Singapore is an attractive destination for job-seekers. It’s one of the most successful and progressive business hub of Asia. It’s an english-speaking country, accessible, parallel culture and religion, same weather and time zone, P30 Singaporean dollar exchange rate to peso, clean and green, and a good avenue to further your career globally.
By the way I didn’t get a job in Singapore, am back in Manila working for a Fortune 500 company doing the job I love. So you might ask what right have I to talk about tips when I failed. Nothing hehe, sabi ko nga eh.
But what I will share with you are my first hand experiences and things I learned from my brother who patiently helped me survived my job-hunting days in SG.
What to Wear
Dress smartly as you would in Makati. No, they don’t wear alien suits there. We have similar fashion trends. You can very well bring your Makati corporate attire and wear them in SG. Girls, remember I said corporate, as much as possible wear something with collar and not just plain office blouses.
But they have more fashionable people here who don’t get the “look”. Unlike when you do that in Manila, you get the “eeww, look at that girl, weird, sicko, feelingera, baduy, ang init-init naka trench coat” kind of “look” from people who are actually envious because they don’t have the nerve to wear something different.
What jobs are available?
SG is a haven for IT professionals. Check Jobstreet or Jobsdb and you will get pages and pages of IT jobs. Apply for those jobs even if you’re still here in the Philippines. My brother who’s into IT just submitted his resume through Jobsdb, the employer did phone interviews and after a month he was hired.
I am into marketing and advertising. Finding a non-technical job such as mine is more difficult. I met a placement agency owner who told me marketing jobs are preferably given to fellow Singaporeans because they know their markets.
I also applied through the aforementioned job portals. No one called me for phone interview. I almost gave up when kuya just encouraged, more like forced actually, me to fly there and try my luck. He’s my financier so wutdaheck, I went there.
On my first morning in SG, I checked my email. Wonders of all wonders, I got a reply from a company I applied for through Jobsdb who was inviting me for a face-to-face interview. Well, aren’t they lucky am in town already?! Lol.
The best resource for jobs is the classifieds section of the The Straits Times, SG’s english-language broadsheet. Their Sunday edition classifieds is as thick as Manila Bulletin’s. Be sure to buy that newspaper. I bought one almost everyday. It costs around S$ 1.80.
EPEC and Extension of Stay
Another good option to start your job-hunting is to apply for an Employment Eligibility Certificate (EPEC) while you’re still in PH. No cost at all. Find more info at Ministry of Manpower (MOM). EPEC will allow you one year of stay to look for a job. In 2006 when I was there, they didn’t have this online process yet and I had to courier my application and documents. I was denied. When I got to SG I applied again. I was again denied. Kulit noh? Oh well, sometimes persistence pays off.
Now if you were approved for a 30-day visit pass only, you can always apply for an extension of stay at Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) if you still haven’t found a job. Again during my stay there, there was no online process yet but they do have that now.
Here is another one of my Singapore horror story aside from that Airport incident.
I went to ICA to apply for an extension of stay. I was there in the morning. Then my number was called after about 30 minutes. The lady in the window was very kind and gentle. I put 30 days request for an extension. She asked me the purpose and I said looking for a job. She herself changed the number of days and made it 60 days!
For the love of Batman, I wanted to kiss the lady! I was smiling wide as she told me to prepare about S$ 90 for the extension. I almost jumped with joy.
I came back in the afternoon to get my passport. Finally I was called to a window and the lady said “Sorry your application is denied.”
I almost collapsed “What, how come, the lady this morning said its approved and I just have to pay the fee now.” I learned that applications get reviewed again and its not a guarantee that once they get your passport and ask you to come back, your extension application is approved.
I asked for a closed door interview with an officer. Those who are requesting to appeal are interviewed individually. I waited another 3 hours.
Finally it was my turn. I smiled as I sat down privately summoning all the good forces and spirits around me.
This fortyish Singaporean took one look at me and said “this is denied.” I was about to recite my spiel ‘But sir I have upcoming interviews next week, and my agency has sponsored my stay…blah blah’ but he cut me off at ‘but sir…’
And he said something that I will never forget for the rest of my beautiful life! He frowned at me and in a raised voice said “No, this is denied! And you can tell that to all your Filipino friends no more extension. No more extension!”
Ah…inay, itay?…Kindly tell me what makes some people harsh? I did this man no harm. I am but a kind creature simply looking for a decent job in a beautiful country like SG which I’ve fallen in love with and this cruel man insults my nationality!!!
