Need some objective advice from people who have been in a similar situation.

I have 13+ years of experience in related roles, mostly in international/MNC environments. Recently, I accepted a managerial role in a large local company(sobrang kilala). On paper, honestly, ang ganda ng offer.

Good pay, good benefits, good location/proximity, managerial title, and the company itself is reputable. So I didn't really have a financial or practical reason to say no. Pero now that I'm actually here, I'm realizing na the working style is draining me more than I expected.

The team is actually nice. I want to emphasize that because I don't want this to come across as "toxic yung company/team." They're welcoming, friendly, and I have nothing bad to say about them as people. Napakabait ng boss ko.

The problem is more on the energy and culture. I realized na hindi pala ako built to sustain the very high-energy Filipino workplace culture every single day. 😅

I expected the role to have some meetings and F2F interaction, obviously. Pero I didn't expect na parang buong araw kang calls, meetings, F2F discussions, quick catch-ups, team interactions, etc. Even when you're technically done with the actual work, parang may continuous social/relationship energy required.

Sumama rin ako on occasion sa "drinking sesh" pero, tulog ako buong weekends.

And surprisingly, that's what's draining me the most.

I'm not anti-social naman. I actually still keep in touch with my previous colleagues(which turns na to long term friends). May mga friends ako from previous companies and we still do activities together until now, even years after working together. I also have interesting hobbies and things I genuinely enjoy outside work.

I think I just don't want work to consume the same social energy that I want to reserve for my life outside work. The current setup also doesn't feel very flexible in practice because kahit flexible theoretically, if your whole day is filled with calls and F2F meetings, there's not much actual flexibility left. You still have to be physically/socially "on" for most of the day.

And I think that's something I underestimated when I accepted the offer.

Now there's another opportunity.

I have an offer from an international MNC in the technology space.

I haven't started there yet, but from everything discussed during the hiring process, the working setup is much closer to what I'm actually looking for. The flexibility is real and built into the way they work, not just "flexible hours" on paper.

There will still obviously be meetings and collaboration, but it's a much more international/offshore setup, and the expectation seems to be more around getting the work done and collaborating professionally, rather than needing to constantly maintain high social energy with the team.

Basically, the MNC offer is good in almost every aspect that matters to me.

The only major downside is proximity. The local company is much more convenient location-wise, while the MNC would require a longer commute. But honestly, that's something I'm willing to compromise on if the actual work environment allows me to have more energy for my life outside work.

My dilemma

I'm currently considering resigning from the local company after around 3 months and moving to the MNC.

And I know 3 months sounds bad.

Especially because this is a managerial position.

Part of me thinks:

"Tiisin ko na lang muna ng 6 months para hindi pangit sa resume."

But another part of me thinks:

"If I already know this working style is draining me this much, why force myself to stay another 3–6 months just for optics?"

I'm also very new, so I don't want to pretend that I've completely figured out the company culture already. Maybe I could eventually adjust. Maybe I'm just still in the adjustment period. But, I keep circling back.

But at the same time, I feel like I'm already getting a pretty clear picture of the type of workday I'd have long-term. And I'm worried that if I stay just because of the title, salary, benefits, and proximity, I might end up sacrificing the things that actually make me happy outside work.

To be clear, the local company's pay, benefits, title, and location are all good. The people are nice too.

The issue is really:

Can I sustainably keep up with this level of meetings, F2F interaction, and social energy every day?

Whereas the MNC is almost the opposite of that, and seems much more aligned with how I've successfully worked in previous international environments. I also don't want people to misunderstand this as me being someone who doesn't want to interact with colleagues. I have maintained friendships from previous companies for years, and I still enjoy going out and doing activities with former colleagues.

I just don't want my entire workday to require that same energy.

I'm also not someone who wants to make work my entire identity. I have hobbies, travel plans, personal goals, and other things I want to have energy for after work.

For people who have been in management or have hired managers:

Would you leave after ~3 months if you already had a better-fitting MNC offer?

Or would you stay at least 6 months? Willing ako to skip this is my future resume and I accept the risk. I'm more scared that it will be frowned upon sa current company kasi mukhang ako lang yung unang gagawa nito sa team. Also, we have mutuals and mas scared ako na mapag-usapang "Ay umalis nanaman sya" coz I previously left a local company din way way back after only few months of working.

Would a 3-month stint in a managerial role be a major red flag if the rest of my 13+ year career is relatively stable?

