Many Filipinos consider working in Singapore for several reasons. The first being it close to home. Another is Singapore’s competitive work market. Those who work in Singapore have a better chance of establishing a career in their field. And finally, Singapore offers a multicultural and dynamic work environment.
Those are just some of the reasons why Filipinos opt to work in Singapore. However, if you’ve never visited this country and are planning to work here (once things return to normal), consider the following tips shared by an OFW based in Singapore.
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Disclaimer: The information published is based on the experience shared by the vlogger/YouTuber. The information provided may change without prior notice and may differ in actual scenarios. Let this article serve as a guide only.
Here is the video guide shared by a Pinoy OFW in Singapore, Francis Alex on YouTube. If you find his tips helpful, you may check out his channel to catch more interesting content about his work and life as an OFW in Singapore.
3 OFW Tips for Filipinos Who Want to Work in Singapore
One of the things you need to understand when working in Singapore is that their job market is highly diverse. This means that you will be competing against other foreign nationals – both Western and Asian, so you need to be able to step up your game when it comes to finding a job in Singapore. Here are three important things you need to consider to increase your chances of landing a job here.
1. Gain Relevant Work Experience.
As mentioned, the job market in Singapore is loaded with young and seasoned talents from all parts of the world. That said, you need to have a competitive edge over hundreds of applicants who wish to apply for the same spot as you. According to Francis, this is where relevant work experience will come into play. Depending on the industry and position you’re applying for, you need to have at least 2 to 3 years of experience in the same field or position you want to get into.
Work experience is indeed important, but if you can present additional credentials such as certifications and training credits, which applies in the industry you belong in, then that would greatly increase your chances of getting the job you are targeting.
As a general rule, a comprehensive portfolio of your work history and achievements will do wonders for your application in Singapore and anywhere in the world for that matter so make sure that you have this available either as an electronic file (pdf) or on your website.
One thing you need to know about Singapore is that it is a technologically advanced nation and much of the transactions here are done online. The same also applies to recruitment and hiring. For this reason, you must know where to look for job openings in Singapore online. There are several websites you can check for openings but the most popular websites are Linkedin, Jobscentral, Indeed, and Monster.
When visiting these websites, make sure that you pay attention to the minimum requirements indicated on the job post. By carefully scrutinizing the details provided in the job post, you can better craft your resume or CV as well as a cover letter, where needed.
Pro Tip: Many companies use hiring software to scan through hundreds of application documents in a matter of a few minutes. For this reason, make sure that your resume or CV, and cover letter are well-crafted and free from any errors, integrating the keywords used by the recruitment manager carefully into your application documents. Doing so will increase your chances of getting a callback or shortlisted for an interview.
2. Be Ready with Your Monthly Budget in Singapore.
Expect that once you start working here in Singapore that you will have to shell out some cash for your daily needs, especially if you’ve only just started or are still in the process of looking for a job. According to Francis, on average, a typical resident in Singapore will have the following costs:
- Accommodation: $300
- Fare/Transportation: $80-$100
- Food: $360
- Miscellaneous: $50
- Total: approximately $800 (Php 30,000)/month on necessities only
As you can tell, Singapore is not exactly a cheap place to live in, so you must have significant bank savings to ensure that you won’t have a hard time once you decide to work and reside here in Singapore.
3. Work on Improving your English Proficiency.
As Singapore is a multicultural nation with lots of international companies headquartered here, you will need to have excellent communication skills, especially with the use of the English language. This is particularly useful when you’re aiming to land a job in the field of IT, tourism/hospitality, and healthcare, which are considered the top industries here in Singapore.
So if your goal is to enter any of the industries mentioned above, you’d greatly benefit from improving your English skills as early as now. And while you’re at it, take note that the preferred type of English here in Singapore is British-English. If you’re wondering why this is, you’d be surprised to know that Singapore has once been an English colony, so much of its culture has been influenced by the British, including their language, which has come to evolve into another variation of the English language that we now know as Singlish (Singaporean English).
Remember, aside from becoming proficient in the use of the English language, you also need to become quickly acclimated to Singaporean culture so that you can better adapt to the workplace and become more successful in your chosen career track.
These are just a few of the important things you need to consider when looking for a job in Singapore. By making sure that cover these things, you can increase your chances of getting employed and starting your life here in Singapore as an expat. If you do everything right, this could be the big break you’ve been waiting for! Good luck!
Did we miss anything? Are there any other tips you would like to add to the ones Francis shared with us in this post? Let us know by leaving a comment in the section below!
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