Saturday, February 26, 2011

You Can Only Make It Better

"I can see through your resume that you are into communications. However, we are currently looking for applicants who are into creatives. Et cetera, et cetera, et cetera..."

 Those were the words of the HR manager who interviewed me a few days ago. I was taken aback with what she said, because it seems to her that I am not the right person they are looking for. But before I say anything else, I would like to make it clear that I am not "NOT into the arts", because believe me, I do love designing and doodling and doing other artsy-fartsy stuff. Now, before this journal sounds like a grievance note, I'm going to share with you the things I realized after reflecting on this scenario several times.

Job hunting tip #1: Know what field you want to be in. For courses as dynamic as Orcom, the applicant must be certain of what field he or she likes to pursue. It will help you filter what you are going to put in your resume. 
Job hunting tip #2: Your resume is the key to the organization's gates. Your resume is your first weapon. Make sure it looks appealing (a little color on your 2-3 paged resume will do), has consistency, organization and content. 
Job hunting tip # 3: Blend in and stand out. I learned about appropriateness and competitiveness. Make sure that what you are wearing for an interview is appropriate to the company and position you are applying for. Don't be too formal, but don't be too casual. Appropriateness applies to your resume, too. Make sure that the content says a lot about you and the field you wanted to work in. Be competitive, not only with the way you look, but more so on what you know and can do.
Job hunting tip # 4: Complacency is your greatest enemy. An interview now doesn't guarantee being hired in the company later. Oh yeah, this one's for me. Hard, but true. A school mate once told us, "Just apply, apply, apply!" It's like saying, "Collect then select."

These are the bits of facts I've learned so far. Actually, there are lots more, but my thoughts are not pretty well organized right now. I'll share it with you 'pag may pag-o-OJT-han na ako. HAHAHA!

But the best thing that happened with the interviews (there were only 2, alright?) that I had was that I got to know myself better. The HR manager or interviewer is your partner on this. The questions they ask you and the answers you give will just let you visualize the impression you make on them. So make it good, no, the best. SWAG. 


You can not ruin it. You can only make it better.


Thursday, February 10, 2011

Slowly But Surely

I'm in a Dora-the-Explorer-mode today, minus the purple shirt, orange shorts and back pack. Instead, I wore doll shoes, skirt, and soft blouse. Yes, it's DORA in the CITY episode today!

It's all part of growing up, right? Having to do some business and going to a place you've never been to - without your parents nor friends. Oh yeah, I smell Independence lingering somewhere. Why all this talk of growing up suddenly? 

Well, I had my first summer internship interview today! After lots of walk-ins and online resume submissions, something finally worked out! The company's giving its interns a real BIG break, letting them handle a real client account. Oh dear, I love to work on that project this summer!  To make it clear, I'm not yet "in" that company. But yes, God knows best: when, where, how and why. 

Afterwards, I went to Trinoma. It's a little bit of an achievement for me. My team mates and I were supposed to have a meeting there about U, but it was getting late, so I had to go home. Why's this an achievement? First, it's in Quezon City. Second, I've never been there. Third, I went there alone. Lastly, my mom, who usually fetches me when I go home late, didn't. Yep, that's an achievement for me, and for her

You know, parents have to learn to let go of their children, right? 

Although I got a little disappointed for not having to participate properly in the meeting, my brother made up for it! This is what I saw upon opening my dresser:

Now, POST-ITs can never get boring.
Oh yeah. Meet the Best brother in the world!


So much for today. Tomorrow's another surprise-filled one!


Thursday, February 3, 2011

Zombies & Eye Bags

The horrific moment when your friends tag ugly-version-of-you pictures in Facebook

I'm working like a zombie for a few days now. Yes, if you come across the blogs and Facebook profiles of OrCom Juniors lately, most of us have ranting statuses. Something that goes like, "TOXIC FEBRUARY." Or "It's so stressful I'm gonna dieeeeee!

Oh yeah. My pictures tell it so.

Not-so-good pictures are meant to be in thumbnails.
See the dark eye bags? NOOOOO.

We were given a lot of PR (Public Relations) and AV (Audio-Visual) projects lately. Although these two fields are really meant for OCs (Obsessive-Compulsive people), who pay much attention to details, they are still the best examples that tell how productive combining work and play can be. THIS IS FUN, ya'all! 

For now, I got to slice cucumbers and put them on top of my eyes while I lie on my bed. Have a good sleep, friends!