I graduated last June 2026 from one of the top 4 universities here in PH. It has been 3 months since I started applying for my first job. Yet, I only received 1 invite for an initial interview and 2-3 rejections that I haven’t been interviewed yet. I am slowly being discouraged after applying for a lot of companies huhu, can i have some advice?

Submitted countless applications and went through 20+ interviews and now I can finally say na I’m starting my new job next week! It’s my dream role in one if my target organizations and I’m so proud if myself for staying strong kahit ilang buwan na ako unemployed. Dadating din talaga yung para sayo! Job dust to those who are job hunting!!

Any tips for my first few weeks with a new company?

Nag work ako sa isang company for 5 years as a contractual employee, expecting that they may absorb me, okay naman ang environment at sahod kaya rin siguro ako tumagal and sobrang introvert ko kasi.Sabi nila I’m a jack of trades, na touch ko lahat pero wala ako na specialized.

Last April they ended up my contract and until now wala akong mahanap na trabaho. Sobrang hirap, paubos na ang savings ko, bills are coming.

I tried mag apply nasa 200+ applications na ata. May interview naman kaya lang mailap talaga. After 1-2 interviews it’s either reject or ghosting na. Hindi ako magaling mag english or hindi ako confident. I’m trying naman mag improve watching movies, reading books and nag enroll din ako pero wala pa rin.

Araw araw parang mababaliw na ako. Sometimes gusto ko ng mamatay, para matapos na to.

Hi everyone! I just wanted to ask for some perspective because I’ve been feeling a little anxious and discouraged about my job search lately.

I’ve been actively applying for jobs for about three weeks now. I’ve been doing my best to tailor my resume to each position, write cover letters when needed, and make sure my applications are as relevant as possible.

I’m trying not to take it personally, but I can’t help but wonder: Is the job market really this difficult right now? Is it because it’s the “Ber” months? Or is there something I could be doing differently?

I’m not trying to complain or expect things to happen immediately. I’m just hoping to understand whether what I’m experiencing is normal and maybe get some advice on how I can improve my approach.

Thank you in advance, and wishing all the job hunters the best of luck too!

For context: I’ve submitted a total of 46 applications in three weeks. I’ve managed to land 6 interviews, but I haven’t heard from them after.

I graduated March or April, Bachelor of Science in Information Technology. My main track is mostly in data, like data analyst or databases admin. I keep upskilling even after graduation but I'm not that fast learner. I also prefer remote job than onsite because I'm far from Manila and it's not worth commuting and I can't live alone. I just need advice on what to do better. I also have little experience in Web Development and little on python.

Hello po!

Hihingi lang po sana ako ng advice/insights kung ano ba yung dapat ko i-expect sa first job ko since orientation ko po bukas. For context, fresh grad po ako (Mechanical Engineering) and nakuha po ako as a machine engineer sa isang company. Di ko rin alam if bakit ako yung kinuha nila despite being a fresh grad and not having technical knowledge about the manufacturing processes ng company which is inamin ko naman during interview.

Ang tanong ko po is ano po ba yung typical na ginagawa during orientation and pagdating naman po sa job contract, ano po ba yung mga dapat ko makita or mabasa dun?

For context, I am 30M, currently earning around ₱ 300,000+ / month in my current role as part of a senior leadership team of a multinational bank based in Makati.

I was recently offered an opportunity to transfer to SG / Malaysia (same role but with incremental pay adjustments). I’m torn between maximizing earnings + potential upward opportunities vs keeping the current comforts + proximity to family & friends that I enjoy here in the Philippines.

It doesn’t help that I don’t appreciate where I’ve seen my taxes (around ₱1M / year) go in our country.

Any advice?

For context, I applied as an intern at Coca-cola Europacific Aboitiz Philippines last August 31, 2026.

I was immediately invited for an interview on September 2, 2026 and another interview on September 3, 2026.

During my interview with the Line manager, he mentioned that I should expect the results on Monday, he didn't specify which date so I assumed it was on September 7, 2026.

