While I may not be the only one who's supporting our large family (numbering close to 10 persons), it pains my neophyte pocket especially for someone like me whose miser-to-a-fault character always sublimes wherever and whenever money's involved. There are currently four of us working our asses off for the household: my mother who of course had been an employee all these years; my father who's currently overseas and our spark of hope of being able to pile up some money to get that dream house rolling after almost 20 years of being on hiatus; my brother, who's currently a call center agent and has a nick of spending his hard earned money with ease just like swallowing a piece of mini "Kutsinta" followed by a hot cup of cocoa; and of course me, who's currently stuck and getting all moldy and dusty being a helpdesk analyst under the regime of call center companies and their Filipino cohorts.
It may be a wonder to everyone of you out there on how four people working for 8-10 people and still here I am whining in this column. Come to think of it, I am wondering actually on why is it hurting my pockets a lot. Here I am, elated at the fact that tomorrow is pay day but at the same time, I'm depressed since more than half of that goes to bulging bills and mountains of groceries. There's this other half of the pay you say? We will, of course, take into consideration your transporation allotment, your sudden caprices for some quick snack at the office and that book that you have been waiting for three months time and finally (FINALLY!) it arrived and is ready for pickup.
Before anything else, I would like to say first that my salary is not that big. Considering I am a hepdesk analyst, it doesn't really come in packages--helpdesk analyst and near 30K wages. I am just one of those poor blokes who would have wanted a better stand in the company but since the company would rather outsource a hiring agency than hire us directly (which would more or less, yield the same budget tally for them) I am currently whining now.
So why go through all of that outsourcing and stuff? I don't know. All I know is that they'd see me prancing out of their doors after a few more escapades and brawls with an American ass-kissing house fly who pretends to be my boss. It's so not worth the pay.
Pay is not good. Boss is being an asshole. Not my ideal niche. What's the plan?
Of course! Another job hunting!
There are several benefits on landing on the job that I wanted to pursue. One would be: I would at least be able to practice my profession of choice, though to a minimal extent (but hey it's a start). Next: I would be able to rake in money for that very elusive house that's been sleeping at the back of the minds of our parents (and now it sits on top of my head with flashing neon green, orange and pink lights; and they're running mind you). Thirdly: I would be able to at least save money (after taking out the neon lights first) finally for my schooling again.
What job is that?
Teaching English.
There's this new trend that, I believe is an off shoot of the call center indsutry--teaching English to Koreans, Japanese and Chinese. If you have a very good American accent, stemmed from being a call center agent, you'll definitely get the job.
So I applied, but only as a part timer. This could at least add to my current wage and the pay is good I believe just for working 4 hours a day. Add that to my current working hours and that's a total of 13 hours. Half a day out of the house but earning almost double my current salary is not a bad deal. In fact, it's really one good deal.
First company to apply to: EduConnect (or something like that)
result: "We're not hiring as of the moment."
reaction: Then why the hell post it in Jobstreet bitch?!
Second company to apply to: English Channel (this time I'm sure of the name.)
result: Still pending after almost two months of following up. They would say that I was up for an oral interview by next week but three weeks has passed since that day and I am still waiting for that schedule. This is the first time that I have experienced the maximum effect of the "Filipino Time" at its best.
reaction: clueless
Third Company to apply to: Duzon (or something that goes like that)
result: Aching muscles; knowledge of the long forgotten stations of the almost non-existent Philippine National Railway; cumulative dark bags under the eyes which are thankfully subsiding gradually at present; first hand information about how to go around the Filinvest area via Festival Mall; removal of some dentures due to too much teeth grinding caused by stupid fellow applicants who boasts on their stupid American-accented talks when they could have talked with each other using their native tongue but decided to go against it for reasons I am not able to discern until now; discovery of the dread that a four-city distance work might present and; a contract signing.
reaction: *raises white flag*
Why raise a white flag when the opportunity is presenting itself?
Why not?
First things first. I need another job but I need to be alive in order to do that job. Three hours of travel time from my place to that part time job entails me to give up more than three hours of sleep everyday!
So? You say I can sleep on the way there? How can you if you need to change from one public transportation to the other after almost every 30 minutes? Then you have to walk for about 20 minutes or so to get to the other place where you'll get the bus to your destination. Who can sleep with all that? If I may add, the longest travel time of all those public vehicles would require you to stand up from when you boarded it until you alight it.
