⌛ hello all, looking for suggestions

We are an American couple who will be visiting the Philippines in a few weeks. We will be spending a few days in Dumaguete while we are here. Although this is a vacation, we are also here for my husband's business. He does software development as well as internet solutions like marketing and website development and things like that.

He is very interested in the potential of hiring an employee or two while he is there. He is already working with a couple of people from Cebu and Manila. If things go well, we have played with the idea of opening an office and even moving here to run it down the road one day.

We are interested in Dumaguete because it is smaller a smaller city and we also like the coast. We also think we might feel safer here than in a large city. We know that Dumaguete has a number of universities, so we thought this might be the place to find good raw talent.

Does anyone have suggestions on how to find potential employees to meet with and interview while we are here? We know that craigslist isn't popular like in the states. Would contacting universities directly be the best bet? Any help would be appreciated.

Also, although we appreciate any help anyone can provide, we aren't looking to contract through a third party. He has done that many times in the past, but now is looking to work directly with his resources on projects.

Thanks in advance.

 

There are plenty of unemployed/underemployed IT grads in town.

 

Just want to welcome you...sure someone can help...Carl

 

qualifications? and when and where is the interview?

 

Run ads online and in the local newspapers. Set-up interviews. Be prepared for disappointment in the quality of the applicants.

If you do try to set-up to do business in Dumaguete....train, train, and then train some more. Get a big generator to back-up your electricity and locate in an area where you can get three internet service providers and set-up fail-overs to keep your connection up. Be prepared for things that might take hours in the US to accomplish to takes weeks in the Philippines and that is assuming you constantly follow-up.

 

Have you considered the Visa requirements? You may want to have a post with DI member Shadow and review some former posts on this site regarding visas and foreigners owning a business.

 

re: follow up

Are you saying that being prepared for electricity fails and internet problems are specific to Dumaguete in particular or the Philippines in general? I am also looking at Cebu City. Are you saying that Cebu would be a better location because they have better and more reliable facilities?

 

Thanks for the advice, I'll look around for help. I've spoken to one person that does something similar to what I want to do and they are taking advantage of the laws that cover export only businesses.