There is a dangerous virus going around. It is called WORK. If you receive WORK from your colleagues, your boss, or anyone else, via e-mail or any other means, DO NOT TOUCH IT! This virus wipes out your private life completely. If you should come into contact with WORK, put on your jacket, take two good friends and go straight to the nearest pub. Buy the antidote known as BEER. Take the antidote repeatedly until WORK has been completely eliminated from your system. Forward this warning immediately to at least 5 friends. Should you realize that you do not have 5 friends, this means that you are already infected and that WORK already controls your life. REMEMBER, THIS VIRUS IS DEADLY!
March 25th, 2005
Meron akong in-interview ilang linggo na ang nakakaraan. Balang-araw malilimutan rin nya ako. Ako rin siguro, pero as of now, nakatatak pa rin sya sa utak ko.
Sa totoo lang, resumé pa lang nya ang nakita ko, nag-alangan na ako. Paano'y naninilaw na yung mga gilid nung papel na ginamit nya! Tapos wala pang picture. Sya yung una kong tinawag sa tatlong for interview. Ohdiba, sobrang excited na makita sya! Naka-maong na pants at t-shirt lang sya, at tiningnan ako na para bang sinasabing "Ano'ng kelangan mo??" OK fine... malay naman natin malaki pala ang potensyal nya, sa kabila ng lahat?
Sumunod naman sya sa akin sa training room. Medyo nakangiti na sya ngayon, siguro kasi'y napagtanto na nyang nasa aking kamay kung makakapasok ba sya sa kumpanyang ito.
Pahapyaw kong binasa ang kanyang resumé. Management ang kurso nya; halos pareho pala kami. Batch 2004?! Ah OK, so more or less kasing-edad ko lang sya. Tiningnan ko ang birthday - hindi, mas matanda sya. Will this be your first job, if ever you're accepted by the company? Yes. Of course you've tried applying to other companies, too? Yes. What are these companies? Call centers. Why? Kasi malaki ang kita. Aside from that? No answer.
Hmm... ano ba'ng pwedeng tanungin dito?! Ayun. Nag-OJT sa Malayan Insurance... what are your duties and responsibilities during your stay there? Mostly clerical stuff, filing and answering calls. Do you have any direct contact with clients themselves? Wala, filing lang talaga ang pinapagawa run. I expected that. Ganun rin ako nung nag-OJT ako sa Equitable PCI Bank.
You have lots of seminars attended! Tell me about this one at Ortigas, *mentions the event title and date*.
Oops, ang tagal sumagot. "I forgot." But that's only last month! Kahit summary lang? I forgot "talaga."
O sige, mahirap yata ako masyado magtanong. You finished Management... why did you take up this course? May family business. Oh. So someday you'll get to manage this firm? "I hope so." What did you learn from this course that you think you can apply while working for this company? "I forgot." Again? Four years of studying and you've already forgotten?
Oh well. Whatever. Personality na lang. You stated in your resumé that your hobbies and interests are... *reads the whole paragraph*... pero bago pa ako matapos she interrupted, "Wag mong basahin!"
"Huh? Bakit?"
"Nahihiya akooo...!!" she wailed.
I forced a laugh. Damn, I sounded like a hyena. "Bakit?"
"Eh...!!"
"Sinulat mo sa resumé mo, nahihiya ka?"
No answer, just a smile. "Saka yan na lang yung natira sa mga resumé ko, hindi ko na nga na-edit eh!"
Eengk! Wrong answer! Tira-tirang resumé? Kelan mo kaya 'to pina-print? Sigurado ka bang interesado kang magtrabaho?
"O sige. Sabi mo rito, you're a well-rounded person. Describe a well-rounded person to me."
Hindi na naman makasagot! "Uhmm... I can answer calls... and do filing..."
Natahimik na kaming dalawa. "Please wait for the results outside."
May dalawa pa akong in-interview after her. Yung isa kakilala nya, whom I accepted.
Kinabukasan...
Lumapit sa akin si Karen, the campaign manager. "Uy alam mo ba, yung binagsak mo, andyan! Pinagpipilitan nyang tanggap sya kasi kinausap ka na raw ni Mitch!"
Mitch, by the way, used to be my agent. The two girls were her referrals. And yes, we did talk the night before. But what the hell is this girl saying?
Sa sobrang inis ko eh pinuntahan ko sya sa training room. I explained to her that yes, Mitch talked to me, but that's only to inquire about what happened to her referrals.
(Anyway kahit naman ano pa ang sabihin ni Mitch, my decision is final. Kahit hindi ganito ang case, I know I am capable of making my own judgment. Nobody needs to interfere... pwede ba!)
Akala raw nya for training sya kasi yung isang kasama nya, tinanggap ko. "Pero magkaiba naman yung results ng magkaibang tao," sabi ko.
Kaya ko raw ba tinanggap yung isa, eh kasi may job experience na? "Mas may edge sya, ganon." Aba, at parang galit pa.
"Hindi rin yun ang dahilan. Bakit naman ako, first job ko ito?"
Ang dami pa nyang tinanong, about the commission-based group. But Karen offered her this position yesterday, and she already declined - making faces all the while.
Besides, I did not say that she should be referred to that group; I already marked her as "not qualified."
"O sige, marami pa akong gagawin eh. Bye."
Sabihin nyo nang wala akong awa, pero tingin ko hindi pa talaga sya handa. Kahit sabihin mong halos isang taon na ang nakalilipas magmula nung nagtapos sya.
In fairness, napa-reflect rin ako dahil sa kanya. What about my career?
I know I won't be a team leader forever. Nag-eenjoy ba ako sa work ko? Minsan. Pero aaminin ko, may mga oras na tinatamad na ako. Syempre may mga natutunan rin naman ako, pero pagkatapos nun, wala na. Kahit dynamic ang sales, monotonous pa rin para sa akin.
I'm trying hard, though. But I know I am not yet ready to jump into another company, or to request na ma-transfer sa head office. In a few months' time, I guess.
COME HOME ON 2011, sabi ni Xialeemar nung Baccalaureate Mass ng Batch '05.
Sa pagbalik ko, I'll make sure I am worth it.
Find a guy who calls you beautiful instead of hot, who calls you back when you hang up on him, who will stay awake just to watch you sleep. Wait for the guy who kisses your forehead, who wants to show you off to the world when you are in your sweats, who holds your hand in front of his friends. Wait for the one who is constantly reminding you of how much he cares about you and how lucky he is to have you. Wait for the one who turns to his friends and says, "...that's her."