*sigh*
So now I'm back to square one. Back to square one and has no money in the bank.
Eh? Yeah no money! Salary day? 2 days ago? What salary? All I know is that when I came to my senses, there's a two week supply of groceries for everyone in the fridge and the threatening bills were gone from underneath that plastic apple magnet stuck in front of the fridge.
I wonder...how did that happen?
It may be a wonder to everyone of you out there on how four people working for 8-10 people and still here I am whining in this column. Come to think of it, I am wondering actually on why is it hurting my pockets a lot. Here I am, elated at the fact that tomorrow is pay day but at the same time, I'm depressed since more than half of that goes to bulging bills and mountains of groceries. There's this other half of the pay you say? We will, of course, take into consideration your transporation allotment, your sudden caprices for some quick snack at the office and that book that you have been waiting for three months time and finally (FINALLY!) it arrived and is ready for pickup.
Before anything else, I would like to say first that my salary is not that big. Considering I am a hepdesk analyst, it doesn't really come in packages--helpdesk analyst and near 30K wages. I am just one of those poor blokes who would have wanted a better stand in the company but since the company would rather outsource a hiring agency than hire us directly (which would more or less, yield the same budget tally for them) I am currently whining now.
So why go through all of that outsourcing and stuff? I don't know. All I know is that they'd see me prancing out of their doors after a few more escapades and brawls with an American ass-kissing house fly who pretends to be my boss. It's so not worth the pay.
Pay is not good. Boss is being an asshole. Not my ideal niche. What's the plan?
Of course! Another job hunting!
There are several benefits on landing on the job that I wanted to pursue. One would be: I would at least be able to practice my profession of choice, though to a minimal extent (but hey it's a start). Next: I would be able to rake in money for that very elusive house that's been sleeping at the back of the minds of our parents (and now it sits on top of my head with flashing neon green, orange and pink lights; and they're running mind you). Thirdly: I would be able to at least save money (after taking out the neon lights first) finally for my schooling again.
What job is that?
Teaching English.
There's this new trend that, I believe is an off shoot of the call center indsutry--teaching English to Koreans, Japanese and Chinese. If you have a very good American accent, stemmed from being a call center agent, you'll definitely get the job.
So I applied, but only as a part timer. This could at least add to my current wage and the pay is good I believe just for working 4 hours a day. Add that to my current working hours and that's a total of 13 hours. Half a day out of the house but earning almost double my current salary is not a bad deal. In fact, it's really one good deal.
First company to apply to: EduConnect (or something like that)
result: "We're not hiring as of the moment."
reaction: Then why the hell post it in Jobstreet bitch?!
Second company to apply to: English Channel (this time I'm sure of the name.)
result: Still pending after almost two months of following up. They would say that I was up for an oral interview by next week but three weeks has passed since that day and I am still waiting for that schedule. This is the first time that I have experienced the maximum effect of the "Filipino Time" at its best.
reaction: clueless
Third Company to apply to: Duzon (or something that goes like that)
result: Aching muscles; knowledge of the long forgotten stations of the almost non-existent Philippine National Railway; cumulative dark bags under the eyes which are thankfully subsiding gradually at present; first hand information about how to go around the Filinvest area via Festival Mall; removal of some dentures due to too much teeth grinding caused by stupid fellow applicants who boasts on their stupid American-accented talks when they could have talked with each other using their native tongue but decided to go against it for reasons I am not able to discern until now; discovery of the dread that a four-city distance work might present and; a contract signing.
reaction: *raises white flag*
Why raise a white flag when the opportunity is presenting itself?
Why not?
First things first. I need another job but I need to be alive in order to do that job. Three hours of travel time from my place to that part time job entails me to give up more than three hours of sleep everyday!
So? You say I can sleep on the way there? How can you if you need to change from one public transportation to the other after almost every 30 minutes? Then you have to walk for about 20 minutes or so to get to the other place where you'll get the bus to your destination. Who can sleep with all that? If I may add, the longest travel time of all those public vehicles would require you to stand up from when you boarded it until you alight it.
*sigh*
So now I'm back to square one. Back to square one and has no money in the bank.
Eh? Yeah no money! Salary day? 2 days ago? What salary? All I know is that when I came to my senses, there's a two week supply of groceries for everyone in the fridge and the threatening bills were gone from underneath that plastic apple magnet stuck in front of the fridge.
I wonder...how did that happen?
