Edcel.net - a personal weblog

My former boss who’s left the company for more career opportunities contacted me one evening cause she wanted to talk. If my assumptions serve me right, then I’ll be offered another path to further enhance my work experience albeit the lack of prestige and more importantly, stability.

The weakness I have is my lack of stance when refusing an offer. I am a  people-pleaser (another weakness) and I have that bad feeling after you are not able to meet another person’s expectations.

Of course, it’s just an offer and that she wouldn’t expect much. I just hope I can pull myself together and keep a straight face without being too childish.

I wrote this message to one of leading national newspapers in the country in there PeopleAtWork section. I felt very happy that it got published albeit some minor alterations and cuts to make the story short so it wouldn’t fill up much column space.
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Good day. Before I tell you about my problem, I’ll give you a background of my story.

Cebu-After a semester of college, my siblings and I stopped schooling due to financial difficulties. During that time, I spent my days working in fast food joints. Luckily after, my father had a project that enabled us to continue studying and transfer to a better school. I shifted from Mechanical to Industrial Engineering because my previous school didn’t offer the latter course. But I didn’t have trouble for all my subjects were of credit. We started a business while studying for 2 semesters and 1 summer. However, things didn’t last; we stopped again while our business slowly went down. Now, with some skills and a few dreams left, I started looking for a job that’s above the minimum wage so I can also support my family. I believe that being in a call center would be the best choice as I’m still an undergraduate.

I applied at a company here as an erep. I passed the initial interview and an English online exam. When it came to my final interview, I was denied because I didn’t meet their qualifications, particularly my Academic status. The company only accepts those who have finished a minimum of 2 years (4 semesters) of college in 1 course.

She (my interviewer) told me I needed to finish one more year in Industrial Engineering for me to be considered. I explained why I shifted and that my first course should still be counted cause all engineering courses have the same subjects during the first year. She replied that technically, it’s still a different course and that even if it’s counted, I still couldn’t achieve the minimum 2 years.

I have only finished a total of 3 semesters and 1 summer of college education. So far, I’ve accomplished 80 units and if miraculously, I’ll end up in school again, I will be of 3rd year standing. I begged that I needed the job and was really interested. I even inquired if they had a program offered to applicants like me. But she couldn’t do anything about it. I wanted to ask any supervisor or any person who has authority to reconsider my situation. But I was too stunned to react after I got denied.

I don’t hold any grudge against the interviewer. I even commend her for telling me the bad news in the nicest manner possible. But she insisted that it was their company’s policy.

I just don’t get why the basis is 2 years. I thought you just need to have the major qualifications such as being excellent in English communications, being internet-savvy, dynamic, service-oriented etc. I didn’t expect that my education would be greatly scrutinized. My work experience, which should’ve been an advantage, wasn’t even mentioned because of that issue.

I have other dreams, just that we’re a struggling family trying to find food on the table. I just hope that in my next application, I wouldn’t be cut short. That companies would base people on what they can do, not the education they’ve attained.

Nowadays, I’ve heard Interior Design graduates working in banks, engineers becoming businessmen; and evident enough, a high school graduate as the head of the government. Unfortunately, I’ve also heard of a manager getting demoted to a service crew position after finding out he didn’t graduate a 4 year-course.

It’s a chicken and egg situation, that’s why I wanted to work so I can finish my studies. I’d accept it more if I didn’t pass during a training period or something of the same occurrence; cause then I would’ve had a chance to prove my worth. I’m no Bill Gates, I just want to be reconsidered.

I will try to find my luck in other call center companies. But I’m afraid I’ll be denied again.
19 and anxious

I’m back to the night shift. I’ll be doing more tasks and handling more responsibilities than what I’ve grown accustomed with the past months. Now I’m still smiling and taking things lightly but deep inside I’m panicking already. What have I gotten myself into? Sheesh.

I should be happy knowing that I have more opportunities for Overtime work because that’s one of things I wanted in the first place. It’s just that the load of work I’ll be in-charge of is worse than that of the regular employee.

I’ll be handling a specific site all by myself and I don’t even want to think if I can do it or not. I’m scared shitless if I can’t meet the quota and I’ll end up being incompetent. Sigh, back to work and on the double.

I’ve always dreamt a life of having a picket fenced house with a Mailbox on my front yard. Well, it’s the usual American dream where you wish that you could live in a town that’s safe and secure. But then again, you have to go back to reality and see that things aren’t the way they’re supposed to be.

Those Mailboxes you imagine are still worth thinking about since getting a Mail box is different and fresh. Mail boxes actually help in giving that finishing touch of your house. When I’m able to save up for my own home, I’d most probably get some so I can simulate the effect of how I want things to look like in your residence. But that seems to be far beyond reach.

Sure the dream may be far, but there’s no hard in having ambitions right? I’m trying to work hard and even doing overtime work just so I can save more for my future. I’m going home late almost every night already and I still have some commitments during the day. I think I’m draining myself too much. But this is just all temporary, like I posted before: Sacrifice something precious to gain something else.

I just had a rough day from work, knowing that it’s eight more days left until it’s the end of the fiscal month already. I’m tired from all the evaluations and monitorings I have to do. My eyes are swelling from not having enough sleep and that I have to deal with certain issues with my colleagues at work just to be able to carry on through the day.

Once in a while though, I make it a point that I fancy myself into whatever I can read. I usually go to askmen.com for my daily fix of just about any topic. Sometimes from other sites, there would be other talks about Generic Cialis that would replace a known male supplement that is majorly hyped back in the days. Talks about how to live healthy and properly attaining muscles. I haven’t applied for a gym membership as I don’t have the time. But I try to just lift a few pounds at home just to keep fit.

Anyway, these information would come in handy every time I need to just keep my mind afloat.

When I was still in Siargao, I was about to sleep, a colleague texted me saying she’s leaving our account. She and another colleague will have a lateral transfer to another Provider on the same company. They will still be based here in Cebu but they’ll be in Bacolod for 2 weeks for the training. Shoot. I could’ve also grabbed the opportunity if I were there with them had I not spent a vacation. I had a hard time sleeping then. Right now, they already have tickets to proceed.

I can’t deny that I didn’t want the job. Sure it may also be challenging. New job, new processes, new adjustments, new bosses. But I’m willing to learn and be trained. I talked to the big boss, asked him if there were other slots, he said he’ll think about it.

Maybe I’m just overwhelmed with this news which is why I’m acting this way. I’ll have my time.