The Happy Yuppie: Career Growth Podcast for the Fi

ShareLui Batongbakal is the blogger behind Filipiknow.net. I chat with him on how he discovered his passion for Philippine history even if he is a Registered Nurse. Along the way, he shares how he wrestled with quarterlife crisis after his father died. He also talks about how he sustains his passion for history. During his college days, he started writing for Listverse. That’s where he got the inspiration to start Filipiknow in 2013. He partnered with his former boss, who is the owner of DefinitelyFilipino. Types of Articles at Filipiknow: List types of articles related to Philippine history There are also in-depth articles dedicated to single topics. History is not boring, there’s just a problem in teaching it, probably because the treatment of many history teachers is boring. Most popular topics at Filipiknow.net 22 Things We No Longer See in Manila 10 Haunting Last Pictures Taken in Philippine History The readers of the site get to discover the roots and heritage of the Philippines. A Little Bit of Quarterlife Crisis After graduating from Nursing in 2011, he wanted to take Medicine but his father died so he needed to find a job to support his family. He became a call center agent, a freelance writer, and eventually became a blogger. He just goes with the flow and do what he wants, grabs every opportunity that comes his way. History as a Passion Lui has a team that runs the website, which helps him implement the content and social media strategy of the website. He buys books and does in-depth research to provide maximum value to his readers. Teodoro Agoncillo and Ambeth Ocampo are two History writers that should be read by every Fililpino. “Puwede palang hindi boring ang history, as long as it is presented in an interesting manner.” Filipiknow.net is not a sustainable passion. Lui’s portion of income comes from his nursing website, and that helps him sustain his passion for history. How much can a website earn? “The sky is the limit sa blogging as long as you find the right niche, right audience, and the right angle na para maging successful yung blog mo…. Make your blog unique. Don’t copy other blogs…. Find something that will make you stand out.” “Don’t be afraid to stand out; don’t be afraid to make something that has never been done before.” On history: “Don’t see history as something boring. It will take you to places you’ve never been before. It will introduce you to a lot of stories, a lot of interesting stories and figures na hindi mo naencounter sa school at sa college. Ang history kasi, hindi lang siya useless facts. Marami ka ring matututunan and marerealize mo na history indeed repeats itself.” On Blogging: “I recommend na find a mentor. Invest in books that will teach you sa knowledge.” Website: http://Filipiknow.net Facebook: /filipiknow.net

ShareKarl Marty Balingit is the host and producer of the Filspiration Blog Podcast, which is dedicated to inspiring Filipinos here and abroad. I chat with Karl about his work as a freelancer and why he started the Filspiration Podcast. Karl is a freelancer for three years now. He worked in an office for 6 months but made the jump to freelancing and never looked back. He graduated BS Information Technology. He worked as a content writer for 6 months, learned about freelancing and found EasyOutsource.com, an online jobs board for Filipinos. He just applied for different jobs and when he realized that his freelancing job could sustain him, he made the jump. When he started full time: 8 hours a day, 40 hours a week in total. He started earning $300 per month. But this can go up as you build up your expertise. Karl loves traveling, he alternates his time in the Philippines and Los Angeles in the USA. Even when he’s traveling, he can continue work. Filspiration Podcast He’s been a fan of podcasting since he started working as a freelancer. He googled some productivity tips and keeping motivated. He discovered podcasts: John Lee Dumas: Entrepreneurs on Fire Pat Flynn Smart Passive Income Podcast He got inspired by these podcasters and then he launched his own podcast. Filspiration is a play on words: Filipino + Inspiration Benefits of Podcasting Network with like-minded people He received emails from helping out other people He can even market his services thru podcasting Links The Pinoy Yuppie’s Guide to Online Freelancing: http://pinoyyuppie.com/guide-to-online-freelancing Interview with Celine Roque: pinoyyuppie.com/035 Interview with Marv De Leon of FreelanceBlend Podcast Karl’s interview with me at episode 4 of the Filspiration Podcast Connect with Karl Balingit Website: http://filspiration.com Twitter: @filspiration Facebook: /filspiration

ShareIn this episode of the Happy Yuppie Podcast, I interview Mina Esguerra, Managing Editor of Edgewise.ph. She is one of the founders of Edgewise.ph. She’s a published writer who is starting to be recognized as an authority figure in the self-publishing scene here in the Philippines. Edgewise.ph started in 2009 to help young people, fresh graduates to help them get started with their career. Some lessons for new graduates Talking and comparing money and salary inis never a good idea. Some Social Media basics: “If you post something on the Internet, people can find you; a potential employer might end up Googling you. And what would they find if they Googled your name. You have to be aware about this, you have to know that these things you are sharing with friends, even if it’s not your fault, friends tag you, friends talk about you in blogs, friends post pictures without telling you… Are you okay with your future boss seeing it?” “If you go to a job interview, you cannot be late!” “There is an expectation of professional behavior that no one is taking responsibility for. Companies expect you to act a certain way, schools expect you to act a certain way, but who exactly teaches you how to do this? Nobody this. So there’s a gap there.” A lot of new graduates will never know why they did not get the job. How a new graduate dresses up for the job interview can affect the result of the interview. Some recent trends in the workplace Telecommuting now popular. A lot of workers now are doing a work they are passionate about. A lot of workers are into freelancing and working from home. Topics covered by Edgewise.ph How to manage your image and Social Media Practical advice on job interviews Interviews with young professionals Links: Edgewise Books on Buqo.ph Notes from the Edge: Career and Job-hunting Advice for College Students Getting the Career You Want Career Skills You Can Learn Now Edgewise.ph BronzeAge Media Might’s interview of JobsDB.com.ph: http://pinoyyuppie.com/007 Mighty’s interview of Manila Bulletin Classified Jobs: http://pinoyyuppie.com/009 This needs to be mentioned. Although it’s not exactly related to Edgewise, Mina has several books to her title and if you want to know more about her, please check out the following links: Mina V. Esguerra on Wattpad Philippine Daily Inquirer feature on Mina V. Esguerra