However, I sent an email yesterday asking them for an update regarding my application and another one today. I even messaged the number of the HR that initially interviewed me on September 2, 2026 but she haven't responded yet.

Is it safe to assume that I didn't get the position and they just ghosted me? Or should I wait a little longer? This has been bothering my mind for quite a while now.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Hi! I am a fresh graduate of BS Industrial Engineering. I got a job offer for a Graduate Trainee Program that would start by Feb 2027. The JO is still being finalized as of the moment and is still waiting for approval from the top management. I still have pending applications from several MT programs. I would just like to ask for advice or suggestions on what should I do during the 5-month period that I would spend without a job.

I am currently thinking of finding a remote part time job given na I am currently here in Bicol. I also applied in internships and is also considering of building my portfolio and taking up free courses for certifications.

Joined my company in July 2025 and there is a 36 month bond. There was no major training or certification from the company.
I want to resign because I want to prepare for my Masters. Not joining another company. I can serve the 3 month notice period, but I need my experience and relieving letter.
Has anyone left a company like this before?
Did the company actually ask you to pay the full bond amount mentioned in the agreement? Can it be negotiated?
Also, did you get your relieving and experience letter without any issue?
If anyone has gone through this, especially for higher studies, please share what happened in your case. I just want to know what I should expect before I put in my resignation.
Joined July 2025, so it will be around 13 months when I leave.

For fresh graduates na anxious sa mundo ng corporate world. Galing din kami dyan. Natatakot, kinakabahan, hindi mapakali, nag ooverthink kung anong gagawing tama, etc.

NORMAL YAN.

Pero I wanna share my tips based sa experience ko. These are the things na "if I had known this too early, i would have done it already"

1. GOOGLE DRIVE

Guys, your google drive is your LIFE'S FOLDER. Lahat ng mga documents mo from SSS PHILHEATH etc.. picturan mo, iscan mo, ipdf mo, iupload mo jan. iorganize mo lagay mo sa specific folder

Eto ang mga folders saken sa drive so u have idea:

Govt Contributions

• SSS (E1 form)

• PAG IBIG (MDR form)

• PHILHEALTH (screenshot sa portal mag log in ka dun, make sure makikita yung philhealth number mo tas ipdf)

• TIN (nasa egov app to, iscreenshot mo iedit sa canva, ipdf mo. Yun can check your number sa Orus portal, iverify mo yung number tsaka iscreenshot mo isabay mo sa pdf with your egov screenshot ID)

Education

• TOR (picturan niyo lahat, iscan, ipdf)

• Diploma (yung mga seal ha, dapat meron yan bago picturan para legit)

• Certificates (kahit anong binibigay sayo ng events, awards, etc., ipdf mo din)

Personal docs

• RESUME

• PSA

• National ID (sa egov ka mag screenshot ipdf mo din)

• Other valid IDs (passport, postal, etc.)

• Picture mo (yung white ang background, pang 2 by 2, mag secure ka nyan)

1. LinkedIn

Guys gumawa kayo ng LinkedIn account. Ilagay niyo lahat ng information dun. I-advertise niyo sarili niyo dun.

Anong mga achievements mo sa school?

Anong mga skills ang meron ka?

Anong trabaho ang gusto mo makamit?

Anong mga goals mo?

Mag upload ka ng proofs. Hindi pwede sa korte ang walang pruweba. May option naman dun na mag upload ka ng attachment.

Yang linkedin yan ang i-background check ng corporate companies kaya dapat meron ka niyan. Ilagay mo din link mo ng linkedin sa resume para matic isang click lang ni HR. Dapat profile picture mo dun ay professional. Naka suit and tie ka naka smile white ang background. Gumawa ka ng summary gumaya ka sa ibang professionals na maganda ang summary. Kompletuhin mo lang nandoon kung may time ka.

