As more work opportunities become available online, the number of Filipinos who prefer the remote work setup has also been increasing. This increase is further accelerated by the jobs available from outside the Philippines.
Nowadays, Remote Filipino Workers (RFWs) are enjoying salaries similar to OFWs
working abroad, but without the need to leave the country.
If this sounds like an opportunity that you want to take advantage of, then it’s important that you make a specialized resume for online jobs outside the Philippines.
It’s no secret that writing a powerful resume can help you get a high-paying job. However, the techniques that work in the Philippines may not be enough for applying to online jobs outside the country.
To write an effective resume for online jobs outside the
Philippines, you have to make your qualifications stand out from your competitors.
You can do this by treating each application with a suitable amount of
diligence. Do your research on the foreign employer and customize your resume
based on what you’ve learned that is important to them.
Table of Contents
The 6 Steps to an Effective Resume for Online Jobs: Philippines & Abroad
Step 1: Know What’s Important for Online Jobs in Your Profession
If you already have experience, then you probably already know the qualifications and achievements that are important in your industry. Use this as your advantage when writing a resume.
For example, content writers know what high-paying clients want. They want articles that rank on the first page of Google’s search results and content that leads to a sale.
Meanwhile, virtual assistants work closely with the owner or decision-maker in the company. These people are very busy with their work. So, a virtual assistant that gets the job done with minimal supervision is appealing to them.
However, if you do not have any experience, you may need to do your own research. Join the communities where your target employers or clients frequent, so you can learn about the problems that you can solve for them. You can also browse through job posts for further information.
Step 2: Write Your Resume in a Client-Focused Way
Next, with the knowledge from Step 1 in mind, it’s time to write a resume. We have two free templates available on this site:
In the examples below, the template “General Resume Template for Online Jobs” will be used. You can download it for free, just click on the link and it will open the template in Google Docs.
The goal of this step is to make a one-page resume where clients or employers will know what you can do for them in just one look.
In this step, you’ll be making a general-purpose resume first. But later, you’ll need to customize it.
Here’s what you need to do to write a compelling resume for online jobs:
a) Skip the Photo
Let your qualifications speak for you. This is especially true for countries like the USA where including a profile photo is frowned upon.
b) Write Down Your Name & Online Contact Information
When making a resume for online jobs outside the Philippines, it’s important to include the different ways you can be contacted online. Always include your email but you can also opt to include your ID from a messaging app such as Skype.
Use an email and messaging app ID that sounds professional. Remember to triple-check your email and contact information to avoid any missed job opportunities.
You can also add links to your portfolio in this section if it’s relevant.
c) Professional Summary: Match Your Qualifications with Needs
Make use of this section to quickly communicate what you can do for your clients or employers. You should assume that they are reading hundreds of applications, so you want to already catch their eye at the very beginning of your resume.
The example above shows a professional summary for a virtual assistant. They highlight their work ethic and experience first. Then, they quickly mentioned what they can do for their clients, which is “I can take care of all the time-consuming work, so you can focus on the big decisions that affect your business the most.”
If you are an owner or manager of a company, then this will appeal to you since the person promises to solve one of the common problems that you have: a lack of time.
You can customize this section based on your profession and what you learned about your industry. The key here is to use what you know clients and employers want in order to give yourself an advantage.
For example, a social media manager might say “I can create an active and engaged community that translates into sales for your business.”
d) Professional Experience: Use Your Achievements to Stand out & Build Credibility
The example above is how most people write their resumes.
They just list down their responsibilities and tasks. Not only is there nothing
interesting about it, but the client or employer who reads this will have no
idea if you can do the job properly or not.
It’s one thing to promise a client or employer that you can
do the job. It’s a whole different thing to be able to list achievements that
back up your words. So, let’s revise that.
Anyone reading this revised example will know exactly how the applicant helped their previous clients and employers. There are examples of milestones being accomplished and projects being led to completion.
By using numbers and data, you can improve the impact of each accomplishment that you’ll write down.
You’ll also notice that only verbs that “sound active” were used. This is an excellent way to show a driven and accountable attitude.
e) Education and Certifications
This section is pretty straightforward. Just add your educational background. And, if you have any certifications that are relevant for the job, then include them here.
f) References & Links
This last section is optional. But if you already have an exemplary LinkedIn or portfolio page, then you can add it here if it’s relevant for the job.
Step 3: Look for Jobs Online
After writing your initial resume, you now have to look for
online jobs that match your requirements. You can find them on job boards, such
as Onlinejobs.ph and Upwork, or on social media pages, such as Reddit or
Facebook Groups.
For a guide on how to find jobs that fit you on
Onlinejobs.ph, please see “Find
Part-Time Jobs on Onlinejobs.ph: Easy 6 Step Guide”. For tips on how to
find jobs anywhere, please see “How to Get
Clients Directly: 4 Tips for Filipino Freelancers.”
Your goal here is to handpick jobs where you think that you
can deliver an excellent result for your client. By choosing these jobs, not
only can you stand out from the competitors but the experience will help you
build a better portfolio for future work.
Step 4: Research the Job and the Employer
After making a shortlist of jobs that fit you, you now have
to get ready for your application. Research the job, the employer, and the
company to learn as much as you can about them. You can do this by going to the
company’s website and social media pages.