I am not angry. I am sad. Sad for all my fellow Filipinos working abroad who experience racial discriminations many times. I cried that night. I tried hard to find a job in SG with a sad conclusion of that man’s remark “you can tell all your Filipino friends no more extension.”
Humanda ka sa kin lalaki ka, titirisin ko pimples mo pagbalik ko ng SG. Lol! Three days later I packed my things and flew home. But not before I did final pasalubong shopping lah!
Application and Interview Session
As my line of job is not in demand, kuya advised me to look for any job I could fit in as a stepping-stone. So while I was on the look out for writing, advertising, and marketing jobs, I also applied for administrative, secretarial, hotel and restaurant, store and retail, telemarketing, and teaching jobs.
I was even tempted to apply for the ‘mascot and clown’ job except for that Mandarin-speaking requirement. Well, apart from dao ming xi and san cai, my Chinese language ability is limited to ni hao ma and kung hei fat choi (I can’t even tell if they are Cantonese or Mandarin)!
Because I was patient and diligent in sending resume, I got a lot of invitation for interviews. I went through all of them. I leave the house everyday to apply personally or to attend an interview. Everyday. Even if I have to transfer trains, busses, walk long distances, tired feet, sore soles, empty wallet and all. I was never lazy.
I had my disheartened moments but I kept on applying. Told ya am persistent.
And I guess my passion for lakwatsa got me going everyday. I was in a multi-cultural country seeing yellow, brown, white, and black skins, hearing different languages, eating new food, walking along unfamiliar streets and discovering new adventures. Most of the time, I was on high! No time to sulk!
My friend used to tell me “puro pasyal ka lang ata jan eh.” Parang ganun na nga.
On my second week, we decided to seek help from a placement agency. I paid two. One is an agency who usually fills administrative jobs and I paid S$10. Another agency is more into hotel and restaurant jobs and I paid a hefty S$50. I was glad both of those agencies had Filipina staff. Still those didn’t work.
One of my favorite success story is what kuya told me about this bunch of Pinoys who went to an Ikea store and just handed their resume and got hired on the spot.
Well look, I went to Ikea. After looking for their administrative office for 30 freaking minutes, pretending to be a shopper but surreptitiously glancing at every corner if they have the “admin office” sign and finally after going up and down the floors in two-inches high heels, I found the blasted office in a hidden corner at the basement only to be told they were “not currently hiring.” I said I will leave my resume anyway. They refused to take my resume as they were not hiring and it will only get lost. I shrugged my shoulders, frowned at the guard thinking hey I could do a guard’s job too…hehe. So I hopped onto a bus and went to my next interview. Oh I did say I was persistent right?
It is a challenge to understand the spoken english of Singaporeans. But you will get used to their accent. My nerves got me during my first few sessions so I had a hard time understanding my interviewers, but after a thousand (no I think a million) more interviews, it got a lot easier. But there were some fluent interviewers also.
They ask the same questions you hear in PH. Usually though they would ask you first what your status in SG is; whether you are a visit pass holder, dependent, PR, EPEC holder. Be prepared as well for occasional questions like “Why do you want to work in SG? What do you know about employment process in SG?” Read read read so you’ll learn learn learn.
You will meet many Filipinos when you apply for work and you’ll find out you’re after the same position. Competition could be fierce. Singaporeans favor their citizens (but of course!), permanent residents, and EPEC holders. Social visit pass holders may get immediate turndown upon submission of resume especially from small companies who aren’t willing to process and pay for your Employment Pass.
You may not find a job but you will definitely gain lots of confidence as you mingle with people from different nations.
You got a job!
Duh, I have nothing to share lol!
The forums in Pinoysg and this website will give you lots of tips from fellow Filipinos who are working or living in SG. Now good luck to you. Enjoy SG while you are there.
28 responses so far ↓
sanSu // February 4, 2008 at 3:31 pm
congrats to u!! for a ‘job’ well done!! galing lang din ako ng singa last january 08.. free lang airfare ko fr my sister pero actually la ko interest to go there at first.. guess what? pagbalik ko ng pinas, bukambibig ko sa mga anak ko ang singapore and i want them to get a job there also.. para me reason magpabalik balik duon coz nagustuhan ko talaga sya!!!!!.. solo lang ako nagtravel.. akala ko magiging boring ang trip ko but nooooo!! i did enjoy the trip.. 2 araw ako naglalakad, iniikot ikot ang singapore from my guesthouse to orchard, ymca, fort canning, raffles, bugis, suntec city at little india hanggang sa d ko na maihakbang ang mga paa ko sa pagod..may mga filipina akong nakilala(ng d sinasadya) at employed duon.. ang isa, receptionist sa guesthouse na tinirhan ko sa mt. emily hill.. ang iba, cashier at saleslady sa suntec city mall.. isa sa kanila ang nagkwento na turista lang sya at nagapply sa isang agency sa lucky plaza (detalye ng kanyang story masyado mahaba).. natyempuhan ko din ang job fair ng JobDB sa suntec city at nakapagregister.. katuwaan lang pero d ako seryoso to get a job..besides, kapos ako sa oras coz the following day lilipad naman ako papuntang bangkok..
