Ready Or Not...

In these last few days before the big move Singapore, the second most common question people ask me is if I am ready.

Last year, around this time, I took jobhunting a lot more seriously by sending out resumes or posting them on jobseeker websites or passing them to old friends who passed it to whoever cares. In September, jobhunting got serious as I was asked to attend interviews, as far as one before an actual offer. But as fate would have it, I didn't get anything yet.

My sister went home from the U.S. in late November and had this weird suggestion. She said that I could pass her my resume and that maybe she could get someone to sponsor my working visa. She basically introduced to me the concept of looking for work abroad and possibly moving for good. And like most everything in my life so far, I just needed someone to suggest something to me before I actually act upon it.

As far as working abroad is concerned, I had narrowed it down to two destinations: Singapore, and Australia. Singapore the great advantage of being easily accessible from the Philippines with the visa waiver and the low-cost airfares. It also boasts of a safe and secure living environment, relatively low taxation, and the feeling of pride in a fellow Asian country. The only downside, as far as I'm concerned is with long-term plans. Singapore does not allow dual-citizenship, period. On the other hand, Australia is generating the feeling of vast potential, a lot more opportunities, breathing space, a laid-back culture, potential dual-citizenship, and a growing Filipino community. The downside is the expensive airfare, some political instability (in the IT industry), possible experience of racism and the competitive local pool of IT specialists.

By the end of 2005, I have sent out dozens of applications to Singaporean and Australian companies online. Late January, this year, I was contacted by an Australian company who sounded interested in acquiring my talents after, of course, a series on interviews. I got as far as the technical interview. There was just static after. Frustrating as it is, they didn't select me. It's that sort of thing hurts your pride, question your worth, and lower your self-confidence. That episode left me depressed and confused.

Around February, I had received another email, this time from Singapore. Of course, I entertained it despite the terrible experience I had experienced before that. I had to go through phone interviews, technical interviews and online tests (guess what I was doing in this photo).

Meanwhile, I was asked to go to an interview in Makati for a local company who found me on a referral. There was also this other company in Mandaluyong who found me on a jobhunting website.

The company in Makati had already wanted to meet with me again after the technical interview. This time it was a meeting with their country manager. I didn't think of much about this since I've been with meetings with managers that were less than fruitful. But it was this time that I would be surprised. An actual offer was given, slightly exceeding my expectations (salary expectations, that is). I was tempted to take it right then and there. I didn't, so I just asked for extension and gave the other pending applications a chance. Especially, that one in Singapore in which I have (as always) emotionally invested heavily which had a chance no matter how slight.

But I did take the Makati offer and I had signed it. After which, I was to make two resignation letters. One, in my mind, for me, for everything that's happened to me so far. And another, to officially submit to the officers. March 30, I handed it in personally.

Immediately after I signed that contract, with which I was bound once I start working for them, I received and email from Singapore asking me if I'm still interested. I had to go through a couple more interviews with them. I appreciated the time they took in entertaining my application that I just had to see how that one would end. I thought I was already set on finding my morning commute routes to Makati, but it seems I was wrong.

It was already the last week of April, and I hadn't started on my clearance yet. I asked the company in Makati to have my starting date set back to one week after the date I agreed to. It turns out that they didn't have a project for me anymore but they were still hiring me. I just had to do more project-specific interviews which, by that time, I was already physically and mentally exhausted by doing them.

So finally, the Singapore company had decided to finally take me and sponsor me. They didn't have to ask me twice; although, I had to think about it for a few hours first. I informed the company in Makati that I was offered by another company and that I wouldn't be joining them anymore. That was basically how I ended my jobhunting.

The month of May was in preparation for the move to Singapore, tying up loose ends, making the most out of the summer, being a bum and planning for the future.

It's already the last week of May. Am I ready?

No, I'm not yet ready. But BRING IT ON!