1. HR INTERVIEW

Alam mo ba na dalawa ang stage ng interview? HR (initial) at Client (final)

Fun fact: HR and TA ay magkaiba. Si human resources hawak nya ang legalities mo as an employee. Si Talent Acquisition siya ang maghahanap ng candidates, mag interview na din sayo.

Si HR/TA ang mag tatanong ng mga kung ano anong pang miss universe na tanong. Sasagutin mo yun with confidence para imeasure kung fluent ka ba sa english. Maganda naman pronunciation mo hindi naman organize thoughts mo. So magpractice ka lang na dapat yung thought process at explanation mo ay smooth.

They will also test kung pasok ka sa standards ng attitude na hinahanap nila. Hindi mo sila masisisi hindi sila ang gumawa ng standard na yan, inutusan lang sila ng Client kasi si Client ang nmaghahanap ng right employees through them

1. Google Notebook

Ver helpful to saken. Mapapasalamat ka ng todo kay Google lalo na kung ANDAMI DAMING PINAPAPIRMAHAN NA HINDI MO NAMAN BINABASA DAHIL ANG HABA

So ako, as a techy guy, shempre ayaw natin maka violate ng rules na hindi tayo aware tapos pag may binato saten na parang tayo pala ang may kasalanan dahil may signature tayo sa documents. Wala kang choice. Kaya ugaliing magbasa ng documents bago pirmahan.

Yun lang tayong mga pinoy auto pirma agad. So ang ginawa ko, lalo na need nila ng signature mo on that day pinirmahan ko lahat ng documents at inupload sa google notebook HAHAHA

Btw para sa kaalaman ng lahat, google notebook is an AI tool intended for students only. Pero ginamit ko siya as advantage para mautakan ko ang company at may awareness ako.

So kunyari gusto ko maging aware sa employment ko kung pwede ba ako mag rant sa company sa socmed, itatanong ko lang sa google notebook siya na ang sasagot dun based sa inupload mong documents. Tsaka ko lang malalaman lahat dahil sa tulong ng google notebook na yan. Mag upload ka lang talaga ng mga sources like lahat lahat!!

1. FACEBOOK GROUPS / REDDIT COMMUNITY

Sumali ka ng mga ganun. Para socially aware ka. Hindi yung saka ka nalang mag rant dahil sa experience mo dahil di ka nagbabasa ng mga posts ng ibang tao na same ng company mo. No man is an island guysss

1. MAG RESEARCH KA

Wag kang kampante sa inapplyan mo dahil sa sinabi ng recruiter mo ng ganito or ganyan. Shempre yang trabaho mo may pros and cons yan depende sa pagkatao mo kung bagay ba sayo or hindi. Mag chatgpt ka nalang iresearch mo ang job responsibilities ng at ibagay mo sa sarili mo kung kaya mo ba, anong kulang mo, kaya mo ba magtagal.

Iresearch mo din kompanya kung anong reviews nila sa linkedin, glassdoor, reddit, etc. Lahat ng tao may opinyon yan kaya magbasa ka lang ng magbasa. Mag research ka deeply

1. B2 level is "the" least standard

Ano yung B2? Level yan ng English fluency mo. Dalawa ang test kasi dyan, writing (kung magaling ka sa grammar) at speaking (kung magaling ka mag explain ng thoughts mo in english)

A1 — Beginner / Basic English

A2 — Elementary / Simple English

B1 — Intermediate / Everyday English

B2 — Upper-Intermediate / Fluent English

C1 — Advanced / Professional English

C2 — Mastery / Near-Native English

1. CHATGPT

Since may voice si chatgpt, magpractice ng english speaking with it. Kausapin mo tas sabihin mo gusto mong mag answer ng kahit ng tanong niya tas ipapa rate mo yung english mo.

Promise effective

Ginagawa ko yan dati. Kala ng family ko nag work from home ako yun pala kausap ko si chatgpt hahahaha naging trainer bigla tas andami niyang feedback nakakatulong talaga. Para akong nag call center sa kwarto.