nakatatak pa rin sa isip ko ang interest magkaopportunity sa singapore not only for me but for my children, too.. that may be the reason why i came to read your story.. d lang ako nakapulot ng tips but also, i enjoyed reading it dahil sa nakakatuwang pagsasalaysay ng kwento mo.. thank you for sharing with us your experiences.. i wish all the luck, d man sa singapore but to any part of the world.. God Bless Us All.
prinsesa lakwatsera // February 4, 2008 at 10:45 pm
its very pedestrian friendly di ba. i loved my daily walks there also, sometimes i leave the house in the morning to roam around and come back late in the afternoon. did you get to walk around the Fountain of Wealth at Suntec City? I heard it brings good luck if you walk around the base three times.
thanks so much for dropping by susan!
sanSu // February 5, 2008 at 2:54 pm
hay..sayang..nakita ko sya!!..but i was scared to cross the street kasi wala akong napansing pedestrian lane..kaya umupo na lang ako sa starbucks at tumanaw feeling close..
actually..ang gusto ko ay makavisit ng catholic church to places na first time ko napuntahan at magwish..sa singapore marami daw pero d ko narating..
hehe..may next time pa naman.
prinsesa lakwatsera // February 5, 2008 at 11:05 pm
yes, balik ka na lang :p. one time i entered a church near city hall mrt and funan digitalife mall, “st andrew cathedral.” ang ganda ng church na yun. nagdasal na ko’t lahat. nalaman ko pag-uwi, anglican church pala sya! hehe. oh well, same God everywhere.
yubs // February 20, 2008 at 2:58 am
ive been to SG 5x…. first for a vacation with my GF…the other 4x, because my GF now works there, in boat Quay.
i LOVE SG. i was going to add, LOVE is an understatement of what i feel about the CITY state but its LOVE… i want to live there.
well my GF is a PR na. once we marry i’ll be a PR narin. thing is, hindi ako PR and mahirap maghanap ng work. when you are PR, doors open. but for now, tiis muna sa occasional visit to the CITY of my DREAMS ko.
i never liked city living until ive been to SG. simply because its a city but not like other cities.. this one is clean, uncongested and very SAFE!
I LOVE SG!!!!
specially the train.. its always on TIME!
ps. anong camera gamit mo?
prinsesa lakwatsera // February 20, 2008 at 7:01 am
nakakainlove nga ang SG. i wonder if Filipinos who’ve stayed there for a long time feel the same, or nagsawa na din sila. go ask your GF yubs ;)).
photos here were shot with different cameras (mine and my friends’
olympus, canon and sony. but we’re all trying hard shooters, as in maka-click lang. hehe 
sugar // February 22, 2008 at 9:56 pm
hi there!like u, been to sg and stayed there for 4 months, yeah…like u to find a job, unfortunately i didnt find one..hehehe.i had part time jobs, tuition for indian kids but that’s not enough to sustain my stay…im an epec holder…still…no job….planning to go back there coz i still have til july to try my luck..what can u say???
prinsesa lakwatsera // February 24, 2008 at 6:59 am
hi sugar, i sent you an e/m pls check it. thanks for dropping by!
wikitech // March 2, 2008 at 1:22 am
hi!
i’ve been in singapore, too, last year. i waited 8 months just to find a job. sad to say, wala akong nahanap. so i went home dito sa pinas last october and now i’m going back there, not for any job offer, but to return my SVP-green card. until march 16 na lang kasi yung visa ko dun. and of course, i made sure na makapunta ako sa IT show nila next week (march6-9), hehe. 
i agree with what you said that you gain lots of confidence kahit wala kang nakitang work
totoo yan! pagbalik ko nga dito, feeling ko lalong naging makapal ako sa pakikipagusap sa mga tao. hehe. i mean, when you’re in a different country, you really try to communicate with people, mas kailangan mo maging assertive para mas maparating sa kanila yung gusto mo sabihin…
hay, i really miss singapore! sayang wala akong nakuhang trabaho but i guess, di siya para sa ‘kin or di pa ngayon yung time para dun ako mag-work.. oh well.
