Your Cowardliness Messes Other People's Lives

After a seven year stint managing accounts I decided to lie low and put up a business (which later on had to take a backseat and slow down. ). In between shoots I took a job as a CSR to learn more about the Inbound part of the call center industry.

For the past few days I have applying for a management job in the BPO industry and I prefer to walk in for these job applications as they are faster. Unfortunately, I encountered this certain BPO with ethics that I don't know what word I would use.

I came to their office around 11:30 because as stated in their advertisement that cut off for application is by 12:00 PM, to my surprise the nice lady told me that they only conduct interviews until 11:00 AM. I should have taken that as a warning, well I guess I did. The lady told me that they will let me know what time I should come in for my interview.

The whole day passed and  no message was received.

The following day I decided to just drop by their office I rang the bell and the nice lady told me that "Her boss is the one that decides who gets to be invited for an interview and that if I did not receive a call or text message it could be either her boss is too busy or I was not qualified.

I was saying inside my head that "Wow! I wouldn't be hurt if I don't get accepted at this company, with that kind of etiquette, I wouldn't wanna be in."

The "Don't call us we'll call you" line is no longer used. The trend and the right thing to do is to let your applicants know whether they pass or not. Come to think about it, the don't call us we'll call you statement says a lot instead of just telling your applicant well call you later. right?

I was starting to get frustrated that time. I mean why not put on your advertisement that FULL and REAL DETAILS and stop messing everybody's time and yes I knew something was coming.

The lady came back inside the small office and told me to take a seat. After a while she came out again and had a look as if there is something that she needs to tell me but is having a hard time on finding a way on how to break the news to me.

I stood up and looked her in the face, finally she was able to blurt it out my boss says that you are not qualified because your past two jobs are just of a CSR, of course I reacted but in a mellow way. I told the nice lady "That is find I just thought that seven years of management experience is enough. Thinking that I might feel better she told me further that I am qualified as a Quality Associate but the position has already been filled up, I replied smiling "No problem ma'am it's okay because I don't want that position anyway I am looking for something in the operations department"

Common! Letting me know there is a position that I qualified but it is no longer available? It doesn't make sense at all, why mention it?

For seven years of working in the management side of the business I was tasked so many difficult things including interviewing people for the job and yes I am the one that tells them if they passed or not. Not just that I also terminate people face to face. So I don't find it logical for someone to tell an applicant lies.

Being offered something lower than what I am applying for was something big, parang gusto kong manapak nung mga oras na yun. I doubt that the manager even read my qualifications. Now I am not gonna brag about my credentials and achievements here, all I know now is that they lost someone really good.

Now reading this some may think that I feel bad. Well yes I feel bad but not because I didn't get accepted but because of the hassle that it has caused me. We need to learn how to respect other people's time. I could have spent the time going to other offices instead of waiting for them to have the courage to tell me that I didn't qualify.

Well I guess that's about it.

To the call center HR Managers out there reading this, PLEASE LANG HUWAG TULARAN ANG KUMPANYANG ITO.

Cheers!

Sunday Mass Reflection: 09/02/2012 THE LAW OF DIMINISHING RETURN

So I just got home from Ortigas, aside from working there today which is a Sunday, I decided to attend church at the mall at the Chapel of the Eucharistic Lord. It's a huge chapel inside the mall where you could attend Mass then go straight shopping. Come to think of it, this set up is very Filipino, remember as kids when malls aren't really that popular for every one, that after church our parents would take us either to a fast food or the market and buy something like food or a toy (which ever you would successfully negotiate) that you could bring home.

Anyways today is kinda special, why? Well I really liked the homily on today's mass at the mall because I learned something new.

click the picture for a bigger image

The Law Of Diminishing Return 

We often say that "Doing the same thing over and over, expecting a different result is insanity". Well the Law of Diminishing Return suggest that doing the same thing (specially when it is effective) over and over, in time, would diminish the effect. 

No is an exception, even us priests do get this as some point, what do you think would happen if you have said Mass after like 1500 times? the priest said. So it is important to reconnect, calibrate and re-enforce. 