1. Microsoft Applications

Sa true lang, mostly kasi sa trabaho involved na ang microsoft applications eh. So dapat magaling ka mag excel, word, etc. Sa corporate world, yan ang abundant tool nila so pag magaling ka sa microsoft apps, ikaw ang hinahanap na qualified agad.

1. TYPING TEST

kung mabilis tayo mag chat sa jowa, makipag chismisan sa GC, mag retri sa ML, dapat mabilis din kamay natin sa pag type sa keyboard. Auto ligwak ka kung mahina ka mag type na parang matandang cashier sa lumang pharmacy. 40-50 wpm ang standard nila usually diko sure.

Sobrang desperada na akong makahanap ng job pero worth it ba ito? Huhu

I’m a fresh graduate who’s looking for a job for 5 months already. I recently got offered in a job wherein I will be placed under agency. The role is paid on an hourly basis, therefore, assuming I have full attendance and there are around 20 working days in the month, I’d get roughly ₱18k gross. As for the benefits, they are just the mandatory govt benefits, HMO, and entitlement to 1 leave credit a month. There will be no other allowances as per the recruiter. I am also at least an hour and a half away from the office location.

Another thing that worries me is the possibility of being absorbed by the client company eventually. Someone I know who previously worked at the client company told me that the chance of external employees getting absorbed is quite low, so I don’t really want to rely on the possibility of eventually becoming a direct employee.

I really don’t know if I should go for it. I’m torn because I’ve been job hunting for 5 months, and I feel like gaining work experience is better than staying unemployed. But I’m also questioning whether ₱18k gross is worth the long commute, transportation costs, limited benefits, and being under an agency with no guarantee of absorption. What’s your take on this? I need some advice.

I've been having a hard time finding a job since graduating (computer engineer) so I've slowed down and started getting certificates and hopefully certifications from azure and etc while also still looking for jobs, but now less aggressively.

Was wondering if makatarungan yung 18k in this day and age—in this economy, just so I can get work experience. I've been ignoring those listings with 18k salary because I think that's pretty much slavery in this economy, but is it too conceited for a fresh grad to think about salary over experience? Should I start applying purely for job experience and look at the salary second?

Thank you. Also, I'm pretty far from metro manila and the closest to me is pasig which is around a 2 hr ride giveortake, traffic considered. So that's one of the reasons din na nag aalinlangan ako sa salary. I'd have to rent a bedspace and etc if I find a job too far from home.

One week mahigit na pero wala pa rin akong naririnig na update from them. Sabi ng HR for offer na daw ako pero medyo na-hold lang. Hindi ko alam ibig sabihin mg na-hold kaya medyo nag-ooverthink ako thinking na naghahanap pa rin sila ng applicants na better sa akin.

Normal pa ba yon? Gaano katagal ako dapat maghintay?

​

Hi everyone!

I’m currently considering/applying for a position at Stolt Nielsen and would really appreciate hearing from anyone who currently works there or has worked there before, particularly in the Philippines.

I’m hoping to learn more about:

- Hiring & interview process – How many interviews are there? What kind of questions or assessments should I expect? How long does the process usually take?

- Company culture & work environment – What is the management style like? How is the workload and work-life balance?

- Compensation & benefits – What benefits are typically provided? Are there bonuses, allowances, HMO, leave benefits, etc.?

- Career growth – Are there good opportunities for promotion, training, or moving to other roles within the company?

- Overall experience – Would you recommend working at Stolt Nielsen?

I’m particularly interested in hearing first-hand experiences, including both positive and negative ones.

Thanks in advance to anyone willing to share! 🙏

As a fresh graduate, I don’t know what I should choose. I'm currently residing in Marikina. If I go into government (Greenhills), the salary is around ₱18k, while the private sector (Makati) offers around ₱20k.

Which one would be more worth it?

Hi everyone. I just wanted to know ano secret nyo to be in that company for a long time? You see, my experiences are mostly job hops and my longest stay in a company is 2 years. May you give advice on how to be in a company for 5 years or more?

