Take it from a fresh graduate who survived her first job hunt: Finding a job, let alone an international job, can be scary. But both local and international job openings are worthwhile opportunities—and no one should have to close their doors on potentially great opportunities.
Prosple is here to give young Filipino job seekers what the international hiring and job scene is like—from job hunting to the application process, to the actual work experience.
So I spoke with three Filipino fresh graduates who landed international jobs straight out of college about their experience: Chino Borromeo, an Industry Analyst for a solar company based in the UK, Alex Enage, an Executive Assistant for a Canadian tech start-up, and Maia Boncan, a Content Writer for a US financial advising company
Sam: Let’s get right into it! While you were on the job hunt, were you specifically looking for an international job?
Chino: Not exactly, I initially wanted to work for sustainable development industries in the Philippines; I was ambitious to be looking for an in-person or fieldwork position during the height of the pandemic. My industry [Materials Engineering] wasn’t appropriate for the work-from-home set-up.
Alex: I, too, wasn’t. This opportunity just presented itself while I was on the lookout for a job. To be honest, I wasn't aware that international jobs could be available to me this early on.
Maia: Not for me, either. I knew I wanted to do a writing job. Once I started filtering out companies for writing jobs, I noticed international companies were hiring remote writers—so I checked them out.
Sam: I’m noticing a common thread that you weren’t particularly looking for international jobs, but you didn’t close the doors on them. How did you come across opportunities for international jobs?
Chino: I stumbled upon mine while looking through my university career directory, UP CAPEs. I saw an opening for an hourly-paid internship, with the potential to be a full-time position. Since the company specialized in recycling and solar power, I inquired.
Alex: I felt lost at the beginning. I wasn’t sure what kind of job I wanted. I just wanted some work experience. I eventually stumbled upon Executive Assistant job openings on Kalibrr. The job descriptions sounded more up my alley. I looked into these job posts, and my staffing agency reached out to me soon after.
Maia: Through Kalibrr for me. I searched through all the possible writing opportunities and even looked at all the working conditions—the hours, whether it was flexitime, salary, everything. I eventually saw the opening for remote writers for my company and sent in my application.
Sam: I’m happy you found these opportunities and put yourself out there and applied for these openings. What was applying for an international job like? What can you share about the processes?
Chino: First, I submitted my resume. I waited for about a month until they reached out for an interview. The first interview was more of a ‘getting-to-know’ session for both of us. I also had to take some logic tests which would serve as samples for the job itself. After that interview, I met with the department head to do some more web searching tests. Eventually, I received the job offer.
Alex: It was a long process. The application process took me about four weeks from start to finish—most of the time it was me waiting to hear back or scheduling interviews. I particularly paid attention to interviews, because interviews are just as much for them as it is for you. You can get a gut feeling if they’re the employers for you. A pro-tip I picked up from my application process: say everything you want to say in the first interview. And be prepared to answer situations, too!
Maia: I submitted my resume and portfolio, and then they messaged me through Kalibrr. They told me they liked my application and asked if I would be willing to take a writing exam—which I would be compensated for. A week or so passed, and then I received an email congratulating me on my job offer. And that was it! Throughout the entire application process, I wasn’t called for an interview.
Sam: It’s cool how even though you all landed international jobs, you had different application processes. What do you think made your application stand out?
Chino: They were specifically interested in my technical background. I already had an interest and some experience within the solar industry. I took relevant courses and participated in training programs. I would also like to think that I presented a good level of English—which they were particular about as we are an international team.
Alex: Based on my consultation with my company, English proficiency was crucial. It also helped that I was honest during my application process. I told the recruiters that I was a bit lost career-wise but was confident that Executive Assistant work was something I could do well. I showcased how much I wanted the job and how my strengths aligned with the job description.
Maia: I think what set me apart was my work experience. I’ve done a lot of content writing ever since high school. I enjoy writing, and it shows in my work. I was also familiar with American English, which was a good boost since I would be writing for a US company.