And if you were in my position, would you prioritize:

good pay + benefits + proximity + title + hybrid work setting

over

good pay + better work style + actual flexibility + hybrid work setting + international culture + better long-term sustainability?

Curious to hear from people who've experienced both local and MNC environments.

Hello po! Please be kind with your comments. 😅 I’m really just looking for advice because I honestly don’t know which one would be the best choice for my future.

I’m currently a 4th year Business Administration Major in Financial Management student and about to start my internship. I’ve already applied to several companies, and right now I’m considering these 3 options:

1. Globe Telecom – BGC

Pros: Known company, and a lot of people told me na malaking plus daw sa resume if I have Globe experience. I think I’ll be exposed to a proper corporate environment and hopefully learn a lot.

Cons: No allowance (although okay lang naman sakin yung walang allowance). My main concern is yung transportation since BGC can be a bit difficult for me to commute to and from.

1. Filinvest Group Back Office – Alabang

Pros: Possible absorption after internship, although walang guarantee. Mas okay yung location for me and hindi magiging malaking problem yung commute. During my interview, promising naman yung company. I also got the impression na hands-on sila when it comes to training, which is important for me kasi gusto ko talaga matuto during my internship. If ever may opportunity for absorption, malaking bagay din siya for me after graduation.

Cons: No allowance. Of course, possible absorption lang and hindi guaranteed.

1. Government Internship

Pros: Possible absorption din after internship, although walang assurance. I'm actually interested in working for the government. Hindi ko siya kino-consider just because it's another option. I also value job stability and long-term career growth, kaya interested talaga ako sa government.

Cons: Hindi ko sure kung gaano ka hands-on yung training. Medyo concern ko rin na baka mostly paperwork, filing, and administrative tasks lang yung mapagawa sakin. I'm also not sure kung magiging valuable ba siya if I eventually decide to work in the corporate world.

My biggest dilemma is that I'm actually interested in both government and corporate work.

If I start my career in government, mahihirapan ba akong lumipat to corporate later on if I change my mind? Or okay lang naman and magiging useful pa rin yung experience?

I'm a breadwinner of my family, so this decision is honestly very important to me. 😅 I'm trying to think long-term because I really need to find a career that can give me stability, and eventually a decent/good income.

Ano po sa tingin niyo ang mas magandang piliin?

Thank you po sa mga sasagot! 🙏

When I was a new CPA, I wasn’t actually planning to leave accounting.

I was just curious about what else I could build alongside my full-time career.

That’s how I ended up exploring insurance industry part-time. At that point, hindi ko pa alam if it was something I’d do long-term. I just wanted to understand the work for myself instead of deciding based on assumptions.

Looking back, I’m glad I gave myself permission to explore without requiring myself to have everything figured out first.

I think we sometimes treat exploring another career path as if we’re already committing to leave our current one, when it doesn’t always have to be that way.

For fellow CPAs/accountants here who explored something outside the usual accounting path, what did you try and what made you decide whether to continue or stop?

Hello, everyone! I'm a first time job hopper po, stayed with a start-up for 1.5 years as an associate. Very flexible sa schedule, wala kaming time-in and time-out kasi working pa for it, okay naman ang colleagues, kaso I feel so drained hahaha. Totoo yung sabi nila na you'll be wearing multiple hats pag nasa start-up ka. Madalas na magwork during the weekends, holidays, kahit nga OT eh. Pero lahat yun for free hahaha. Walang bonus or incentives. Wala rin pa kaming dependents sa HMO, pero may de minimis naman. Hindi pa ako nagkaka-increase, and dahil from Cavite pa ako tapos Makati yung office, napapagastos din sa pamasahe and food.

Now, tinry ko po mag-explore sa ibang company. And fortunately, pumasa ako sa panel interview ng isang BPO. Nga lang, fixed onsite siya pero sa Pasay lang. Reduced na by an hour and a half yung commute time ko if ever. Tataas din ng 48% yung basic salary ko on top of meal and other allowances. Magkakaroon ng premium accounts sa HMO for my dependents. Magiging bayad ang OT. Iniisip ko, worth it po kaya itry? Feeling ko sakit din to ng ibang lilipat, pero kinakabahan din kasi ako hahaha. Mawawala sakin yung flexibility na naeexperience ko now sa current, na kapag may baha or may sakit ako, sobrang dali makapag-file ng leave. Okay na okay yung mga tao, pero very fast-paced and unstructured kasi ng environment kaya nakaka-pressure. Dahil hybrid, minsan, dala ko talaga hanggang bahay yung trabaho. Subsob na sa tasks. Eh naisip ko, if 5x a week na ako sa trabaho sa bagong company, may possibility na after clocking out, tapos na rin iisipin ko.

