Hey All! I wear many hats in life but usually on this blog I wear the hat of ‘You can love life in Manila and I will show you how!’ Today I will shift gears and put a new hat on and this one says, “I am Amber, an expat who has a massive hole in her resume because she moved abroad and had multiple babies and now runs a website but still feels unsettled with a career and the daunting process of reentering the workforce, if it’s even possible abroad.” Whew, that was a mouthful BUT many individuals who are accompanying partners abroad can understand this perspective.

I am reaching out to all accompanying partners who have made the global transition to support their loved ones on their current career path. As accompanying spouses we often give up our own careers, comforts of home, relationships and communities. Global transitions often spur identity reconstruction and require great effort in creating a new life in our new place. I often facilitate workshops or speak at engagements to help promote place attachment for successful relocations, or simply to feel settled in ones place. However for this new workshop, I have teamed up with two magnificent groups of women to help support individuals like you and myself to support us in designing a life and career we love. I am excited to introduce them to you today.

The Global Talent Pool was started in late 2018 by Margaret Versantvoort and Tina Verstraeten, both have been living in the Philippines for 12 years. Tina originally relocated to Manila as a lawyer for a large HR firm and after the birth of her second child took a sabbatical from corporate life. Margaret worked for 10 years in Hospitality & Business Management before meeting her Dutch husband and relocating to Tokyo and then Manila. As you can see, they both have the global life under their resume as well as business minded women. Together they came up with the brilliant business plan for Global Talent Pool which is to help promote the untapped global talent in Manila. The Global Talent Pools purpose is to introduce clients to a highly educated and multilingual workforce that are motivated to work and offer an internationally honed skill set. These professionals reside in the Philippines because of their spouse’s career or other personal reasons and Tina and Margaret have found a way to gap the disconnect that can happen with the local job market. (Hey! That’s me and that is probably you too!)

Also in the program for the workshop is Camilla Brooks, the ultimate Culture Consultant for individuals and organizations. Camilla has spent 17 years in the Philippines building her career and her family. She did not come here with an expat role, the Peace Corps originally brought Her over, and she worked her way up the corporate ladder through her business skills and incredible zest and dedication. She now has her own business as an executive trainer, coach and consultant. She believes that intercultural intelligence will be one of the biggest drivers of personal and career success in the coming years and advocates for cultural awareness programs.

If you fit the profile of: You had a career/education and now with the relocation you are not able to use that how you expected. You worry that you will be out of work too long or you will never again be able to have the work-life balance you envisioned. In walks our workshop! But we can help guide you and support you getting to the place you want to be.

I am so honored to be among the women for our Design A Life And Career You Love. Please join us as we explore more about ourselves and personal values, learn valuable lessons to successfully navigate cross culture experiences and take away practical tips to help you design a life and career you love. Happening this May 2 from 9-12 noon at East Vantage BGC. Workshop fee is 5,000 php.