repair cracked tiles and walls Repair home fixtures Build with stones, bricks or wood Qualifications: Attention to detail Experience in using measuring and power tools Knowledge of building regulations and codes Physical strength DELIVERY RIDER Delivery riders work part-time or full-time depending on their arrangements with the company. Delivery riders may work to provide the following: Food delivery Courier service in partnership with eCommerce companies ​Job responsibilities: Deliver the package to the client’s residence Record the transaction using the smartphone’s camera Qualifications: Customer courtesy and service Geographical knowledge of the locality Having a smartphone capable of running delivery apps Knowledge of traffic rules Motorcycle or vehicle driving skills Owning or having in possession of a company approved motorcycle or vehicle Honesty PEST CONTROL TECHNICIAN This job helps customers solve their problems with pest infesting buildings, homes and offices. Most pest control technicians work as full-time employees for a pest control company. Such a company may specialize in one to two or more pests.  Responsibilities: Identify and mark areas for chemical treatment. Apply insect growth regulator (IGR) to prevent insects from multiplying. Apply professional chemicals to reduce or remove pests such as ants, cockroaches, silverfishes and termites. Follow safety procedures before and after using chemicals. Install rat traps such as the carbon dioxide activated and head smash trap and food triggered cage. Temporarily organize and relocate items inside the house or building to avoid contamination. Use safety gloves, face shield and respirators when applying chemicals. Coordinate with other pest control technicians. Fill out paperwork after job completion. Coordinate with customers regarding billing, quotation and retreatments (if necessary). Qualifications: Attention to detail Knowledge of pest control safety measures Pest control license Problem-solving skills Physical stamina PLUMBER If you’ve got a problem with your kitchen sink or dripping faucet, you can call these guys. Plumbers are masters of pipe, water distribution and drainage repair. You can either work as an independent contractor or work for a construction company. Responsibilities: Clean rusted and soiled piping exterior and interior. Identify causes of leakage. Identify trouble areas such as joints, PVC and steel pipes. Install supports and equipment for pipes. Repair leaking pipes. Replace joints and pipes, if necessary. Use tools for installing and removing pipes. Qualifications: Attention to detail Plumbing training or a degree in mechanical engineering Problem-solving Mechanically inclined BARBERS / HAIRDRESSERS As a barber or hairdresser, you’re tasked to make your clients look good and presentable. You can either work as an independent beautician or as an employee of a beauty salon. Duties:  Cut, color, curl, style, wash and trim customer’s hair. Cut, shave and trim customer’s beard and moustache. Keep hair tools clean and free from contamination. Process paperwork such as billing and procurement of salon equipment (scissors, blades, electronic hair cutter, hair blower, comb) and cosmetic chemicals such as creams, hair dyes, hair conditioners, sprays, shampoos. Provide hair care and hairstyle advice. Record services, receive payments or direct payments to cashiers. Welcome customers and consult with them about their hair care and hairstyle needs. Keep the salon clean and organized. Qualifications: Attention to detail Knowledge in hair cutting and trimming styles Knowledge of best haircare practices Knowledge of hygiene practices Customer service ELECTRONICS SERVICE TECHNICIAN In this job, you’re the master of repairing electronic devices whether it’s a laptop or smartphone. Most people use electronics in their home and office, so there’s a market for your profession. You’ll likely work in a company service center or as an independent contractor. Duties: Attend to customer’s request. Diagnose electronic problems by using multitester and oscilloscopes. Observe safety procedures such as wearing a face mask, face shield, and electric resistant gloves. Troubleshoot problems and suggest if replacements are needed. Fill out paperwork such as quotation and billing. Qualifications: Attention to detail Commercial electronics service training and certificate Customer service skills Oral and written communication Teamwork CUSTOMER SERVICE ATTENDANT If you like to speak to customers or sell displayed goods, this job is for you. Most likely, you’ll be posted in mall department stores that sell home appliances, clothing, shoes, and crockeries. Duties: Arrange merchandise according to type and color. Attend to customer’s queries and request. Give information to customers. Greet clients. Maintain stocks. Process payments. Replenish merchandise. Sell or upsell products. Qualifications: Customer service skills Grooming Honesty Positive demeanor

