What are the dos and don'ts of finding a job in Nepal?

Hello everyone,

Where is the best place to start when looking for a job in Nepal? Is it better to job-hunt by directly contacting the company of your interest, or should job-seekers rely on a recruitment agency, for example?

Are there any unique aspects that job-seekers should consider when preparing their CV/résumé and cover letter? Should a photo be included?

Do you have any tips on interview conduct in Nepal? Are there any particulars, such as greetings or behavioural customs?

In you opinion, is knowledge of the local language or a regional language necessary to successfully apply for a job? What level of the language should job-seekers have mastered?

Thank you for sharing your experience.

Priscilla

Before we go into the Do's and Dont's, my personal take on this is the following:
1. Best place to start looking for a job in Nepal
If you are an expat and you haven't left home yet,  start there. Your best bet is to line up a job you think you'll like and are qualified for, and apply there. I think you will find that your remuneration will be higher and you'll have more perks like housing, travel costs, insurance coverage etc. if you take that route. You'll find many recruiting agencies and international agencies too, on the net. Some of them work in as many as 200 countries, and job opportunities in Nepal are offered from time to time. But be under no great illusion to get a good/high salary. Many of these organizations offer Volunteer Programs, Internship Programs notably in Nepal. These sites invite applicants to "Find your Program".
One of them I am looking at right now is called Raleigh International  and in their offer for jobs in Nepal and Nicaragua and Tanzania, in this one case only posted 2 days ago, they invite applicants "to volunteer with Government funds to make a difference in developing communities in Nepal", and these two other countries just named. And you will read, as I did, that by "voluntary" they mean they cover your flights, visas, vaccinations, food and accomodation, all covered - Applicants are then invited to submit their full curriculum vitae, etc.  I think job seekers just have to keep on looking, and searching until they find one opportunity that YOU think is best for you.
If, on the other hand, one waits until one reaches Nepal, you may be disappointed. I could be wrong but I don't think they have too many recruiting agencies for foreigners here, for jobs in Nepal. So the Do in my view is:  Do find the job before you come and Don't count on finding it here, after you arrive in Nepal, or by correspondence. Far better to come to Nepal with a job already lined up.
2. Also, Don't consider accepting any job opportunity in Nepal if you have never visited Nepal and are not familiar with this country, and its people, its culture, local customs etc. DO first visit. See how you like it? And for that purpose, I can only suggest that you come to Nepal first, on a visit to discover the country, on a tourist visa (not to work, but to visit) and get acclimated to the conditions in this part of the world. Spend as much time as you have available, to do that, is my strong suggestion. It will notably help you determine if you want or prefer to live in the cities or in country or in the more or less remote mountain areas?  As a result of that visit, you might determine that you do not want to live in such a badly polluted city as Kathmandu, at any price....! Afterwards, after you are convinced you'd like to live here, and would enjoy it, go back home and start your longer term planning, accept the best job offer you can get, and you'll be all set!
3. In the above case scenarios, language should not be an issue, assuming you can speak, write and have a good command of english, an international language. Most foreigners I know who first come to Nepal and/or who are here for  the first 1 or 2 years, cannot speak much Nepali, except Namaste and boli and a few basic words. Besides, there must be 200 or more dialects in this country, so impossible task to know them all! Knowledge of good English is basic for any job here, however.
4. On the question of the C.V. and whether or not it should have a photo, all I can say is that it should be well and carefully prepared, and if you are applying to foreign organizations, they will always require a photo, of course. Interviews: in that same case scenario, they will take place in your home country, and not in Nepal - so no need to worry about "nepali way"!
5. As a footnote to the above, personally I don't know a single person among my friends who secured a job here, employed by shall we say a 100% nepali company or organization.  There may be some, but I don't know them. Check with other people or a legal person, but I would not be surprised if there were some kinds of regulations from the Labor Department or other here, which require nepali companies established here, to give (first) priority  of jobs to nepalis in preference to and over foreigners, in the event of two applicants with equal qualifications should apply for the same job. I can't be sure, but I seem to recall that the "job wanted" offer has also to be published in the newspapers, so as to give every first equal opportunity to the nepali people. To be verified but if correct, this would be an additional and very good reason to come to Nepal with an NGO or some international organization, and with a work contract in hand, secured by them.
Final advantage: in this same scenario, you would get paid in the foreign/convertible currency of your country and not in non convertible rupees. This would then enable you to remit all or only part of your remuneration to Nepal, to your bank account here, for the amount you wish, according to your individual requirements in any one month.