Many Filipinos want to work abroad so that they could earn more and save up for their families. Others, though, who may have work back in the Philippines, still choose to give up their jobs and career so that they can find a better paying job overseas.
And one of the more popular jobs for Filipinos abroad, especially in Hong Kong, is a domestic helper. And in Jean’s case, who worked as a teacher in both public and private schools when she was in the Philippines, this was the job she chose to apply for in Hong Kong. However, this had not been an easy task for her because she didn’t have any background in domestic work when she applied for the job. If you find yourself in the same spot as Jean, then continue reading this post to gain more insight on how you can apply for work as a domestic helper in Hong Kong, even without experience.
Disclaimer: The information published is based on the experience shared by the vlogger/YouTuber. The information provided may change without prior notice and may differ in actual scenarios. Let this article serve as a guide only.
Here is the video guide shared by a Pinay OFW “Jean,” a.k.a the Pinay Nanny Vlogger in Hong Kong on YouTube. If you find her tips helpful, you may check out her YouTube channel to catch more interesting content about her work and life as an OFW in Hong Kong.
Things to Consider When Applying as a Domestic Helper in Hong Kong without Previous Work Experience
Let’s first set things straight. Domestic work isn’t just about household cleaning, cooking, and taking care of the kids. Those are part of the work, but these aren’t things that you can properly do without enough training and experience, especially from another household.
That said, those who wish to work as a domestic helper abroad need to undergo training provided by TESDA and the recruitment agency processing their application documents. And after you’ve completed your training, still, employers prefer to hire those with previous work experience as a domestic helper either in the Philippines or overseas.
But if you don’t have this qualification, do not get discouraged. Consider the training you’ve received and apply the things you’ve learned as if you’d been doing domestic work for a long time. The first thing you need to think about is how badly you want to have the job. With this kind of mentality, you would be more confident and driven to do your best and do everything it takes to work abroad.
So, for Jean, because she didn’t have any previous work experience as a domestic helper, she was told by her agency to still write down previous related work experience as a helper for a family friend or a distant relative.
Because the information she will provide will still be validated by her recruitment agent, she had to make sure that all the information provided on her resume is clear and accurate. And once she got to the interview, the information that is reflected in her resume must match her responses during the interview.
Another thing to consider is informing your previous employer that they are included in your resume and that they might receive a call from your agency to verify the information that you’ve written there.
For this reason, it’s important to keep a good relationship with your previous employer(s) because when the time comes, and you need their assistance to act as your reference for a job that you’re applying for, especially abroad, they’d be willing to help you out and give a good account to your name.
Now, even if you don’t have actual work experience as a domestic helper, you can still cite relevant work experience to the job on your resume as well as in the video interview. But you just have to be consistent with what you need to say.
For example, in Jean’s case, she worked in a primary school in the past, so she can cite that as part of her experience in handling kids. Also, if there had been instances when you were able to resolve a difficult situation at work, it’s important that you mention that in your interview. And then use this information and relate it to the job you’re applying for. It’s important that your employer can see in the way you answer questions about how interested and prepared you are to take on the job they’re offering.
Another thing worth mentioning is that if you’ve had experience in taking care of a sick or an elderly family member, it would help your chances of working in a household with an elderly family member, as well. Mention how you took care of the elderly family member – if you provided assistance with their activities of daily living such as feeding, bathing, doing exercise, and managing their health. All these things may give you an advantage, say if you are going to work in a household with an elderly family member.
That said, it’s important that you gain some background of the family or household you will be working for. This way, you can use your skills and relevant work experience to cater to the job you wish to have.
Another example is when working with kids. You can mention if you have your own children or have been trained to look after young kids such as your nieces and nephews. Mention what you used to do for them whether it be bathing, feeding, or even helping them learn their lessons from school.
The important thing here is to create the opportunity for yourself to get a job that you want to have by using your relevant skills in the past, even if you do not have the exact job title.
So to summarize, there are four things you can do when applying for a job as a domestic helper without any experience:
(1) Master the training and prepare all the required documents in advance.
(2) Get to know about the job you are applying for, and if possible, some background of the employer whom you’ll be working for.
(3) Inform your previous employer who will act as your reference for the application and help them understand the role you are applying for so they can assist you during the application process.
(4) Highlight useful skills, achievements, and relevant experiences for the job during your interview.
By doing these things, you can turn a seemingly unfavorable situation to your favor. And you also get to build more confidence in the skills and experiences you’ve gained in the past. If there’s one important lesson you need to learn from the experience shared by Jean, is that it’s possible to work abroad as a domestic helper even if you do not have the required experience for the job. You just have to be smart about your application and as they say “play your cards right” to ensure the best possible results.
Have you tried applying for a domestic helper position without any experience? What was that experience like? Are there any other tips you would like to share with those with the same circumstances as you? Let us know by leaving a comment in the section below!
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