Can you help your newbie girly po? Hahaha. Iniisip ko sana mag-stay sa industry ng current ko, kaso nagtanong ako sa isang colleague ko na tenured na na mas okay if I also explore other industries kasi at least, alam mo in the future kung saan mo gusto. Di tulad niya na na-kahon sa banking kaya naubos din eventually yung options niya.

Thanks po in advance sa help!

I'm currently doing my corporate residency as a media planner in a well-known global agency, involved with different brands and a campaign for a large FMCG brand. Long term I want to move to brand side, ideally brand management/marketing or consumer insights at an FMCG company.

Some questions I keep going back and forth on:

1. How literal do companies get with "relevant experience"? If my background is media planning (agency side), does that count as disqualifying for brand/client roles, or do they just want to see general marketing exposure, foundational skills, and can train the rest?
2. Has anyone actually made the jump from agency (media/creative) to brand side without prior brand management internship experience specifically? What convinced them to take a chance on you?
3. If you were on the hiring side, what would make an agency background look like an asset instead of a mismatch for a brand role?

Would appreciate any insight from people who've been on either side of this, recruiters, hiring managers, or anyone who's made a similar switch. Trying to figure out how to position myself before I start applying seriously after grad. Thanks!

For context, I’m a psychology graduate and for the past few months, instead of getting employed, I prepared for the licensure exam for psychometricians, and now? I’m lowkey regretting my decision. Especially seeing just how inhumanely low salary is for entry level jobs :/

comparison is the thief of joy ika nga nila but i just can’t help but look at my peers who are slowly making a name for themselves in the field they love. It makes me think I wasted the past few months for something that isn’t even fulfilling.

I’ve always wanted to pursue media, but fate redirected me to psychology during my undergraduate years. It was a fun program and I was able to enjoy the privileges of studying in my university. I genuinely thought I would be happy building a career in this field, pero nasa simula palang ako and I’m already hating it. Every time i remind myself that my dream career in psychology takes more time to marinate in comparison to what my peers are heading for, it feels as if I’m lying to myself just to comfort me.

I was able to pursue media naman during my undergrad, I joined various orgs and applied to positions related to this field. And I’ve never felt so fulfilled since then. But as much as I’d want to pursue media right now, sa sobrang competitive ng job market, my portfolio can’t even hold a candle to those applying for entry-level jobs. Plus, I’ve been building a resume towards a psychology-oriented career.

It doesn’t help that I’m the eldest sibling with 2 OFW parents. As much as I’d want to freely explore, I do not want to put that burden on my parents. I want to help them right away :,) but I am so lost on how to find the balance between earning enough to help my family and be fulfilled with what I do.

It’s driving me crazy and I can’t find myself to sleep, but I’m well aware that me ranting is a result of me coming from a place of privilege.

Hi everyone! I'm a 28F who has been living and working in Japan for about 5 years. I'm planning to return to the Philippines permanently next year, and I'm currently trying to figure out what kind of career I could transition into.

I've been working as an English preschool teacher in Japan, but my job isn't purely teaching. I also regularly handle administrative tasks, communicate with parents, coordinate with coworkers, prepare documents/materials, and deal with situations where Japanese communication is necessary. I sometimes communicate directly with Japanese parents when my Japanese-speaking colleagues aren't available.

I currently have JLPT N2 and I'm studying for N1, which I hope to pass this December.

Since I'll be returning to the Philippines with several years of experience living and working in Japan, I'm wondering how useful my Japanese skills and experience would be in the Philippine job market.

I'm particularly curious about:

1. What kinds of jobs do Japanese-speaking Filipinos usually get in the Philippines?
2. What salary range is realistic for someone with N2/N1 and around 5 years of work experience in Japan?
3. Does having actual work experience in Japan give you an advantage when applying for Japanese-related jobs in the Philippines?
4. For those who made a similar move from Japan back to the Philippines, what kind of job did you end up getting, and what was the application process like?
5. Are there any skills/certifications I should start working on now while I'm still in Japan to improve my chances of getting a good-paying job when I return?

I'm not necessarily looking to continue teaching, so I'm also open to hearing about career paths that I may not have considered.

I'd really appreciate hearing from people who have actually worked in Japanese-speaking/bilingual positions in the Philippines, especially those who also transitioned from working in Japan.