ShareIn this episode of the podcast, I chat with Marv de Leon, a fellow podcaster and a freelancer about his journey to freelancing and starting his own podcast. This is a double interview, so you will also learn more about me, my work, and the books I’ve written. Here the things that Marv and I talked about: How Marv started FreelanceBlend, what it is all about and how he validated it through the help of a community. Marv also tells the story of how he got started with his podcast and how he balances his time between his job, family, and the FreelanceBlend brand. Since Marv also interviews me during this episode, I also talk about how I started the Happy Yuppie Podcast, how I resigned from my BPO job in 2006 to do full time youth ministry. Take note, that both Marv and I are not “experts” in our niches, but we are able to capitalize on our online brands to establish authority in these areas. We also talk about the importance of a community. Marv, in particular relates how he went into joint ventures and partnerships, thanks to his growing online brand. If you want to be a writer, I also talked a bit about my writing process, and how I was able to launch two books in one year! I’m a big fan of mind mapping and you’ll hear about that in this episode. Marv and I also share the top books we’ve read in 2014. Marv also posted this podcast on his website at http://www.freelanceblend.com/fbp-047-on-being-a-podcaster-an-author-and-a-huppy-yuppie-with-mighty-rasing/ Links Mentioned in the episode Entrepinas.com: Another Pinoy Podcast, hosted by Rigel Dayrit Craigslist.com Freelancer.com ManilaWorkshops.com Malaya Business Insight newspaper Meetup.com Books mentioned: “Startup” by Mighty Rasing – a career guidance book for fresh grads and new yuppies. “May Powers Ka To Be Super Epic” by Mighty Rasing – a leadership book for young people. “Money and Me” by Sha Nacino Choose Yourself by James Altucher “Launch” by Jeff Walker “Essentialism” by Greg McKeown “Habit Stacking” by SJ Scott You can follow Marv de Leon by visiting the following: website – FreelanceBlend.com Twitter – @freelanceblend Facebook – /FreelanceBlend

ShareAre you idealistic and waiting for a way to channel your idealism? Then you should definitely consider joining Teach for the Philippines. What does this organization do? Listen to this episode as I interview Jerome Intia to find out. Teach for the Philippines selects, recruits, and hires young professionals to work in public schools for two years. Vision: By 2050, all Filipino children will have access to inclusive, excellent, and relevant education. Teach for the Philippines partners with the Department of Education and Local Government Units and seeks to help in the education of Filipino children. The Teach for the Philippines Fellows serve for two years and after this stint, the organization hopes that they become education advocates for life. How to become a Teach for the Philippines Fellow Application is through the website. A prospective fellow should have a Bachelor’s degree (even if you’re not an Educ major, you’re welcome to apply) and willing to serve as a teacher for two years. If you are idealistic and you want to help out with nation-building and helping the country, this is a great opportunity. Where to read stories of young professionals who commit to Teach for the Philippines: just go to their website. Challenges in becoming a fellow: You have to love children. Prepare yourself for some adjustment and challenges. But it is a very rewarding experience. To learn more about this organization, visit: website: http://TeachforthePhilippines.org Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/teachforthephilippines Twitter: https://twitter.com/TeachForThePH YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/Teach4thePhilippines

ShareIf you want to have a financial breakthrough this year, try the 52-week Challenge popularized recently in the Philippines by Rhea Mocorro. You can save as much as PhP 68,900 for the whole year if you follow Rhea’s system. Listen to this podcast episode to find out how. If you want to read about Rhea Mocorro’s experience in doing the 52-week challenge, head on over to KuripotPinay.com. She is one busy girl, currently serving as Chair of Department of Computer Science – Ateneo de Cagayan. On top of that she holds two jobs as for two Social Media Management companies based in Australia and Malaysia. She also runs a Bakery business serving hot pandesal 24/7. Blog: KuripotPinay.com, started December 2013 Ebook: How to Save as Much as P68,900 in 52 Weeks: The 52 Week Challenge Podcast episodes mentioned: Sha Nacino, whom I interviewed in Episode #002 The Global Filipino Investors – Episode #024 and Episode #025 Final advice: Find your own savings strategy! Links blog: http://www.kuripotpinay.com Facebook: /kuripotpinay email: kuripotpinay@gmail.com

ShareThe first guest ever of the Happy Yuppie Podcast, Mr. Nelson Dy is back in the show to talk about his latest book: “Career Roadmap: How to get the job you want… and love the job you hate.” Listen to this episode as we talk about his book and the practical tips for yuppies contained in his book. In this episode, I asked Mr. Nelson Dy about the salient points of his book and what the major themes are. Here are the contents of “Your Career Roadmap”: Part 1 First, the Big Picture… Our Choices, Our Destiny What Defines You? Job or Calling? Where Passion and Skills Meet The Root of Job Satisfaction Before You Graduate Never Stop Learning Part 2: How to Make an Employer Fall in Love with You Three Myths about the Job Hunt Why the Resume? Put More Teeth into Your Application Letters Make Application Forms Work for You Standing Out in the Job Hunt An Interview with Ms. Thelma Meneses An Interview with Mr. Jay Yulo Vital Interview Tips When the Job Hunt Seems Endless Part 3: Make the Most of Job Fairs Success Begins Before the Job Fair Showtime at the Job Fair After the Job Fair — Now What? What Most Job-Hunters Neglect to Do Part 4: Welcome Aboard Five Realities in the Workplace People are Watching Be Hungry Secrets of the Upward-Bound Every Work a Masterpiece Know-Why, Not Just Know-How Part 5: Where the Rubber Meets the (Bumpy) Road Treat Your Boss Like a Client Can I Trust You? Office Friendships Don’t Play Switchboard Who They Gonna Call? Sense of Urgency The Power of Humility Part 6: Giving Your Best Kindness Matters Going the Extra Mile Deliver Solutions, Not Problems Pasensya Po Compete Against Yourself Pay Now or Pay Later Delight Your Employer Looking Beyond Yourself Part 7: Keeping Your Sanity It’s All a Gift! Advice for a Bad Day Loving the Job You Hate You Have More Control Than You Think! Half Empty or Half Full? Overcoming Boredom Don’t Work Out of Fear How to Survive Difficult Co-Workers Recharging Our Batteries Before You Quit If Only… Conclusion Interview with Ms. Grace Colet – Country Manager of Jobstreet.com Philippines