I can totally relate to what he said. In my work in the operations department of call centers, I often experience this just like any other agent. A lot of us would come to a point where the things that we use to do that has been effective would seem like not working anymore. 

So remember, again what you need is to Reconnect, Calibrate, Re-analyze to come up with a new approach. 

The Procession 

The procession on the start of the Mass reminds us that we are on a journey, a pilgrimage, as the saying goes let all the good that I can do be done now as I would not be back on these roads we should always seize the moments. 

We all say that we only live our life once so live it to the fullest, be a blessing to others as long as you still have the opportunity to do so. 

As pilgrims we should all learn something through this journey. 

Honestly this is the shortest part of the priest's homily but I would have to say that this is the deepest and I don't have enough words to verbalize it. But I hope that I got my message across. 

The Liturgy of the Word

Listen and don't just hear. Well this is a task and I know a lot of people does have a hard time focusing on the readings but we should listen to the scriptures and learn from them just like how the first Christians listened to the same scriptures that we read every Sunday, sent to them as letters from Jesus's apostles. 

The Offertory

If you would think about it, the priest opened everybody's mind and set the bar higher when it comes to the offerings that we give every Sunday. Why? what he said was it doesn't matter how much you gave what matters is how much it costed you. In other words its the not the amount but the value of your offering. 

Each offering should be sacrificial, this means that it must cost something from you to give it. Say for example your 10 pesos that you were suppose to use to buy, say an ice cream but instead of buying your ice cream you just decided to offer it. Remember that Christ mentioned before that the old lady that gave her last silver offered so much more than the people who gave more than a silver coin. 

The Holy Communion 

This one is also close to my heart as it opened my mind. Every time when we pray most of us pray for something that we need. But why not when we receive the body and blood of Christ, why not pray to God and ask, What Can I Do For You. 

I guess that makes a lot of sense, so I am not gonna say anything further.

Till next Sunday Reflections. 

Ian

MyOwnWeekend: 08.08 - 08.09.2012 (+08.07.2012) Braving Habagat (Southwest Moonsoon)

Last week the country experienced one of the worst monsoon rains ever. And this is my own story of that week we'd all remember.

Day 0 Tuesday afternoon ( A day before my rest day)

Got off at the last station of the metro to get into a bus going home. I know that the rains were unusual so I observed the areas where the trains passed by to see if the floods have rose already.

It took a while before I finally got a bus, and when I was handing my payment to the conductor while stating where I am going the conductor told me that they aren't gonna go the full trip. 

So I got off at Monumento and this stream of flood was my welcoming sight. 

The scene was like of a tragic movie where tv stations are camped out for any breaking news. 

I had no choice, I walked from Monumento to Malabon and the road was like one huge parking lot! Nothing was moving. At this point I realized that what's happening is all too familiar, remember Ondoy?

McArthur Highway

The events was like a flashback when I got to the boundary of Malabon and Valenzuela from what happened like three years ago. Everyone was stuck at the Malabon side of the bridge that connects my city to the rest of the metro. The current of the water though is not that strong so some brave people still attempted to cross.

I stood for a while and kept on thinking, I really wanted to get home. I have got not much money, no extra clothes but just the shirt on my back 

After about an hour of thinking I decided to just go back to the office and rest. I had to walk all the way back to Monumento from Malabon. Good thing that the MRT was working so I got to spend lesser. df        vvvvvvvv

Day 01 Wednesday (It is officially my rest day I need to get home) 

I wasn't able to get home yesterday and the weather hasn't improve at all. It was, I think even worst. Zero visibility still on the road. 

I tried to preserve my phone battery so I don't have much pictures from this day. But yeah same story as yesterday the roads going home are still impassable. 

I called my sister for help and since the express way was passable already I decided to just stay with them for the night. Thank God that I had at least 50 pesos in my wallet just enough to get to their home. 

We watched  news and seeing the extent of damage it has caused reminds me of Ondoy even much worse. 