iba pa rin naman sa pinas!
wikitech // March 2, 2008 at 1:43 am
hehe, i just read your story about st. andrew cathedral. haha. had the same experience with my friend. it was holy week and we were trying to find a church for the ‘visita iglesia’. when we went inside, i noticed this big, brown eagle statue or something. inisip ko bigla kung may nakikita ba ‘kong ganun dito sa pinas. anyway, i just thought of it as a symbol for the Holy Spirit (baka naman hindi eagle yun, kundi dove.harhar). so my friend and i knelt before the altar which, by the way, consists only of a cross. ..naghinala na talaga ako. but i prayed just the same… ayun. pag-uwi namin, sabi ng sister ko hindi daw catholic church yun. wehehehe. nag-genuflect and sign of the cross pa kame -kaya pala tumingin yung mga singaporeans! goodness lah!
prinsesa lakwatsera // March 2, 2008 at 4:07 am
hahahaha wikitech bloopers ka din pala about st. andrew! nice you’re going back to sg, it’s really good lumabas at maglakwatsa regularly and see how big our world really is. lots of things to experience
milca // March 8, 2008 at 6:30 pm
Hi. I like your story, I do admire you for your persistence. It’s informative and funny at the same time.hehe
By the way, I am planning to go to Singapore next month to look for a job as hospital staff. In your opinion, what will be my chances of getting a job there in that field? It will be my first to go there and i don’t know anybody from there. So if you could send me helpful information, especially where to stay, I will really be grateful. Are there hostels there near hospitals? Thank you so much.
God bless.
Milca
sanSu // March 9, 2008 at 9:25 pm
hi, prinsesa lakwatsera..kumusta na? ibabalita ko lang sayo babalik uli ako ng singapore on april’08 but this time sama ko ang 2 kids 14 and 9 y.o.. promo fare nanaman > mla-kotakinabalu- klumpur-SINGAPORE-malacca-klumpur-mla > total pasahe less than 5000pesos/person! mura noh? but of course d pa included ang a.tax, t.fee, accomodations and food..sama ka? ay, sori..tapos na promo ng airasia..hehe
prinsesa lakwatsera // March 10, 2008 at 3:56 am
hi milca, i sent you an e/m pls check it. good luck!
prinsesa lakwatsera // March 10, 2008 at 4:03 am
sansu, step-momma! haha
wow galing, bilib na talaga ako sa cheap tickets booking powers mo! bring home good stories for me ha
and pictures too, please please. good trip to ye and kids!
gie // March 16, 2008 at 11:22 pm
di ba sabi sa yo dito ka lang sa phils. remember
hehehe!!! ang bad naman ng experience mo sa immigration. Treaten lang sila kasi maraming mga singaporean/foreign employer gusto filipino ang staff nila…. at that day siguro nasa immigration ka, marami mga pinoy gusto rin maghanap ng trabaho and eventually natatanggap…… Better settle here na lang muna then in the near future balik ka uli…. Or magpa-sponsor ka sa isang singaporean company. Para pagdating dun wala ng problema (pwede ba yun?).. Ika nga ng mga pinoy “better luck next time” , try and try until you succeed” hehehe!!!
prinsesa lakwatsera // March 17, 2008 at 11:52 am
gie! you’re here!
glendasua // March 23, 2008 at 2:41 pm
Swertehan lang talaga sa paghahanap ng work. Ako 2 weeks ako naghanap ng work bago ako na-hire. Considering na nasa IT field ako, medyo mabagal ang progress ko haha. May naging housemate din ako sa SG, 2 months nagstay sa bahay taos hindi nakahanap ng work kaya napauwi siya ng Pinas last November. Wala pa siyang work experience (HRM) kaya medyo pessimistic din siya nun. Pero tuloy pa rin ang pag-apply niya sa internet. Tapos yun awa ni Lord, last January tinawagan siya ng agent na nakapasa na daw siya sa interview at pinadala na sa kaniya yung contract para i-sign nya. Yung dating officemate ko naman, na-grant lang sa kaniya 1 week na stay, pero that was mga 2 or 3 years ago ata. So sinulit niya yung 1 week at nagwalk-in application talaga sya at nung 4th day nakahanap naman. In fairness, IT naman ang field niya kaya madaling nakahanap ng work.
One-two blocks away sa St Andrew yung Cathedral of Good Shepherd na Catholic hehe. Yung mga address/maps ng Catholic churches sa Singapore nasa http://www.veritas.org.sg, sa link na Parish Communities, FYI
prinsesa lakwatsera // March 23, 2008 at 3:13 pm
glending! o for those who have questions about sg, glendasua is quite an expert, hehe
aldo // April 1, 2008 at 2:06 pm
Princesa Lakwatsera: thanks sa puno ng aliw na post.