ShareIn episode 43 of the Happy Yuppie Podcast, I will read another chapter excerpt from my book “Start Up: Find your place. Engage the world. Sustain your life.” This time, the chapter is entitled “Network Connections.” It’s not just about the Internet and other network connections, but rather about our relationships–our connections to other people. Learn more about the book at http://StartUpBookonline.com. Don’t forget! I am giving away three (3) copies of my book. Listen to the full episode to find out how. Subscribe via Stitcher | Subscribe via iTunes | Subscribe via YouTube If you find this podcast helpful, please leave an honest rating and review on Stitcher Radio so that more people can discover the show. “Start Up: Find your place. Engage the world. Sustain your life.” is now available at OMF Lit Bookshop, Boni Avenue, Mandaluyong City, and at Philippine Christian Bookstore branches nationwide. Catch the other book excerpts I read: From the Introduction: http://pinoyyuppie.com/041 Install Your Apps [Build your skills]: http://pinoyyuppie.com/042 Here are the blurbs I’ve read in this episode: What’s next after college? StartUp offers practical and valuable insights as you begin your life’s journey. –Yeng Remulla, Entrepreneur & Author of Productive Pinoy, http://www.productivepinoy.com The Filipino youth is in need of mentors who can show them the way to success and God-pleasing lifestyle. Mighty deserves to be recognized as one of those authoritative mentors. His inspiring anecdotes and down-to-earth instructions magnify the importance of planning your life according to God’s plan and purposes. This volume is a valuable instrument to surmount post-college challenges, cope with the hard realities of life, and appreciate the real essence of success. Indeed, Start UP is a must-read for the younger generation! – Ronald Molmisa, Pastor, Best-selling author of Lovestruck and Pass or Fail, http://lovestruckmovement.org A must read by every college graduate, and everyone who’s looking for a start-up toward greater things in their life! In a society that often craves for instant gratification through knowledge, money, and success (however you define it), Mighty draws his readers back to the heart of the matter, and with clarity and simplicity, points them to their deeper purpose then leads them step-by-step in making it a reality. –Jonathan Lizarondo, Social Entrepreneur, founder of Helping Overcome Poverty through Education (HOP-E) Foundation Wow! It’s refreshing to read a very practical and useful book that directly addresses the concerns of the young generation nowadays. I wish every Filipino youth will read this. – Sha Nacino, Author, Speaker, Founder of www.SeminarPhilippines.com & www.HappySha.com A passionate heart reaching out to young people so that they won’t get entangled in what corporate types refer to as the dog-eat-dog world. Start UP will surely engage the yuppie while it encourages time for pause and heart-ward search, and as it gives easy to follow tips on even small but very important details like “not using a cutesy email address” when you email a prospective employer, or providing links to helpful sites to ease a new graduate’s job application jitters. Start UP doesn’t give false hopes either, but rather directs the reader to the ultimate source of hope and fulfillment. – Yay Padua-Olmedo, author of Going Up: Making right Choices at Work

ShareIn episode 42 of the Happy Yuppie Podcast, I will read another chapter excerpt from my book “Start Up: Find your place. Engage the world. Sustain your life.” This time, the chapter is entitled “Install your apps.” It’s not exactly about apps. Rather, it is more about the skills you’ve installed throughout your College life. Learn more about the book at http://StartUpBookonline.com. Don’t forget! I am giving away three (3) copies of my book. Listen to the full episode to find out how. Subscribe via Stitcher | Subscribe via iTunes | Subscribe via YouTube If you find this podcast helpful, please leave an honest rating and review on Stitcher Radio so that more people can discover the show. Listen to the Introduction of the book, which I read at http://pinoyyuppie.com/041. “Start Up: Find your place. Engage the world. Sustain your life.” is now available at OMF Lit Bookshop, Boni Avenue, Mandaluyong City, and at Philippine Christian Bookstore branches nationwide.

ShareHey yuppies, welcome to 2015. As a treat to you who listen to the podcast, I am giving away three copies of my book “Start Up: Find your place. Engage the world. Sustain your life.” Learn more about the book at http://StartUpBookonline.com. Don’t forget! I am giving away three (3) copies of my book. Listen to the full episode to find out how. Subscribe via Stitcher | Subscribe via iTunes | Subscribe via YouTube If you find this podcast helpful, please leave an honest rating and review on Stitcher Radio so that more people can discover the show.   I mentioned some previous episodes in the podcast: To evaluate the past year, I talked about my own process at http://PinoyYuppie.com/039 To plan for this year, then please check out http://PinoyYuppie.com/040/ “Start Up: Find your place. Engage the world. Sustain your life.” is now available at OMF Lit Bookshop, Boni Avenue, Mandaluyong City, and at Philippine Christian Bookstore branches nationwide.

ShareAfter our episode on Evaluating your Year, here’s another solo episode where I talk about some tips on How to Plan for the coming year. I’m sure that you have a lot of hopes and dreams for the future. So my challenge for you for 2015: Dream big. But commit to achieve your dreams actively and aggressively beginning next year. Also, I’m giving away three copies of my book “Start Up: Find your place. Engage the world. Sustain your life.” This is the book for new graduates and new young professionals. If you want to join, the instructions are simple: just listen to this podcast episode, which, by the way, is only 17 minutes long! Quite a feat! Enjoy our episode this week! Image credit: Nomadic Lass via Flickr Subscribe via Stitcher | Subscribe via iTunes | Subscribe via YouTube If you find this podcast helpful, please leave an honest rating and review on Stitcher Radio so that more people can discover the show. If you want to follow the discussion and what I talk about in this episode, feel free to download the Planning Spreadsheet, which you can download from the following link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxykDV_gT0WnaDk3TlRmNmt5SXM/view?usp=sharing Here’s how to plan for the next year: 1. Pick a theme for the next year. For me, my 2015 tagline is “Grow big. No Excuses.” 2. Come up with 5 big audacious goals that you want to accomplish next year. If you want some examples, here they are: Get promoted. Save more. Invest. Be in a serious romantic relationship. Be fit: lose weight and build muscles. Start my business. 3. Narrow it down to three. I know that this could be difficult, but by doing this, you are identifying your Top Three priorities for next year. We have limited time and resources, so a focused approach is definitely important. 4. If there’s only one thing that you could work on next year, what would that be? Don’t overwhelm yourself. If your circumstances doesn’t allow you to accomplish more than one, then you might as well identify your most important goal for next year. 5. Put it in your schedule. Don’t write New Year’s Resolution, unless you’re planning to fail. Instead, plan per quarter. 12 months is too long a time, but it’s still important to know what you want to accomplish at the end of the year. But if you break down what you want to do in a 3-month period, it’s urgent and manageable enough. So, break down your big goal into manageable schedule divided into 4 quarters of 3 months each. After planning, implement. And then, at the end of 3 months, evaluate your performance. Again, download the Personal Planning Spreadsheet to help you with this step. 6. Look for Resources and Support What resources will you need? Money? Who are the people who can help you achieve your goals for 2015? 7. Share your goals with people who believe in you. Ask a mentor to walk with you for next year.   Need help? If you need help in planning and in implementing your plans, you can share it with me and with the rest of the Pinoy Yuppie Connection. I respond to every email sent to me. Just shoot me an email: mighty (at) mightyrasing.com

