Four years have passed since I decided to leave the corporate world, yet the memories of my previous employers are still vivid and clear. Some of them left the world unexpectedly with their untimely death, some can be searched in Facebook and others are hopefully soaring in some part of this world. As I have said in one of my old posts, having the opportunity to work with the President/Chairman/CEO of a company (not once but twice) was a huge privilege. Today, as I run my own micro business I now consider that experience as the biggest highlight of my professional career.
Showing posts with label Job. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Job. Show all posts
The second part of My Journey to Financial Freedom is about my travel to a foreign land and a failed hidden agenda. So here's the story...
I thought when you’re holding a passport, a plane ticket and a luggage not more than 15 kls. you can go to any nation you wish except countries that require Visa. But reality hit me when I was asked to go inside a room full of pallid travelers; fill-up the questionnaires in the white sheet of paper and wait for seemingly day of reckoning. That was one of the most horrifying thirty minutes of my life. No Kidding. But God is really good. God showed His grace when a higher officer of the immigration suddenly came in and interviewed my aunt instead of me. It was supposedly my turn in the hot seat. And the rest was history.
Last January 14-21, I experienced a lot of firsts. It was my first time to travel by plane; my first time to go abroad; my first time in the Lion City; and my first time to hold a rosary-like bracelet as if it was my last. I travelled for two reasons: (1) pleasure and (2) hidden agenda. I was with my aunt, her niece and 2 others. They are typical tourists. They brought clothes, digital camera, cellphone, personal stuff for their hygiene, money of course and instant food. Mine was almost the same except sandwiched between my shirts and jeans was a blue hard case full of photocopies and 3 resumes. A camera was also not in the list. Pathetic!
January 15-18 were fully dedicated to sightseeing and food trip. In the absence of camera, I had a short career in photography because most of the time I was holding theirs capturing wonderful memories. I also had my own moments but unfortunately with limited pose only. Hehe! My aunt and her friend went back to the Philippines on the third day while the two others stayed with their relatives. Honestly, I was holding my tears when they said goodbye. In my mind “Ganito pala ang feeling ng OFW kapag umaalis.”
So the job hunting began. I transferred in a room of 12. I stayed with 9 foreigners and 2 Pinays. The first Pinay was from Cebu approximately 40+ years old and the other was a newly accounting graduate. The Cebuana went to Singapore with a sole purpose of visiting Universal Studios. The young woman on the other hand bravely travelled alone with a hope of finding a job that offers fat paycheck. She was very determined. She would rather stay in her room the whole day browsing the job search engine than go to Sentosa. To some extent I got infected by her will. I bought a newspaper and checked the classified ads. I saw a job that I wanted - a housekeeping position in a 5-star-hotel. I went to their office the following day and was greeted with a lot of black hairs and fair complexions. Yes, Filipino applicants. Quiet. Serious. Hopeful. In front were four interviewers. A male Singaporean called my name after twenty minutes of waiting. Most interviews lasted for approximately five or more minutes. Mine lasted for about 120 seconds. Haha! It was shameful. But honestly while on my way I was already hesitating. I went there solely for the experience and nothing else.
Singapore, as we all know, is a rich nation where business sector and tourism industry go hand in hand. If you wish to work abroad, I think Singapore is a good country to work and live. The cost of living is high but knowing the Filipino people we know how to strategically survive in the rat race. I had the opportunity but I wasted it without giving a good fight. “Sayang ang pagkakataon” ika nga nila. When I was alone, I had an ample time to contemplate. Yes, I want a job. I want to earn big. I want to help my family… But above all, I want a life. And I thought that was the missing link. My desire to seek an occupation in the Lion City was not as big as the newly accounting graduate or the Filipino applicants I met. I knew I did a stupid thing but no regrets actually.
Fast forward. Two hours before my flight back to the Philippines, I was so surprised to see the Keryma preachers (headed by Bro. Bo Sanchez), their associates and their families. Since I was wearing my Kerygma shirt, they knew instantly that I am a Feast attendee. Marowe, Bo Sanchez wife, introduced herself and her kids. I had a few minute talk with Rissa Singson; a handshake with Bro. Michael Lobrin; a photo taken with Bro Bo Sanchez; and a little chitchat with Bro. Eng Si and his wife. It was indeed a very humbling and unforgettable experience. My heavy heart smiled and was full of bliss. Going home suddenly became my most favorite part of the journey. Because I heard God whispered “Don’t worry for I am with you. See, ang dami kong pinadala to tell you that. Hindi lang yon kasama mo pa sila sa eroplano."