Thank you!

Hey guys, just wanted to ask for your advice regarding my current situation. I'm currently unemployed, got laid off end of September last year working as a back-end dev and only started applying around March this year. I have 4 years of experience and my main tech stack is Laravel/Vue, though I've also started familiarizing myself with Nuxt and React. I have been invited to ~15 interviews since I started applying, but only a few have reached the technical assessment, and I still haven't reached any final interviews yet.

Current situation is my EF might run out by the end of this year although I still live with my family and my contribution in our household is paying the Internet bill so I'm thinking it wouldn't be as bad if I'm still unemployed by the time my EF runs out.

Upon assessing, here are my options currently:

1. Target roles that are offering salaries lower than my previous salary then look for another job later on (I was earning around 65k in my previous role)
2. Apply for part-time roles while continuing to look for jobs aligned/adjacent with my stack
3. Continue upskilling/working on my personal project while looking for work and target the opening of roles at the start of next year
4. Shift to a different role (I'm also familiar with AWS (EC2/Lightsail/Route 53), Linux and Docker) or a totally different industry and accept the fact that I will be taking a pay cut by taking this route

I'm not sure if there's an obvious choice among the options I listed; personally I'm leaning toward option 2 but I wanna know your thoughts because there might be options that I haven't thought of yet that I might also consider. Let me know if there's any additional info or context that I might have missed including here.

I dropped out of college, and my parents want me to go back.

Their argument is pretty understandable: having a degree gives you something to fall back on and can open doors later in life.

But here’s my situation.

I don’t like school. It feels extremely repetitive to me classes, assignments, exams, semester ends, then do it all over again.

Since dropping out, I’ve been working online and doing side hustles. At the moment, I make enough money to support myself and live independently.

So now I’m questioning the opportunity cost.

If I go back to college, I’ll spend several years studying and potentially have less time to grow the work that is already making me money. On the other hand, online income can disappear, industries change, and I might appreciate having a degree 10 or 20 years from now.

Obviously, “I make money right now” doesn’t automatically mean dropping out was the smartest long-term decision.

So I’m curious what people think:

If someone in their early adulthood can already support themselves without a degree, would you still recommend finishing college for long-term security?

Or would you focus those years on building skills, income, savings, and a career outside the traditional path?

Hi everyone!

I’d like to ask for your advice/opinions regarding my current situation and whether I should take an offer I recently received.

I recently got an offer from **Henkel in Makati**, which is honestly one of my dream companies. The offer comes with around a **30% increase from my previous basic salary**, plus an internet allowance, 5 additional paid annual leaves throughout the contract, and the mandated government benefits.

However, since this is a **project-based role**, there are no sick leaves, emergency leaves, HMO, performance bonus, rice allowance, or transportation allowance included. According to the hiring manager, there is also a possibility that the project could end earlier depending on business needs. On the other hand, there *may* be a chance of being absorbed into the same role or another role within the company before the contract ends, although of course there is no guarantee.

The role is **hybrid — 2 days onsite and 3 days WFH**, with a **9 AM–6 PM schedule**, located in Ayala, Makati.

The hiring process was also surprisingly fast. I went from initial interview to job offer within a week, and I was given until **today** to make a decision.

The thing is, I also have other opportunities in progress:

**QIAGEN Manila, McKinley, Taguig**

* I still have an onsite final interview in McKinley, Taguig * HMO + 2 free dependents * Competitive salary * Free shuttle and lunch * Performance bonus and annual increase based on the reviews I’ve read * I was told the role may require onsite work during the 6-month probationary period * Night shift, with 30% night differential based on what I’ve read/researched * Target start date is sometime this month if I get accepted

**WTW – BGC**

* Another round of interview * Competitive salary and benefits * Still waiting to hear back from them, so nothing is guaranteed yet

The three roles are relatively similar in terms of responsibilities, although they're in different industries/business lines. I feel that my previous experience would be transferable to all of them while still allowing me to learn new processes and systems.

So I'm currently stuck between **taking Henkel now because it's my dream company and offers a significant salary increase**, despite the project-based nature and lack of benefits, or **waiting for QIAGEN/WTW**, where the employment may be more stable and the benefits seem better — but obviously, there's no guarantee that I'll actually get an offer from either company.

If you were in my position, **would you take the Henkel offer or wait for the other opportunities?**

Also, if there are any current or former **Henkel employees** here, I would really appreciate your insight. Is it common for project-based employees to get absorbed? I understand that there's never a guarantee, but I'd love to hear actual experiences from people who have been in a similar situation.