ShareIt’s the end of 2014. That means it’s time for some personal evaluation. How did your year go? In this episode, I give you six questions that will help you evaluate this year. These questions will help guide your thinking and your evaluation process. The insights you’ll gather from this episode will also help you plan for the next year. A couple of announcements first: my book “May Powers Ka to Be #SuperEpic”, which is a personal development book for aspiring young leaders. It’s written in conversational Taglish, and would be a perfect Christmas gift for High School or College students. For more info, please visit http://BeSuperEpic.com. I also have another book “Start Up: Find your place. Engage the world. Sustain your life.” This is the book for new graduates and new young professionals. So if you’re looking for a guide book for your career and life, this could be a good book for you. For more info, please visit http://StartUpBookOnline.com. Subscribe via Stitcher | Subscribe via iTunes | Subscribe via YouTube If you find this podcast helpful, please leave an honest rating and review on Stitcher Radio so that more people can discover the show. Did you meet expectations? Go back to your contract, which contains your job description. Review each piece of job listed in your contract. How well did you fulfill each expectation? If you have access to the performance review form, go check it out. Assess yourself on a scale of 1 to 5. 1 = Significantly Below Expectations 2 = Below Expectations 3 = Meets Expectations 4 = Above Expectations 5 = Significantly Above Expectations Don’t overrate yourself. But if you ask me, it may be better to err a little bit on the side of under-rating, unless you are extremely confident that you can justify a “Significantly Above Expectations” rating. Don’t underrate yourself either. It will come across that you do not sufficiently trust your skills and abilities. Be as honest as possible. If you have trusted colleagues in the organization, seek their honest feedback throughout the year. This will give you a good idea whether you meet expectations or if you are merely deluding yourself. If you want to have a more realistic assessment, you’ll need additional data, which can be addressed by the next two questions. What have you accomplished? What projects or issues have you handled this year? If you are in sales, go back to the deals you’ve closed. Are they average accounts or are they big deals? This is applicable to both employees and business owners. List down every bit of accomplishment this year–from the small ones to the earth-shaking ones. These will help back your personal assessments in the first question. Did you have any personal projects this year? Financially, what have you accomplished? Were you able to increase your savings account? Have you started investing? What mistakes did you make this year? What lessons did you learn from these mistakes? Mistakes are part of our lives and our career. Although some mistakes may be more serious than others, the important thing is to learn what we can from each mistake. For this year, what kinds of mistakes have you made? Relational? Work-related? What caused these mistakes? Is it because you were overloaded and beyond your present capacity? Or is it because What are the highlights of each month of 2014? Keeping track of accomplishments is a great practice. But failures and mistakes? Most of the time, we’d like to bury them six feet underground. Or worse, we are tempted to blame somebody else for those mistakes. Mistakes and failures are part of life. What’s important are the lessons you can learn from them. Beginning this month, why don’t you keep track of the monthly highlights of your career? I have a Spreadsheet where I list the highlights of each month. For example, last July, I was the overall head of the Philippine team of an international young people’s event attended by around 400 delegates from all over the world. It was big! But we also faced a big problem–typhoon Glenda ravaged the venue we chose and we had to move to two venues within 5 days! It would have been a humongous disaster. But thankfully, our local and international host team managed it well. And I learned a LOT from the experience. A month or two may not have highlights. But you can probably list some of the important career lessons or insights that occur to you during those months. If you diligently keep track of these highlights, by the end of the year, you have a good view of your career performance this year. If you have metrics for your career, then you can be confident that you did well. In case the highlights are not stellar, or they are dismal. Don’t worry, even mistakes can be occasion for growth as long as you take to heart the lessons from them. You can download the Spreadsheet here. What habits do you need to replace? Habits can take you up the ladder or bring you down. Identify habits that you absolutely hate in your colleagues and other co-workers: like tardiness, sloppy work, bad handling of meeting, bad financial management, etc. Now, assess yourself if you possess any of the habits you hate. Or if you’ve been struggling in an area of your career, you better list them down, too. If you are always late–for appointments and for submitting reports, know that this habit is highly detrimental to your career. It’s time to scrap that. Take some cues from our post on How to Avoid being late. What habits do you need to cultivate? Observe the senior managers in your organization. If you have any opportunity to speak with them and learn from them, grab it! You will benefit greatly from such opportunities. If you are good, you may even capture their attention. If they remember your name in a positive light, that’s all that could help you be considered for promotion somewhere down the line. If you have a chance, observe the habits of these managers and bosses? How do they handle stress? How do they dress up? How about their people skills? Are they sociable? Read biographies of the people you want to emulate. Identify the habits that helped them reach the top. Then come up with a plan to cultivate these skills.