Unless you are already in a perfect job, quitting is a reality. Outside your current job, you’ll find better opportunities and offers. Having an exit strategy can help you find the right track and a better outcome. Here we present ways you should do after deciding to quit. Ask for recommendation If you’re on good terms with your coworkers or superiors, you can ask them for recommendations or networks. Ask if they know someone within their network that is currently working for a company that hires your skills. You can also get a referral from a direct network. Check for employee benefits When you resign, you may receive separation benefits that could be paid in cash or check. Some employers give post-dated checks so prepare for spare cash. You can also apply for unemployment benefits offered by the government. Make sure you have plan B Plan B or fallback plan protects you from the economic fallout of not having money to pay your bills during your unemployment days. Plan B includes savings, freelance or temporary work, or a low-capital business. Make sure that you have a backup plan since this period can make you more vulnerable. Make your official resignation letter Through a formal letter, tell your company or your immediate superior that you are resigning. Use proper format and typeface when you are writing a letter. Here are the things that you should say: Thank them for the opportunity, growth, and the years of working with them. Inform them that you have already oriented or scheduled the orientation with your successor for the things that he/she should do when the handover is complete. Remove your personal information If you have been working from home, you have already used your company’s laptop or hard drive. When you quit, it’s best to remove your personal info and apps stored on that laptop before returning it.  Here are the things that you should do: Backup your password. Delete password and history in the browser. Delete quick access history. Delete the programs you installed. Settle your bills Bills such as rental, water, electricity and internet are recurring and best to be settled before you resign. You can use rental deposits to pay your last rent in case you decide to vacate your space. Other bills include cable television and streaming subscriptions. Also, you may want to retain your internet plan for sending applications. Go for vacation Quitting or resigning your job is also a period of contemplating your past and a time of relaxing from work-related stress. You can finally breathe a sigh of relief. At this time, if you have enough savings and budget then take a vacation. Nature getaway can help you relax, reduce your anxiety levels and breathe fresh air - the freshly cut grass, the musky jasmin, and the fruity scent of ylang-ylang

Someday when the technology (supercomputers and Artificial Intelligence) reaches its peak, some roles that were used to be performed by humans could be taken over by AI or robots. This list doesn’t intend to frighten people currently holding these jobs but only to inform what could be possible if we reach the time of super-intelligent robots and computers as predicted or calculated by Moore’s law.  Couriers Couriers are the frontline of logistics. They retrieve and deliver goods from the warehouse to the wholesalers or customers. They also refer to delivery riders that bring goods ordered by those using an online store or app. The advances in drone technology (cameras, radio-control, wifi and rotors) made aerial delivery possible. On top of that, autonomous vehicles perform courier roles. Here are the instances: Amazon delivery robots - These machines have been already deployed in Irvine, California. Humans still accompany these robots in case of trouble. Rakuten and Yamato tested delivery robots - The two companies tested the cute delivery robots (having like human eyes) if they are efficient enough to deliver parcels. Domino’s pizza delivery robot - The fast-food chain is getting closer to the delivery of pizzas.  While drones and robots replacing couriers sounds cool, they could still be limited to technologically advanced countries and might not completely replace humans for the following reasons: Human oversight is needed. Things could still go wrong while the machine is on the way to delivery. Unforeseen circumstances include thieves and bad weather. Drones carrying pizzas can be attacked by eagles and owls. Waiters At the frontlines of hotels, resorts and restaurants, waiters carry out tasks - customer service, upsell food, take orders and deliver food. In Japan, a cafe is run by robots controlled by people with disabilities. These robots can talk to customers, carry food or drinks and take orders. The PWDs control the machines remotely via the internet, wi-fi and another radio device. The robots can give disabled people an opportunity to earn wages even if they are homebound or lacking their arms or legs. Here’s another video of the said wait staff androids. Masons Masons or bricklayers comprise the essential part of the construction team. Being tedious and quite repetitive, the role could fall into the hands of the next robot applicant. According to an article, Bricklayer SAM (Semi-automated mason) 100 can lay 800 to 1,200 bricks a day compared to man’s 300 to 500. The robot uses sensors and lasers to measure the orientation, speed and angle of bricklaying. But experts agree that robot masons won’t completely replace humans because:  SAM 100's role is to leverage and enhance human masons’ work. Human oversight is needed. Skilled human workers can lay bricks, deal with aesthetics and tricky spots and remove excess mortars. Masons can adapt to differences between theoretical and actual building specifications on site. Prison Guards Watching and guarding hundreds to thousands of prisoners can be tedious and dangerous if riots break out or if one the jailbird conceals a deadly weapon. Robot prison guards to the rescue. One such autonomous guard is already at work in South Korea. Tagged cells guide the robot to detect risky behaviours such as suicide and violence. This four-wheeled robot could be confined in rich countries because it costs nearly $300,000 which developing countries can’t afford since they could run squalid and cramped prisons. Receptionists In any hotel, resorts, malls, and office towers, you’ll be greeted by a smiling receptionist or concierge. A report from the Business Insider showed Furhat Robotics’ social-robot built with a human-like face. Features include:  