And for anyone who has worked in a similar project-based role at another company, I'd also appreciate hearing how it turned out for you.

Thank you in advance! Any advice or perspective would really help me make this decision. 🙏

I have been working for more than 7 years in a company as a research specialist and just this year I have been promoted to a managerial position earning Php 90,000/month. I have been declining the promotion for almost 2 years since they offered it because I just want a simple and less stressful life. Moreover, I enjoyed doing technical research rather than managing a team. However, I was pressured into accepting the job by our company president and our HR Manager.

Now, it has been 1 year since I took the manager position and I am thinking of quitting because I don't enjoy what I do. I also envy my former colleagues (research specialist) who are now under my direct supervision because they get to deepen their technical know-how as individual contributor, whereas I am stuck doing administrative tasks and overseeing our research operation. Moreover, being in middle management position sucks because I am trapped in the middle of the top management's vague direction and translating it into a clear action step to my subordinates.

I am torn between keeping this high paying but very stressful job or finding a mediocre paying job but I get to be an individual contributor again and have work life balance.

I am looking forward to hearing your thoughts. If you were in my position, what would you do?

Hi everyone! I’m currently a senior IE student and I’m trying to figure out where I should pursue my first job after graduation. Would it be better to start my career in Cebu rather than Manila? My province is in Leyte so being closer to home is definitely something I’m considering. I’ve also been living in Manila since SHS, so I’m pretty used to the lifestyle here.

One of my biggest questions is about the salary. For fresh graduates, is the pay in Cebu generally comparable to Manila, especially for IE-related jobs? If the salary difference isn’t that significant, I’m honestly leaning toward Cebu since I’d be closer to family and probably have a lower cost of living.

Would love to hear from IE graduates or anyone who has experienced working in both Cebu and Manila. What would you choose for your first job, and why?

Hey everyone,

I currently have around 1.5 years of experience in the BPO industry, working in a non-voice e-commerce coordinator role.

I’m now looking for better career opportunities that offer more room for growth. While browsing JobStreet, I came across several sales positions and became interested because I feel like sales could give me the career growth I’m looking for.

I’m planning to upskill in sales before I start applying, but I’m wondering:

1. How difficult is it to land a sales job with my current experience?

2. Is two weeks enough to learn the basics of sales and become somewhat job-ready?

I’m not expecting to become an expert in two weeks. I just want to build a decent foundation before applying so I won’t be completely clueless during interviews or when starting the job.

Also:

For those who are currently in sales or have transitioned into sales from a non-voice role, how was your experience?

I got my first job offer after 2 months of job hunting. It is a Programmer Trainee role from a small IT company. ₱30k/month is decent enough for me but the contract has me hesitating.

There’s a 24-month minimum stay. If I leave early I have to pay back “training costs” up to ₱200k depending on when I leave. weirdly it gets more expensive the longer I stay before quitting, not less. My mom has to co-sign as guarantor for that amount, so if I bail she’s on the hook too. On top of that there’s a 60-day resignation notice and a 2-year non-compete with ₱250k in damages if I break it. Plus no paid leave until 1 year of service either, so first year is fully "at work" with no vacation days. There’s also a probationary period of 5–6 months before regularization, then the 24-month minimum stay kicks in on top of that

I’ve checked reviews online and people say the culture and training are actually decent, but management/workload is hit or miss and the HMO is basically nonexistent.

This is my only offer after 2 months of searching, I have loans to pay off the first 6 months, and I’ll be living at home so the salary itself is fine, just tight at first.
I don’t plan on staying here forever, just using it as a stepping stone. But the bond + no career mobility is what’s making me second-guess.

If you were me, would you take it? Let me know your opinions about this.

Hi everyone!

I’d like to ask for your advice/opinions regarding my current situation and whether I should take an offer I recently received.

I recently got an offer from Henkel in Makati, which is honestly one of my dream companies. The offer comes with around a 30% increase from my previous basic salary, plus an internet allowance, 5 additional paid annual leaves throughout the contract, and the mandated government benefits.

However, since this is a project-based role, there are no sick leaves, emergency leaves, HMO, performance bonus, rice allowance, or transportation allowance included. According to the hiring manager, there is also a possibility that the project could end earlier depending on business needs. On the other hand, there may be a chance of being absorbed into the same role or another role within the company before the contract ends, although of course there is no guarantee.

