u/FigTop6828

Hi M[29] and currently working as an engineer remotely for a foreign company.

Growing up, both my parents worked for the government sector. Di kami mayaman, pero life is comfortable and stable kasi they are both permanent employees sa government. Indoctrinated saaming magkakapatid na pag mag tratrabaho na kami, eh dapat sa gobyerno rin and I dont blame them. Naitaguyod nila kami magkakapatid eh kaya its the formula that worked for then.

So when I was passed the board exam, I really tried applying sa permanent government position. There were failed attempts, some nabagsak ko exam, some walang reply at all and di rin ako gumamit ng backer since di ako applicable sa field ng aprents ko. So for my first years being an emoloyee, I worked as an engineer sa private sector and started around 21k php as my first salary sa metro manila. Now in my 3rd company in 4 years, napa akyat ko ang salary ko to 50k+ thru job hopping and since remote siya, sa province na ako naka base.

Now kasi nga indoctrinated nga saamin ang mag work sa government because of stabilitiy, i dreamed talaga of working in the government din particulary this government agency na relevant sa field ko and luckily may office sila sa province ko. I have tried applying for years sa agency na to pero di ako pinapansin. Pressure pa dito is my brother nakapasok siya sa isang government and napakaganda ng career progression niya. almost 6 digits salary na siya as a permanent government employee! kaya dagdag din to sa pressure

Pero I tried applying last year and alas, napasa ko exam and napasa ko sng interview!! ang inapplyan ko is a senior role in this agency and napasa ko naman ang exams and qualified naman ako. but then nung initial interview, sinabi saakin na they wont offer me the senior positin (55K+++ php) and would offer me the entry level (35k++ php) instead. sa gobyerno mataas na yung 35k php na entry level gets ko.. pero im now esrning 50k plus ehh. on how my finances are setup its a downgrade talaga. right now, ang dami kong non negotiables na bayarin (ex. maintenance ng parents, bills sa bahay) and I cannot afford na hindi to bayaran. Kahit pa same province yung agency, medyo malayo siya saamin and medyo uncommutable yung place. the agency is 2 hrs away from us and walang direct way to commute dun kaya at the vey least, kailangan ko mag labas pa ng motor to get by.. (di pa gaano afford ang car kahit 2nd hand). Naisip ko the barrier to entry is too high.. Bababa ang income, pero tataas ng grabe ang expenses.

Right now, pag mag titipid talaga ako i will have about st least 18k in savings per month, net na yan pag naibawas ko na ang non negotiable gastos. But when i will accept the Government job, since i would have to rent, buy a motorcycle na huhulugan plus daily expenses, walang 5k ang maiipon ko kada buwan or at the very least max na yun na possible ipon IF mag titipid talaga ako.

Base sa numbers ehh napaka obvious ng answer, but I once dreamed of working talaga for this government agency. Pero the numbers speak for itself na ehh.. So i made the hard decision to decline the plantilla position... Iniyakan ko to ng sobra, pangarap ko to eh. pero sadyang hindi kakayanin ng bulsa ko and my long term goals. stable nga ako pero ang hirap ko naman? :(

The hardest part is my parents does not fail to remind me everyday since na "sinayang mo yung opportunity mo" "saan ka pupulutin sa wfh wfh na yan". na ang sakit saakin kasi parte sila ng decision ko. kung kukunin ko yun eh di ko mababayaran ang mga maintenance nila. lalo netong mid year bonus nila sa govt, ang daming pasaring na parinig saakin kasi wala daw akong ganun. nakakainis rin na parang minamaliit nila ako porke i work remotely, samantalang i make more than them right now? (except my brother)

I realpy hope na di ko pagsisihan tong decision ko, i don't know if masyado akong short term nag isip. pero I just did what's best for me right now :(

Hi! Been working remotely for about 2 years now and 9 months na ako dito sa AU/PH na company. Nung nasa previous companies ako I would say na I am an ambivert, kaya ko makisama sa peopel sa officr (the people were great sa precious company ko) pero there are days na i just want to focus on my task lang din.

I eas given an opportunity to work remotely and grinab ko siya. Pansin ko lately is parang namimiss ko rin mag work on site. may part kasi na parang pag wala akong nakikitang office my mind plays tricks on me na pwrde nalang mag laho bigla yung work? naiisip ko rin na i miss the interactions and banter with workmates paminsan minsan. Yung bang on some days maliligo ans mag bibihis ka. sometimes working remotely kasi blurs the thin line of work and life ehh.

To counter this,

-naliligo ako before shift! nung una kung 7am shift ko, gigising ako 6:55 which I avoid na. Para kasing na ooverwhelm yung brain pag from 0 to 100 agad ehh.

-I go out everyshift! it doesnt matter kung may gala, or literal na iwawalk lang ang dog, i see to it na lalabas talaga ako ng bahay.

-I also try to stay active, 3x a week ako nag gygym and sa ibang days ay sports.

pero lately kahit gawin ko to, medyo nabuburyo ako paminsan minsan. dont get me wrong, i dont miss the commute and all. pero I know na you'll understand what I am saying na nakakaburyo minsan 😅

pahingi tips please!!

Hi I just turned 29 and I feel that I will be at a crossroads of my career. I am currently working in a private company for almost 9 months now na fully remote. I earn 50k gross. The good with this comoany is yun nga, fully remote siya and there is work life balance on most days. Pero lately naubos an emailg team ko since they pursued better opportunities.

The cons of my current company is medyo unstable siya, both sa structure ng company and financially. Nasa startuo stage pa siya kaya things reallychange a lot tapos medyo revolving door lately ang employees, ang daming attrition. Meron kasing round of layoffs last year kaya peoole don't feel safe staying here in the long term. siguro matagal na ang 3 years na nag sstay dito. Ang benefits also is 13th month pay lang and no othet bonuses. HMO is for myself only with no depepndents. Sa totoo nag eenjoy naman ako dito kasi ang convenient ng setup plus relatively high pay as an engineer. nakakatipid rin ako. Pero ayun i can't plan long term rin dahil nga minsan unstable yung company.

Now I have a final round interview with a national government agency. No brainer sana kung yung salary eh higher kahit onti. pero mas bababa. from 50k gross, magiging around 36k gross lang.. and although the same province naman siya as mine, pero its about a 1 hr and 30 min drive. so for sure my ipon would take a hit here. Pero would the government benefits outweigh ba the paycut? also the long term stability of working in a government rather than a volatile (but comfy) wfh job? enlighten me please and dont hold your punches. This is my first time coming close to working in the government ehh.

Is anyone here working for Department of Energy? kamusta po ang life inside DOE? currently applying as SRS1