ShareBefore the info on the podcast, I have an important announcement, join us for the launch of my book “Start Up: Find your place. Engage the world. Sustain your life.” on November 22, 2014 3:00 PM at OMF Lit Bookshop, Boni Avenue cor Pinatubo St, Mandaluyong City. This is very near MRT Boni Station. Confirm your attendance by going to this link. In this episode, I interview Mr. Massi Oracion, the Philippine Business for Education program manager for FutureYou.ph, a website dedicated to helping High School students, college students, and career-shifters plan for their career path. Along the way, we talked about the importance of minimizing the mismatch between the skills the members of the labor force possess and the skills needed by the market and industries. Subscribe via Stitcher | Subscribe via iTunes If you find this podcast helpful, please leave an honest rating and review on Stitcher Radio so that more people can discover the show. About FutureYou.PH FutureYou.ph Caters to college student and those who want to discern what course they want to take and which schools are the best in various fields. Mr. Massi Oracion – Program Manager of PBEd, specifically for higher education projects. They have a project called the Higher Education and Productivity Project funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID). The goal of this project is to address the skills gap and mismatch problem in the market today through industry-academe partnership in the national level and local cities. FutureYou.ph is an online career exploration portal that tries to give an idea about the jobs available in the market, the qualifications needed for those jobs, and where to get those qualifications. Futureyou.ph looks at jobs available now and through 2020. You can check College courses and then analyze the performance of colleges and universities in that Look at what jobs are in demand and what industries are hiring See what qualifications are needed; and Which schools offer the best training for these qualifications. The website pulls in data from different sources and makes sense of all those data to help High School students and college students and parents, too. Philippine Business for Education connects the data from the government and also from the industries and organizes those for the students and job seekers. The website also includes the average starting salary for most jobs and career paths to help students have a more realistic expectation from different kinds of career. FutureYou.ph tries to project the jobs that will be in demand in the future so that students can plan for these careers. Mismatch in terms of skills and market fit really stems from lack of information. High School students want to pursue the courses they are passionate about, without regard for market trends and demand. Some industries are “not sexy” but they can actually lead to higher salaries. Impact of mismatch in the economy Some industries have too many people and businesses cannot offer enough jobs to those who are seeking jobs in that industry. Other industries that are very much needed for economic development cannot get enough people to work for these in the industry. High growth and high value industries do not have enough human resource to power their growth and operations. Unemployment will balloon because of mismatch in skills and job availabilities. Some college graduates need to be retrained because they lack the skills that they should have learned in College. A lot of college graduates are not ready for work in “real world environments”. As young professionals, we need to engage in continuous learning to improve our skills and abilities. Target audiences of FutureYou.ph High school students and their parents Career-shifters Business sector Check out FutureYou.Ph website: http://FutureYou.ph and Philippine Business for Education Facebook: /FutureYouPH Twitter: @FutureYouPh Email: futureyouph@gmail.com

ShareIt’s the end of the year, which means that employees who receive a lot of bonuses (13th, 14th, or even 15th month) may need to pay extra taxes on top of the regular rate withheld by their employees. But why do we really need to pay taxes? What exemptions should we expect? To answer these questions, I chat with Mr. Mon Abrea also known as The Tax Whiz of The Abrea Consulting Group. Subscribe via Stitcher | Subscribe via iTunes If you find this podcast helpful, please leave an honest rating and review on Stitcher Radio so that more people can discover the show.   In the first place, why do have to pay taxes? “Let’s just consider it as our contribution, not to our politicians, but to our government, so they can do their job, which is to provide public services.” It’s our duty to pay our taxes, but it is also our responsibility to elect the right people into the government offices. “We should not settle for less because we are paying our taxes.” If we don’t pay our taxes, the government will not be able to provide social services. How the government spends the taxes received is another issue, which means that we also need to demand accountability and transparency. Personal Income Tax Rate in the Philippines The Philippines has one of the highest personal income tax rates in the world. “Kapag tumaas ng ilang libo lang ang suweldo mo, ang laki na ng buwis mo. Pag umabot ka sa 500,000 (annually), in excess of that 32% na ang rate. Masyadong mabigat ito…. The [personal income] tax rate of 32% is even higher than the corporate tax rate, which is only 30%.” Mr. Abrea’s personal proposal is to increase the bracket from 500,000 to 5 Million for the tax rate of 32% to kick in; and that the highest tax rate of 32% should be lowered to 25%. “Mabigat ang pinapasan ng mga empleyado, considering na fixed income earner sila. Wala silang choice, withhold at source ang kanilang tax.” Sen. Sonny Angara and Sen. Bam Aquino have filed bills to lower the income tax rates and widen the bracket so that people can get more for the income that they receive. With a lower income tax rate, employees will have a bigger take home income, and that will enable them to engage in more activities that will stimulate and help the economy grow. Should you expect a tax refund? You will know that by the start of next year (January or February). If your HR company withheld more taxes than what you need to pay for, then you’ll receive tax refund. Tax Exemptions Tax-free bonus: up to PhP30,000 only. There’s another bill in Congress that seeks to increase this tax exemption bonuses to P70,000. It has passed the third reading, but will probably take effect by next year. No more distinction for single, married, or whatever. All employees have exemption of P50,000.00 apart from the P30,000 bonus exemption. For those with children, you can claim up to 4 children at PhP 25,000 exemption for each child. Every employee can expect a personal exemption of P50,000 plus the tax-free bonus exemption of P30,000. If you have a child, you can have another exemption of P25,000. If you are an employee, but you have another source of income, you’ll be considered as a Mix Income earner and you’ll need to register and declare your other sources of income for taxation purposes. But the problem is, the tax registration and collection system of the BIR is not yet simplified for this purpose. The BIR tax compliance regulations need to simplify the tax filing processes. The BIR should provide a way for online professionals to register and file taxes as easily and as smoothly as possible. The BIR also needs to provide a more nuanced classification of taxpayers (i.e. micro or small businesses, freelancers, compared with the large corporations who are making big money). Tax Advocacy Abrea Consulting Group aims to help micro and small businesses to comply with BIR regulations. CSR Philippines – Think tank for tax policies of some Senators. Simplify and encourage taxpayers to pay the right taxes. Mr. Mon Abrea’s book: Got a question about taxes #AsktheTaxWhiz available from major bookstores nationwide. Facebook – Mon Abrea Ask the Tax Whiz Twitter: https://twitter.com/AsktheTaxWhiz Office number: (02) 622-7720 Focus Group Discussions every Friday at the Abrea Consulting Group Office For Mentoring Sessions, send an email to consult@acg.ph Rappler column: every Tuesday #AsktheTaxWhiz Manila Bulletin column: every Friday Manila Bulletin Business Agenda Honestly Speaking