Have you seen the movie A Very Special Love?
In the first half of the film, Miggy (portrayed by John Lloyd Cruz) for me, is the epitome of a very notorious boss. I am blessed because I have not encountered a boss like Miggy. I occasionally experienced some mood swings though but they are all good people, worthy to be adored by people in the rank and file positions nonetheless.
At my age, I have already experienced working with different bosses and here’s what I can share with you. I am not a professional per se but the suggestions below were based on personal experiences. Triggered by past mistakes. :p
Always have a pen and a notepad with you. I am a forgetful person. Though I believe I am far from acquiring Alzheimer’s disease, I sometimes have the tendency to forget what has just been said. In my case, a pen and a notepad are always on top of my table. But even if you are totally my opposite, when you have a mountain of work load to do, writing down notes is highly recommended. I read in a broadsheet that Efficiency in an employee is being always ready. A habit of taking down notes will help you to act systematically. It will gear you up for the real battle. Thus, it may also lead you to become very efficient. We all know that there is no harm in writing so try to make it a habit.
Always be punctual. I have no big problem with this. But there are circumstances that are beyond our control. Suppose you leave your house before sunrise but you arrive a minute after your boss laid his things on his table. He will ask you: “Why are you late?” “There is a road accident near my place that causes the heavy traffic,” you reply. Do you think your boss will believe you? You’re lucky if he woke up in the right side of the bed. It’s ok to be late once in a while but pray hard that you won’t be behind the schedule when your boss is sure to come early.
Learn how to speak. Whatever career path you choose, you have to learn how to mingle with others. You need to develop your introvert character. If you can’t be friends with everybody at least try to talk to the people around you once in a while. I am not suggesting a major character transformation if you are comfortable with yourself and you like yourself that way. But adjustments have to be made. I am sure that you don’t want to be unaccompanied all the time. You will never know if you are being surrounded with beautiful people or it is best to quit your job soon when your eyes are too focused on your job alone.
Communicate with your boss. Above all things make sure that you report to your boss on a daily basis whether he just appeared in his office to sip a cup of coffee or he decides not to become visible at all. His absence is not an excuse not to discuss with him the situation of the business. Communication is also very crucial specially when a problem occurs. It doesn’t matter too much if you have solved a problem on your own. There are bosses who appreciate employee’s initiative but some interprets it as “by-passing the authority.” Most of the time, a good intention doesn’t count. It is understandable that it is quite intimidating to talk to a person above your level but the thing is He is your boss. He has to know every single problem.
In the first half of the film, Miggy (portrayed by John Lloyd Cruz) for me, is the epitome of a very notorious boss. I am blessed because I have not encountered a boss like Miggy. I occasionally experienced some mood swings though but they are all good people, worthy to be adored by people in the rank and file positions nonetheless.
At my age, I have already experienced working with different bosses and here’s what I can share with you. I am not a professional per se but the suggestions below were based on personal experiences. Triggered by past mistakes. :p
Always have a pen and a notepad with you. I am a forgetful person. Though I believe I am far from acquiring Alzheimer’s disease, I sometimes have the tendency to forget what has just been said. In my case, a pen and a notepad are always on top of my table. But even if you are totally my opposite, when you have a mountain of work load to do, writing down notes is highly recommended. I read in a broadsheet that Efficiency in an employee is being always ready. A habit of taking down notes will help you to act systematically. It will gear you up for the real battle. Thus, it may also lead you to become very efficient. We all know that there is no harm in writing so try to make it a habit.
Always be punctual. I have no big problem with this. But there are circumstances that are beyond our control. Suppose you leave your house before sunrise but you arrive a minute after your boss laid his things on his table. He will ask you: “Why are you late?” “There is a road accident near my place that causes the heavy traffic,” you reply. Do you think your boss will believe you? You’re lucky if he woke up in the right side of the bed. It’s ok to be late once in a while but pray hard that you won’t be behind the schedule when your boss is sure to come early.
Learn how to speak. Whatever career path you choose, you have to learn how to mingle with others. You need to develop your introvert character. If you can’t be friends with everybody at least try to talk to the people around you once in a while. I am not suggesting a major character transformation if you are comfortable with yourself and you like yourself that way. But adjustments have to be made. I am sure that you don’t want to be unaccompanied all the time. You will never know if you are being surrounded with beautiful people or it is best to quit your job soon when your eyes are too focused on your job alone.