Day 02 Thursday (Rains have mellowed) 

The sky was clearer and it wasn't really raining that after that I decided to continue my journey home. From my sister's home in Marilao I took a jeep to Meycauyan exit and then to McArthur highway. The road wasn't flooded since it was the higher part of the city but traces of the flood and trash can be seen every where.  

There was nothing to ride, no jeep or bus going to my city. But my mindset was that it is nearer to walk to my city from that point than to go back to Malabon and face the same dilemma anyway.

I started walking south and soon enough just beyond the Meycauyan bridge I was greeted by the flooded part of town. 

Military Trucks bringing some relief goods. 

Eveyone was walking, well except for those who have their floaters to ride, so I really didn't feel tired along the way, only when I got home.

After about an hour of walking, My city's border marker greeting welcomed me, You are entering Venicezuela Valenzuela Sea City!

The photo below is where I usually take bicycle with sidecars (Trike) going to my house's street, but for today this terminal is dominated by bancas (small boats) yes you can ride your way from this point all the way to Obando for a hundred pesos (at least) 

Okay okay, this is not the floating market in Thailand. 

bed weather? water bed? ano ba??? lol! 

This dad pushes his floating basin with his daughter inside. 

This was the last 500 meters from my home. Nothing changed with the view just the water getting higher as I go farther

Thank God that I got home safely and that our house has a second floor. I think having a second floor where your valuables are is a requirement if you want to live in place like ours so that you don't have to carry every thing out to the evacuation center. Also I guess you would have to be acustomed to this kind of life, at least until they have built the flood control projects. But then again be prepared since rains like this may not be something that is controllable. once in while this kind of disaster would strike one way or another. 

Sunday Mass Reflection: 07.15.2012

I should have written this last week right after mass. But I have a shift that night so I really didn't had time to write it up. So better late than never as they say. 

The homily last week somewhat answered a part of the questions running through my head. How do we really have to live as Christians. 

In the homily it was explained that as Christians we should not complicate things specially how we follow Christ's steps. 

It's good that we learn God's words and share it to others pero wag naman daw yung over acting na. I guess a lot of people know what I mean.

So ayun. Wag pahirapan ang sarili. Make it simple. I am having difficulty explaining this matter coz I don't have enough words or may be I simply can't verbalize my thoughts. 

Basta don't hurt others, respect every one and Love your neighbor as how you love your self. 

Meron pa palang sinabi si father. In our journey as a Christian these are the things that we should bring A staff/cane/tungkod which is God's words to help us through the journey and Sandals/Pangyapak which is our faith so that we could bear the rough rocks that we will step on. These are the important things that we should bring in our journey, don't bring those that are not important. 

MyOwnWeekend: 07.18.2012 Friends, Reward and Memories

Hi everyone! This is my first post for MyOwnWeekend. See I now work in a call center again and my schedule really isn't normal. I wake up in the middle of the night around 1am take a bath, fix my self and ride a bus to work. My work week starts on a Saturday and ends on Wednesday, everything is quite the same as everybody else except for the time and days that I work that is why I do things that normal people can only do on a weekend. 

Off I go from the office it was Wednesday afternoon and it was soooo hot! humidity was really bad I felt like I had a fever. Yes! that bad. Well tiis tiis nalang.... I walked all the way from my office in Shaw blvd. to Megamall, as soon as I stepped inside the mall I felt soooo blessed! It was so nice and comfortable inside.

As I walk out of the department store section of the Mall I saw a fruit shake stand that made me crave for a Choco-Banana shake, my favorite. I like the way the choco and banana's flavor mixes and gives me a texured subtle choco taste. 

Unfortunately they don't have that mix but just a regular banana fruit shake with milk. Good thing that I was trying to inspect the store's fruit basket and saw one of my favorite fruit! Avocado!!! yes! Avocado is really good but it should taken in moderation. Seriously! Avocado is high in cholesterol that could make your blood pressure high and for people like me, our cholesterol level raised. 