The head and shoulder automaton weighs 3.5 kg, capable of mimicking human facial expressions and 3-degree head-turning. Users can change the face to any animal or human faces that differ in ethnicity and gender. Disassembled, the robot shows two speakers, a wide-angle camera for tracking movements and external microphones. The robot bust can also show emotions by changing the color of its base. Farmer What if our traditional farmers could be replaced by robot farmers? Soon there could be robot scarecrows. Advances in agrotechnology have already made autonomous machines that run on artificial intelligence, sensors and manipulation tools. The Berne University of Applied Sciences is currently developing a field robot that can sow and fertilize fields. Makoto Koike, a Japanese engineer, invented a cucumber sorter powered by Google’s TensorFlow. His machine can sort the cucumbers based on color, freshness, shape, texture and scratches through image recognition. Postman  During the 1980s and 1990s, postmen tackled numerous tasks of sorting, storing and sending letters and documents. In the future, robots may be vying for this job. Carmaker Ford tested a robot postman, a two-legged and autonomous delivery robot that can carry packages that weigh up to 18kg. The limit? It can only bring packages from a delivery van to your doorstep. Another robot is Atlas by Boston Dynamics. The anthropomorphic robot can walk like a human, avoid obstacles using a LiDAR and move with flexibility using 28 hydraulic joints.

Most people will seek high-paying jobs, but did you know that such occupations have strings attached? Here we discuss the pros and cons of high-paying jobs of which being aware of can help you choose better jobs and career decisions.   PROS You can buy more Obviously, if you earn more, you can buy more. You gain more purchasing power than your peers who earn below the minimum wage or those folks earning less than a digit of yours. Earning twice the minimum wage or more can help you buy your desired gadgets, rent a good apartment, afford to buy a condominium or a car, avail insurance plans and elevate your lifestyle. But such goodies of a fat wallet or savings account depends on how you spend and budget. Even if you’re in the high-income club, if you’re a spendthrift, you’ll end up broke. Engage more in investments Investments are the way of making your money grow by spending it on products, stocks or properties with potential returns. You’ll have more power to join Forex trading, mutual bonds and stocks since you have a steady or stable stream of high income that serves as a surplus. Investing can help you grow your money more than keeping it in your treasure chest or low-interest rate banks. Enjoy more savings You probably know how hard it is to save if you’re maintaining monthly bills and house rent. If you earn more, you can set aside money for the next months or years without downgrading your current lifestyle. Again, this boils down to your financial skills. Get more attention or privileges Positive attention means getting more privileges when joining clubs or deals. For example, you can get more loans as per salary bracket, avail rewards and perks. For loans, most lending companies and banks set limits to borrowers depending on their capacity to repay. Shop for more gifts Of course all of us can gift someone regardless of the price tag. But one of the perks of earning a big fat paycheck is you can afford to buy gifts for more people outside your family. You can afford to give away high-end smartphones, laptops and branded clothes, help others, and make them happy. CONS Experience more stress Remember that a high paycheck always comes with big responsibility. Most of the time you have to work hard and make hard decisions everyday to earn it. Job-related stress is prevalent in high-paying jobs such as pilot, surgeon, and high-ranking corporate official.  Stress includes: Making critical decisions ​Managing tight deadlines Dealing with a perfectionist boss Pilling tasks Dealing with major company setback  Handling changes within the organization Another drawback of elevated stress is the risk of failing health. Psychological stress has its toll on the heart, stomach, blood flow and brain. When you’re earning a big paycheck, you’ll always rely on counter-stress measures such as binge eating and overspending which lead us to the next point. Spend more A drawback of stress-related work due to high paying jobs is spending more. Here you may buy more anti-stress medications, engage in expensive habits or rewards to reduce stress and comfort yourself. On top of that, an elevated stress could compromise your health which means more clinic, hospital visits and medications that can chomp on your big paycheck. Luxuries become necessities Because of your salary, you get more confidence and capability to buy things that are luxuries or wants. They become items that you can live without. Luxuries include video streaming services, a condominium from an affluent neighborhood, jewelries and monthly spa service.   Pay more taxes This is a common problem that high-income earners face. The government will tax you more for earning more. Your health declines The more stress you experience the more your health suffers. An article pointed to the relation of stress on body function and weakening of the immune system. If you have a heart problem and diabetes, stress can worsen your condition. Work-related stress caused by tight deadlines, toxic colleagues and company policies can impact your health. The ill effects of stress can negate what you can earn from your work. Expect you’ll be axed first or have your salary reduced  Earning more and having a high salary means your boss or company management is expecting more from you. Unlike your low paid colleagues, you are likely to be blamed if mistakes happen.  