Communicate with your boss. Above all things make sure that you report to your boss on a daily basis whether he just appeared in his office to sip a cup of coffee or he decides not to become visible at all. His absence is not an excuse not to discuss with him the situation of the business. Communication is also very crucial specially when a problem occurs. It doesn’t matter too much if you have solved a problem on your own. There are bosses who appreciate employee’s initiative but some interprets it as “by-passing the authority.” Most of the time, a good intention doesn’t count. It is understandable that it is quite intimidating to talk to a person above your level but the thing is He is your boss. He has to know every single problem.
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I have a confession to make. One of the primary reasons why I blog is for me to be mindful of the lessons I have learned and matters which I still have to internalize. I decided to make a post about this topic not just with an objective to help the newly grads endure the reality of life after college but to serve as a personal reminder - that in the corporate world I can’t expect everything to happen the way I envision it. Like a former boss once told me:“Iba-iba ang brainwaves ng tao.”
P.S. If there is anything that you would like to add, you may proceed to comments. Let’ help each other survive in the corporate world. :)
Proofread reports before submitting it. It is a mortal sin to present a finished document without reviewing its substance, scrutinizing the spelling of every word used and verifying the inside address and signatories. Read it five times even though it only needed to be read twice. It is much better to be cautious than be sorry later. Lastly, make sure you can explain your work because some superiors do not bother to read documents specially with a hectic timetable. There is a high probability that you and your boss will chit chat over its content.
Do not bring work at home. Carrying a memory stick with unfinished reports or a file of documents at home is a big mistake. If you don’t want your workload to chase you in your dreams then leave everything in your table. Make a To-Do-List before going home so the next day you know exactly your priorities.
Make sure your cellphone is always on. I don’t know about you but in my case, a cellphone has always been a necessity. I used it not only to answer questions of my co-employees but more importantly to attend to clients’ inquiries. I know it is not in the context of any profession to take action when work is over. There are text messages and incoming calls however that demands utmost attention. By the way, if your cellphone is frequently used for official communicaitons than private purposes do not hesitate to ask if you can reimburse your load expenses. An all text 20 load a day could saddle your wallet in the long run. So, Practice your right!
Working could be so much fun for so many reasons but we sometimes fail to experience the joy in the workspace also for so many reasons. Adjusting to different people and being flexible to various situations are very vital in any line of work. This is quite difficult specially if you arejust new in the company. However, you shouldn’t give up easily. When one starts working it is not important that you graduated with honor. Your performance and your overall attitude will ultimately determine your tenure and possibly your success. But if you fail and fail and fail in your pursuit of a seemingly perfect job, here’s a quote from a man with no arms, no legs and no worries::
To all job hunters, try again and again and again until you find your niche!
Do not bring work at home. Carrying a memory stick with unfinished reports or a file of documents at home is a big mistake. If you don’t want your workload to chase you in your dreams then leave everything in your table. Make a To-Do-List before going home so the next day you know exactly your priorities.
Make sure your cellphone is always on. I don’t know about you but in my case, a cellphone has always been a necessity. I used it not only to answer questions of my co-employees but more importantly to attend to clients’ inquiries. I know it is not in the context of any profession to take action when work is over. There are text messages and incoming calls however that demands utmost attention. By the way, if your cellphone is frequently used for official communicaitons than private purposes do not hesitate to ask if you can reimburse your load expenses. An all text 20 load a day could saddle your wallet in the long run. So, Practice your right!
Working could be so much fun for so many reasons but we sometimes fail to experience the joy in the workspace also for so many reasons. Adjusting to different people and being flexible to various situations are very vital in any line of work. This is quite difficult specially if you arejust new in the company. However, you shouldn’t give up easily. When one starts working it is not important that you graduated with honor. Your performance and your overall attitude will ultimately determine your tenure and possibly your success. But if you fail and fail and fail in your pursuit of a seemingly perfect job, here’s a quote from a man with no arms, no legs and no worries::
"What do you do when you fall down? Get back up…
If I fail and I give up, do you think I’m gonna get up? No.
But if I fail and if I try again and again and again, there is always a possiblity that I will get up.
I just want you to know that it's not The End.
It matters how you're gonna finish and
you are gonna finish strong."
--- Nick Vujicic ---
To all job hunters, try again and again and again until you find your niche!
