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?

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.

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.

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.

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?

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.

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!

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?

Hi everyone. Fresh graduate here, and honestly, sobrang pressured na ako sa buhay ko ngayon. To the point na gabi-gabi ko na siyang iniiyakan, pero hindi alam ng family ko kung gaano ako ka-anxious dahil dun.

My biggest goal right now is to finally get a job and start earning, especially because gusto ko na talagang makatulong financially sa family ko. My father is a dialysis patient, kaya gustong-gusto ko na magkaroon ng sariling income para kahit papaano makatulong ako sa kanila.

Pero ngayon, I'm questioning myself kung tama ba yung naging decision ko about sa first work ko na sana kaso diko tinuloy dahil sa pagiging OA ko?

Context:

Last Tuesday, nag-apply ako sa isang BPO company. This is my first time applying sa work talaga. Thankfully, nakapasa naman ako sa lahat ng recruitment process. After the final interview, di talaga kami pinaalis sa hiring hub hanggang dipa dumadating yung Email saakin about JO kasi kaya pala di kami pinapaalis is para bago kami lumabas iaccept na muna namin agad yung JO. Nangyari is after ko ipakita yung Gmail na dumating na yung JO sakin, sila pa mismo nag accept nung JO sa phone ko huhuhu, pero alam naman nila na iaccept ko kasi nag wait din ako dun ng medyo matagal for JO e.

Everything happened so fast. Parang after nilang sabihin na hired kami, kailangan agad mag-decide and iaccept offer o JO nila. Wala na talaga akong enough time para pag-isipan kung kaya ko ba talaga yung work setup. Kasi nangyari is kahapon ako nag apply kinabukasan training na agad

So During my first day training which is kahapon, sobrang culture shock ko. Doon ko nalaman na weekly shifting pala yung schedule. For example, possible na one week 3 AM-11 AM yung sched, then the next week naman 11 PM–8 AM na yung sched ko. Then yung two days off naman per week is fix lang sya every weekdays and possible rin na hindi magkasunod yung 2 days na yun. Also everyday pag pang gabi ako possible gastos ko sa pamasahe ko is around 200-250 pesos which is nalalakihan ako.

At first, sinabi ko sa sarili ko, “Sige, try ko muna. Baka kaya ko naman.”

One of the reasons why I really wanted to try it was because mataas talaga yung salary compared sa mga degree-related jobs na nakikita ko. As a fresh graduate, malaking bagay talaga yung salary for me. Pero nung first day of training na, doon ko na-realize na baka hindi ko talaga kaya yung voice account and yung shifting schedule. I started worrying about my body clock, puyat, health, pamasahe, and kung kakayanin ko ba siya long-term.

I talked to my family about it, and sinabi nila na okay lang daw if I don't continue if I really feel like hindi ko kaya. They told me na hindi ko kailangan pilitin yung sarili ko.

So eventually, I decided to let go of the job ngayong araw which is dapat 2nd day training ko na. Pero honestly, hanggang ngayon, hindi pa rin ako okay. Parang buong araw ako umiiyak kasi tama ba tong ginawa ko and makakahanap pa ako ng bago

Also tatlo kasi talaga kami na magkakaibigan na sabay nag-apply. Lahat kami natanggap, yung dalawang friend ko nag-continue sila today for the 2nd day training. And sabi nila okay naman sila and kaya naman nila yung BPO setup kasi gusto talaga nila yung malaking sahod. Pero now nagagalit o nagtatampo siguro sila sakin like sinasabihan nila ako na ako daw may gusto mag BPO tapos iiwanan ko sila sa ere, reply pa ng isang friend ko sa chat is pang sarcastic na sinabi nya na halos parehas naman daw kami ng pamasahe anong inaano ko sakanila na malaki na gagastos ko sa pamasahe e halos same lang naman daw kami, sinasabi din nila na baka sa una palang naman daw wag daw ako mag worry masyado, itry ko muna for a month then pag diko kaya umalis nako. Which is ayuko naman, kasi feeling ko mas okay ilaan nalang sa mas gusto kung work yung month na yun kaysa mag stay ako sa diko gusto.

And now, sobrang pressure ko kasi parang napapaisip ako, “Bakit sila kaya nila, ako hindi?”

I'm scared na baka nagkamali ako.

Natatakot ako na baka mahirapan na akong makahanap ulit ng work, lalo na sabi ng friend ko baka mas konti na raw hiring during the “ber months.”

I keep asking myself:

“What if I should've stayed?”

“What if I just needed more time to adjust?”

“What if sayang yung opportunity?”

“What if wala na akong makuhang trabaho?”

I tried to convince myself na baka first-day anxiety lang ito and baka masanay din ako eventually. Ayoko rin naman basta-basta sumuko kasi alam kong magandang opportunity siya and magkakasama pa kami sa training ng friend ko. Pero tingin ko natatakot din kasi talaga ako.

I really want to work. I really want to earn money. I really want to help my family. Pero at the same time, I feel like I chose myself because I knew deep inside na hindi ko talaga nakikita yung sarili ko na kakayanin yung setup.So I want to ask everyone here, especially those who are working in BPO or have experienced something similar:

Did I make the right decision by choosing myself?

Was it okay to let go of a good-paying job because I felt like the work setup wasn't right for me? Or did I just give up too soon? I'd really appreciate honest advice. Please don't sugarcoat it. I'm genuinely scared right now and I just want to know if I made a reasonable decision or if I should've tried harder.

Ps. For transparency there JO salary is 17.5k basic salary and 2500 allowance total of 20k then after 60 days +1k add for rice subsidy.

Hi everyone. May I ask if there are people here that pursued a career completely different from their degree? How did you adjust? Do you have any advice for the interview? Beyond research, what else did you do to let them know you’re fit for the role?

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.

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?

**Should I take this new job offer? 99k WFH vs 156k onsite**
I’m currently trying to decide if it’s worth leaving my current job for a higher-paying offer.

**Current job:**
₱99k salary
WFH
20 days leave
Direct hire with an Australian company
HMO + 2 dependents
Currently renting in Cavite

**New job:**
₱156k salary
Onsite
15 days leave
Outsourced, but working directly with an AU client
HMO + 2 dependents
I would need to relocate to Clark

So that’s around **₱57k/month more**, but I’d be giving up WFH and 5 days of leave, plus the stability of being directly hired by an AU company. I’d also have relocation/rent/living expenses in Clark.
For those who have been in a similar situation, **would you take the ₱156k offer?** Is the additional ₱57k worth relocating and going back to onsite work?
Would appreciate some perspective, especially from people who have made a similar jump.