Things to consider when planning to find a career in Singapore
It is not surprising that many Filipinos are enticed to work in the Southeast Asian nation of Singapore, one of the most affluent countries in the world.
In 2018, it was recognized by global human resource consultancy Mercer as the top city in Asia in terms of quality of living.
According to the 2018 World Happiness Report, Singapore was also regarded as the 'happiest country in Southeast Asia' based on the information gathered from guidemesingapore.com.
Meanwhile, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) stated that there are more or less 200,000 overseas Filipinos in Singapore as of 2014.
These people contribute a huge amount of money to the Philippine economy. Data culled from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) showed that the cash-flow from migrant workers in Singapore reached $1.85 billion in 2018, the fourth largest remittance source of the country.
Before these statistics get you excited and make you pack your bags and book that ticket, there are things you should ponder first before making that big decision.
We chatted with expatriates Nasser Amparna and Fritz Hernandez, who have found lucrative and fulfilling careers in the country to share some tips and dish out important reminders for job-seekers.
Fritz went to Singapore in 2019 and now is working as a sales account manager for a multinational technology company, while Nasser--formerly Jang of boyband Down To Mars--is a lab specialist in an all-girls government run school. He has been living in the country for six years already.
Fritz Hernandez and Nasser Amparna share their story of working in Singapore / Screenshot taken from their social media accounts
Know your priorities
Making that decision of going to Singapore should never be done in haste and people should really figure out their priorities.
Setting your priorities will give you a clear idea on what you want achieve in terms of your career.
Nasser told GMANetwork.com, “Set their priorities, kung ano ba 'yung priority nila. Kasi career mo 'to e, pera mo ito. Hindi mo masasabi kung saan ka ba nababagay.
“But puwede mo siya ma-filter, umpisa pa lang, kung ano 'yung priority mo. Kung priority mo na i-enhance 'yung natutunan mo or kung priority mo ba na puwede mag-explore ng ibang bagay or gusto mo sa Pilipinas lang or lumabas sa ibang bansa.”
Learn to be flexible
In her one year of living in Singapore, Fritz pointed out that people should learn to be flexible if they want to find a career in the country.
Working abroad will entail a huge adjustment especially in your personal life.
She explained, “Be flexible, dapat marunong mag-adjust. Kasi ako big adjustment for me na noong pumunta ako dito, more of personal 'yung adjustments.
“Kahit na sabihan nila na, 'Ay sa magandang company ka napunta or ganyan', hindi e. Marami pa rin [adjustments] in terms of personal lifestyle mo [living] in Singapore na kailangan mo mag-adjust.”
Another piece of advice that Fritz shared with GMANetwork.com is that you have learn to adapt in a working environment with many nationalities involved, which can be tricky since you may have different views on a lot of things.
“Saka be flexible [in working with other nationalities]. Since hub nga si Singapore, 'yung nationalities sobrang dami, so hindi mo naman mapipigilan 'yung iba in terms of what they want or what they don't want. Be flexible lang, pare-pareho lang kayo ng situation.”
There will be sacrifices, period.
If you think that working in a country is a big and happy adventure, then you are dead wrong.
Nasser stressed that you will have to make a lot of sacrifices that will test you in every possible way.
He recalled that he had to let go of the opportunity of being a regular in a variety show when he decided to pursue a career in Singapore.
He said, “Aside from weighing down the pros and cons, kasi lalabas 'di ba ka ng Pilipinas, kailangan mo consider din ngayon sacrifices.
“Of course, I'm away from my family and then I miss a lot of opportunities sa Pilipinas. Ang dami kong opportunities na na-miss sa Pilipinas, like madami akong gigs and the opportunity to be a mainstay for a variety show.
“Pero at the end of the day, masasabi ko sa sarili ko I still made the right decision. I am where I am right now.”
In relation to what Nasser said, Fritz pointed out that a person should muster enough courage if you are going abroad.
She noted, “Malakas loob talaga. Parang hindi puwede ang masyadong nahihiya.”
Are you ready to work abroad like in Singapore? / Source: Moose Photos (Pexels.com)
Can you afford it?
Living in Singapore can be pretty expensive, so assessing your personal finances is a major consideration.
Nasser considers himself lucky that his current job pays well and allows his to purse his passion projects like recording songs and vlogging.
He said, “Of course, you have to consider financial. 'Yun 'yung isa sa mga reason kung bakit ako nandito.
"So when it comes to the financial matters, malaki 'yung bagay na natutulong sa akin 'yung pagtatrabaho ko dito sa Singapore.
“And also, on top of that, personal work ko ito. Nagagawa ko pa rin 'yung passion work ko na like kagaya nito singing.”
Can you live independently?
If you like being around your family or enjoy the company of your friends, working abroad can be pretty challenging.
Ask yourself this question: can you overcome homesickness?
Fritz mentioned that since she is working abroad, she has to look after herself and live independently.
“Always look after yourself din. Siyempre 'pag nagkakasakit, mahirap kasi sarili mo 'yung kailangang alagaan. So always take care of yourself, iwasan mo 'yung magkasakit.
"Wala e, parang 'pag mag-isa ka, ikaw bibili ng gamot mo,”
Still, we should never be afraid to be open to seek help from other people. “Don't be afraid to open yourself to people around you, who can support you,” Fritz added.
Find joy, not just happiness
One of the things Nasser emphasized during our interview was that aside from getting a job with a huge salary, you must find a much deeper meaning on why you want to work abroad: You must find “joy” in what are you doing.
He explains, “Make sure na lahat ng gagawin mo worth it, and you find joy on top of having happiness. Kasi joy is internal 'yun e, may peace of mind ka.
“So 'pag wala kang peace of mind sa lahat ng decision mo, kulang.”
We hope that the things we discussed helped you finding the right job if you are planning to work in Singapore.
Take your time in weighing down your options, since it will entail a big change in your life. But also remember that working abroad is also an enriching and rewarding experience that you should treasure every step of the way.
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