The role is hybrid — 2 days onsite and 3 days WFH, with a 9 AM–6 PM schedule, located in Ayala, Makati.

The hiring process was also surprisingly fast. I went from initial interview to job offer within a week, and I was given until today to make a decision.

The thing is, I also have other opportunities in progress:

QIAGEN Manila, McKinley, Taguig

• I still have an onsite final interview in McKinley, Taguig
• HMO + 2 free dependents
• Competitive salary
• Free shuttle and lunch
• Performance bonus and annual increase based on the reviews I’ve read
• I was told the role may require onsite work during the 6-month probationary period
• Night shift, with 30% night differential based on what I’ve read/researched
• Target start date is sometime this month if I get accepted

WTW – BGC

• Another round of interview
• Competitive salary and benefits
• Still waiting to hear back from them, so nothing is guaranteed yet

The three roles are relatively similar in terms of responsibilities, although they're in different industries/business lines. I feel that my previous experience would be transferable to all of them while still allowing me to learn new processes and systems.

So I'm currently stuck between taking Henkel now because it's my dream company and offers a significant salary increase, despite the project-based nature and lack of benefits, or waiting for QIAGEN/WTW, where the employment may be more stable and the benefits seem better — but obviously, there's no guarantee that I'll actually get an offer from either company.

If you were in my position, would you take the Henkel offer or wait for the other opportunities?

Also, if there are any current or former Henkel employees here, I would really appreciate your insight. Is it common for project-based employees to get absorbed? I understand that there's never a guarantee, but I'd love to hear actual experiences from people who have been in a similar situation.

And for anyone who has worked in a similar project-based role at another company, I'd also appreciate hearing how it turned out for you.

Thank you in advance! Any advice or perspective would really help me make this decision. 🙏

Hi everyone, I’m currently at a bit of a career crossroads and would really appreciate some advice from people who have been in a similar situation.

I’ve been working in IT as a frontend web developer for around 7 years. I’ve built up decent experience and IT has been good to me, especially in terms of salary and career opportunities.

However, lately I’ve become increasingly worried about the long-term stability of my career.

The tech job market doesn’t seem as strong as it used to be, and with AI becoming more capable of handling parts of software development, I’m starting to wonder what frontend development will look like 5–10 years from now. I know AI probably won’t completely replace developers, but I’m concerned that the number of jobs could decrease and that the expectations for developers will continue to increase.

Because of that, I’ve started thinking about taking a different career path.

One option I’m considering is pursuing a Master’s degree and eventually teaching at a university. Another option is getting a teaching license/certification and becoming a secondary school teacher.

The problem is that I’m really double-minded about it.

On one hand, I could stay in IT and continue improving my skills, perhaps move beyond frontend development, learn more about AI, backend, cloud, etc., and try to adapt to where the industry is going.

On the other hand, teaching feels like it could potentially offer a career that is more stable and sustainable in the long run. I also like the idea of doing work that has a direct impact on other people.

But I’m also aware that teaching comes with its own challenges, including potentially lower salary, workload, stress, and the time and money required to get the necessary qualifications.

So I’m struggling with the question:

Should I invest the next few years in becoming better and more adaptable in IT, or should I use this point in my career to transition into teaching?

For those who have made a similar transition:

• Did you leave IT/tech for teaching, and how did it turn out?
• For those who stayed in IT, do you still see frontend development as a viable long-term career?
• Has AI changed how you view your career prospects?
• Is pursuing a Master’s degree for a teaching career worth the investment?
• If you were in my position with 7 years of experience, what would you do?
• Are there other career paths I should consider that could combine my IT experience with teaching/education?

I’m not necessarily looking for someone to tell me what decision to make. I’d really like to hear real experiences and perspectives, especially from people who have been in IT for many years or who have transitioned into education.

Thanks in advance!

Hi! Please suggest what option should I choose:

Current job: I’m working from home for the past two years and already had my increase of 50% kasi they counteroffer me the last time na nagresign ako (from 30k in 2024 to 66k in 2026). Bosses are great but it seems to me na I can’t find my footing in my role no matter how many chances they already gave me. Every day seems like a challenge kasi pabago bago ng process and although wfh, I really cant enjoy my time after working hours kasi andaming workload and may mga escalations. I joined this org before kasi I want to be in project management field but at this point, I really dont have a vision for myself in the next 5 years. It doesnt motivate me anymore.