Since you earn more than the rest of your team, you’re always on the radar of your company’s budget reduction scheme. When the economy is bad (such as the COVID-19,  slow business and bankruptcy), the organization can decide to trim its workforce. You can be in a hot seat since it can be costly to retain employees with high salaries. Get fewer job opportunities Finding your next job can be difficult especially if your skills are very special, low in demand or your previous position is in management. Hiring personnel could reject your application due to overqualification. Unless you can settle for less salary or position than your former role, you can have a hard time finding a better job. Earn more schooling and experience High-paying jobs mean more education, degrees and hundreds to thousands of hours of training and experience. You can’t just get a nice paycheck by being content or relying on less knowledge and skills. A good salary requires: A solid experience required by the position Promotion (depends on the company structure and size) More education and training (Post-graduate degrees, Special training and certificates from recognized certification bodies)

One of both surprising and distressing news to hear is your company announcing that you and your teammates will be unemployed soon due to slow business or some other reasons that sent your business into a limbo realm. Layoffs are common during economic downturns and pandemic (COVID-19). If you’re the CEO, chairman or business owner, you can opt for these alternatives to save your business without taking the livelihood of your employees. Y ou can also reduce the negative economic impact on your workers. ESTABLISH WORK FROM HOME Keeping employees in rented office space costs more money. If your business work process can be partially or totally carried out at home, you can have your employees work from home. A remote work set-up can save you monthly expenses such as: Office space rentals - This is the highest operating expense unless you own your property. Even if you own your office, you have to deal with water, electricity and internet expenses. Water supply Electricity supply Internet connection Industries or business and jobs with operations that can be performed at home. Information Technology Programmer Web or Mobile app developer Graphic designer UI/UX designer Social media manager Content writer Video editor Healthcare Remote medical doctor for consulting Remote pharmacist for consulting Remote dietitian for consulting Finance Accountant Bookkeeper CONSIDER MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS One way to survive and avoid bankruptcy is to sell your company to a larger company. Acquisitions refer to a company buying out another company. Mergers pertain to a company joining another company to form a new one. You can have your company merge with another one. This can help avoid mass layoffs and save jobs. CUT BACK ON EXPENDITURES Cutting back on costs involves reducing non-essential monthly expenses that can take a huge slice of your budget pie. By reducing non-essential spending, you can save your company from going bankrupt or laying off your employees. Without these things, you can still have a functioning company. Cable television Car upgrade Credit card Dining out and takeout of board members Office aesthetics and upgrade Printing Vacation travels CUT PAY/SALARY Inform your employees through memos and letters that everyone must undergo a sacrifice for companies and job security - that is, cutting salaries. Make sure that pay cuts are appropriate and sustainable. You can’t cut the salaries of those who receive less and have barely enough money to survive the cost of living. High ranking employees such as directors and managers who earn a humble salary and enjoy a nice house or fancy cars can afford to take salary cuts. Remember, true leaders take sacrifices while terrible leaders impose sacrifices on others. After giving them the news, inform them that the benefits will be reinstated when the business returns to normal. CUT BENEFITS Benefits can mean bonuses, car loans, medical insurance and vacation trips. Tell your employees through email and memos that you have to resort to cutting some benefits to save jobs, but as soon as your business return to normal, the company will reinstate the benefits.  ENCOURAGE VOLUNTARY RETIREMENT This option is good for employees nearing the age of retirement such as 50 and 55. You can offer them retirement packages such as cash and a livelihood package. FREEZE HIRING If your current staff can do all of your daily operations without quality and efficiency issues, then freeze hiring will work for you. A multi-talented employee can work wonders for you when he or she can do many things or higher-level tasks. When you assign additional workload, make sure to fairly compensate and not to overwork him/her. Remember that overworking employees is an unsustainable strategy. OFFER UNPAID DAY OR TIME OFF Save money from wage expenses by offering your employees more days off or slashed working hours. You can ask them to work 3 times a week in exchange for more off and job security. In this case, that will be a win-win scenario for both. RENEGOTIATE SUPPLIER AND VENDOR CONTACTS Sometimes you have to seek a solution outside of your company, which is to your suppliers and vendors. If have a good relationship with your suppliers and vendors, you can negotiate the contract for a better deal. Prepare your market data to back up your claim that you need to cut costs. A favorable contract can work on your odds and develop a mutual and sustainable relationship.