Although, a more personal approach may be recommended. You
can check the LinkedIn profile of the owner or employer. You might be able to
learn things that can help you easily build a connection with the
decision-makers of the company.
Step 5: Customize Your Resume Based on Your Research
Now, you might be asking, what’s all this research for? Getting an online job is a matching game and not a lottery.
All of the information you learned from your research will be used to customize your resume for the online job by now matching the specific requirements. It’s also a good way to prepare for the eventual interview.
Let’s look at this sample virtual assistant job posting from Onlinejobs.ph or OLJ:
There are some specific requirements here that are not found
in the first version of the resume. As you can see, the job post is placing a
heavy emphasis on email campaigns.
If you just submit your resume as is, then you are missing
out on the chance to stand out, especially if you have the qualifications to match
the requirements they are looking for.
Initial version:
With just a few tweaks to the initial resume, you’ll be able
to write a resume for this specific online job that’s much more appealing than
the previous version.
New version:
Rather than the general-purpose “Professional Summary” from before, this is now a very specific resume that addresses the actual requirements in the job post.
You also need to tweak the other parts of your resume, if you can. For example, if you have accomplishments related to email campaigns, add it to your “Professional Experience” section.
Step 6: Upload Online for Easy Proofreading & Sharing
Before you send out your resume, it’s a good idea to upload it online for easy proofreading and sharing. You can use any of the popular cloud storage services, but Google Drive and Microsoft OneDrive are the best since you can also edit your resume through Google Docs or Microsoft Word Online.
Here’s how you can upload to a cloud storage:
After uploading the file, you should use a free browser plugin like Grammarly to check for spelling and grammar errors. This will help your resume look more professional than the competition.
Another reason that it’s a good idea to upload your resume online is that it’s easier to insert a link to your resume when applying through job platforms such as Upwork and Onlinejobs.ph.
Lastly, you might also want to prepare a corresponding portfolio that showcases the results you can deliver to your clients. Giving a clear picture of what you can do for your clients will help your job application become successful.
Frequently Asked Questions
i) How do I link my resume to Onlinejobs.ph?
You can do this by uploading the file to a cloud storage service such as Dropbox, Google Drive, or OneDrive. Then, you need to get the sharing link and add it to your message to the employer. For a complete guide on how to upload a resume to Onlinejobs.ph, please see the article “How to Get Hired on Onlinejobs.ph: Ultimate 7-Step Guide”.
Note: If you are done with editing and proofreading, a pdf version of your resume is best for sharing with foreign employers.
ii) I don’t know what to include in my resume for online jobs. Where do I start?
It’s normal to feel a bit lost. Writing a resume is a skill that may take a bit of time to master. As long as you remember who you are writing it for, a future client or employer, then you’ll be able to create a powerful resume for online jobs.
Here are a few methods you can try:
1) Start with Research. As mentioned in the step-by-step guide, knowing what’s in demand in your industry is one of the best starting points.
2) Introspect. You can also ask yourself questions about the work you’ve done previously.
- What were you responsible for and what was important about it?
- What did you do to complete it?
- What did your bosses or clients compliment you about?
- What are you personally proud of that you did?
Your answers to these questions will translate into the achievements you can highlight in your resume.
3) Talk to Your Previous Co-workers. Your peers are always a valuable source of what you can write in your resume. You don’t exactly have to formally interview them, something casual will suffice. Or, you can just remember how it was like when you were working with them.
- Why did they like working with you?
- What results did you achieve that helped the team or company?
- What work do they remember you the most for?
iii) How can I write a resume for online jobs if I have no experience?
Honestly, it’s really hard to write a resume when you have no experience. You can use your achievements in other fields if you want but frame them in the context of the job’s requirements.
For example, if you are an engineer that wants to become a virtual assistant, you technically have zero virtual assistant experience. However, even an engineer does administrative and project management work.
Highlight anything that you can transfer from your previous work to the job you are applying for. Did you manage 2 or 3 engineering projects at the same time without problems? That’s an achievement and you can definitely use it for your virtual assistant resume.
Also, you might want to apply to foreign construction or engineering companies. They may even appreciate your engineering background.
If you have zero experience in any field, then it’s better to have your portfolio speak for itself. Find a job posting and make samples of what you can do for them. Even if it doesn’t work out, you’ll still be able to use what you’ve made as a portfolio for other job applications.
iv) How do I write a resume for virtual assistants?
For virtual assistants, you also need to follow the best practices for writing a resume for online jobs outlined in this guide. Of course, a virtual assistant’s resume has some unique differences.
- More often than not, you will work directly with the main decision-maker in the company. So, you need to write a resume that would be appealing to a decision-maker.
- Virtual assistants or VAs have a broad variety of tasks aside from administrative work. It’s okay to add skills outside the usual scope of administrative work, but make sure it still matches what the company needs.
- There are specialized VA jobs, such as a healthcare VA or social media VA, that require specific skills. Read the job description carefully so you know if your skills match and how you can customize your resume to highlight your qualifications.
For a detailed guide on how to write a resume for virtual assistants, please see “How to Write the Perfect Virtual Assistant Resume: 5 Tips for Filipino VAs”.
