A year into the world (Reupload)

This post was originally uploaded to my facebook profile on May 31, 2017

I still remember on June 1, 2016 when I started working with Digital Studio on Theme59, (my first theme development). Mind you my graduation was on June 9, 2016 and I already started working 8 days prior! I started as a web designer developing a smartphone-compatible website. Actually, it looks more like a mobile application than a website!

1 year, 1 year of employment, what can I say? Before graduating, I really didn’t expect working like this, home-based. Let me share to you my plans on employment.

My plan really was to already get a job before graduating. Since when you’re graduating, your last days as a student will be used up for practice, hanging out with your friends for the very last time, and practice. I’ve managed to use that spare time to apply for jobs. I’ve even printed out a map of Makati CBD and pinned every potential employer. I went on a 1-day job hunting that day just by walking! I remembered there were even companies that have already closed, since I just looked for them in the internet, maybe the data that I collected where already outdated. I still recall applying for Anino PlayLab, a filipino based company that focuses on creating mobile games! Everything went well that day except for the companies that have already closed down.

I tried my luck not only in applying by appearing personally to each employer but also to job fairs in my university. I can still recall printing out 20 copies of my resume before going to school that day! Until the day comes when I had my interview with my current employer, He’s a Japanese national who founded his own company way back early 2000. What I admired about this person is his simplicity and humbleness. I’ve even mistaken him for a manager because of the way he dressed that day not knowing he is the CEO of the company! (What an embarrassing moment that was) So he interviewed me at a hotel in makati and within a few days I got an email, within it was my job offer! He wanted me to start ASAP!

I will never ever forget the time when I had to choose from a signature away from working in an office, that is Advanced World Solutions (AWS), to risk waiting for the email of my current employer if they will hire me since he already interviewed me a few days before. I’ve already received the job offer of AWS but I still can’t fathom working in ALABANG for my training! That was one crucial moment in the start of my career. There’s so many what-ifs every time I recall that critical moment in my life. What if I signed the job offer of AWS? What if I didn’t work in Digital Studio? Thankfully, God placed me right where He wanted me to be, and I am forever grateful for that.

Working 1 year in Digital Studio is really like a continuation of me studying. Even though I worked at home all the time. The CEO never fails to amaze me on how he manages his time. Mind you, he goes to the Philippines at least once every 2-4 months just to check up on his 2, now 3 employees here in the Philippines, and that includes me! Talk about management! So we, as employees, really don’t feel that we are left behind since the company is in Japan.

I didn’t really felt that I was forced to work, unlike what is happening to most of my batch mates in UST. From the stories that I’ve been told, they don’t feel their work is appreciated by their team leads, they always do the same stuff over and over again, and they don’t really feel like working in the company. I know some people who wanted to leave the company they’re working for even though they haven’t finished the contract yet. And that’s the sad part, they have to work forcefully until their contract is finished since they are bounded by it. I’m really thankful that I treat my work not as working 8 hours a day then I’m done. What I mean by that is I value my work as a part of my everyday life. I found a sense of enjoyment and satisfaction every time I work. That’s why I don’t feel tired or forced to do it because I love it. I take good care of it and I let myself grow and learn all these new technology that I know I will need when I establish my own E-Commerce based company soon.

In the span of 1 year, I learned more than what I expected from this company. I wouldn’t talk about it one by one.. The essence of my blog is to let my readers know that to really enjoy life, especially work, you must first assess yourself on what you really want to do for the rest of your life (as for me, E-Commerce). From that if you really established and build in yourself the foundation of what you really want, everything that you do will ultimately lead you to your goal, not to be shaken by trials and difficulties, since the foundation that you built in yourself will remain intact over time.

Thank you for reading this.

Christian Juliales