ShareThis is a part of our podcast series on freelancing, where we explore several “raket” or sources of income on the side for Filipino yuppies. But if you decide to pursue this full time, you can check out several stories of freelancers who are making it big and showing the world that it’s highly possible to survive and thrive through freelance opportunities online. Check out the first few episodes in this series: #028 – Introduction to Freelancing #029 – Blogging as a Freelancing Opportunity with Flow Galindez of AngSaWariKo.com #030 – The Beginners Guide to Online Freelance Writing with Stef Gonzaga #031 – Exploring the Job of a Virtual Assistant with Jay Pasana #032 – Freelance Graphic Design with Eli Avellanoza #034 – Showcasing Pinoy Freelancers’ Skills with Lyle Jover of Raket.ph #035 – The Guerilla Approach to Freelancing with Celine Roque of Pinoy500.com In this episode, I chat with Heinz Bulos of Learning Curve about the Freelance Camp Manila 2014, which is a great event for Filipino freelancers who want to learn more about freelancing and pursue a viable career in this field. We talk about the impact of the first Freelance Camp Manila, which was held last year. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * And WE HAVE A SURPRISE! Listen up to the end of this episode because I am giving away 3 FREE SEATS to the Freelance Camp Manila on October 18, 2014 where Celine Roque and Stef Gonzaga (whom we interviewed in episode 30) will speak at. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Subscribe via Stitcher | Subscribe via iTunes If you find this podcast helpful, please leave an honest rating and review on Stitcher Radio so that more people can discover the show. The following freelancing authority figures will speak at Freelance Camp Manila 2014. Jojy Azurin: Regional Director, Freelancer.com& Serial Entrepreneur Stef Gonzaga: Founder & Blogger, The Freelance Pinoy & Freelance Writer Marv de Leon: Founder & Podcaster, Freelance Blend & Freelance Graphic Designer Charlie Aquino: Founder, SophieCreatives & Freelance Animator Raymond Lim: CEO, RB Global Holdings & Trainer of Freelance Sales Professionals Celine Roque: Founder, Pinoy500.com & Freelance Writer Lianne Martha Laroya: Founder, The Wise Living & Freelance Writer Marge Aberasturi: Founder, The Happy WAHM & Virtual Assistant Fitz Villafuerte: Co-Founder, 199Jobs & Blogger Al Sabado: Freelance Editor To learn more about this event, please go to http://freelancecampmanila.com/

ShareThis is a part of our podcast series on freelancing, where we explore several “raket” or sources of income on the side for Filipino yuppies. But if you decide to pursue this full time, you can check out several stories of freelancers who are making it big and showing the world that it’s highly possible to survive and thrive through freelance opportunities online. Check out the first few episodes in this series: #028 – Introduction to Freelancing #029 – Blogging as a Freelancing Opportunity with Flow Galindez of AngSaWariKo.com #030 – The Beginners Guide to Online Freelance Writing with Stef Gonzaga #031 – Exploring the Job of a Virtual Assistant with Jay Pasana #032 – Freelance Graphic Design with Eli Avellanoza #034 – Showcasing Pinoy Freelancers’ Skills with Lyle Jover of Raket.ph In this episode, I chat with Celine Roque, who is one of the authoritative voices on freelancing in the Philippines since she has been in this industry for more than 10 years. But here’s the thing–she built her career, not on the bidding sites of oDesk and Elance as most Pinoy freelancers had done. Instead, she employed guerilla tactics that helped her find better projects that are better than average. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * And WE HAVE A SURPRISE! Listen up to the end of this episode because I am giving away 3 FREE SEATS to the Freelance Camp Manila on October 18, 2014 where Celine Roque and Stef Gonzaga (whom we interviewed in episode 30) will speak at. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Subscribe via Stitcher | Subscribe via iTunes If you find this podcast helpful, please leave an honest rating and review on Stitcher Radio so that more people can discover the show.   Celine Roque used to have a personal finance site, FrugalPinoy.com, but she noticed that more and more people are looking for information about freelancing. Before starting Pinoy500.com, she launched a successful course for freelancers. This course started out as a free product, now it is a paid product and Celine is working on the 4th version. She didn’t really graduate from College. She became an adult early on because she had to help out with family finances and became the breadwinner. While studying, she already started writing for various online clients. How Celine got started in freelancing: She started reading books on freelance writing. She submitted queries and articles to newspapers. She learned how to write cover letters and queries to potential clients. When she was in College, she started looking for “Writing Jobs Online” For every piece you write, you should write for an “ideal reader.” Freelancers need to level up to a higher-level thinking and see work as not just churning work and chasing number of words, but rather to influence and to enrich the work of the client. Freelancing is self-directed work. You’re the driver and the client is your passenger. You have to control the money. As a freelancer, you’re the account manager, you’re the boss, you’re the accountant, you do all these roles. If you agree to a deadline, make sure to deliver. Crucial Skills needed Most clients are not looking for the Albert Einstein of their fields, rather, they are looking for COMPETENT and RELIABLE freelancers. Soft skills you will need as a freelancer: Communication skills Negotiation skills Be careful of the freelance rat race to the bottom because of the low rates of jobs in bidding sites. You can start freelancing by joining the job boards like oDesk, Elance, and Freelancer. But you can also go directly to websites and blogs that need writers. The average pay per 500 words in 2012 is $5. The median, which is 50% of the jobs there merely is $2. It’s better to get a referral from someone you know who is already freelancing. Quotes “I don’t think freelancing is for everybody, in the same way that corporate work is not for everybody.” “Isa sa mga motto ko sa buhay ay huwag akong magkalat sa Internet. If it’s not valuable, I’m not gonna blog just for the sake… dahil sinabi ng mga guru na mag-blog ako once a week.” “I’m obsessed with being a being writer…. I accept criticism with grace.” “I don’t see my job as writing words…. My job is to get some story across to the right person and get a specific action or reaction as a result of the thing I wrote.” “Freelance work is self-directed and you cannot just sit there and wait for job to fall on your lap. Kapag may client ka na, you cannot just sit there and take their instructions. You have to be the driver of the carriage. Your client is the passenger and you have to make sure that the ride is as pleasant as possible and you’d take them to as far as they could go, they’re not the driver.” “If you want to be a freelancer, test it part time for a few months. Kapag feel mo na hindi bagay sa iyo, okay lang. Pero at the same time, keep in mind that those who succeed, not just in freelancing, but in anything, are not successful dahil they are smarter, they have more money, or they have the right training, or whatever, usually they succeed because they stuck at it longer than most people.” “A lot of clients have experienced the common phenomenon of the disappearing Filipino freelancer.” Sign up at Pinoy500.com mailing list to learn more about freelancing. Income you can expect would depend on Pricing strategy Field of work Clients Output Follow Celine Roque’s work: Podcast (with Stef Gonzaga): http://betterworkph.com Personal website: http://www.celineroque.com Freelancing Blog: http://Pinoy500.com Email: support [at] pinoy500.com mail [at] celineroque.com