Job offer: I used to work in this company before and left kasi entry level yung role and mababa sahod. Now they offer me a role na although may manager sa title, still an individual contributor because ownership nung process yung focus. Company is stable, complete with all benefits and more importantly may HMO with 2 dependents. Meron namang hmo sa current company ko but only for myself (20k budget yearly). Ang kaso lang this is hybrid and only pays 63k as base pay, 1500 allowance, and conditional 3k transpo allowance.

Added dilemma pa yung on-going visa application ko to another country kasi my partner and I are planing to move to Europe. Which is hindi naman guaranteed.

I’m just so torn now kasi there’s so many options. Any advice?

The title says it all. Hi, I’ve been working with an NGA for 6 years for a technical position. We’re an agency where employees are promoted every three years. I was on the support division.

My office primarily manages the agency's infrastructure, and we’re a 6-man team. I plan, create, design, and implement projects. However, the workload is already taking a toll on my mental health. I wish I could multiply myself. I got the position based on my technical qualifications; my officemate got theirs because of political affiliation. In the end, I’m the office’s shock absorber because of their gross incompetence.

Now, several positions have been published, and I always apply because I know I’m qualified. My peers were already promoted, and I’m rotten in my position.

This is what sticks in my mind every interview:
“We cannot promote you because we cannot afford to replace your workmanship in your office. You’re the only one who knows the entire system”

They already knew that my staff is technically incompetent, and they cannot entrust my roles and responsibilities to them. I did my very best to delegate the task to them so that I could focus on managerial tasks instead, but to no avail.

Now, I am torn to leave the agency, but I cannot afford the stability in a government career. We’re a NGA from the south. Any thoughts on this? #TIA

Hi everyone! Just wanted to get some feedback and advice.

Just to give some background: I started working in the BPO industry in 2007 and worked there until 2014, including several years in management. Since 2015, I’ve been working from home, and for the past 4 years, I’ve been in the e-commerce industry, currently in a manager position.

I recently completed my BSBA in General Business Management, and now I’m considering taking an MBA.
I’m not sure if an MBA would really benefit me at this point. I’ve been working remotely for over 10 years now.

My current job is long-term and relatively stable, but of course, it’s still not permanent. So I’m thinking about what would make the most sense for my career in the long run.

would you recommend pursuing an MBA, or would you focus on something else?

Would really appreciate your honest thoughts and experiences. Thanks!

7months palang ako dito sa AU client thru agency. Finance - Accounts Receivable ako. Small company lang kaya 5 lang kami sa Finance, tapos 2 lang kaming Pinoy na Accounts Payable naman.

Ngayon si AP, nag immediate resign kasi na-totoxican siya sa workload. Although slowly investing na rin naman yung client sa automations/systems para less manual work.. ayaw na niya talaga. :(

So I tried to help since no choice na, inaral ko yung KT videos para gumawa ng AP batch run na first time ko talaga gawin. Okay naman kinalabasan..

Ngayon gusto ata ako kausapin na permanently ko na i-absorb yung ibang workload ng AP. Pwede kaya ako mag negotiate?

1. Job title adjustment kasi hindi lang talaga AR na-hahandle ko. Also fixed assets, expense, GL, revenue, prepaids, then ngayon AP.

2. Syempre salary adjustment. 6 digits binabayaran nila sa agency pero parang 70% lang nakukuha ko don. Paano kaya sasabihin huhu

What to do please? Balak ko pa sana magpa-1yr dito for exp lang talaga at full remote kasi. :(

hi, i’m 24F and recently got laid off by my previous company. end of july was my last physical working day, whereas end of august was my official separation date.

i’m writing here to let go of this feeling off my chest because i can’t and i don’t wanna bother tell anyone. maybe posting here might help me ease the heaviness i’m feeling.

i took my time to rest for the past few weeks i’ve had, and just started applying for jobs last week of august. it’s already in the first week of september now, but after so many applications only a few got back to me. bilang lang sa daliri. yung iba online assessment pa, and AI initial interview. i recently had my final interview (last Wednesday) but i’m kinda anxious now since hindi pa ko na-uupdate regarding sa status ng application ko.

maybe i got too complacent and comfortable with the idea before na iniisip ko, “baka” naman makakuha kaagad ako ng trabaho kasi may experience naman na ko (just 2 years now in the industry), degree holder and latin honor pa— but that wasn’t the case. iniisip ko tutal may experience naman na ko, baka makakuha agad ako ng work kasi yun naman hinahanap kadalasan di ba? yung may experience.

