It’s been three years since my last visit in, the magical place I grew up with, Sta. Quiteria. Frankly, I’ve been, pretty much, incognito with the people there, especially to some of my fellow high school batch mates, for reasons I chose not to further disclose. Then, a few days after my graduation, I received a text message from a fellow high school batch mate, and fellow brethren in that [organization], about the upcoming anniversary of my home chapter. If I received that message in other, perhaps wrong, time or place, I would’ve just ignored it. But no, I was in my celebratory mood and I wanted to drink.
Unexpectedly, that fated day, my fellow rocker friend invited me to accompany him in a job fair at SM Megamall. I was, really, really surprised that I got myself a call center job. I was really expecting to fail because the technical exams were a couple of notches higher, and difficult, than we’ve learned during college. There were five essay exams: I barely answered the three and answered the last two, “Wiser is he who admits that he does not know”. During my final interview, I was asked, why I want to work for their company. My literary pamba-barbero, in English, leg-pulling, went in and told a fictional story about me meeting a friend in a mall and was so envious of him and his expensive stuffs. Then I said, “I want to be like him. I want to be able to afford the things I want and help my family in the process”… The interviewer just laughed her heart out and said that I passed.
I almost dropped my jaw when I heard about the starting salary, the perks, benefits and stuff. Though I know the job can be mundane, and I really am not that interested with computer hardware and operating system procedures, at least I would still be practicing what I’d majored during college and earn decent bucks from it. And besides, my fellow rocker friend and I noticed that most “hardcore” IT companies aren’t really newly-graduate friendly, except for Accenture, though, and speaking of, we’d also sign up for an exam schedule there by Friday. Anyway, I’m no longer that pressured and I think it’s a good sign.
Anyway, during my so-called homecoming, I’ve come to think that some of my fellow high school batch mates, and their friends, got a bit intimidated of me. Drat, no matter how hard I try to be like Mike Shinoda, who’s known to be warm and friendly, I always end up being a Joe Hahn, who’s known for his dry humor, satirical words, and distant nature.
A fellow, who’s someone I don’t know, told me that I was lucky to have some sense of goal. And I was like, unconsciously telling them that I’m not better than them. Having a degree doesn’t make me a better person and it wasn’t really my intention to intimidate anyone, especially for that sorry fact alone that only a handful from us were able to graduate on time. Maybe was it because I was dressed formally and everyone was like casual. I don’t know. But what I do know is that, I dressed up properly because I went to a job fair prior to that soiree. Somehow, I did have a great time, though sadly, every memory of my high school is like a vague blur.
In the end, Limp Bwizit is right. After years of ignoring them, I’ve eventually gathered enough strength and courage to meet them, again, even just once, and realized that we have seen each other develop into self-sufficient and independent individuals with some kind of success, small or big, and kind of. We’re just so proud of how far each of us has gone in life. It’s their short congratulatory messages or expressions of joy about your recent success contains the whole story of a fellow high school batch mate accepting life’s tough roles and challenges - something that, you know, which makes us, somehow, bonded.
Unexpectedly, that fated day, my fellow rocker friend invited me to accompany him in a job fair at SM Megamall. I was, really, really surprised that I got myself a call center job. I was really expecting to fail because the technical exams were a couple of notches higher, and difficult, than we’ve learned during college. There were five essay exams: I barely answered the three and answered the last two, “Wiser is he who admits that he does not know”. During my final interview, I was asked, why I want to work for their company. My literary pamba-barbero, in English, leg-pulling, went in and told a fictional story about me meeting a friend in a mall and was so envious of him and his expensive stuffs. Then I said, “I want to be like him. I want to be able to afford the things I want and help my family in the process”… The interviewer just laughed her heart out and said that I passed.
I almost dropped my jaw when I heard about the starting salary, the perks, benefits and stuff. Though I know the job can be mundane, and I really am not that interested with computer hardware and operating system procedures, at least I would still be practicing what I’d majored during college and earn decent bucks from it. And besides, my fellow rocker friend and I noticed that most “hardcore” IT companies aren’t really newly-graduate friendly, except for Accenture, though, and speaking of, we’d also sign up for an exam schedule there by Friday. Anyway, I’m no longer that pressured and I think it’s a good sign.
Anyway, during my so-called homecoming, I’ve come to think that some of my fellow high school batch mates, and their friends, got a bit intimidated of me. Drat, no matter how hard I try to be like Mike Shinoda, who’s known to be warm and friendly, I always end up being a Joe Hahn, who’s known for his dry humor, satirical words, and distant nature.
A fellow, who’s someone I don’t know, told me that I was lucky to have some sense of goal. And I was like, unconsciously telling them that I’m not better than them. Having a degree doesn’t make me a better person and it wasn’t really my intention to intimidate anyone, especially for that sorry fact alone that only a handful from us were able to graduate on time. Maybe was it because I was dressed formally and everyone was like casual. I don’t know. But what I do know is that, I dressed up properly because I went to a job fair prior to that soiree. Somehow, I did have a great time, though sadly, every memory of my high school is like a vague blur.
In the end, Limp Bwizit is right. After years of ignoring them, I’ve eventually gathered enough strength and courage to meet them, again, even just once, and realized that we have seen each other develop into self-sufficient and independent individuals with some kind of success, small or big, and kind of. We’re just so proud of how far each of us has gone in life. It’s their short congratulatory messages or expressions of joy about your recent success contains the whole story of a fellow high school batch mate accepting life’s tough roles and challenges - something that, you know, which makes us, somehow, bonded.
2 comments:
Most foreign-funded call centers - Siemens included - offer nice employee packages. If anything, you can always give the job a try and make a bundle of money while you think about it.
ey reiji, the starting salary in most call centers vary. There's an advantage in working for a Company Call Center, as opposed to working for Outsourcing companies. Plus, if you get to support admin-level users, your skill level goes up accordingly. ;) And Sean's right... you can always stew in the call center biz while waiting for the next best opportunity. ^_^
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