The shake was fine though medyo malabnaw yung consistency nya.. I would still prefer the like of what I do at home. I would scoop out the Avocado sprinkle some a bit of sugar and a lot of powdered milk and some evaporated milk and put some ice! geez.... this part really makes me hungry! hahaha

I walked around the mall and crossed and bought some doughnuts for a friend that I was visiting that day. I walked back to Shaw and took a jeep to get to their home. She's 7 months pregnant and it has been a while since I got to see her so I paid a visit since it was just a ride away from where I work. 

We spent the after noon catching up about life and what we have missed about each other. The sky was getting darker so I decided go home. 

The sky was showing off again, it was burning with bright yellow and eventually turning to orange. But the clouds were winning the battle. Soon the sky over me was as dark as night but beyond the horizon the orange sky was peeping through. 

I was trying to get into a bus going home but the rain was pouring hard, so I decided to go back inside the Mall and roam around. 

It has been a while since I have been back to Robinson's Galleria and roaming around brought back a lot of memories. Specially when I hang out at the Tom's World area. This is where me and my daughter use to play around and bond. I miss you bhembhem. 

As soon as the rain stopped I went back outside took a bus home where I felt dead tired. I just checked my mail, fb and slept. My body was aching I succumbed to my bed's call as I haven't slept for almost 20 hours that time.

What is up lately?

So yeah I know! Hahahaha.... It has been a while since I last posted.... it was the first week of June when I last publish..... hehehe..... You might be asking what's happening OR NOT? Hahaha... 

The truth is I have been busy.... uhmmmm not that much actually..... with work. Siguro tinatamad lang talaga ako mag post Why? you may ask. Well I have good reasons naman which would also be the reason why this post is going to be real short (at least for my standards LOL!)

So now really what have I been up to lately? Well yes I have been working again in the call center industry with uhmmm..... I was impressed initially with the processes of this bpo but when I got inside the "department" I was dismayed.... because of a lot of things. Really I was... really disappointed 

Photography on the other hand has taken the back seat for now and work is taking the center stage #NOCHOICE lang talaga. #lugi #na123

Travel is on a underdevelopement mode nagiipon pa para sa big trip later this year =) yep I am excited about          it. I'll be selling some of my stuff for the trip so visit kayo ulit next time so you can buy some of it.

Blogging... hmmm medyo tamad ako ngayon why? because I am now an employee I have to wait every 15th   (uy bukas na yun ah! hehehe ) and 30th before I get any money unlike when I still doing photography every week merong kita.... hay I miss my business na...T_T

Graphic Design. Well wala lang I do some stuff for friends and my own satisfaction so nothing really big about that but I love doing it even if I am not that really good about it. #Masaya lang

Hmmm..... Lately I love eating too... and it shows on how big I have become.... siguro I'l start swimming again to shed off the pounds! =)

Well hopefully I can buy a new keyboard and mouse tomorrow para di na ako tamarin magblog aba mahirap kaya magblog ng sira ang keyboard at mouse.... baka may magdodonate jan! hahahaha

Anyways till next time! Hou hui you qi! OHHH! did I mentioned I was studying Mandarin too? hehehe Zaijian!

      

The Force Moves In My Life

My mom just finished using my computer after 15 hours of surfing the internet with just one bathroom break and internet credits reloading for rest.

As I open my facebook I see these wonderful posts about traveling from my blogger friends, just in case you don't know yet I belong to a group of travel bloggers who share our passion for traveling and sharing it by blogging. I got teary eyed, actually realizing that these are the places that I may not get to see anymore or at least for a while.

I know that it's gonna be a while before I see them again since I'd be miles away.

As I said before on my facebook account that I just made a "heart and dream breaking decision but I know that they are the right decisions"

If everything thing goes as I think it would turn out to be, I will be leaving the country by November after my dad's birthday.

I'll be selling my equipment by July after my last booked trip, and I'll be buying my plane ticket by September.

Yes, I'll be selling my treasure. I don't know what force is telling me that this is the right thing to do, but I am so sure that it is.

It is truly sad. broken-hearted (again) and dream broken too. Traveling the Philippines and Southeast Asia and Photography has to take a back seat for now. I hope.