Sam: Of course, working for an international company means working on their time. What have the work hours and schedules been like?
Chino: It was hard at first, I had a new amount of time to devote to work. Hours are timed on the dot via time-tracking software. It doesn’t just track my productivity, but the overall company time spent. My work is flexi-time, so I can choose when to work. While it is freeing, I have to be disciplined with how I spend my time. I even oversleep sometimes as a result!
Alex: All my clients are based in Pacific Standard Time or Eastern Standard Time. I was lucky that my client is flexible, and isn’t comfortable with me sleeping too late. Right now, I start work at 7 PM and end work at 5 AM at the latest. I try to take a couple of hour-breaks in between. It has been tougher than I anticipated, even if I am a night owl. I even had to say no to a lot of night outings because they didn’t fit my schedule.
Maia: The agreement I have with my company is to write 2,000 words a day—very light, I would say. I can choose any time of the day to work as long as I reach my deadlines. And even if my work is remote, we don’t have any time-tracking or logging-in systems in place.
Sam: How about working with an international team? What has your experience been like?
Chino: Because we operate remotely, there’s no need for round-table discussions. A cultural difference I noticed was that people are franker, and can give detailed feedback—it’s honestly really refreshing.
Alex: It’s a great experience, especially working with a small team of six. We have teammates from India, Taiwan, Colombia, Egypt, and the Philippines. It’s refreshing to meet different people. I also intend to migrate sometime in the future, so it’s also great exposure for working within an international team.
Maia: I haven’t met anyone. Most of our correspondence is done through email. Everything is pretty hands-off. Thinking about it, I see the pros in not having to attend weekly meetings all the time. Some cultural differences I did notice: For one, they don’t sandwich feedback—it’s objective and constructive. I also noticed that when I write, there are some English terms that we use in the Philippines, but aren’t as widely used in the US.
Sam: What about your salary or modes of payment?
Chino: I get paid in their currency through Payoneer. I do lose a bit from conversion, but it’s not something that affects my decision too much.
Alex: So my client pays my staffing agency, and then they pay me in Peso. I don’t think about conversion fees. But it also doesn’t hurt to ask about remittances and conversion fees!
Maia: I get paid in dollars, and it’s transferred to my Philippine account. We do it through Worksuite, I just send my invoice through there. It’s pretty simple.
Sam: There’s a lot to consider when it comes to working for an international company. Any piece of advice you can offer to young students or graduates interested in landing an international job?
Chino: Don’t sell yourself short. You may be from a developing country, but you have the potential and the strengths to do as much of a good job. Being a Filipino brings a lot to the table. While you learn a lot from your international team, your attitude can be your greatest asset—be it manners, empathy, or attention to detail. Astig maging Pilipino (It’s great to be a Filipino)!
Alex: If you’re working the night shift, try to find a ‘night-shift buddy’. I recently found out one of my oldest friends was also working the night shift. So every night we hop on a call to keep each other company while working; these calls keep me going. And it’s okay to try out an international job and discover that it’s not for you! When you’re fresh out of college, you’ll want to take any opportunity to gain experience. Being exposed to international companies will give you a great leg-up in the future!
Maia: Get as much experience as possible! It doesn’t have to be professional work. For students, try to participate in school organizations and activities. You can even try posting your side hustles on your socials. Get yourself out there, even if you don’t have work experience, recruiters will consider you more. For fresh graduates, don’t be too stressed out about it! You’ll find one that fits you. You can apply to as many companies as you want. At the end of the day, you’re the one who chooses which company to sign with.
Being a wide-eyed fresh graduate on the job hunt can be overwhelming, and at times daunting. The ‘fresh-out-of-college’ job search is certainly a rite of passage.
The best way to approach the job-hunting experience—or any experience—is to be open to all the possibilities right in front of you: and that includes international career opportunities!
If you think working for an international company is your calling, you can find plenty of openings here.