2 Singaporeans in Top 50 list for "BEST JOB" in the World.

[Skyrunner]

Channel NewsAsia - Wednesday, March 4SINGAPORE:

Two men from Singapore have made it to the top 50 candidates who are shortlisted for what is touted as the "Best Job in the World". They beat more than 34,000 applicants ranging from scientists, chefs and students from around the world.

The two Singaporeans will be up against each other and 48 others for the job of a caretaker of Hamilton Island on the Great Barrier Reef in a tourism promotion by the Queensland state government.

The successful candidate will be paid US$100,000 for six months to enjoy the sun, sea and sand and report his experiences via blogs, photos and video diaries.

For Greg Reynen, a teacher at the Singapore American School, the news that he was shortlisted was a timely birthday present as he has just turned 31. He said: "I was at my computer and I couldn’t believe it, I just screamed and I went running down the hallway. It’s an amazing opportunity. It totally fits my personality and I get to go out, meet new people and interact with the locals and tourists. I also get to try new things and be adventurous."

For 24—year—old Jimmy Wong, a freelance diver and photographer, it was a total surprise as well. He said: "At first, I was definitely in a state of shock, but after that I realised if you do something out of passion and the love for it, you can go far."

The judges were impressed with the duo’s video clip submissions. Leong Pik Yin, manager, Marketing Communications, Tourism Queensland, said: "They were quite creative and their applications were quite out of the box and they met all the five selection criteria." These include being proficient in English and IT savvy.

Tourism Queenland received about 224 applications from Singapore. Besides the two successful applicants from Singapore, two other regional applicants, from Malaysia and Indonesia, made the cut.

The 50 shortlisted applicants will be narrowed down to a final 10. An 11th applicant will be chosen by popular vote via a "wild card" round. You can go to this website to vote.

They will then fly to Hamilton Island in early May to take part in the final selection. The winner will be made known on May 6 and he or she will start work or play on July 1. — CNA/vm

[Skyrunner]

Those looking to increase Greg's or Jimmy's Wild Card chances can log onto www.islandreefjob.com to vote for them.

Greg Reynen's video application: http://www.islandreefjob.com/#/Greg

Jimmy Wong's video application: http://www.islandreefjob.com/#/Jimmy