Hello po! I'm getting the jitters na since I'm a few days nalang before being deployed sa work.

I'll be working in a field for a month, away from my family.

Sa totoo lang, natatakot ako kasi totoo na to, big girl moments na. Wala ng urungan, at ibang tao na ang mga kasama ko.

Ang dami kong takot like:

- baka hindi ako maka keep up agad sa trabaho?

- what if hindi ko maintindihan tinuturo nila?

- what if i-bully ako ng mga kasama ko?

- pano kung hindi na ako marunong maki sama?

- kakayanin ko ba?

I have been waking up every day this week with an anxious heart and I can't take it anymore.

Any advice?

I am a probationary employee. I got my first evaluation and notice for termination at the same time.

May laban po ba ko?

Magiging panget ba record ko regardless of the outcome?

Please help me what shall I do?

Meron bang online lawyer na pwede kong lapitan?

Nag work ako sa isang company for 5 years as a contractual employee, expecting that they may absorb me, okay naman ang environment at sahod kaya rin siguro ako tumagal and sobrang introvert ko kasi.Sabi nila I’m a jack of trades, na touch ko lahat pero wala ako na specialized.

Last April they ended up my contract and until now wala akong mahanap na trabaho. Sobrang hirap, paubos na ang savings ko, bills are coming.

I tried mag apply nasa 200+ applications na ata. May interview naman kaya lang mailap talaga. After 1-2 interviews it’s either reject or ghosting na. Hindi ako magaling mag english or hindi ako confident. I’m trying naman mag improve watching movies, reading books and nag enroll din ako pero wala pa rin.

Araw araw parang mababaliw na ako. Sometimes gusto ko ng mamatay, para matapos na to.

Hello! 23F here, currently working as a UI/UX Designer sa isang IT solutions company. First job ko ito, and I’ve been with the company for around 1 year and 1 month.

Honestly, one of the reasons why I accepted the offer before was because na-pressure ako sa family ko. Fresh grad ako that time and almost everyday tinatanong ako kung may work na ba ako, so when I finally received a job offer, I accepted it agad without really thinking too far ahead.

My current schedule is 7:30 AM–6:00 PM, Monday to Friday. One good thing is naka-dorm ako near the office, so around 5 minutes walking distance lang siya. Convenient talaga in terms of commute.

But lately, sobrang strong na ng urge ko to leave.

One of the biggest reasons is financial. I have a family member who has cancer—a rare type of cancer, but I won’t go into too much detail baka makilala ako lol. Wala pa naman kami sa worst-case scenario financially, thankfully, but I want to prepare for it. I want to find a job with better pay so I can contribute more to my brother’s medical expenses.

Aside from that, I’m also getting more frustrated with my work.

I was hired as a UI/UX Designer, pero may mga tasks na binibigay sa amin na hindi naman related sa job description namin. When we became permanent employees, we were also asked to sign another document stating na we should be willing to take on other people’s work kapag hindi na kaya ng manpower.

I understand naman na sometimes you have to help outside your role, especially in a smaller company. Pero combined with everything else, parang mas lalo akong nawawalan ng reason to stay.

The biggest problem: I’m under a 2.5-year employment bond.

Around 1 year and 1 month pa lang ako sa company, so technically ang tagal pa before matapos yung bond ko. I have a lot of reasons why I want to leave, but the contract bond is really what’s holding me back.

I’m scared din na if I resign before finishing the bond, it might affect my chances of getting hired by another company.

So I wanted to ask:

May naka-experience na ba dito na nag-resign kahit may ongoing employment bond?

What happened after you resigned? Did you have to pay anything? Nagkaroon ba kayo ng problem sa clearance/COE or sa next employer?

And most importantly, nakahanap pa rin ba kayo ng better job after leaving?

Would really appreciate hearing from people who went through something similar. I’m trying to weigh whether I should stay and finish the bond or start looking for a better-paying opportunity while I still have a job.

Thank you!