"Don't be afraid to make mistakes, to stumble and fall, because most of the time the greatest rewards come from doing the things that scare you the most. Maybe you'll get everything you wish for. Maybe you'll get more than you ever could have imagined. Who knows where life will take you. The road is long and in the end, the journey is the destination."
Job Fair '07 aka Pormalidad Day
I am officially employed! I got accepted as a Technical Support Representative in Sykes- a Cebu based call center. It's very rewarding to get this job because the recruitment process was no joke. It was very long and nerve wracking. My entire weekend was spent sitting (plus tossing and turning) at the lounge of Casa Leticia, where the job interview took place. I bet the receptionist of the hotel already memorized all of our faces! heheBefore going into the details of my whole recruitment experience, I'm gonna rewind a few events which leads me to Sykes in the first place. So our school conducted this Job Fair to give the graduating batch an opportunity to look for a job. It's a great thing actually. We don't have to wait for March to go job hunting. But the catch is, we were required to wear business attire during the whole duration of the event. Ahmm...yeah imagine the slacks and those high-heeled shoes. If make-up was added on the list it will no longer be a job fair for me but more like a circus. No offense to those who wear make-ups! I just don't know a thing about it. If I'm to apply it in my face I may end up looking like a clown or something. Lip gloss and powder are the only decent stuff I can manage. Anyone up for a tutorial? lol. I think I'ma need one soon. For someone who isn't used to wearing formal outfits, it can be pretty difficult. But I survived the discomfort except for that of my feet which hurts a lot because of the shoes.
We already prepared some of the necessary documents beforehand so we just photocopied them by Friday. There were about sixty participating companies. Some of them were familiar while others were totally unknown. But it wasn't that big a deal for the company profiles were posted on bulletins near the elevator.
Ever since I heard about the booming industry of call centers in the Philippines I became interested with it. I search through forums and websites to gained knowledge on their processes and transactions. I came to know the big three in the industry- Sykes, E-telecare and PeopleSupport. Even before our educational tour in Cebu I'm already certain that my first career move will be on this field.
When I spot the three names on the company list I was thrilled. This could be a good chance to get hired! However, I was taken aback when I heard that the companies were conducting initial interviews. What the hell will I say? Just the thought of a job interview weakens my knees. I have no idea what kind of questions they're gonna ask. It would've been ok if I'm prepared. At least I'll have something substantial to say about the company. But then, there's no room for preparations so I did what I had to do.
The very first company I approach was E-telecare. Dang! Wrong move! Just so you know, this company was my first choice. I've been to there office in Cebu and I was impress. I probably won't forget Etel because I had my first ever job interview with them. Which sucks a lot by the way. I stutter and then mumble just about anything that crosses my mind, hoping it will be relevant to the questions. I can't think straight because I was too busy being nervous. I didn't even notice if I was making sense! At that time I had no idea that "we'll call you" equates to rejection so I happily stood up and thank the interviewee after. How lame! haha! Seriously, I'm a bit disappointed. I tried reevaluate myself, but it only crashed my self-esteem. Then I realized that it's not healthy to dwell with these stuff. Some things are just not meant to be. We have to accept that. Maybe there are better things in store for me. I can't afford to give up. This was just the first. Way to go!
I slowly pulled my self together and gathered my confidence back. I'm on track again. I randomly applied on different companies. Among all the interviews I've undergone, the one with Sykes was the longest and the most interesting. *_* My classmates also applied in Sykes but the exam messed up with their interview schedule on other companies. So only a few of us took the exam the next day. It took almost 4 hours and fortunately we passed everything with flying colors. Our application was forwarded to the next level which is an English assessment phone interview. Cherry (Sykes' HR Personnel) said that the key to passing this one is to relax and be confident. Those phrase became our motto. We have about 2 hours before the next interview so we hurriedly eat our lunch and proceed to the 6th floor to practiced. We read this booklet given by Maersk (the only reading material available) from cover to cover. hehe! A "speak English rule" was also imposed, we conversed in English for the next two hours! Chadang! haha! When we were in the elevator I saw the operator laughing at us. But who cares?
When it was my time to enter the room I was pretty scared. But as the interview progressed I became at ease. It allows me to think clearly and answer confidently. When I heard the words "we will endorse your application" I want to leap for joy. And that just what I did when I was already outside the room! hahaha! I am so glad that I'm sharing this unforgettable experience with my friends! *_* There were 5 of us from the class who passed and was endorse to the next level- the HR Interview. After HR we were told to go back the following day for another interview. Whew! I practice reading and studied a little bit on American accent that night. I did not sleep well because of the uncertainties I'm faced. The next level is the most difficult. We've exert so much effort already, it will be very disappointing if in the end we will fail.
Here comes Sunday-the judgment day! When I arrived at the hotel I'm not at all well. My throat hurts. Maybe I over do the reading. hehehe! We were very lucky to have Cherry and Mariz to give us tips and comfort. They were very friendly and helpful. Surprisingly my nervousness vanished during the interview. I think I did ok despite the mistakes I've made. The result was given right away- we all passed! Did I mention that I totally forgot about lunch? lols According to Cherry we were good as hired, but we need to pass yet another interview which will be the deciding factor for our account. They gave us this white Sykes shirt and discussed the relocation details. After all the talks, Mariz treat us to Picobello! Weee! Pizza! yum! I went home with a big smile! *_* At around 11:30pm I finished my account interview and was officially hired the morning after!
I am truly happy and super excited! The vivid plans that we used to imagine is now materializing. This is my first step to independence!
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