ShareRaket.PH is perhaps the Philippines newest site for freelancers. Its model is different from oDesk and Elance, but it’s definitely a great way to showcase the skills and services offered by Pinoy freelancers. Since officially launching in May, Raket.PH now has more than 6,000 users. It has been featured on ANC Alerts and also on Rappler.com. In this episode, I chat with Lyle Jover, President and co-founder of Raket.ph on its growth and on how you can sign up and maximize its services as you start your freelancing career. Subscribe via Stitcher | Subscribe via iTunes If you find this podcast helpful, please leave an honest rating and review on Stitcher Radio so that more people can discover the show. [Apologies yuppies, the key takeaways section is not yet available. I’ll get to it as soon as I got back from my Baguio vacay with my family.] Keep supporting the podcast! Enjoy. Can’t help it! Here’s the show notes, including the major takeaways and the links to the websites and resources mentioned in the interview. Rappler article featured Raket.PH http://www.rappler.com/business/features/57707-executive-edge-raket-ph Raket.ph is a directory of freelancers and professionals in the Philippines so that clients and freelancers can come together locally. “Raket” is a Pinoy slang term, which refers to the things you do to earn income. Lyle and his co-founders started Raket in February 2014, and launched it officially in May. Lyle came from DLSU, graduate of Electronics Engineering and has a masters in Industrial Engineering. Lyle and his co-founders are now running Raket.ph full time. Since launching in May 2014, the website now has 6,000 plus users. Odesk, Elance, etc targets mainly online professionals, whereas Raket.ph is designed to be a directory and facilitates face-to-face interactions. Biggest group of freelancers that sign up at Raket.ph: Photographers Graphic artists Developers Writers Event organizers Make up artists Accountants How to Start Using Raket.ph Do what you love. Discover your passion. Browse the Raket.ph categories. Sign up by using Facebook, Twitter, or Google accounts. Provide your Projects and Experiences Include your Educational background List down the Skills and Services you’re offering You can integrate your accounts in major photo and files sharing websites such as YouTube, Photobucket, or even Google Drive. Put simply, you showcase your profile online through Raket.ph, clients will then find you to get your services. Other features of Raket.ph Share & ask information from other freelancers at the Community Center Connect and work with other freelancers through Collaborations Level up your skill through Raket.ph events Foreigners are also looking for Filipino service providers. Lyle provides some reasons: 1. Less language barrier. 2. We have top-notch talent. Raket.ph provides a platform for the little guy. Upcoming event: 02 Space Loop Session: Social/Networking event for freelancers on Oct 15, 2014. This is FREE. Just go to http://www.raket.ph/events/cross-discipline/4-loop-sessions-for-freelancers-professionals.html Quotes: “Ideas: you can’t really force them. You can’t really manufacture ideas. It usually comes out of the blue. It’s up to you if you wanna take time to think about it.” “If you’re targeting something to be great, you can’t do it part-time. You have to do it full time…. and do your best.” “If you found the thing that you really wanted to do, don’t hesitate, just drop whatever you’re doing. Just push it. Huwag kayong matakot to pursue what you really love…. In the end, doing just that would take you a lot of places. Maganda kung iyon ang ginawa mong path.” Website: http://Raket.ph Facebook Page: http://facebook.com/raket.ph

ShareWe take a break from our series on freelancing. Don’t worry, we’ll resume next week and it will go on for about 3 more weeks before we wrap up. I’ve been kind of busy the past couple of weeks. I went to Nashville, Tennessee, in the United States in the first week of September. Then last September 20, my book “May Powers Ka to be #SuperEpic” was officially launched by my publisher, OMF Literature, at the Manila International Book Fair. Don’t forget to check it out! This week, I’m posting my interview with Oliver Ramos, Marketing Manager of JobsDB Philippines and Mikey Cadiz, PR & Communications Officer of the same company (just a correction: in the audio of the podcast, I mistakenly referred to him as a manager) when their organization launched the “Workforce Hero Award” last August 27, 2014 in celebration of the National Heroes Day. Subscribe via Stitcher | Subscribe via iTunes If you find this podcast helpful, please leave an honest rating and review on Stitcher Radio so that more people can discover the show. Both Oliver Ramos and Michael Cadiz talk about the importance of recognizing the the “workforce heroes” in the Philippines in addition to the “heroes” who are sending in the dollars from abroad. While it is not a competition, it’s also a great strategy to appreciate those who decide to stay and work here in the Philippines. Check out this link to find out who are the Workforce Hero Awardees for this year: http://ph.jobsdb.com/en-ph/articles/jobsdb-workforce-hero-ordinary-people-extraordinary-stories. Links JobsDB Philippines website: http://jobsdb.com.ph JobsDB Philippines Facebook Page: /JobsDBPh