Milca:
I am going on 12 April, same, looking for a job, good luck!
rio // April 1, 2008 at 6:23 pm
it’s nice to read your entry. kinda makes me appreciate what i have now. been working here in SG for four months now. and i’ve been sort of ungrateful and reluctant to take in the overwhelming and drastic change. but i’m getting used to it. di ko na nga mashadong napapansin yung amoy ng mga alam mo na…
prinsesa lakwatsera // April 2, 2008 at 8:40 pm
thanks aldo and rio! rio, i had to delete my kwento about the “amoy” thing. hehe. it might offend the alam mo na…
cecille // April 11, 2008 at 12:20 am
siguro talagang maganda ang sg kaya 2x na nagtour sis ko dyan. maybe pagbumisita ako ng pinas, daan ako sa sg. hi riz, kakaaliw stories mo, sarap basahin.
subtlelite // April 15, 2008 at 3:05 pm
hello po, Im so happy I came across your blog….nagpaplano po kami ng friends ko na pumunta sa SG , magkano po ba ang show money? and if I may ask po, ang 50K php po ba enough na maka survive for a one month (with lodging) ?
thanks po!
nakaka impress at nakaktulong ang persistence ninyo
^__^
prinsesa lakwatsera // April 17, 2008 at 3:53 am
hi subtlelite, wala naman tlaga dapat show money. depende kasi sa officer yun, kung trip nya hehe. i think pag traveling alone ka and 30 days of stay ka nga, then they will ask you how much are you carrying to prove you could support yourself and survive for 30 days in their country. yung 50k, oo i think its more than enough. basta stay lang kayo sa murang hostel/lodges. i think pinakamurang hostel dun is P1k/day. mas okay sana kung may kakilala kayo na may flat, am sure mas mura kayo icharge nun. tas yung meals, kung kanin and ulam type ka, merong s$ 3-5 sgd/meal sa hawkers, tas S$ 5-10/meal pag sa mall. kung noodles or tinapay lang buhay ka na, merong S$ 1-3. sa mrt/bus fare naman, if i remember it correctly, nabuhay cguro ako sa less than S$ 200 na ez link for 30 days. and i leave the house almost everyday nyan. pag pasayalan naman, entrance fee would range around 20-40 sgd. depende kasi sa lifestyle and activities mo.
hope this helps :). salamat!
prinsesa lakwatsera // April 17, 2008 at 3:56 am
cecille helow!!! sama ko sa yo haha!
leonel // April 22, 2008 at 11:30 am
i learned EPEC through my ex girlfriend who’s on her 15th day in Sinagpore today. Yeah, she went there to look for a job..
i might be seeing her next month before i’ll head off to Kuala Lumpur. I have a decent job here, and bound for Canada in few month-time, but i think, i might consider having a 6mos job in Singapore if i could.
can i do that while waiting for my papers in Canada? am just wondering if there could be a chance.
Eve // May 26, 2008 at 10:59 am
Hi Prinsesa,
I came across your blog by accident- I was actually on my own job hunt looking for a job in SG. Thanks so much for your experiences! Even though you probably don’t expect a response from a non-Filipina here, I just wanted to say that they encouraged me a lot. It’s been about 5 months and still I can’t find a job I like, and I’m local! So it’s nice to hear of your perseverance.
So yes, I am SGean - and I’m really sorry and embarrassed about the rudeness you encountered with that grumpy man. (Don’t worry- this kind are equally grumpy with locals!) Having just come back from studying in Australia, I’ve also been on the receiving end of racial discrimination and it’s not very nice…
I also visited the Philippines, and if it’s any consolation to the Filipinos on this forum, I fell in love with *your* country! People are so friendly even to people they don’t know. In my country, we’re a little shy (and some are just plain unfriendly)… whereas in Quezon, people just start talking to whomever. I miss that. It’s nice to know that some people miss Singapore though! Sometimes I grumble that the country is so small and boring…
One other reason that it can be harder to be employed here is that employers are scared of the amount of paperwork- having to settle employment passes, etc. They may not be familiar with the process (which is why they ask you)- and hence a bit scared to have to tackle the issue. So if you can solve that problem for them it makes it easier to get hired…
But Prinsesa, overall I think working in a beautiful country like the Philippines, doing a job you love- it can’t get better than that! I’d love to go back there some time if I can.
Salamat po!
All the best in your job.
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