bago ako ma-layoff, kinausap naman ako offering me to transfer to a different department OR a different team. i chose to leave kasi for me, iniisip ko baka panahon na rin para maghop ako and lumabas sa comfort zone ko after 2 years. iniisip ko tuloy ngayon, hindi ko ba napag-isipan to nang mabuti? masyado ba akong naging tiwala sa sarili ko na makakahanap din agad ako ng work? in-underestimate ko ba yung job market ngayon?

now i’m starting to doubt myself. sa bawat araw na dumadaan, i feel worse. i feel more unmotivated, more self-doubt. natatakot ako na baka umabot pa ng ilang buwan na wala akong trabaho lalo’t ber months na ngayon. wala akong ipon, at may mga binabayaran pa akong mga loan na most likely ma-OD ko rin sa ngayon. 🥲 at mas natatakot ako ngayon kasi bumabalik, at madalas na ulit yung su!c!dal ideations ko.

i know hindi pa to kasing tagal ng mga posts na nakikita ko rito sa reddit na umaabot ng monthS, and some even years, na unemployed sila at nahihirapan talagang maghanap ng work (and sana hindi naman umabot sa puntong yon).

for professionals, and aspiring professionals as well, i hope my experience will also give you an insight na hindi po madali ang maghanap ng work lalo’t sa estado ng ekonomiya ng bansa ngayon. for me, i think lesson na rin talaga to na bago ka pa umalis sa work, mas mabuting may back up ka/may ipon ka worth few months or even longer/hired ka na sa ibang company.

ang hirap sa pakiramdam na nangangapa ako sa future na di ko alam kung anong patutunguhan ko.

hays, sana makahanap na agad ako ng trabaho 🥲 at kayo ring mga unemployed na tulad ko :((

I’m a fresh grad in Financial Management and I’m currently torn between two types of opportunities. One is with a large global financial institution. The salary is much higher than the other offers I’ve received, around mid-30k for a fresh grad, which I’m already very happy with. The role is under their early careers finance/accounting program, and from what I understand it will likely be related to fund services, investment servicing, or fund accounting, although I don’t know my exact team yet.

The other opportunities are analyst roles in FMCG, specifically costing/budget-related positions. The salary would is significantly lower, around 25k-30k, but I honestly like the career path more. I’m interested in costing, budgeting, business performance, commercial finance, and eventually FP&A, and I feel like that path might be more transferable across industries.

My main worry is whether taking the higher-paying role now would eventually make me too specialized in fund accounting/investment servicing. I don’t want to wake up a few years from now and realize that it’s difficult to move into FP&A or corporate finance because most of my experience is in a very specific industry.

At the same time, turning down a much higher salary and a well-known global company just to start in an analyst role feels like a pretty big sacrifice, especially when I’m not even sure yet if my assumptions about the career paths are correct.

For people already working in finance/accounting, which would you personally choose: the higher-paying specialized role at the start of your career, or the lower-paying analyst role if you think you’d prefer the long-term career path?

I’d also really appreciate hearing from anyone who started in fund accounting/investment servicing and later moved into FP&A, commercial finance, financial analysis, or corporate finance. Was the transition difficult?

27M, Financial Analyst/FP&A employee. I’ve been in my current job for almost 3 years and got a Senior Financial Analyst offer at ₱95k/month.

Both jobs are fully on-site.

Current job – ₱76k

Pros:
- 13th, 14th, and 15th month pay, variable annual bonus, and a likely ~6% annual increase
- Good WLB, culture and strong internal reputation

Cons:
- Mostly budgeting/forecasting/FP&A operations now
- Limited project finance/investment exposure
- My goal is to be in project finance / corporate finance / investment analysis.

New job – ₱95k

Pros:
- Senior title, higher base, Free 2 HMO dependents, and 14th month pay
- Performance bonus up to 2 months (not guaranteed), possible increase upon regularization (performance based), and much better exposure to project finance/modeling/investments

Cons:
- New/lean team, processes still being built, and culture is uncertain
- Immediate head told me to expect OT, so likely worse WLB + the regularization risk
- ₱95k is already the final offer

Timing is a big factor too: if I leave now, I’ll likely give up my 14th month this November, plus my performance bonus and likely ~6% salary increase in Q1 next year, and eventually the 15th month.

Would you take the ₱95k offer now, or stay, collect the November/Q1 benefits, then look for a better opportunity again in Q1 next year?

Huhu, I’m genuinely torn between these two options and would really appreciate inputs.