Applying for a job can be a long and tedious process. This is especially true when you’re looking for employment overseas. Those who wish to apply as a domestic worker will need to prepare several things (i.e., documents and certifications) on top of the requirements set by the agency they will work with.
However, even after they’ve accomplished all of the requirements needed for their application and completed the training involved, there’s no guarantee of how long they need to wait to get a callback. In this post, we will take a look at some of the factors that affect how long a domestic helper gets hired for work in Hong Kong.
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 Pinoy OFW in Singapore, Daisy a.k.a. Maid Vlogger on YouTube. If you find her tips helpful, you may check out her channel to catch more interesting content about her work and life as an OFW in Hong Kong.
Factors that Affect How Long a Domestic Helper Gets Hired in Hong Kong
As you know, there’s no fixed timeline when it comes to getting hired when you’re applying as a domestic helper or for any kind of job for that matter.
The important thing you need to do is to take care of all the requirements, follow the instructions, do everything that you can, and hope for the best. That’s right! There will always be a waiting period so it’s important to remain positive always!
However, being positive isn’t just a nice way of telling you to relax and take your application lightly! Instead, you should always give your best and put in all the work required to become employed.
This includes submitting your application documents on time and doing exceptionally well during the training and interview. If you want to know what to expect during the training, you may refer to this link. And for tips on how to ace your interview, click here.
Now, when you’ve done all that is required of you, the next part will be the waiting. For some, this could only take a matter of weeks, but for others it can be longer, lasting several months. According to Daisy, when she was applying for work as a domestic helper for the first time, it took her seven months before she got a callback from her agency. Unfortunately, she didn’t get the job she was applying for in Hong Kong. Instead, she was offered to work in Malaysia. But at the time, she realized that she lacked the experience so she accepted the offer in Malaysia, and from there, she worked to gain the experience needed to reapply for a job in Hong Kong.
Now, Daisy is happily employed with her Chinese employer in Hong Kong and she’s even creating content for her vlog while working!
That said, here are some of the factors that could affect the waiting time before a domestic helper gets hired abroad:
1. Your lack of experience and poor performance
There’s a good reason why domestic helpers need to undergo training before working overseas. For first-timers, this is to equip them with the basic things they need to know about the job and life of a domestic helper before they are deployed overseas. That said, it’s very crucial that you give your best performance during training and leave a good impression on your trainers and agent so that they would have the confidence to endorse you as a priority to prospective clients.
In the same way, you need to leave a good impression during the video interview and call with a potential employer. According to Daisy, employers prefer those who are smart and knows how to handle themselves. That said, you need to be able to communicate well with other people and come across as someone who is kind, proactive, and reliable. If you meet these requirements, Daisy said that your chances of getting the attention of prospective employers will be higher.
She added that the ideal position you want to find yourself in is to be the one to choose from several employers interested to hire your services. And for this to happen, you must do your best right from the very start and leave a good impression to both your agent as well as prospective employers.
2. Employer’s choice
If you can not establish yourself to be in the position with the choice to pick where and who you want to work for, which, unfortunately, is the case for many applicants, your employment will be left to the choice of potential employers. And as you know, there are many things that could happen during the processing of your application. For example, an employer may decide not to hire a domestic helper anymore if they become financially incapable to do so or if say, a family member they wish to be taken care of (an elderly person) passes away. These things are usually beyond your control. This is why, as we’ve mentioned, it’s important to be optimistic and to “hope for the best” always.
Another factor to consider here is the prospective employer’s preferences. Daisy shared that some employers have their own standards when hiring a domestic helper. And these are usually beyond your skills and talents as an employee, but simply more of a gut feel based on their traditions and beliefs. For example, some Chinese employers look for workers that have a certain “aura” which can be based on several things such as the shape of their face, the way they sound, or how they communicate with them. That said, you need to always come across as someone who’s pleasant to have around and one of the best ways to do this is to smile and be polite as much as you can and as needed.
3. The agency’s process of providing work to applicants
Agencies serve as the “middle-man” between you and potential employers. That said, your chances of getting hired abroad will play in the hands of your recruiter. And you need to know that agencies are not equal and the same. Some may have a bigger pool of client base. In the same way, they may also have a large pool of active applications that they need to take care of. Hence, the long waiting period for some.
Considering these things, remember point #1 and to choose a recruitment agency that has good reviews, especially when it comes to the turnover period of their applicants getting employed. If you do your best during the training and interview, you’ll also get the attention of your agent. If they see you as someone who’s reliable and are ready to take on the role of a domestic helper, chances are they’ll make you a priority candidate for endorsement. So, it’s really a give-and-take situation. You need to assure your agent that you are deserving of a job they can help you get into, and once you gain their confidence, they can help you get it done the soonest time possible.
However, not everything goes smoothly as expected. In the real world, you might also get to encounter unreliable agencies who don’t do their jobs. If you notice that you’ve been put on hold for a long time – perhaps two or up to four months, then it’s a good idea to follow-up on your agency and to check the status of your application. Remember, you are paying them to help you so there’s no harm in asking for the status of your application as this can also help you decide on your next decision.
4. Time to reconsider your other options
You may not believe in God or a higher being, but sometimes, things just don’t work out the way we want them to. And when you find yourself in this position, you can either seek for divine intervention or just take a different track instead. This could mean that there may be something else better for you to do than working abroad. Whatever that is, only you can figure out for yourself. The important thing here is to examine your choices and evaluate your other options. You may figure out that you lack experience or are just not suited for the job. When you reach this point, decide whether you want to push through and what are the things you need to do to accomplish your goals. If you become successful at this, then you might just find the most suitable job or path for you. Remember, there are always alternatives if you can’t reach your goals right away. And sometimes, you’ll only realize that when you get stuck in a position where the only thing you can do is to reevaluate your situation. Use this time wisely and act on whatever you decide is best for you!
Have you ever experienced waiting for a long time to be called for a job you applied for? What was that experience like? What were the things that you realized as you were waiting for that callback? Let us know by leaving a comment in the section below!
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