ADVANTAGES OF BEING AN OFW

OFW - Overseas Filipino Worker

I've been very grateful that I was able to experience working and living abroad independently. Because of it, I was able to achieve a lot of personal and professional goals.

Here are some of the advantages of working abroad:

1. Acquiring large skills set

Working abroad usually involves wanting to learn new skills and gaining new knowledge, so that you'll be on top of your game. International job market, international employers are very competitive and would rather choose someone who have better skills.

Unfortunately in the Philippines, when you have connections, came from a known family, you can have a job with 0 skills. When you're abroad, these doesn't' matter. Everyone starts from the bottom.

When you're in abroad, you are also exposed to a lot of working opportunities that wasn't offered back home or skills that are out of your profession.

Sooner, the experiences that you will gain will be very hard to match and you will be one of the sought-out people from International employers.

2. Personal Growth

The moment you move abroad you will be dealing with a lot of challenges daily - may it be professionally and personally. More likely, these challenges are those you haven't experienced back home.

Moving abroad gives you a better understanding about yourself because you are on your own. It makes you independent, mature, make decisions and face the outcome of those decisions

You will be able to gain new perspectives and discover a lot of yourself along the way because you will be able to encounter different kinds of people with different point of views and learn from them.

Time will come and you will be able to look back and be proud of yourself that you were able to surpass and survive the different stress that comes with it. You will notice how much you've grown and change and how you achieved that milestone which you will never forget.

3. Boost Your Resume.

Having an overseas experience makes your resume stand out and boost your future employment. Whether this experience is just a stepping stone, it will open new doors and opportunities since many employers highly value candidates with international skills and experiences. Why? Because it showcase the employers that you're able to work, deal and adapt in different environment and cultures, and that you're used to finding new ways of doing things outside of your comfort zone.

You can offer a wide range of multiple skills such as communication, patience, discipline and people skills.

4. Better salary.

We all know that working abroad offers higher salary compared in the Philippines. There are even jobs that doesn't require a degree and would earn better abroad than in the Philippines. That is why you cannot blame that many Filipinos dream to get a job abroad. Not only you get to spoil yourself but also at the same time, spoiling your family back home.

Some countries offer housing, transportation and food allowances - which makes it more enticing to work since more chances to earn and save

5. Discover new horizons.

You will be able to live like the locals. Unlike traveling, you will be able to understand their ways of living, cultures and beliefs, celebrate their local holidays. You will be able to meet other people that has different perspective than yours which will widen your knowledge about the world and not only in your own country.

When you work abroad, you also have greater chance to travel other sought - off countries since it's just close by. Plane tickets are cheaper or sometimes, you can travel by land. Some countries would even accept your visa easily since they see that you are working outside of your home country.