ShareDon’t forget to check out my book at the Manila International Book Fair: “May Powers Ka to be #SuperEpic” published by OMF Literature. This is a part of our podcast series on freelancing, where we explore several “raket” or sources of income on the side for Filipino yuppies. But if you decide to pursue this full time, you can check out several stories of freelancers who are making it big and showing the world that it’s highly possible to survive and thrive through freelance opportunities online. Check out the first few episodes in this series: #028 – Introduction to Freelancing #029 – Blogging as a Freelancing Opportunity with Flow Galindez of AngSaWariKo.com #030 – The Beginners Guide to Online Freelance Writing with Stef Gonzaga #031 – Exploring the Job of a Virtual Assistant with Jay Pasana In this episode, I chat with Eli Avellanoza of Busyok.info to explore the job of a freelance graphic designer: how he got started while in College, and how he discovered the process of selling stock graphics to different websites and online graphic marketplaces. Subscribe via Stitcher | Subscribe via iTunes If you find this podcast helpful, please leave an honest rating and review on Stitcher Radio so that more people can discover the show. image credit: Michael Henderson via GettyImages Eli Avellanoza is a government employee, a Science research specialist in a State University in Nueva Vizcaya, graphic artist by hobby. He graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture from Central Luzon State University. He became part of an artist’s club in College, worked at a computer shop and that’s where he learned how to design graphics digitally. Through his graphic design rakets, he managed to support himself until he graduated from College. He completed his Agriculture course as a “Safety net” while pursuing what he really wanted, which is graphic designing. Biggest achievement so far: He worked on the graphics of “Ang Kamisetang Dilaw”, published by Vibal Publishing. He got discovered through his wordpress blog: http://blographics.wordpress.com, which is not at http://Busyok.info If you want to be discovered, make sure to have an online portfolio. Now, he sells graphics to Microstock – similar to GettyImages, 123RF.com Tips for newbie freelance graphic designers Make sure to be honest on yourself and with your clients. If you give your word that you’ll do it, make sure to deliver! Equipment & Software needed: Computer Software: CorelDraw, Adobe Illustrator for Vector illustrations and Adobe Photoshop is used for post-processing YouTube is your friend for tutorials You can also look for jobs online: oDesk.com  

ShareWe continue with the Happy Yuppie Podcast series on freelancing. But before that, a quick announcement. Quick Announcement I have a book coming out: “May Powers Ka to be #SuperEpic” published by OMF Literature, which will be launched on September 20, 2014 at the Manila International Book Fair, SMX Convention Center, at the Mall of Asia. Written in conversational Taglish, my book helps guide young people in taking on positions of leadership. I used Superheroes such as Spiderman, Batman, the Hulk, and Superman, among others to highlight the lessons we need as leaders. Please do check out the book at http://BeSuperEpic.com. Freelancing Series Part 4: Virtual Assistant Job This is a part of our podcast series on freelancing, where we explore several “raket” or sources of income on the side for Filipino yuppies. But if you decide to pursue this full time, you can check out several stories of freelancers who are making it big and showing the world that it’s highly possible to survive and thrive through freelance opportunities online. Here are the first few podcast episodes in the series: Part 1 – http://pinoyyuppie.com/028/ – Introduction to Freelancing Part 2 – http://pinoyyuppie.com/029/ – Blogging as a Freelancing Opportunity with Flow Galindez of AngSaWariKo.com Part 3 – The Beginner’s Guide to Online Freelance Writing with Stef Gonzaga of TheFreelancePinoy.com In Part 4 of our Freelancing series, I interview Jay Pasana about his journey as an online freelancer–from his first year as a virtual assistant for entrepreneurs on Multiply and Sulit.com to his Virtual Assistant stint, and how he eventually transitioned to become an entrepreneur. We talk about the job and tasks of a virtual assistant, the range of income you can expect, and what you need to do to find work and become great at what you do. Subscribe via Stitcher | Subscribe via iTunes If you find this podcast helpful, please leave an honest rating and review on Stitcher Radio so that more people can discover the show. image credit: BJI via GettyImages Mr. Jay Pasana started as an online freelancer back in 2007. After merely two years, he made the jump and became a “full-time freelancer.” Jay is a licensed Physical Therapist, but the salary of a PT is not that big (8,000 to 9,000 back in 2007). While working as a PT, he explored some online opportunities in Multiply.com and eventually on Sulit.com.ph. He started posting advertisements on Multiply and Sulit. His clients were local businesses from the Philippines back then. He started developing his skills on Photoshop and Web Development. Eventually, he discovered oDesk.com and Elance.com. How he learned new skills: Creativity is important. Learned via YouTube.com Bought some tutorial CDs from Greenhills. Within two years, he made the decision to quit his job when he felt that he had enough clients to If you want to really grow in your Virtual Assistant career, concentrate on one niche and develop expertise. What is a virtual assistant? A virtual assistant (typically abbreviated to VA, also called a virtual office assistant) is generally self-employed and provides professional administrative, technical, or creative (social) assistance to clients remotely from a home office. – definition from Wikipedia VA is an umbrella term for online workers providing services online. Skills needed by a VA: Administrative and Office management skills (Secretarial and clerical tasks) Graphic Design Web Development Writing and Blogging Online Research Jay started looking for international clients on oDesk and Elance. Eventually, he founded the Philippine Virtual Assistants Network on Facebook. Most of clients come from the United States of America and from the United Kingdom Filipinos as Virtual Assistants: They are hardworking and dedicated to the job. In addition, they are also resourceful. Range of Income If you are employed as an entry-level VA, you can earn at least $500. As a freelancer with a lot of income, you can also earn around $2000. Jay also says that you can earn six digits! One freelancer from Cavite earned around P7.5 Million last year. A VA works around 10-12 hours per day. But VA’s need to keep after their health. Equipment needed: Computer and internet connection. Websites for finding work. Odesk.com Elance.com VA Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/PhilVANetwork/ Network with other Virtual Assistants Follow Jay Pasana Virtual Assistant website: http://virtualassistant.ph Personal Website: http://jaypasana.com Mentoring: http://webinternshipprogram.com If you want to learn more about becoming a virtual assistant, do check out the book written by Jay Pasana. It’s available on Amazon. Check out the book here: http://www.bearockstarva.com Final tips Find your passion. Stay focused.