Job Hunting and Interview Tips for Aspiring OFWs

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Despite the political and economic crisis affecting many Middle East countries and other OFW (overseas Filipino workers) destinations, the demand for Filipino workers abroad remain high. And with employment prospects remaining to be bleak at home, a lot of Filipinos continue to try their luck with overseas employment.

But with hundreds of thousands of Filipinos wanting to land a job abroad, the requirements have become stricter, allowing only those who are really qualified to get hired. That’s why it’s important for an aspiring OFW to make all the necessary preparations if he wants his chances of getting hired to increase. The following tips have been proven to be of great help:

Writing an Effective Resume
A well-written and impressive resume is one of the most important things an aspiring OFW should have. A good resume is one that highlights your strengths as a jobseeker – from your educational background to your talents, skills and hobbies. A resume is what a potential employer looks at first if he wants to know about you.

Tips on Overseas (and Local) Job Hunting

There are several ways of preparing a resume, four of the most basic types of which include the reverse chronological, the functional, a combination of the two, and the targeted résumés. Of the four, the reverse chronological is the easiest to prepare and the one that works best too, especially if you have long years of relevant work and educational experience. Whatever type of resume you want to prepare be sure it highlights the best about you as a person seeking a particular job.

Where to Go
Now that you have a resume, the next step is to look for job openings. Two very popular ways of hunting for jobs abroad are the classified ads of newspapers and the job postings on the Internet. Cut out from the newspaper the ads that suit your qualifications and bring this to your recruitment or placement agency. If you are more comfortable with the Internet, you open an account in any of the websites that cater to aspiring OFWs and apply there.

Looking for Jobs? Here Are Additional Tips

Interview: Look Good, Talk Smart
The interview can make or break your chances of finally landing a job abroad. This is now your chance to prove what you have written about yourself in your resume. Dress properly for the occasion. There are many types of attire for interviews, depending on the type of job you are applying for. It can be formal or casual. To be sure, ask around. Don’t hesitate to inquire from the office staff. Whatever the dress code is, the point is that you should look your best.

Related: 75% of Employers Reject Applicants with Poor English

Stay calm during the interview process. Be sure you are ready to explain your resume. Don’t act too confident because it might be misunderstood by the interviewer as arrogance. But act too humble or it might be misunderstood as a low self esteem. Just talk and act naturally and limit your answers to the scope of the questions.

And lastly, relax. If you know you have complied with all the requirements and you have all the necessary skills and education for the job, all you need to do now is look smart and talk smart.